Books and metal caskets

In a departure from my normal, uplifting sewing and creating posts, I have opted to tell you a bit about what I am up to.

This year I have started work on my honours thesis for my BA Honours in History. I had a topic change at the beginning of my summer from restaurants to cemeteries. It seems a far cry from each other, but the library assures me it is not as the books on death are strangely close to the books on tea and food... Go figure! (See above picture.)

Anyhow, today I finally finished reading my first book for my research, so I am pretty pleased. I have been trying to get through a bad cold for the past few days, and was feeling really unproductive with my time as I was falling asleep anytime I tried to read. So today I was worried about my meeting with my advisor, especially since I had been so productive last week with my readings and making contacts for research. To my surprise I picked up my book this morning and began to read "in the final chapter we will examine." Huzzah! Hope! I was feeling well enough to power through to the end! And I did! That was a great feeling. It is nice to be able to say I actually finished something on my route to writing my historiographical introduction to my thesis. 

Also I have been finding it funny how people think my topic, cemeteries and death in Southern Alberta at the turn of the century, (that is the gist right now, I am still working on what exactly I am going to write about and how), is morbid. I don't find it to be as all the practices surrounding death are for the living. Today though I did have an interesting morbid thought. In the late 1800s embalming became really popular, and people became increasingly concerned with preserving bodies. Some even ordered metal caskets that would help aid in the prevention of decay. I am just curious... Did it work? If we were to go dig up a grave with one of these fancy metal caskets with an embalmed body inside, would we find a successful attempt at prolonging the decay of an earthly body, or would it disintegrate into dust the moment we open the casket lid? 

Just some thoughts. 

Birthday Dress - Sense and Sensibility "Swing Dress"

So I like to wear dresses on my birthday, which was almost a month ago. So this year I decided to make a dress out of the beautiful blue flowered fabric I found in the discount centre.

There are some issues with the dress, I found that the fabric had very little stretch compared to the fabric I used to make the same pattern last time, and when I moved the snaps on the side popped open. I am going to replace the snaps with a zipper soon, and hopefully that will help.

I added some lace and buttons to give a bit extra to the dress, and I changed the sleeves to cape from the intended pattern sleeve.

Vintage 1940s Shorts!

I decided to use my denim from Fabricland's New Year's Sale to make a pair of 1940s Pin-up girl inspired shorts.

I used BurdaEasy 8488 pants pattern, but cut the fabric at shorten/lengthen line. The pattern was quite easy, and it took about 6 hours to complete the project from cutting to final ironing. I had planned to raise the waistline on the pattern, but because I am so short I didn't need to. The only problem I found was the thickness of the denim for the waist and front panel. The shorts turned out well, and I think I will be able to get great use out of them this summer!

Burda 7252 Retro Skirt

It turns out that I had enough fabric to make the Burda skirt pattern in my favourite fabric. I love the finished project, but I found myself making a few mistakes in the creation of this garment.

The first thing I did not do correctly was measuring my waist. I couldn't find my measuring tape, so I used a ribbon to and a ruler to decide the correct measurement. This, unsurprisingly, gave me the incorrect measurements and had me cutting the pattern out at least one size to small. Which I of course did not realise until it was cut out.

Secondly, I realised that I cut out the lining pieces out of the main fabric. Oops! But that just meant I had to go buy some lining, which I cut out a size bigger in order to accommodate for my planned alterations to make my skirt larger.

I then remembered, after putting the interfacing to my waistband that I would have to cut the waistband a size bigger as well. Which is where it was fortunate that my lining mistake allowed enough extra fabric to cut out a new waistband.

To make the skirt larger, I eliminated a dart from each side of the skirt, in addition to only putting in one pleat in the back of the skirt. Which made it too big, so I added the darts back in and tailored the side seams to get the fit right.

After several silly mistakes due to poor measurement and reading, I ended up with a lovely skirt to add to my wardrobe.

Some Idea Planning

I am very aware that I don't actually have time to do all the projects I want to at this point during the school year. But I have an optimistic idea where I plan what I want to do so it is much faster when I actually have time. My mom also told me that she used to have a project cut out so she could sew a seam or two now and then when she had a spare moment. Being as I often have an insatiable need to create something when I have the least amount of time, I have decided to plan out some projects in my head, and to cut out a project and work on it slowly. Usually, during the holidays, I cut something out in the evening, and sew the entire thing in the next day or two, and then start the same loop over again. So the longer lasting project will be an interesting attempt for me. (I have tried before, but I just like to do everything at once. I find it more fun.) It will be a reward; if I finish my homework for the week I can sew for a while.

Anyhow, yesterday my patterns from Past Patterns arrived yesterday! I am super excited to try my hand at using an actual vintage pattern and instructions (the pattern is copied from the original, but still) in a few months. An exciting challenge for me. Last night I organised the new patterns with their corresponding fabric combinations, along with some of my other patterns and fabric plans. I want to start making things that I can wear in my everyday wardrobe.

1921 House Dress. Cream/brown/tan plaid cotton with tan accents.

1918-1920 Day Dress. Yellow striped cotton. Probably cream accents. The fabric is not as bright as it looks.

1940s Swing Dress from Sensibility Patterns. I want to trim the neckline with lace, and shorten the dress to make it more wearable for everyday.

This is a Retro Burda Pattern. I was thinking about using this denim to make the skirt, however I purchased it with the intent of making a pair of high-waisted retro shorts. I am waiting for the pattern I need to go on sale.

  

This fabric was in my mom's stash. It was purchased to make matching mother/daughter outfits, but was instead used to make me a skirt and matching vest during elementary. It made me think of Anne Shirley's teacher outfit in the second film. I have been trying to figure out something for this fabric for a while, because I still love it. I was thinking about a vest, but I have decided that it will make a lovely retro skirt for my everyday wardrobe. Provided the pattern fits the amount of fabric I have left, this is the pattern I am going to cut out and sew whenever I have some time.

A 1913ish Skirt

I have been following the Historical Sew Fortnightly challenge from The Dreamstress (http://thedreamstress.com/the-historical-sew-fortnightly/). I hope to do as many challenges as possible, but being a student I know I will not have time for a lot of them. BUT I know there are some challenges that fill in well with some of my own costuming goals, so I will do the best to do those ones.

This Christmas break I had some fun catching up on some sewing projects and using up some of my pent-up creative energy. And a couple of my recent projects fit in with some of the earlier Historical Sew Fortnightly challenges.

So, without further ado, here's my 1913 skirt for the Bi/Tri/Centennial challenge a couple weeks ago!

The skirt is made from the extra fabric from shortening my living room curtains.

Busy

Well, I do try to keep myself blogging, but I don't seem to have ideas or the time most days.
I had a busy summer working and enjoying the very warm weather. Working at an historical village means wearing costumes in the heat, which is not too bad until someone tells me "You must be so hot!"
After working all summer I went back to school. I have been reading so much. One biography a week, 200+ pages on historiography a week and French every day. Luckily I don't have any papers due until December. However I do have to monitor my time and work on those assignments before they all catch up with me.

Also I got a new haircut, which means less historical hairstyling, but an easier everyday style!

Had enough to donate!

My work house! And me. In a costume, when its hot, by a stove... that has fire in it. But I love it!