Birds, Ponies, Chemises, Friends & Toffee Bars

Second Post of the Day

(Like that title? Much better than the usual "Mish Mosh" or "Hodge Podge," right? LOL)

First, I can now confirm that there ARE two baby barn swallows in the nest cup over our front porch.

Here they are, sitting on the edge of the nest and just about ready to fledge. The parents were swooping in and out with food, and at one point I saw all four at once, confirming the presence of the second baby. I suspect they will be leaving the nest soon.

I will really miss watching them.

I've begun sunning the PAF I found during my BreyerFest virtual "CHIN" shopping (a local antique store.) 

There is just a hint of pink on its muzzle, so I've covered it with masking tape to protect the color from fading.

Currently the outside temperatures are moderate so I feel comfortable letting it sit outside and get some sun.

An alarm on my phone is set to go off every two hours to remind me to go outside and check on it, turn it, etc. I think this little foal will look nice when done!

Sewing for The Feast of the Hunters' Moon has begun and the first chemise has been completed.

The ends of the sleeves are pleated when the cuffs are added. (An option would be to gather them, but I prefer the look of pleats.)

I love how pleats look on the finished garment, but pleating two sleeves takes up almost every one of my favorite pins. (Not to worry, I have nine pincushions and more pins if I need them; I just prefer these.)

I love the look of sleeve buttons in the cuffs, too.

Today's sewing plan is to complete another chemise and then either cut out some pockets or to start working on the green cloak that is cut out and prepped.

"I know it's very short notice, but I'm going to be in town tomorrow. Could I stop by around 2:00 for a quick visit?"

When your bestie (who moved away two years ago) sends you that kind of text, you rearrange your schedule and reply, "YES!!

Lisa and I had the best time being together again, and I baked her some toffee bars to nibble on as she drove home.

Here's the recipe:

Toffee Bars 

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. brown sugar

1 egg yolk 

2 c. flour

2 c. chocolate chips (approx.)

chopped almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter, brown sugar, and egg yolk. (Do not use the egg white - it will change the consistency of the bars.) Beat in the flour.  Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray (or line with parchment paper - my choice.) Pat the dough evenly into the pan. Bake 20 minutes until firm and golden brown.

Turn off oven and pull the pan out of oven. Immediately top with the chocolate chips, sprinkling them evenly over the top of the bars.  Put the pan back into the oven (leave the door ajar) for 3 - 5 minutes until the chocolate chips are softened. (They will look shiny.) Pull the pan out again and spread the softened chocolate chips over the bars and if you wish, sprinkle with the chopped almonds. Cool, cut, and eat!

Enjoy, and stay 'tooned!

Cold, Cold, Cold!

Poppy is settling into her new home well. Her first night with Jessie's family, she went into her crate by her own choice around 9:30 and slept all night without any issues.

She is very people oriented - here she is asking Kyle for some love while he works. (In case you're wondering, she got that attention. Hah!)

https://youtu.be/0np7NDjR_PI

Playing with her new toys from Pepper and Tammo.

https://youtu.be/AHL9YMAKZhg

Greeting Cambria when she comes home from school. (Look at that tail - those circle wags!)

So far things are going very well and I hope that that continues, both for Poppy and the family.

Speaking of family... how can this sweet girl be almost three months old?

She smiles, she giggles, and she is just cute as pie. I can't wait to meet her. Maybe this summer? Fingers are crossed.

These two cannot be old enough to be grandparents. But here we are. And they are loving being Elsie Mae's grandparents.

The weather here has been cold, cold, cold. And it's going to get worse - warnings are already up for tomorrow for dangerous wind chills as low as -20 below. I'm thinking the schools will at least have a two hour delay if not a cancellation of classes. (I've been retired seven years now and I still watch the weather with kids in mind!)

It's been a rough winter and poor Tammo and Pepper are not getting much exercise. Truth be told, they really don't want to be out playing frisbee in this snow, ice, and cold temps.

They both enjoy snuggling and we don't mind a couple of warm puppies nestled against us. We're chilly, too!

Zoomies around the couch have to do for now.

In some ways, the weather has been a plus for me.

I finished my eighth chemise, a size 2XL.

This one has the gold and paste (rhinestone) sleeve buttons. 

I have an XL in progress right now, and then will make a size L as soon as the fabric arrives. (I have already gone through a 15 yard bolt of fabric for chemises this month!)

