I did something!

Look, I cut things out!!  These are the pieces for the stays* that I cut out of cheap muslin so I can do a trial fitting before tackling my coutil.** I wanted to trace down the guidelines for the boning channels, but I had to stop here because I couldn't find any tracing chalk.*** I brought a lot of my sewing stuff with me to Connecticut last fall, so my best guess is that it's still in a box somewhere.  Grrrr!  So, this is the extent of my progress for now.  A friend of mine just opened a fabric store in downtown Bremerton, Dylan Fabrics, but like just opened, so she's still getting everything organized and on the shelves.  If she has tracing chalk in stock I will go tomorrow and get some (hooray for an alternative to JoAnn!!)

I am using the "Half-Boned Diderot Stays" pattern by Nehelenia Patterns, which I bought from (guess who?) Dylan Fabrics!  It's a pattern company that is new to me, so I'm excited to dive in.  I also bought the "Open Robe 1730-1760" pattern by the same company.  1760 is a tad early for this specific reenactment, but the Americas were slightly behind the Continent as far as fashions go.  The other thing I like about this pattern is that as an open robe, I can make a few different petticoats**** and switch them out,

Oh, and I almost forgot, I ordered fabric for my gown!  I got 10 yards of this block-printed fabric from India on eBay.  Even if I make the petticoat out of the same fabric, the gown won't require 10 yards, but it won't hurt to have extra in case of mistakes.  I'm a little nervous about when the fabric will arrive, since it's being shipped from India, but even if it's on the later side I should have plenty of time.  I have plenty to do until it gets here!

Here's a picture of the gentleman who portrays John Adams.  He's on the right.  On the left is, of course, the venerable Dr. Benjamin Franklin, with George Washington between them:

Photo credit: IL Martin

Doesn't the green in the fabric I bought match John's suit nicely?  I think it will be a good subtle nod to the fact that they are husband and wife.

Definitions, for those not familiar with sewing and historical costuming terms:

* Another word for a corset
** Coutil is a strong, heavy twill fabric used in corsetry.
*** Tracing chalk comes in one-sided sheets. You put a sheet face down on the fabric and run along the lines on the pattern piece with a marking wheel, and the chalk markings are transferred to the fabric.
**** In this era, "petticoat" referred not to the unseen garments that added shape and lift to the gown (that would be an underpetticoat!), but to the skirt made of fine fabric, intended to be seen in the opening of a split overgown.  It could be the same as the main gown fabric or pull one of the colors from the design of the fabric.

Costuming stuff! Much to do and not a lot of time to do it!

As you may or may not know, last summer I portrayed Abigail Adams in an all-female production of "1776" put on by Reboot Theatre Company, Twelfth Night Productions, and Seattle Musical Theatre.  It was Reboot's inaugural show, and by all accounts a resounding success.  As a co-producer, I contributed funds as well as time and sewing know-how, assisting our amazing, talented costumer Barbara Klingberg. She did all of the designing, I just watched in awe and stitched whatever she gave me to stitch!  She churned out 24 historically correct and beautiful men's suits (cut for women's bodies) - that's breeches, waistcoats and frock coats - plus two elaborate and intricate gowns, one for me and one for Martha Jefferson!  All of this had to be made from scratch because, well, no one had done this before!  As a thank-you for my assistance, Barb gifted me my costume.

And now we're up to speed!  So, last month, I attended the Northwest Colonial Festival in Port Angeles at the beautiful George Washington Inn and Lavender Farm (check it out, it's such a beautiful location!).  I went with a couple of other ladies who are involved in a group called Somewhere in Time, Unlimited - historical costuming enthusiasts covering just about every era that sponsors some events and sends out regular notices about other groups' events as well (there tends to be a lot of overlap with membership in the other groups).  I wore my Abigail Adams costume, and at the afternoon tea we met John Adams and Benjamin Franklin!  The men were both wonderful interpreters and, as we were all also costumed, they set aside the roles for a few moments to talk shop with us (one of the ladies I went with had been Martha Washington the previous year).  John and I exchanged lines from "1776" and very nearly broke out in song.  It was lots of fun!  We took some pictures and chatted some more and they went off to finish out the day.

Well, what this is all leading to is that the gentleman portraying John Adams (who is about to play him in "1776" for the third time) told me about an upcoming event in Phoenix, AZ called Rebels and Redcoats (which goes November 4-6) and he wants me to come and participate and be Abigail!  He's hoping to get me a travel stipend to cover some of the costs of getting there.  Ziva can even come along and be "Nabby," the Adams's first daughter.

All that is to say - I've got a lot of sewing to do in a little less than two months!  As amazing as my costume was for the show, it would need a lot of alterations to make it authentic enough for living history interpretation, so if I'm going to put in the work, I might as well just start from the ground up.  I don't have a shift or stays (the costume had boning in the bodice, making it sort of stays-gown combination) so I will need to make those as well as a gown (and a pocket, if I'm feeling ambitious).  I have the cap I wore for the show, but I need to style a wig.  I also hope to make Ziva a shift and dress and accessories.  I've set up a Pinterest page with some fabric swatches as well as pictures of mothers and children and families to get an idea of how little ones were dressed, and it's kind of all over the place.  Some portraits show the children (sons and daughters) in almost Regency-esque chemise dresses with wide sashes, and others show the more typical 18th century shape - a bodice with a rounded point at the bottom and skirt gathered or pleated to it.  I think I'm going to try to replicate the latter.  But as far as I can tell, most commercial "colonial" patterns for children are of the "prairie" variety, so I'm going to make my first attempt at creating my own pattern for actual clothing.  Like, I've thrown together some pieces of fabric to make caps and aprons, but never for garments.  I'm starting small...literally!!

And finally, I will be blogging this whole project 1) to keep track of my progress and 2) so that I am accountable to myself and to you, dear readers!  I make a lot of ambitious plans and then lose steam, and I am determined not to let that happen.  Feel free to subscribe so you get an update whenever I put up a new post, and follow along!