A tea gathering and fabric gifts

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Cynthia Griffith

Some of the fabrics I received -- these will help me make a few costumes, so I can have fun with the group!

This past Saturday, some of the members of my private 18th century costumers group decided to get together.

Not everyone was able to attend, sadly.  In fact, we were a little nervous we wouldn’t have very many at all, but we decided to go ahead and meet up to discuss some plans.

Four ladies, two gents, and two cute kids attended the tea meeting.

It was a lovely time

We had a nice cozy gathering, and the hostess set the tea table up outside to take advantage of the lovely weather.  She wore one of her Regency gowns, even though this wasn’t a costumed event, and my husband and another member wore their kilts.  The tea and food was yummy, and the conversation was great.

Planning

A lot of us are busy, and some of us don’t even have a finished costume yet, so it’s difficult to start planning actual events to attend.

We decided we should try getting together more regularly for chatting and tea, or even “classes” to learn how to make accessories, learn period games and dances, and to help each other with fitting and sewing.

Just because we’re not doing actual costumed events yet doesn’t mean we can’t have fun gearing up for it!

Ignoring accuracy for now

I really need to stop fretting about accuracy or even focusing too much on planned gowns.  Yes, there are gowns I would love to do. Yes, there are gowns that could be better researched and more carefully put together.  Is it really all that helpful if I’m not even finished (much less barely started) because I can’t find that perfect fabric, or worrying if something was done then or not?  I know I want to avoid disappointment later — it’s helpful to try to make sure what I do sew is at least wearable for a while, and doesn’t have such a huge mistake that it’s almost uncomfortable to wear, but I can’t let worrying about too many things keep me from even getting started.

This is a private group, we’re not reenacting for the public, and darnit… I want to have fun!  So I’ve decided to just push on as best I can, adding to my wardrobe, and then later I can go back and get more detailed or accurate, as well as make those gowns I’ve been dreaming of for so long.

Plus, I have to admit:  sometimes I am inspired to do something fun because a fabric speaks to me or an idea comes to me that sounds fun!  It may not be historically accurate, but it could be a decent way to learn for later.

Very helpful gifts

Our hostess had some fabric she needed to clear out of her sewing room, and we went through to see if there was anything we could use.

Some of the fabrics spoke to me, and I overcame my shyness and took them home.  Fabric for petticoats, a bodice or three… I had no idea when I might have the chance to go shopping for fabric any time soon, so this definitely helps put me back on a decent sewing schedule!  One of the fabrics even helped me make some final decisions about one of my planned gowns that I wanted to make first.

It’s so nice having extra help deciding, isn’t it? 😉

Refreshing

I must say, I really needed this.  Not only is everyone so nice and helpful (and I look forward to more members being able to attend regularly as well), it just helped my own attitude.  So much has been going on, that even if I don’t think I’m feeling down, I’m not exactly feeling as optimistic or positive as I should be.

I left the gathering feeling energized, excited, and refreshed.  I’m looking forward to having fun and celebrating every little goal, even if I’m not quite finished with some costumes for an actual event.  I’m also looking forward to more laughs and conversations with some really great people!

I definitely need to do that more often.

Posted in Costumes, Gifts, Hobbies, Sewing | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Snow Day Fun

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Cynthia Griffith

My husband, Christopher, wearing his kilt on a snowy day.

This past week, North Texas had below freezing temperatures as well as ice.  My husband and I didn’t want to risk driving around (or even walking) on the ice, so we were cooped up for a few days.

Fortunately, Thursday night it snowed and made walking around a little easier.  We decided to get out Friday and have some fun.  We went for a long walk and then decided to go back out.  The second time, Christopher decided to wear his kilt!

Not only did we get some fun photos, but we brought his video camera and he juggled snowballs and had a blast.  It was nice to get out — I’m not used to being cooped up and missing my workouts (I just didn’t want to slide on ice and get hurt — especially since I had just gotten over a cold).

I tried to keep busy with embroidery etc, but admittedly it was hard to focus long enough to do much.  Between being distracted watching cars slide by on the road outside, less lighting from the clouds, and pacing around from being cooped up… I didn’t get as much done as I probably could have.

While it was fun getting out Friday, and I actually prefer cooler weather to hot weather, icy roads are something we can all do without.  Especially when it keeps you from getting things done!  We’re looking forward to life getting back to normal.

The video below is something Christopher quickly threw together of the footage I took.  Some of it was from our earlier venture out while he was wearing jeans, and the rest is from when he was kilted.