The burn from my carelessness around my iron is healing but still tender. It was worse than I'd thought. There is a shallow groove in my arm - I hadn't realized the burn had gone so deeply when I burned myself.

Today's plan? Nashie and Mama are coming for the day and that will keep us happily busy. I have a bone scan over at the hospital and then will run to the vet to pick up a refill of Pepper's meds. 

I also want to top off my gas tank before the temperatures plummet today.

And then I am going to snuggle with the dogs and Craig and let the storm hit.

Hot chocolate, anyone?

Sewing for March in January

Second Post of the Day

With the weather so cold, snowy, and icy this month, I have gotten a lot of sewing done for Kalamazoo. Which is good since I sold nearly everything I had made at The Feast of the Hunters' Moon last October.

Here is what I've sewn this past week.

My biggest seller are trade shirts (also called a voyageur shirt.) This is a size small in a block print with lovely shades of indigo.

And, of course, sleeve buttons to close the cuffs.

A trade shirt, size medium, block print fabric.

You can't see it well in the first picture, but look at the beautiful Christmas red and green colors in this fabric!

There are six sizes of trade shirts that I make (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, and 3XL.) For an event, I like to have at least two shirts for S and M sizes, four to five each for L and XL, and finally, two each of 2XL and 3XL. That's a lot of shirts to make! (Currently I have eight finished and ready to go.)

My next biggest seller are women's chemises (also called "shifts.")

Chemise, size small, cotton.

Chemises are the basic undergarment for women. Regardless of whether you were nobility or underclasses down to the poorest of people, you wore a chemise. So these sell very well, too. 

The cuffs end at or just below the elbow and can be closed with sleeve buttons, twill tape, or ribbons.

I make chemises in S, M, L, and XL. (I need to draft a 2XL. It's on the to-do list.)

For events, I try to have in stock two each of S and M, and three each of L and XL. That's ten chemises and I currently have three completed and one halfway done.

Also on the sewing list are a cloak or two (thank you, Feast, for the sales of the others), and at least four bedgowns (Feast affect again.) I should make some panniers, too (yep, Feast).

I am happy that my things are selling so well, but I am also a one woman company.

Lisa helps me with sales and set up/take down and Belle helps me present at School Days, but neither woman sews. Even if they did, though, I don't really want to hire any sewing out - I prefer to make everything that is sold.

One thing on my sewing list is to make myself a new riding habit.

I have learned so much since I made these two habits five years ago. Stashed away in my sewing closet are a bolt of hunter green wool and one of blue wool. I really want to turn one of them into a habit but the issue is eking out the time to get one made.

Having one finished by KZoo is a pipe dream, but the Feast is possible. A lot will depend on sales at KZoo and how much restocking afterward I will need to sew for the Feast.

I found this meme recently and laughed when I saw how well it described me.

(and 18th century history!)

Don't forget the Give Away! Comment to enter by guessing the answer to the question, "What is Mila's favorite dish?

I'll spin to win on Wednesday or Thursday.

Stay 'tooned!

Something for Me

The basic undergarment for 18th century women was the chemise (in French) and also called a shift (in English.) It was a simple white garment made from linen or cotton with sleeves below the elbow and a neckline that had a drawstring. It fell below the knees and above the ankles.

I have been skipping wearing my chemise for the past five years. It was just easier to go without one because usually no one could tell you weren't wearing one anyway, so why add the extra layer?  At least, that was my thinking.

And then I started making sleeve buttons. There were some that I thought were absolutely gorgeous.

Like these that my friend and customer Larissa is wearing at Hartwell Tavern in Lincoln, Massachusetts.

They are my favorite out of all the pairs of sleeve buttons I've made thus far.

The more sleeve buttons I made, the more I wanted a pair. So, despite the short time frame before the Feast and the many other things I needed to be doing, I sat down and made myself a chemise.

A chemise that needed sleeve buttons.

Then I spent a pleasant half hour going through the sleeve buttons I'd made to sell, trying them in each sleeve to see how they looked.

The choice was difficult - I liked so many of them.

Pair after pair after pair...

This sleeve button was a surprise - I'd thought it was pearl. But when I put it into a stark white chemise, I noticed that it is actually a very pale blue.

I'm still undecided but am leaning toward this pair. 

It's a pearl surrounded by tiny silver beading.

