Sewing accessories

As well as making costume items, I would like to have a period correct sewing kit for the next festival. To begin, I have a needle book and workbag.

Both of these items are dated 19th century by MFA work bag and needle case.

For the needle case, I have used a green (possibly hand dyed) scrap of silk, and twisted together a cord of gold metallic DMC embroidery thread, and black, 6 strands of each, and 3 strands for the tie. The lining is white linen (using fabric I have on hand), and the leaves are doctor's flannel. The covers are made from thin chipboard/card stock, recycled from packaging.

For he work bag I have used some of Barbara Brackman's Lately Arrived from London. This particular print is possibly a bit early for our period, but I think as a work bag it would be appropriate - after all it was probably made of scraps!

I think I'm going to leave out the inner layer/pockets and just do a drawstring in the top. The measurements are slightly bigger than the original as well. it will keep everything contained!

 Photos of the work bag will have to wait, it's not quite finished and the light in this house is pretty bad at this time of night.

Cap!

In the Regency period, married women and spinsters wore caps indoors.

Jane Austen certainly wore a cap! (picture by Cassandra Austen, now in the National Portrait Gallery in London).

I have used the Woman's and Girl's Everyday Headwear Caps Pattern. 1740-1820 from Kannik's Korner. This pattern contains detailed information on extant items that they have copied. I have used the Round Eared Cap, made up using cotton lawn rather than the recommended linen.

I will try and get better photos when my sister is able to spare some time. I will make this pattern again, it went together well, I'm just easily distracted. Next time I might use the large caul pattern, I have very thin, fine hair, but I do have a big head.

The challenge so far

My first challenge, a linen chemise, took a little longer than expected. This was my May/June challenge.

It took a while to work out how to do the sleeve ruffles, but I ended up hemming them with a rolled hem, and using whipped gathers to gather them up, which made for a nice easy whip stitch attachment.

July's project was a pair of mitts from the Kannik's Korner Stockings, Pockets and Mitts pattern. This pattern contains historical documentation.

I also found some extant  examples in museums

 Colonial Williamsburg, 1785-1840

Metropolitan Museum of Art 1800-1824

I made my mitts from a cream cotton linen blend from my stash, with embroidery in a brown thread.

First I made a mock-up from scrap fabric, as i had to add a significant amount of size to the arm.

I think I put the thumbs in the wrong way, but they work so I'm not going to fix it!

For August I am working on a cap using the Kannik's Korner Woman's and Girl's Everyday Headwear Caps Pattern. 1740-1820. I am making the round eared cap using cotton lawn.
The pattern contains research that indicates that this style was used in the period, but I am also inspired by this picture of Jane Austen, done by her sister Cassandra and now held in the National Portrait Gallery.

I am also researching designs for several reticules, as well as painting designs for a fan.

The adventure continues...

Actually, it never really stopped, we just stopped blogging. In April I was challenged to create an item every month (or every two months), instead of getting to March and realising that the Jane Austen Festival Australia was looming and all those projects we thought about after the previous festival were still just ideas.

So, it's time to dig out the old blog and dust it off a bit...