Weekly Writings II: Cast On, Weave Off

Wow, thank you for all of the encouragement on my last post - weekly writings seems to be a hit, or least something worth continuing!  

Weekly Writings for November 4th through the 8th, and a little beyond. 

This second weekly writings was meant to be last week's, but since it just needed pictures, I decided to finish it off this morning.  I'll be skipping ahead a week in the next installment, so stay tuned...Also, for the time being, I plan to only record weekdays, giving myself weekends off to catch up on editing, life, and, of course, more studio work.  So, without further ado, let's dive in - 

Monday, November 4th 

Continued the weekend work in the costume studio.  By this point in the semester, I'm used to spending Mondays and Wednesdays in the costume studio, and Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays in textiles.  Ask anyone in either studio, and they probably know me - I basically live between the two studios and have since I've come to Kent - it's the running joke here.  I don't often mind it though, and I take pride in being considered the "studio mom."  I swear I spend half of my time working on my own projects, and the other half either chatting, offering my critique/opinion, or assisting the newcomers.

I'll also throw in that I dragged a friend to see the Fall musical, Hair, with me on Saturday and it was definitely the best I've seen at Kent so far - congrats to the cast and crew!   

KSU's production of Hair, directed by Terri Kent
in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the May 4th Massacre
Photograph by: Kent State University's School of Theatre and Dance

Back to sewing:  Despite making some progress on my 1860s dress over the weekend, in a brief panic of only having four days until I leave for the domestic symposium, I decided to switch gears.  Regency working class here I come!  Going back to my comfort zone, I patterned a new short gown based off a few examples in my pinterest board:19th Century Short Gowns.   

I've always been drawn to working class fashions -
and the bold mixing of colors, patterns, and prints.
(Image via: Pinterest)

Inspiration for the bodice pieces.
(Image via: Pinterest)

Inspiration for the sleeves and skirt.
(Image via: Pinterest)

I made a mock up, corrected my pattern, and will be using a turkey red, striped reproduction fabric that I picked up at Zinck's Fabric Outlet.  I'd also like to make a new, checked apron too if there's time, but, per usual, this may be too ambitious...

Short gown mock up sans sleeves.
The waistline was raised by 1" in the corrected pattern.

Apron fabric (left), short gown fabric (right)

Lastly, I had fun practicing with diamond netting on the pinnable sewing tables.  Tomorrow in my dimensional class I'll probably begin the final netting sample.  

My first attempt at diamond netting - definitely needs more practice!

Tuesday, November 5th 

Today in the textile studio, I continued practicing netting techniques, including increasing, decreasing, and changing threads: 

I also began a circular net: 

Then, I took a break to darn a sweater for an art history professor.  There were seven holes, so it took a while.  Here's a helpful diagram for the next time you need to darn something: 

Diagram for darning holes from
"How to Mend Your Knits"
(Image source: MarthaStewart.com)

In the evening, I continued to work on my overshot sampling.  The following sample is woven with a 3-step gradient that I dyed with Pro-Chem's WF fuschia and WF turquoise for the pattern pick, and a gradient of 10/2 cotton yarns from melon to yellow for the structural pick.

More overshot sampling in progress.
Pattern weft: hand-dyed 2-ply wool yarn
Structural weft: 10/2 cotton yarn

Wednesday, November 6th

Back in the costume studio.  Aside from my regular class work and few chapters of reading, I began to put together my short gown.  

Fashion fabric is a reproduction cotton print, lining of cotton muslin.

Mostly finished the apron: 

The apron is hemmed, gauged, and ready to be attached to the band! 

And finished the night with the college late night skate, a weekly event that runs from 10:30pm to midnight.  We all need our hobbies, right? 

Thursday, November 7th

For dimensional, I finished my first circular net in class, and began the final sample (this time for a grade) which will need to be completed over the weekend.  

Netting samples: 2 circular (left and middle), 1 square (right)

Circular netting sample

Detail of circular net

The sample collapsed

For advanced studio, I finally finished sampling!  In total, the sample warp was 150", and I ended up with eight color studies.  

This final sample was actually woven to trade with another art student.
Paige picked two textured yarns, which had an interesting effect on the pattern.