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Started working on the costume gallery

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Cynthia Griffith

For some reason (maybe it’s the weather), I was inspired to get the costume gallery section started (see the “Costumes” link above, and on the sidebar).  I’ll be working on it here and there, adding new and old garments, as well as any other photos and information that I can find.  Some of the older garments I made before I had this website will take a little longer to get together.  At least I’ve made some progress!  I’m sure I will even make a few changes to the layout over time, ironing things out even smoother.

While searching the site or using the category option for the blog worked okay for a little while, it’s starting to get a little more difficult to find things.  I realized that there were a few people who wanted to see something specific, and it would have been easier to just tell them to go to a gallery.  Better to get the gallery started now before I’ve got even more to organize.

I just wanted to let everyone know in case they were wondering.  Best wishes, everyone!

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A Sewing Day

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Cynthia Griffith

Embroidery and sewing supplies, as well as the roll of trim, from the sewing meet. I need to figure out a better way to carry my embroidery frame.

Saturday, I attended a sewing meet. I’ve sewn with others before, but this was one of the first times I’ve gathered in a larger group for a sewing day.

What I worked on

I actually ended up bringing my second 18th century pocket to work on embroidery since I didn’t have any actual sewing ready in time. I transferred the design, basted it on the frame, and did the two crossing borders a few days before the meet.

I decided to work on the scrolling vines at the meet since it is very simple.  On the off chance I got too distracted with chatting, or forgot a stitch (I sometimes still refer to the embroidery website for stitches or techniques I haven’t memorized yet), I wanted to keep it simple.

I probably would have come close to finishing all of the vines if it weren’t for the frame itself.  I didn’t notice it when the frame first arrived after I bought it, but quickly after starting the first pocket I saw one of the wood pieces was cracked.  It held up during the first pocket, and I never got a chance to figure out what to do with it before I started the second.  Sadly, it’s starting to crack even more, so I will have to stop working on the pocket until I get it fixed or replaced.

Nice Surprises

We had a chance to chat about goals as well as sewing techniques. A few people chatted with me about embroidery, and I recommended the embroidery website I’ve been using.

The hostess also mentioned that she would like to test out a new dressform-making technique with me before she gives a class on it later.  I am very excited about that since I have been needing to make two different dressforms for 18th and 19th century costume fitting.

We were also given a gift by a very kind lady who gave us all a large roll of trim.  She’d been given so much of the trim she didn’t know what to do with it.  I’m looking forward to figuring out what to use it on, and very thankful for the kind gesture as well!

Time flies when you’re having fun

It was a blast, and I very much enjoyed chatting with friends and meeting new people.  It definitely made embroidery seem more like fun instead of work.

Using my old art bin seems to be working for now, but I didn’t have anything big enough to carry my embroidery frame in.  I was a little nervous about damaging the frame or getting the fabric dirty.  It worked out fine, though.  I’ll have plenty of chances to figure out other ways of carrying my supplies and sewing or embroidery, not to mention plenty of people to chat with and see what they use!

I highly recommend getting out and working with others occasionally.  It can be such a slow and lonely process sewing on your own.  Sometimes it’s nice to have someone to chat with, not to mention extra hands to help you pin or hem something!

Posted in Embroidery, Hobbies, Sewing | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

CFGriffith.com is a year old!

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Cynthia Griffith

Sadly, I have not done as much with this website or blog as I originally planned.  Every time I sit down to do more work — especially the costume gallery and a few other regular pages — I start realizing that is time I could be using for other things like the sewing I need to do.

Still, it’s nice to have a new website covering what I’m up to, even if I don’t update very often.  Maybe some day I will finish some of those sections I’ve been meaning to get around to.  I hope it won’t be on the second anniversary, but maybe it just means I’m sewing and finishing up all those projects I need to do.

Thanks for visiting and best wishes!

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My first embroidery project: 18th century pocket

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Cynthia Griffith

Finally!  It took me a little longer than I’d wanted, but I finally finished my first embroidery project!  I took a short break to enjoy the holidays, and then my husband and I re-organized things and did a little cleaning to make more space.   I also wanted to make a few decisions on how to finish those final details.

The project

I decided to make my first embroidery project my 18th century pocket (hopefully there will be a second pocket in the near future).  I figured, if I ended up making a mess or if the design stood out as being too “off” then it wouldn’t matter anyway — the pocket will be hidden under my petticoats and hoops.

I used the pocket pattern from the Patterns of Fashion 1:  1660 – 1860,  by Janet Arnold.

