1883 Chemise

 Almost 6.5 years ago I originally made 1883 Chemise, I drafted the pattern from Fashions of the Gilded Age Vol. 1 Chemise with small sleeves. I never drafted the sleeves and only half hem the bottom, neckline and armscyes. 

In August I had to return home for some medical appointments, and when I was home, I decided I should finally finish it. 

The chemise never fit quite right. The neckline was really low, the armscyes was cut weird.

First I seam ripped the shoulder, this was going to need to be lengthened for less fabric to be removed from the armscyes. I had about 1.5” of excess fabric there anyway. I then backstitched as close to the frayed edged as possible and trimmed the frayed part.

I then tried it on and it was already much better, but I still marked the armsyces where I wanted to cut it. After I removed the excess. I I folded twice as little as possible with some very light pink polyester thread that I think we had since the early late 2000s / early 2010s. The part I didn’t cut was folded once, and just folded the part in half.

Then for the neckline hem, I just folded it over, for the shoulder strap area it was just enough to cover the hem from the armscyes and whipped stitch it down, trying to only catch the hem from the armscye. The neckline hem did increase as the main part of the shoulder strap disappeared, to the full seam allowance that the neckline was originally hemmed with. This part was done with a running back stitch.

When I finished the neckline I decided I wasn’t going to finish hemming the bottom hem, as I didn’t want to do it, and was going to need to iron the chemise again. The hem was originally done on a machine, so it should be good from fraying but if it does I may need to actually hem it, or just make new under garments. It is tight across the chest and hip areas, and I do struggle a tad to get it off.

 

Love,

Paige

Current WIPs: 

- 1880s Redthreaded Corset 

- Granny Stripe Blanket (currently on hold, I have worked on it this summer but it is currently not with me)

 

Planned 

- Knitted Socks (4)

- Repair Work

• Blanket: Binding
• Chemise: Hem 
• Petticoat: Hook & Eyes → need corset
• Wash Dress: Hook & Eyes → need corset
• Crinoline Cage: Bag & Closure may need resizing → earliest mid dec * not likely

Finishing my second year

 I came into the spring semester scared, I was really worried I was going to do bad like I did last semester. The photos are photos I took through this semester.

But thankfully, I was able to not sink again. I didn't do as well as I did my first 2 semesters, but my semester gpa was 0.5 higher than the fall. My mental health was a lot better, even with having a little to much on my plate. 

I did end up dropping from the rocketry club for a couple different reasons, mainly because I was burn out, and the club's president couldn't be professional, and was downright cruel to me.

May 1st, 2 of my roommates moved out into a cheaper apartment, where our expenses, are now 2/3rds of what they were at the old place, which  together is saving us around $900/month.

Paige

2022

 I started off my second semester of college with 16 credits and with joining a rocketry club. Which I dropped every ounce of my spare time into, especially after I was appointed to be one of the lead engineers. When I was appointed lead the spot I was going to fill in the next school year decided that he was going not to do anything anymore. So soon became a schedule of school/rocketry for 20 hours a day, and 3 hours a sleep. I wasn't really purposefully going to bed, I was passing out at 3:30 AM, onto my laptop while doing a presentation. I do not recommend. Health and Sanity are way more important. Though it did give me a nice internship offer.

I was able to donate plasma once again, and I finished the semester with making dean’s list once again, though I did not get a 4.0 this semester. 

Over the summer I took a trip to New Mexico with a group of 23 other people, I went off roading in the desert with my dad for father's day after getting 2 hours of sleep. We got into El Paso at 3:30 AM MT, after driving from Dallas. The drive from Dallas was 10 hours, and pretty much encompassed a total of 2 roads. I also got a really cool Dinosaur from Ikea after landing in Dallas. Two of us in our group had never been to Ikea, as the closet one to me is roughly 5.5 hour drive and in another state. It was a week long competition filled with rockets, dealing with 100+ degree heat and 95% humidity, and shenanigans.