However, I just received an order of 45 cards of buttons (about 150 buttons) and I may find something I like better among those. 

Stay tooned on this one!

Last day for the September Give Away! Entries close at 11:59 PM Eastern tonight. 

Leslie's New Feast Outfit

 Second Post of the Day

My sister Leslie has been attending The Feast of the Hunters' Moon since the mid 1970s. She's worn a variety of period clothing and interpreted many different lifestyles over the years. In the 1990s, she began wearing 18th century riding habits and has done so ever since.

Until this year. This year she is switching things up and has asked me to make all her clothing for her new interpretation.

I started with a brand new chemise

that has my favorite set of sleeve buttons in the sleeves.

Next, she chose the blue linen bed gown I'd made. Blue is her favorite color.

And last but not least, she asked me to make her a new petticoat, one that was pleated instead of gathered at the waist.

I am really pleased with how it turned out. 

Pleating can take three to four hours to do, but it is worth it in the finished product.

Can you see the three pleats in this photo? The print of the fabric hides it a bit - which made the pleating more difficult to do.

With pleating, you don't have the "give" that you get with gathering, so you have to measure not only each pleat, but then the row of pleats together to ensure it fits properly. (I measured repeatedly to get it right.)

Then you add twill tape for the waistband. I have bleached and unbleached; Leslie chose bleached. (I agree with her choice.)

When I know my measurements are correct (Leslie came over and tried the petticoat on to be sure), then I stitch one long side of the twill tape to the waist, flip it to the other side and hold it in place with fabric clips.

Finally, I hand stitch that side down, and the petticoat is finished.

She's going to put the clothes on and send me a picture. I'll post it when she does.

Any guesses as to who Leslie is interpreting this year? Here a hint: cheese.

Stay 'tooned!

Creating for the Feast

This year I'm paring down the variety of things that I take to sell at the Feast. I've realized that there are four things I really love to bring: 18th century clothing, sleeve buttons, blackened beeswax ornaments, and maple cakes. 

In the past I've also carried Williamsburg pottery, toques, fans, body powder, pin pillows, dish towels, hussiefs (housewives), hats, fabric, scarves, shawls, and more.

This is my fifth year in business; it's time to focus on making and doing what I like most. And while I have some inventory of just about everything on that discontinued list, I won't be replacing anything. When it's gone, it's gone.

There is just one month left to prepare and I am in pretty good shape. 

I just finished this bed gown and I am hoping I can get more of that gorgeous fabric.

This chemise is for Leslie. I am sworn to secrecy, but now that she's no longer the director of the Feast she can go hang out and have fun at the event. That, of course, calls for new clothes and I am making her entire outfit. Stay 'tooned on that - I think she and I are going to have fun with this.

The sleeves on her new chemise are pleated

and she has a new pair of sleeve buttons

to wear in her sleeves. (She chose my favorite pair.)

That's two of the three things I need to make her that are finished. She's bringing the petticoat fabric to me later today.

Yesterday I spent four hours making blackened beeswax ornaments.

I had two "volunteers" who wanted to help or at least just hang out with me while I worked.

Molly could not have been in a more inconvenient place for me. But I didn't mind working around her - carefully. LOL

I'd made 60 ornaments by the time I was finished.

Normally I make around 40 per session but this time I was using some of my smaller molds.

I hope to make one more batch before the Feast, but if I don't get to it, I'm in good shape and should have enough for selling.

Leslie has been stitching up items for her business, Chien Noir. For years her business has been importing and selling hand block printed fabrics, but now that she is no longer in charge of the Feast, she can spend more time in her booth as well as at home sewing things from the fabric she has imported!

She just sent me pics of fourteen petticoats that she has completed; here are a few of my favorites.

The bands at the bottom are all different - that's very unusual.

Look familiar? This is the same fabric that I used for the bed gown. The colors are so vibrant.

A more subtle pattern, but I love that pop of turquoise at the hem. (Can you guess Leslie's favorite color?) 

This picture is because - Eddie! 

Leslie and I are heading to Kokomo together later this morning. I'm going to pick up my embroidery machine that I'd had serviced, and I think she is going to drop off her sewing machine as she's having trouble with the buttonholer. (Hers is a Pfaff but the store tech will work on other machines besides Janome.)

I'm also going to take another look at that professional grade Janome while I am there. 

Stay 'tooned!