Although I have an embroidery book covering 18th century embroidery, I decided to not worry about that detail and just work on a design that came to mind when I started working on my 18th century garments.  It also would give me a chance to try learning a few different stitches, as well as using some very simple and quick stitches to help fill the space. The initials are for my character’s name.  The neat thing about that is I can always just embroider the last initial (G) on other projects, and it can be for my own last name or my character’s last name (different names that start with the same letter).

I learned the stitches from Mary Corbet’s Needle ‘N Thread website.  If you’re interested in learning embroidery — definitely check it out.  It was a HUGE help.

The materials

For the actual pocket fabric, I used the same white cotton fabric I have been using on our under garments so far.  The embroidery floss was DMC cotton floss.  I created the embroidery pattern on a separate piece of paper, and then traced it to the fabric with a pencil using my lightbox.

I definitely “learned by doing”

Many times, I like to practice things before I apply them to my actual projects.  While I did practice a few stitches to convince myself it would be worthwhile to order the embroidery frame and try this, most of it was on-the-spot learning.  I watched the videos or step-by-step instructions, and then picked up the project itself and gave it a try.  Sometimes it worked great, and sometimes it wasn’t so good.

There are sections that are a little sloppy (maybe I rushed that section too much, or got off on my stitch length, or paid a little too much attention to the TV).  There are sections I wish I could fix, like the part just under the thistle.  There are also sections I absolutely adore, even with their little mistakes (the scrolling vines with leaves and flowers).

Things to work on for next time

I definitely need to keep practicing — that’s a given since I just started learning.  I don’t see myself doing embroidery all the time, or some types of embroidery, but for things like this it’s so enjoyable!

I look forward to using better fabric and floss.  I also would like to buy some beeswax to prepare the floss and keep it from snagging, knotting, and catching so much.

I had such a time deciding which colors to use (I couldn’t find enough differing shades in the colors I needed).  It seemed like such a huge difference between deciding with the floss bundled or laid out side-by-side, and then actually stitched on the project.  Something I thought would be too dark wasn’t dark enough, or I could have used shades that had even more of a dark/light difference between them.  I look forward to getting more used to choosing colors, as well as stitches, and even how many strands of floss to use.

I also look forward to spending more time researching actual 18th century designs and learning to be more accurate.

It was a blast, and I’ve actually learned to enjoy embroidery.  I’ve come a long way since my first attempts as a kid making a mess and not knowing what I was doing.

My first embroidery project: 18th century pocket (although I did not focus on an 18th century design).

Posted in Costumes, Embroidery, Hobbies, Sewing | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Very thoughtful and helpful gifts this year!

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Cynthia Griffith

Check out this beautiful wrapping paper my mother-in-law bought with me in mind. Isn't it lovely?

My wonderful mother-in-law, Mary, helped me mark a few more items off of my 18th century costuming list this Christmas!

I’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed with everything I need to make for my first costume, as well as my husband’s (and I intend to make others).  Most of the items I’m making myself, but there are those accessories that I need to purchase.  Every little bit helps get that list whittled down even more.

These accessories come from Jas. Townsend and Son, Inc.  I have never ordered from there before, but have wanted to for a while.  I sent a few links to items I needed, and Mary was so very kind to get them for me.  I’m very pleased with the items I received.

I now have a bergère hat, three fans, and clocked stockings.  I will need to finish the hat, but I’ll wait until the actual outfit is finished (or at least have the fabrics purchased). The stockings seem like they’ll be very comfortable, and I can’t wait to finally be able to order the Fugawee Martha shoes I want.

These items will go great with my outfits, and I look forward to getting the chance to wear everything together in 2011 sometime (hopefully).

Thanks so much, Mary! What a lucky gal I am 😀

The bergère hat, fans, and clocked stockings I received as gifts this Christmas.

Posted in Costumes, Gifts, Hobbies | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

My first embroidery project

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Cynthia Griffith

Transferring the embroidery design with a lightbox. I decided not to worry about 18th century designs and just have a little fun of my own with this one.

It feels funny to say that I’m almost finished with my first embroidery project, but the garment project itself is only almost half-finished.

I’m making a pair of 18th century pockets and decided to embroider them. The first pocket embroidery is almost finished, and then I can take it off the frame, sew the pocket, and do it all over again.

Not focusing on authenticity

Although I have the 18th century embroidery book my husband gave me for my birthday, I decided to just focus on learning embroidery without worrying about the look of the piece.

No one will see the pockets since they’ll be tucked inside my pocket hoops, so I decided to have a little fun with some ideas that came to mind.   It’s still giving me the chance to practice a lot of stitches, as well as pushing myself to try things that would have scared me to try if this were going to be on an outer garment.