 

Aug 2022, Cornfield (We were launching rockets)

I preceded to work for the rest of the summer, before moving into my first apartment in August. I lived with 4 other people, and I would be okay with living with 3 of them again.

Though this fall semester was rough, I was taking 17 credits which include Organic chemistry, the 2nd calculus based physics class, and had classes from 8 am to 8 pm, five days a week. I was at a point if I got sick I was screwed, which means the 6th week of the semester I woke up feeling terrible. I felt better when I had covid in early 2020 than that 4 weeks. In December I finally finished as was really glad that I passed all my classes. 

Paige

It has been nearly 2 years …

 My beloved readers,

I can’t believe it has been nearly 2 year, the last time we spoke I was excited about possibly getting into a course that my college offers to first year students, for the summer before they start. I didn’t get into the sewing class, but I did get into the cooking class.

Each week had to cook a different food and do a post about the science aspect related to the food or digestive system. The professor tho definitely has biases and is not the nicest to others. I had never had an issue with her but you could tell with the way she talked about others.

Also the last time we spoke, I had just returned to vacation and was on an extremely strong antibiotic, I had been stung by a wasp, and developed a bad bacterial infection in the area after 2 days, If I had waited until morning it would’ve been an ER visit for iv antibiotics. I wished it was iv antibiotics only for the fact that I found out I was allergic to the first antibiotic and preceded to sleep from Benadryl the entire time I was on the med. 

After the the college class was finished, I moved into my dorm (which was at a hotel), orientation week was so busy and didn’t get to unpack until the Sunday after the first week of school. Went to a frat party that Friday but left by 10:30, parties are a lot more fun when you know the people there, and then I started my 1st semester.

I took 15 credits, and finished the semester with a 4.0 and made deans list. I also had the time to donate plama twice the first semester. In October we got a new puppy.

Unfortunately at the end of December, an extremely close family friend, we had been really close to since 2006, and his death was harder than my grandfather’s in 2020.

And with that, 2021 was finished.

Paige

Sewing vs. Cooking: My First Class for College

 

        Salut Everyone!

I am going to start a new thing were I mix words from the languages I know. My first language is American English (English is different from country to country, especially from the US to the Commonwealth. The differences usually are different spellings: meter vs metre and color vs colour; and different words for the same object: diaper vs nappy). My 2nd language is French, I did take French for 4 years. I know some German, my family mostly came from Germany, England, Scotland, and Ireland when they settled in the US. So there are some words in German I know just from my family.

Today's post is about my first course for college. I have taken a college course before. It was a dual enrollment course through my local community college and my high school. It was College Physics 1. The course was a 4 credits, I got a 105 on my final and a 4.0 for my final grade. This physics course was algebra based so unfortunately I won't be able to transfer my credits to earn my Chemical Engineering Degree. But, I will have known the theories behind different ideas.

So the college I am going to offers a summer program that allows you to take an elective to get experience doing a class through there system. We had to put rank 5 courses, my top 2 were a sewing course : Intro into Modern Quilting and my 2nd course is a Kitchen Science Course.

My plan was to get into the first course and post weekly about different quilting techniques, just to revamp my sewing section of my blog. But, I didn't get into that course. I got into my second choice Science in the Kitchen!

This course started July 1st, but we found out June 21st of what we course we got. On June 24th I did do my first 3 assignments, a quiz, an introduction post, and I had to write up a science post. That post was about Vitamin, Minerals, and one organ that helps your body digestive food. My organ was the pancreas. I did the assignments a week before the class started because my family is on vacation this week and I didn't want to worry about getting my assignments done. 

I wish everyone a wonderful summer and see you next week!

        Love,

        Paige

My First Face Mask!

 Welcome back! Next week, I am posting on Friday next week. I am trying not to overwhelm myself with posts, so I only plan on posting once a week.

Check out my YouTube Channel Potential Energy Gaming

I haven't sewn in so long but on June 5th, I had Prom and all the emails we were getting said masks had to be worn at all times. So I needed a Matching mask.

