Tiger Lily's Threads

First bit of progress done With only 5 days left until the battle reenactment at Mount Vernon, I realized I didn't have anything to work on for a demo for my seamstress impression. Then it hit me: why not a fichu/neckerchief? It would be really easy and quick to sew, and I wouldn't have to keep track of all the pattern pieces (considering it's only a giant triangle). That in mind, I got right down to it and started cutting the fabric out of 100% cotton striped remnant I picked up from Burnley & Trowbridge this past weekend. While I could have sewn this up in a heartbeat with the sewing machine, I opted to be more traditional and sew it all by hand; I wanted this piece to be historically accurate for educational purposes (since sewing machines weren't invented until the late 1800's). I won't have this project finished until Sunday for demonstration purposes, but I can't wait to have it completely finished. If you'd like to make your own, ...

This year's market fair was once again a success. My friend Stephanie and I traveled up to meet with our Artillery unit around 9am and did all of the shopping until our feet gave out (or we ran out of money). Sadly I don't have any photos to post, but I've decided to try something a little different. The highlights and Cons. High Lights:  There was definitely a huge turn-out at the fair this year in both vendors and attendees. I attended this fair for almost 4 years, and since then, I'm noticing an increase which is not only good for the vendors but also great for the park's exposure. Got to see a lot of friends and meet new ones.  Con's:  The weather….I swear, when it comes to Maryland's weather it's always unpredictable (in spite of what the forecast says). I remember last year when I went up, and while it was nice and warm and sunny where I lived, as soon as I drove past Hagerstown, it snowed! Thankfully that didn't happen ag...

Remember this Caraco jacket? I made this last year for the Colonial Market fair at the Benjamin Banneker Museum. If memory serves me right I believe it was a hot and humid Summer weekend. I thought that wearing this beautiful coral fabric would help reflect the sun's heat. . . I got one thing right. Bright colors will reflect and make you less hot. However, making the jacket the way that I did was a horrible idea, which almost cost me my health and maybe my life if I didn't catch it early on. Let me explain…. When I made the jacket, I did the sensible thing and bought 100% cotton fabric. However, that's not the crazy part. During that time, I was feeling my way through learning about different fabrics (especially when it comes to historical clothing). At that same time, I also did not get the memo of the "do's and don'ts of Fashion 101", such as lining a jacket with anything other than silk, muslin, or cotton, is a bad idea...Case in po...