The Internet is a wonderful source of information

I’ve practically been living on Needle ‘N Thread lately, learning how to embroider.  Things I struggled with when I was a kid are seemingly so easy now.  Granted, my stitches aren’t perfect, but so far I’m very pleased and most importantly, I’m having fun!

There are a few things I wish I knew a little more detail to, but maybe I’ll make a list and send them to the embroidery website for possible tips. Regardless, I’m sure I’ll eventually pick up more tips from others when it comes up in the future.

My thoughts on the embroidery frame

So far, I love the frame!  There is one thing I’m concerned about.  One of the wooden spacers between the lap base arm and the scrolling frame is cracked.  I’m worried it will eventually break apart, and I’m not sure how easy it is to replace without getting something slightly different.  I might contact the store I purchased it from and see what they recommend. I don’t think it’s something I did — I noticed it when I started putting the fabric on the frame to start embroidering.

The fabric isn’t as taut as I usually like it to be when I’m embroidering, but I don’t mind it and have been getting used to it.  I knew that would be an issue since it’s being held in a different way.  The sides aren’t tacked down, but I needed to be able to scroll around on the fabric to focus on different areas.  I didn’t want to mess with a hoop and re-hoop constantly.  The lap frame base only came with the scrolling frame, so that’s what I used.  I really like not having to hold onto a frame or hoop with my hands.  I definitely could see myself buying more frames and accessories.

Since it’s something I can work on just about anywhere, I’ve been loving that aspect.  There aren’t a lot of things I need, so I don’t have to carry tons of stuff around with me.  I do need to find a carrying bag for it if I want to transport the frame.  At least the frame folds down flat for storage and carrying.

I have discovered I don’t have enough light, even when I work during the day with windows open and lights on. My hand keeps blocking where I’m working.  I will have to look into a clamp-on light.  My mother mentioned one to me, so she might send me one she doesn’t use.

I must admit, I’m spending a lot of time relaxing with the Yule Log on Roku‘s Holiday Channel on TV while I work. I can get used to this!

It’s been a nice break from sewing garments

I must admit, it’s been a nice little break from sewing garments, but I can’t wait to get back to garment sewing.  I probably should have split my time between garment sewing and embroidery, but with the holidays and funds, I figured it would help keep me busy for a little while.  I’m not even sure when my next potential deadline for an event (or what kind) will be.  While I should try to pick the speed up a little, I’m in no rush right this moment.  I’ll probably try to move forward a little quicker after the New Year.

A more detailed entry later

I’m not sure if I’ll post an entry of the embroidery when I’ve finished one pocket, or wait until both are finished, but I thought I might at least update my blog with what I’m currently working on.  I’ll go into more actual detail in that entry.

I’m not abandoning this blog, but I’ve found that I really want to focus more energy and time on my sewing instead.  I’m sure when I feel a little more caught up or inspired, I’ll get back to posting more frequently and actually finishing the rest of the sections on here.

My embroidery frame put away for the evening. The pocket pattern is in the foreground. Although I took this photo shortly after starting the embroidery, I'm currently almost finished with this pocket and have another to do just like it.

Posted in Costumes, Embroidery, Hobbies, Sewing | 4 Comments

My first 18th century pocket hoops completed!

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Cynthia Griffith

The roll of hoop steel used for the 18th century pocket hoops. I had to spend a lot of time to secure the tips on the ends of the steel.

It seemed like it took a while for me to complete the 18th century pocket hoops, but I had some other things to do first and waiting for supplies to arrive. Actually, the pocket hoops went quicker than I expected when you consider how I made them.

Pattern used

I decided to save money again and just used the Corsets and Crinolines book by Norah Waugh. The pattern went together beautifully, and I really didn’t have to do anything special.

For the bottom part of the pocket hoop, I made the piece bigger than needed and pinned it carefully to the edges for a perfect fit. I thought it would be better to pin and stitch to fit, then trim off excess fabric rather than realize I might have cut the fabric too small.

Supplies, fabrics, stitches, etc

I used the leftover cotton I’ve been using on most of my garments so far. I used something similar for my bustle, so I knew it would work out okay for my first pair.

I also used store-bought bias tape for binding a few edges, as well as the boning channels.  All edges are either finished or bound. I hope this will keep the pocket hoops sturdy and make them last for a long time.

The boning is hoop steel that I cut from a roll. It was one of the last things I added. I sewed the whole thing inside out (the boning channels are on the inside), then turned it rightside out and worked the hoop steel through the channels. I’m leaving the channel ends open so I can remove the steel if I ever need to clean the fabric.

