Who wears short shorts? Me, apparently! HSM 2017 challenge #8 Ridiculous

Over 100 degrees. Too hot to write. Many apologies for any lack of coherency. I went with the Outrageous half of the challenge and made that oh-so-provocative garment: Shorts. Not an outrageous garment by today's standards, but in the 1930's? You bet your sweet patoot.

The shorts are a frankensteining of Wearing History's Smooth Sailing Trouser pattern and Simplicity 3688 with a button fly in place of the zipper. It's made of very pink linen from my fabric stash and closes with shell buttons.

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The Challenge: Ridiculous

Material: Pink Linen

Pattern: Wearing History Smooth Sailing Trousers and Simplicity 3688

Year: 1935

Notions: Thread and buttons

How historically accurate is it? Machine sewn

Hours to complete: 96

First worn: August 10th

Total cost: Free

Historical Sew Monthly Challenge #7: Fashion Plates

What do you do when your original challenge entry falls through leaving you with a week and a half until the deadline? Turn on Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and make an afternoon frock.

I chose a simple fashion plate from the March 1925 issue of Needlework Magazine. I've also challenged myself to use fabrics from my stash, and this month Mount Fabric yielded a lovely white dimity with bunches of lilacs on it.

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The Challenge: Fashion Plates

Material: Cotton Dimity

Pattern: 1-hour dress pattern

Year: 1925

Notions: Thread and bias tape

How historically accurate is it? Machine sewn

Hours to complete: 1 week

First worn: Not yet

Total cost: Free

Dressing an Apollo's Knot: HSM 2017 Challenge #6: Metallics

I love historical hairstyles. Which is a shame, because my hair is of the super thin and fine variety that will only cooperate if a gallon of Lottabody is involved. It's especially difficult to do 1830's hairstyles because even if I had the long hair to do an Apollo's knot, I just wouldn't have enough of it. Fortunately, I learned to make my own hairpieces!

This month's entry is an ornament for my Apollo's Knot hairpiece. The bow is sheer wired ribbon and I made the center piece out of wheat sheaves that I painted gold and faux pearls.

Here's the hairpiece:

                                               And here's the ornament on the hairpiece:

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The Challenge: Metallics

Material: Wheat ears and pearls

Pattern: No

Year: 1830's

Notions: Thread, Wire and gold paint

How historically accurate is it? No clue

Hours to complete: 5

First worn: Not yet

Total cost: $0

Give Me My Yellow Hose Again: HSM 2017 challenge #5: Literature

"Remember who commended thy yellow stockings and wished to see thee ever cross-gartered..."

Literature is the theme for this month, and my mind immediately sprang to Shakespeare. I first saw Twelfth Night on the big screen when I was 10, but my production of choice is the all-male version at the Globe Theater with Stephen Fry as Malvolio. It's not my favorite Shakespeare play (that would be Much Ado About Nothing,) but it's up in my top five and so I chose Malvolio's yellow stockings as a quick and easy entry. Good thing too, as between the last few weekends of faire and a terrible cold, I was left with very little time to make them.

I'm no knitter, so I was very happy to find a pair of blue wool pieced hose that I could pattern. 

And here's the finished pair!

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The Challenge: Literature

Material: Yellow Linen

Pattern: From and existing piece of costuming

Year: 1500's

Notions: Thread

How historically accurate is it? Machine and hand sewn

Hours to complete: 72

First worn: Not yet

Total cost: $5.00

HSM 2017 Challenge # 4: Circles, Squares and Rectangles

April's challenge is Circles, Squares and Rectangles and so my entry is a straight paneled wool skirt! I meant to finish it before Faire started, but some last-minute commission work (and an unexpected maid's uniform) pushed it to the back of the queue.

I purchased the wool from a vendor at Old Fort MacArthur days in San Pedro and there was just enough material for one piece of clothing. The skirt is two rectangles sewn together at the selvages and pleated to a waistband with a finished hem.

The photos don't do the color justice. In real life, it's bright, nearly electric blue with flecks of purple.  It's extremely lightweight too, nearly handkerchief weight!

I faced the hem with Bias tape made from cotton duck canvas. It gives the fabric a little protection from the ground and helps to keep the hem from tangling around my ankles.

And finally, I decided to sew on lacing rings to give me a little flexibility on days when I'm not feeling 100%.

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The Challenge: Circles, Squares and Rectangles

Material: Bright blue wool

Pattern: Um, no.

Year: Multi-era, but currently being worn in 1572

Notions: Thread, brass lacing rings and cotton duck bias tape

How historically accurate is it?  Machine sewn

Hours to complete: 80

First worn: April 29th

Total cost: $0

A Red Hood, Granny and Wolf Sold Separately: HSM challenge #3

I'm always at a loss when this particular theme comes up. When one thinks of the "Great Outdoors", what usually springs to mind is some form of sturdy outerwear in a hardy wool: capes, cloaks, skating costumes, shooting costumes and so on. But alas, I live in the great state of California, where the sun tries it's best to roast everything it touches. 

Oh well, I can always hope for colder weather

The wool for this hood was going to be a skirt before the moths got at it. It's such a pity, as it's such a cheery cherry red. The pattern is my trusty Kay Fig winter hood pattern.

                                                  

The Challenge: The Great Outdoors

Material: Wool and Linen

Pattern: Kay Fig Winter Hood

Year: 1860

Notions: Thread

How historically accurate is it? Machine sewn

Hours to complete: 72

First worn: Not yet

Total cost: Free

HSM 2017 challenge #2: Re-make, Re-use, Re-fashion

Faire Season is nearly upon us, and as a result of my body feeling the need to change shape yet again, I found myself in need of a new kirtle. Being between jobs at the moment means I don't really have the money for new fabric but according to this formula:

Last year's Kirtle + A recently purchased pattern from The Tudor Tailor = A new challenge entry

This was my first experience with Tudor Tailor Patterns and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy this was to fit. I have an extremely narrow back and that can make fitting quite difficult, but all it took was two armhole darts and a strap adjustment and I was ready to go!

My previous kirtle was boned with heavy duty cable ties sandwiched between two layers of cotton duck and lined with linen. The skirt was made of two straight panels in the back and a quarter circle in front. I removed the front panel and the new bodice out of it.  I wanted something a little softer this time around, so I gave the cable ties a pass and interlined it with three layers of cotton duck then lined it with cotton sateen. It turned out beautifully and I'm looking forward to wearing it this coming faire season.

And some bonus pics of the blood orange marmalade I made today

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The Challenge: Re-make Re-use Re-fashion

Material: Linen, cotton duck, cotton sateen

Pattern: Tudor Tailor kirtle pattern

Year: 1570's

Notions: Thread, embroidery floss and two cable ties

How historically accurate is it? Machine sewn

Hours to complete: a week

First worn: Not yet

Total cost: $0