I began by tracing a mask my aunt made me to create a pattern. I was lazy so I made a pattern piece and put both the outside and inside piece on the pattern.

My Fabric was the left over fabric from my mom hemming my dress. I cut 3 layers, as the fashion fabric was see through. So the outside layer had 2 layers of fabric and the inside had one. This made the mask very heavy.

I had a hard time cutting fabric as I wasn't using fabric scissors. I did finally find fabric scissors to cut the very slippery fashion fabric.

I first sewed the middle seam. I had a trouble catching all the fabric on the one side. I did go back to catch more of it, but, there still is a little segment that wasn't caught. I sewed the inside together first, then I sewed the outside together. I put the fashion fabric in the middle and the white material on the outside.

I then sewed the the two layers together. With the insides facing out, I sewed the bottom edge together, then the top. After I turned the mask inside out. So the fashion fabric is on the outside. I did happen not to catch fabric with the top, so I did go back and I did catch more of the fabric.

Them I hemmed the bottom. I didn't want the hem so big, but it came out way larger than I wanted. I wanted it more like I did to the top. I did the top after and I got the stitching real close to the edge.

The mask was almost done. 

I folded the edge and folded again then stitched down. Folded again and stitched as close to the edge as possible.

I put the elastic in, hand sewed the elastic together and rotated the elastic so the stitches were in the center.

Love,

Paige

Welcome Back!

 I can't beleive it has been over 2 years since I last wrote a post, and 3 years since I actually wrote a post and not an update.

I did have a draft written in April of 2020, but I never ended up redeocorating my room. My room will probably not be changing, and if it does it will just be painted and new floors. But, I will sure to let you know.

In 2019, I got my driver's license and started playing Field Hockey.

In 2020, my team mates and I won our championship game after the other team missed our empty goal.

 

This past March, I turned 18, and I will be going to college this fall for electrical engineering.

Sadly, my dog Dolly died, she had tumors surrending her bladder. 

On June 5th, I made a face mask for prom, and I will be sharing that with you.

I started a Youtube channel, called Potential Energy Gaming. When I was filming I didn't realize I cut off my head.

Thank you for reading,

Love Paige

June Plans

Hello, i hope you are having a great memorial day. In the next couple of weeks I have several things I need to finish. I also have tests.

These would be the main events I have to prepare for:

1. Independence Day (July 4th)
2. Gettysburg 155th (July 5th-8th)
3. A reenactment at my historical museum I volunteer for that my reenactment goes to (July 21-22)
4. Marilla (28th-29th)

For 1-4 I would need to:

• finish my 2nd chemise (week 1: 5/28-6/3)
• another pair of drawers (week 1: 5/28-6/3)
• fix hoop rung (week 2: 6/4-6/10
• apron (week 2: 6/4-6/10)
• corset (week 3: 6/11-6/17)
• petticoat (week 3: 6/11-6/17)
• starch everything that needs it (week 3: 6/11-6/17)
• finish wash dress (week 4: 6/18-6/24)

  But I would also like to:

• "Nice" Dress- Infant Bodice, Bateau neckline, short sleeves, lace along neckline and sleeve cuff, tucks in skirt, pearl buttons, back closing (week 4: 6/18-6/24)
• A Straw hat to go with the "Nice" Dress (week 4: 6/18-6/24)

• A white Pinner's apron (week 5: 6/25-7/1)
• Some type of white head covering (week 5: 6/25-7/1)
• A dress is a brown plaid- jewel neckline, front dog leg opening, white/black/self covered buttons, long sleeves that I can push up (for a battlefield nurse) (week 5: 6/25-7/1)
• A double set of cuffs and a collar (week 5: 6/25-7/1)

A New Dress for Heart Day

I meant to post this close to the 14th of February, but I didn't feel like blogging, as this dress wore me out. But, I am on another sewing kick, hopefully it will last for the next 4 weeks so I can get stuff done. I can't sew this weekend. The weekend before I made this dress I got this pale pink sweater.

Excuse my bedroom, I was cleaning.

 I used McCall's 7714. The pattern instructions were great very easy to follow. The pattern on the other hand ... The top, waist band, and skirt where different lengths for the waistband. Which made sewing the zipper difficult. It also made the skirt fold weird in the back.

Finished Dress

Thank you for reading and sorry for the lack of pictures.

Feburary Updates and Plans

I actually would like to make another dress like this.
If JoAnns still has the fabric I saw for it on sale, I might by some.

I started this year off with wanting to make so many historical garments and blog posts. Just for the first 3 months I had 13 posts plan and 14+ projects. But, for me that isn't reallistic, with work, school, and trying to be a functional member of society I just can't do it. Fabric is expensive and my plans for weekends get put off for other people. But, end of January I had a historical sewing kick, then I got sick and lost my seam ripper. When i went back to school from being sick, I had tons of work I had to do. As reading blogposts my historical sewing kick turned into a modern sewing kick. I originally created this blog to make more modern garments, I have only posted one so far and that was made the april before I posted it. This dress was ok, I wore it alot, but the upper chest would beome itchy while wearing it nad it eventually got to small for my chest.

Simplicity 4721 View C

I got to thinking about dress my mom made for me in the past the ones I remembered, were made years ago. When I was about 4 my mom made my sister and I matching purple butterfly dresses. About when I was 6 or 7 my mom made me a pink butterfly dress that I wore for several years, that I stopped wearing when I could not get the dress over my butt (it had already been to small for me by this point for a while I just refused to stop wearing it). At the same time my mom made my sister a dress, the only thing different about it and the pattern is there is supposed to be lace around the neckline.

Simplicity 3902 view C

At same time we got the pattrens for my pink butterfly dress and my sister's dress we got a pattern for a skirt and coat ensemble. I got one made from a darker pink fabric with yellow and black butterflies. My sister got one from a pretty blue cotton with a green and purple pattern in it..

Simplicity 4669 View C & D

A couple years later, I begged my mom to make me a dress from a white cotton with little apple on it. She made me one. It was really hot to wear in the summer, so I had only worn it once, by the time the weather got cold enough to wear it, it was to small.

Simplicity 4721 view A

Last summer I bought myself some patterns that I planned on using. At the store on Sunday McCall Patterns were on sale and I picked up two patterns. I also picked up thread, zipers and fabric. So now I have 2 dresses planned to make this weekend out of McCalls M7714.

I also been thinking about doing a missionary trip this summer through Adventures in Missions. Which I plan on making my clothes for. I also have plans for some historical acessories but not many unless I can get to a few places. I have a week break coming up and I plan to get stockings and main under garments done. This I plan to get done on the 19th and 20th. Then I have material to make guinea pig cage liners, so the rest of the 20th I plan to figure out what I need to do, I also need to get coroplast and a small kitty litter box. The 21st, 23rd, and 24th I plan to make them. I will try to get this all done the 21st though.

But this weekend I plan to make 2 dresses and 2 aprons. The aprons shouldn't take me very long probably an hour each, the dresses on the other hand will take me longer, probably 2 hours for the first dress, and 1.5 hours for the second.

Paige

Redoing Some of My Civil War Things HSM #1 Mend, Reshape, Refashion

New books that I am really excitd to memorize where everthing is :) :) :)

Back ont he 11th I got my new books, Cosume in Detail and the American Duchess Guide.

In my previous post I said I needed to redo/fix several things several things. most of this is my civil war items. There are some things that I wll not be fixing like my crinoline for this project. I do want to redo it. I just want to do a lower class impression.

1. Hairnet- I think I need to redo it completley, as I have a huge hole in the net.
2. Petticoat- When I originally created the garment I made the opening so you can get the skirt on to big. So all I need to do is make the gap about 4-6 inches
3. Early 1860s wash Dress- There is to much room in the back of the bodice. I need to make the top 4 inches smaller and the bottom 1/2 inch smaller. Also it might look better it the bodice was at least 1/2 inch shorter.
4. Sunbonnet- add a few tapes inside to gather the back part.
5. I would like a new corset but for now my old one is fine, as long as I close all the boning channel gaps.