I need to replace the temporary ribbon I’m using as the drawstring with something sturdier like twill tape.  I’m hoping it will help hold the pocket hoops in place without any sagging. I was debating for a while about how to finish the waistband section. I almost went for a different closure since there will be so many tied garments around the waist for proper layering.

The biggest thing I did differently on this garment was that I didn’t go anywhere near my sewing machine. It’s all sewn with hand stitches. I just didn’t feel like moving furniture around and having to deal with the machine.

Some thoughts on hand sewing

Except for initial things like prepping the pattern and cutting out the fabric, I found that I was more willing to just sit down and sew (and for long periods of time) since I didn’t have to set up the sewing machine.

I have all of my sewing stuff gathered in a box and can carry it around easily, and that’s helped a lot as well.  In fact, on Thanksgiving I did some work both at home and at my mother-in-law’s. I wanted to test my ability to work in a different environment, while talking with people and having distractions I’m not used to when I sew. Now I’m really looking forward to attending sewing meets, and I feel confident I’ll be able to work comfortably and easily. Not to mention, easier transport!

Again, I really felt like I had a lot of control over the stitches and where they went. There were a few sections that might have been annoying to deal with on a machine, but weren’t even an issue with hand sewing.

I also love the look of the hand sewn stitches. They really add a lot of character to the garment, and seem to be sturdy enough.

What’s next?

I’m hoping to finalize the embroidery design for my hanging pockets, transfer the pattern, and get started. I’ll have two of those to do, and I want to take my time on them.

I might make an under petticoat to wear if I have enough leftover cotton fabric. This would be the petticoat that goes over the shift and under the stays.

I’m definitely looking forward to making the layers of petticoats that go over the pocket hoops, as well as the outer petticoat and outer garment. Still not 100% sure which type of gown I’ll be making first, but it might be the original picnic/garden gown I had planned.

My first 18th century pocket hoops. All hand sewn. I need to replace the ribbon with sturdier twill tape.

I'm hoping sturdier twill tape will help keep the pocket hoops in place and not sag like they do on the dress form. This is my first fully hand sewn garment. I'm hoping it holds up over time, but so far it seems like it will do decently.

Posted in Costumes, Hobbies, Sewing | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

18th Century Pocket Hoops and New Embroidery Frame

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Cynthia Griffith

A view inside the finished 18th century pocket hoop. I still need to make the other one, and attach them to a waistband.

A few days ago I started hand sewing my 18th century pocket hoops.  I’m using the pattern from Corsets and Crinolines by Norah Waugh.  I have one of the pocket hoops finished so far and am about to start the other one.  It’s hard to tell at the moment how they’ll work out.  I’m sure they’ll be just fine, but I’m looking forward to seeing how they are especially with several petticoats over them.

Why I’m hand sewing the pocket hoops

I decided to use hand sewing because it’s been difficult to move furniture around so I can get to my sewing machine.  I also wasn’t in the mood to clean the machine, and although it takes much longer to sew by hand, I enjoy sitting on the couch while I sew.

I fixed up an old art bin (it reminds me of a tackle box) with most of my sewing stuff, so it really makes it easier to just grab what I need and sit down to sew.  I’m also looking forward to any sewing or embroidery parties my friends might have.  With all of the embroidery supplies added, the box is a little packed so I might have to move everything into a better container.

The embroidery frame arrived!

I also received the scrolling embroidery lap frame I ordered from Joann Fabrics.  I haven’t had a chance to use it yet, but I already love it! It’s been hard to focus on the pocket hoops because I keep looking at the frame (which is sitting on my sewing machine table).

Christopher helped me pick up some much needed supplies, especially embroidery floss. I had a hard time deciding on colors for one part which needed a lot of different greens.  We ended up buying a lot more than I planned — but can you really have too many greens?

My next project after the pocket hoops

I’ll start getting the hanging pockets ready for embroidering once I’m finished with the pocket hoops. I’m so excited to give it a try! It won’t be a very 18th century design, but it’s one I wanted to do for the first time at least. After that, I’ll try to look more at authentic designs and practice those.  They look like they’ll be a lot of fun!

Unless something happens and I end up hating embroidery for some reason, I can really see some of it being such a great way to pass the time when I’m caught up on other sewing projects or needing a break.

Below are two photos of my embroidery frame:

My new scrolling embroidery lap frame.

Posted in Costumes, Embroidery, Hobbies, Sewing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment