And by the way...

after lots of ponderin I am redating my 1796 dark-blue popeline dress to 1797/98.

This may seem a bit of pea-picking (I really don't know if that expression exists in English, but you might get the picture), since it only differs about a year. But after much looking at pictures and paintings, I believe the difference was quite grand.

In 1796, dresses still tended to have the natural waistlines front and back. In the course of one year, waistlines climbed higehr and higher until they settled right under the (quite lifted looking) underbustline, while the back seemed to linger a few inches lower. The pattern by PP has the high-raised bustline and the dropped back waist. There you are...a transitional dress of the Directoire which would eventually become the Empire/Regency dress most of us know about since watching all the Austen releases (the PP dress looks a lot like the dresses the Dashwood sisters wear in the Thompson/Winslet movie).

Ravelry...

I am such a sucker...I already am a member of Ravelry and have now joined the SP11 group there! I just put in the wrong email address and so found out about my membership just a wee tad late...*stupidme*

My profile name is jools!

I am back...

from a very short trip home to visit my family!

Wonderful days of relaxing, good food and friends and family surrounding me (and dear boyfriend)...and returned late last night to wake up to a sweet little package sent me by my SP for my birthday!!!

I Love It!

A little kit to knit "The Original Knitting Basket"!
And a very nice card...Thank You So Much, Secret Pal!!!

Will take it along to Berlin next week!

When I grow up...

I will own my own camera!!!

No camera, no pictures, sorry...

1796...

is almost finished!

Some minor things (overcasting one seam, the sleeve edges and the hem) will be done today (I will take the shortcut on the hem and use the sewing machine) and then the dress is finished. Phew! That was a very quick and satisfying project, although I will make it up again someday in a patterned fabric and change some things (I already made the front part wider so as to have more to gather in the end), like longer sleeves (I easily catch a cold and like my elbows un-bared) and maybe even loger front parts and dress panels...).

I do consider this (since it is my first foray into the 18th century) as being inspired by "The Lady and the Duke" and lovelovelove it!

More 18th century:

I ordered the PP transitional stays pattern since view B is exactly what I was looking for and my bodiced petticoat (pattern by La Mode Bagatelle), though lovely to behold, is not really an option when it comes to the authentic feel of dress of the period (*lesigh*).

And I need even more stuff to complete the 1796-dress, like a kerchief (still looking for the right fabric), mittens (loooong mittens), a hat (a lovely straw top hat like one...well, the seaside hat by Lynn McMasters), at least one linen petticoat, a reticule and of course a "spencer" or maybe even a half robe in red wool which is already here and sooo soft and nice! Shoes will be ordered and since they are so expensive, they will have to make do for all my 18th century projects!

Stays: I did go out in the rain at last (mainly because I didn't have anything to eat anymore) and found buttonhole twist in a nice, slightly darker green (but it still matches).

Pictures: Sunday, because then my boyfriend will return with the camera!

Knitting:

Ahem, I did do some rows on the white stockings...to clock or not to clock is the question...

Weather...

well, its raining like hell here. Has been raining for hours and hours. So I qui all plans of going into town and sewed instead. Am sewing, that is.

Finished the trial stays, tried them on, cut down the back some more, the side panel and then off to the final (hopefully) version, which is all assembled and waiting for lacing holes. These I cannot start on till I get to town and buy buttonhole twist in a nice green colour matching the binding (which hasn't been cut out yet).

Started a 1796 dress of dark blue popeline in between and finfished the bodice just now (it's the one from Past Patterns, wonderful but really a lot of fizzly work). Love it.
Have to go to town to get more buttonhole twist for two more cords.

See, it all depends on the weather...

Will start ripping the skirt panels in a moment.

Knitting:

Knee-highs are progressing nicely but...a lot of tedious stockinette...I used to love stockinette...but this is just a tad too much (and a second sock is waiting...*ack*)

The last days of holidays (well, meaning medicine-free August) are approaching faster than I wish!

And SP11:

Have contacted my very nice downstream pal and got contacted by my upstream pal! *yahoo*

Okeeeeyyyhooo...

Got my SP 11 match *yay*

Worked on the stays and officially declare the current state a boned trial version.
Changes to de made: Cut down back (still too high) and take out a bone on the side piece (stays are still too wide). The boning pattern might need a little twitching too, mhm...

Knitting:

None, fell asleep in front of the tv and am now waiting for food to arrive. Yeah, fast food. *hooray*

Yaaaawn!

I am at work right now.

Quite a boring day became quite a boring night and is still going on.
I forgot to take my knitting and so am forced to just sit and wait for something to happen...this feels so very unproductive...*lesigh*

Good news: My order of steel arrived (and an order of some pairs of shoes of which I promised to keep two at the maximum...*ggg*) So tomorrow I will get to work on the stays! *yay* And I have two days off so there will be plenty of time for lacing holes and binding!

Bad news: No news yet of the darn parcel! And no match for SP 11, as of now...

Ack!

Came home from work on Saturday, cut out the interlining of the stays, sewed all the channels, started inerting bones...only to realize that I fell short of steel by 75 cm!!!

ACK!!!

So I had to order new steel (and some otehr stuff to soothe my angry mind ;o)) and am now waiting for the order to arrive. In the meantime I toiled a new 1880s corset. My, am I short in the torso, I guess I will have to shorten it at least for 6 cm...hopefully it will be nice!

Yahoo...

Today...

I came home from work, ate leftover spaghetti and then toiled the 1780s stays. They fit quite well. The only things I will change are the back (way too high) and the straps (way too wide).

Knitting:

Overnknee-highs coming along nicely :o)

Secret Pal 11

I was accepted to get a go at Secret Pal 11...*yay*

And I have posted the questionnaire on my SP 11 subpage :o)