I was able to get a majority of the stuff done in about 2 hours, deconstructing the hairnet, emboidering the petticoat, closing the gap in the 2 skirts, and fixing the pockets each took about 10-30 minutes. I did the majority of this on a Saturday. Then Saturday evening I ripped out seams for 3 1/2 hours.I never want to rip out hundreds of tiny stiches in an easy fraying and low thread count fabric ever again. 

Hairnet

Hairnet Parts

I first took out the piece of metal out and took out all the stitches that held the ribbon to the twill tape. I then cut of the net to pretty colse to the twill tape as I wont be able to use it. I then took all of the rest of the stiches out of twill tape and the hairnet. Leaving me with just the ribbon, twill tape and metal piece.

Petticoat

Hard to see but my initails are there

Little whipstichs to make the gap smaller

Very simple I took the gap in so now it is about 6 inches instead of 15 inches. I also, emboidered my intials on the hem at the back.

Dress

Old Fit
See how the bodice looks very saggy and large?
It is also a bit long

I removed all of the hooks and eyes. I made the skirtgap to be 5 inches long. I then removed pockets and handsewn them back in.

Then I removed the dress (skirt & bodice) from the waistband (which took me about 2 1/2 hours to do) and removed the neckband from the bodice (took me about 1 hour). I am never going to usee such tiny stitches again on sewing manchine. I then made darts in the back on both sides and sewed them in place.

Inside at the neckband

I went through my scrap fabric stash looking for a strip of extra white fabric from my bodice lining. I found a piece a little short, but wide enough for me to cut down to 2" wide strip. There was no extra fabric to cut bias binding, but there was a piece long enough to use as a binding for the neck band. I cut the binding strip down to a 1 1/2" wide strip.

Outside at neckband

I set the edge of the strip, right side against the lining and sewed a long the top, I then fliped binding over the top and tucked the raw edges down and sewed.

I only need to sew both waist bands on and the hook and eyes and that should be up soon.

Sunbonnet

Casing that I completley handsewn on :)

Ribbon ties on the back

I finshed sewing the tape in to hid some of the "guts". I also put on some ribbon ties on the back to draw the top portion in. This is going to be a fancy sunbonnet to go with my nicer dresses. That I have planned.

Corset

I simply just handsewed all my gaps closed.

Love,

Paige

2017 Year in Review and Plans for 2018

I am getting so old and time has been flying right by. There is definetly not enough time in a day for all I need and want to do. For school we have been doing 2 research papers about different careers just in case what ever career we are going for doesn't work out. My first one is about Historians and my second one is about Chemical Operations Sergeant with the United States Miitary.

But, Let's move on to what i have done this year. I started the year off with getting

April

1883 Chemise

1.  Drawers
2. Corset
3. Chemise

May

1. Hats

June

1. Petticoat

July

1. Cage Crinoline

For 2018 I want do (Quarters 2, 3, and 4 will come out in March, June, & September). I feel like Quarters are a much better way to plan projects as it deals with a much smaller time period and is fresher in my memory.

Things over the year I want to get done this year

1.  Some type of period correct bag to pack my stuff in for events
2. Cap
3. Sontag
4. Slippers
5. Quilted petticoat
6. Some Dresses
7. Apron
8. Stockings

Quarter 1 (January, Feburary, March)

January

1. Mend Hairnet
2. Mend Petticoat
3. Mend Dress
4. Crinoline

Feburary

1. Quilted Petticoat
2. Corset
3. Plain petticoat
4. Several more pairs of Drawers and Chemises, and stockings
5. Sontag

March

Beautiful slippers made by Romantic History

1. Cap
2. Slippers
3. Traveling Bag
4. Dress- I would like to make my own bodice pattern, so this might be moved to April

Thank you for reading and sorry for the lack of pictures.

Paige