The Cloak Saga

Yesterday I sat down at the sewing table and opened my new cloak pattern. I was excited to have another one to try since I had not been happy with how the green short cloak was looking. I began reading the directions, and stopped short.

Hand sewing?! Surely not. I did not have the time to do that nor do I have the hands for it due to arthritis. Besides, if sewing the cloak on my sewing machine would be too heavy for the machine, what would the weight of it do to my hands?

And "don't panic"? Too late for that. It looked like I would not have any cloaks to sell at the Feast, which is a shame because preliminary weather reports are calling for temperatures down in the 30s that weekend.

What to do... What to do...

The green short cloak was still hanging where I'd left it a week ago and I decided to take another look at it. Maybe it was still salvageable. Turned out that it was.

After a little trimming in a few areas and the addition of silk ribbon ties, the green short cloak was finished. It was not a loss! And I was really happy with how it had turned out, too.

So happy that I decided I would go ahead and finish the blue short cloak I'd also cut out. It is a knee length cloak as opposed to a hip length like the green one, 

plus it has a hood instead of a double collar,

The hood is silk-lined. 

It's 100% silk, not a blend or an imitation silk. It's the real deal. I love to just smooth my hands over it as it has such a beautiful feel. Hard to describe; if you've ever had something in your hands made of pure silk, you will know what I mean.

Last year I made two silk-lined hooded short cloaks using the same pattern.

Both were hip length, and both sold quickly.

This is the same wool as the one I am currently making.

I also made a silk-lined hooded hip length cloak, and it sold quickly, too. 

I hope to finish the blue cloak today, and then I have two pockets cut out to finish. I will probably call the Feast sewing good after that. 

Stay 'tooned!

Inside & Outside the Sewing Room

First Post of the Day

Inside the Sewing Room

Last week I got a lot done in the sewing room, but the thing that I enjoyed making most happened on Saturday.

I pulled out the wool roving, something that is soft and pliable and doesn't shed or make a mess...and is very relaxing to use.

Wool roving is used in  various ways for making 18th century items - like stuffing pin pillows.

Saturday morning I took a break from pleats and sleeve buttons and made some easy peasy pin pillows.

Sempstresses and tailors used these to keep their needles and pins handy at all times.

A loop on the end of a long ribbon or tape allowed the pin pillow to hang from the apron strings.

Other loops were shorter but functioned the same way. (That green ribbon is silk.)

I had some scraps of really good 18th century reproduction fabric to hand, and I am so happy with how these turned out. Unfortunately I ran out of silk and grosgrain ribbon and had to stop, but more is on order.

I also completed a second chemise this week. This is a 2XL and that size sells out quickly. 

I want to make at least two more 2XL for the Feast.

I really like this pair of sleeve buttons - they look simple but elegant.

I also made another pocket. (Hmmm, guess where that one pin pillow came from??) This is a very accurate fabric, and I got it for free at a Feast sewing circle - a lady had put her remnant pile out and told us to take what we wanted.

Outside the Sewing Room

Brooke Sauter texted me Sunday morning with several photos for me to look at.

"Not the best photos in the world, but I used a Jolis Chevaux trade shirt in the display for last night's Feast-themed dinner."

That's it on the left, peeking out from under the waistcoat.

Well, that was a surprise. Brooke is the sewist I ask for help from when I get stuck. She makes all her own clothes (18th century as well as modern) and not only is the director of the Feast but she also runs the Feast sewing circle. 

Putting the trade shirt on display was an affirmation that it was a good example of Feast era clothing. And that is something that I work hard to achieve when I sew for Jolis Chevaux. (Research, research, research!)

Thanks, Brooke, for the heads up that you had used the shirt and for sending me the photos. (They were taken by Bridget Slack.)

Busy but Good

I knew that yesterday was going to be busy; I just didn't realize just how busy it would be.

Pepper and I went to the vet so she could receive her monthly injection of Percorten/Xycortal for her Addison's Disease.

She and I swung by the barn after that to check on the herd - Tim is traveling and has asked me to watch the horses this week. Obviously, Abby continues to avail herself of the mud spa.

Sultanna is in foal and due in May. She's a big boned mare but her pregnancy is showing.

Two Socks and Hokey were enjoying the sun over by the loafing shed.

The horses weren't the only animals at the barn who were happy about the warmth and sun that we have been having. (It got to 72 yesterday!) The birds were singing loudly all over the grounds. I pulled out my Merlin app to record and identify the birds that were singing.

The Eastern Meadowlark was really singing its heart out! And I could listen to bluebirds sing for hours. Such lovely songs.

Tim had seen couple of bald eagles on the property a few days ago, and we have a pair of red shouldered hawks that have been calling to each other in our neighborhood. (We also have a lot of bluebirds around our home, too.) Definitely the birds are enjoying this warmer weather.

Lunch with Craig, Curt, and Vanessa and then an appointment for my shoulder with the Occupational Therapist kept me busy until mid afternoon.

Breyer was busy yesterday, too. 

Tickets for BreyerFest went on sale and will be discounted until mid April. All tickets are digital this year. I haven't bought mine yet, but I will soon. (Photo from Breyer.)

But Breyer wasn't done - they announced a test run offering for Collectors Club members. (Photo from Breyer.)

It comes with two pieces and Club members can enter to be drawn for the pair. The cost for both is $1200. I don't have plans to enter for them as I am not fond of either mold even through Merrylegs is a vintage Chris Hess mold. (Photo from Breyer.)

Finally, I wrapped up the day by finishing a second cloak.

Made from green wood, it is tied with black silk ribbons. (The cloak has not yet had its final ironing.)

The hood is lined with white silk - a first for me. Like wool, silk is very expensive. It is also tricky to work with - it's hard to iron, it's slippery and slides as you stitch, and it frays easily. But it is very authentic to the 18th century so when one of my favorite fabric suppliers had some silk on sale, I bought two yards to experiment with. I love the end result; it was worth the difficulties I had in lining the hood.

I got another cloak cut out after I finished the green one. This one is hip length (the green and blue cloaks are knee length) and is made from a gray wool. It too will have a silk-lined hood. Today's plan is to work on that before we head down to Indy where we volunteer a couple of times a month. (And check the herd, too, of course.)

It's going to be another busy day, but it's going to be a good one, too. I hope yours is as well.