After my ice skating lesson, I removed the completed samples and gelled the edges in preparation for Fridays' critique.  

Ready to remove samples - and that's a wrap! 

Friday, November 8th

Today's the big day - packing for the weekend and then studio in the morning.  Several of us had critique in the afternoon.  I received some good feedback and direction for my final project. 

Drove home to NY to see the Mom and the dog.  Looking forward to the 2019 Domestic Symposium this weekend - stay tuned for the post on this event!  

Weekly Writings I: Beginnings

Trying out a new style for my blog posts with the intention of a more casual, conversational format and journal-like entries for this week's works-in-progress.  I'd love to hear what you think of the change - and if I should continue!

Monday, October 28th

I began a new passion project - an autumn 1860s dress!  This will be a "nicer" day dress of a striped, reproduction cotton with shirred coat sleeves and velvet trim on the bodice.  The goal is to have it wearable by GCV's domestic symposium if I can attend, and finished for Thanksgiving.  Not sure if either will happen, but here's to hoping...today's progress included assembling the skirt and preparing the hem facing for hand stitching. 

Materials: (top) dress fabric, (bottom) hem facing, (right) gold velvet trim.

Inspiration for bodice trim.
CDV of a young woman, c.1860s
(Image via: Pinterest, sold on Ebay) 

Shirred sleeves
(Image via: Pinterest) 

Another example of gathering on the sleeve.
CDV of Isa Vanfossen from Wellsville, OH, c.1860s
(Image via: Pinterest, sold on Etsy)

Tuesday, October 29th

Spent the day, 10 am - 8pm, in the textile studio.  In my dimensional class, we began our basketry samples.  Simultaneously wrapping, coiling, and stitching proved a challenge...I can see why basketry is an art!

Afterwards, I worked for my studio hours on an overshot sample.  Currently, I'm testing colors for my next, much larger project.  I dyed a four-step green gradient (ProChem's WF golden yellow + WF brilliant blue) last Friday for the pattern weft, which is crown colony 2-ply wool yarn.  The structural tabby weft is another gradient of 10/2 cottons, over a 5/2 cotton warp.  That's three separate color systems to consider - it's looking a lot like Fall on my loom!

Weft color systems:
Hand-dyed 4-step gradient of 2-ply wool for pattern picks,
(5 colors) 10/2 cottons for tabby picks

Progress on the loom.

It's almost impossible to tell, but there is a color transition
from light yellow to lime green in the structural or tabby pick.
In the next sample, I will probably make sure the color change is more dramatic.  

Plans for the rest of my night include (1) hand-stitching the hem facing, and (2) beginning my basketry project.  It's already 10pm, so we'll see how much actually gets done.  Our critique for all of the basketry samples is on Thursday, which is a crazy-fast turn around!


Wednesday, October 30th

I wrapped, coiled and stitched a thing!  It took forever and my hands will probably hurt for the rest of the week from keeping the tension...Thank goodness for Amazon Prime though - I watched all six episodes of the BBC series Aristocrats (1999), re-watched The Fabulous Life Of Elisabeth Vigee Labrun (2018), and listened to more musical playlists than I'd care to admit.  I also really, really want to sew all the 18th century things now. 

Basket in progress - here you can see I am wrapping a rope core with light tan wool,
and alternating color blocks of brown and puce-colored cotton yarns.

Here's the finished basketry sample: 

Not too bad for a first attempt, but I'm not sure I'm ready to be a basket-maker.  Bring on the circular and diamond netting next! 

Thursday, October 31st

Happy Halloween - wishing everyone a spooktacular day!

Today's #OOTD or outfit of the day featured my glow-in-the-dark spooky skirt, paired with a black and white striped shirt, clocked stockings, and pointy-toed flats.  I intended to write a blog post just on the spooky skirt (and a matching witch hat that I neglected to bring to college), but that will have to wait...so here's a preview picture or two:

Spooky Hat
(Materials: cheap velvet, wire, gauze, thread,
plastic skulls, hot glue)

Spooky Skirt
(Materials: glow-in-the-dark fabric,
interfacing, thread, metal skirt closure)

As for other class news, the critique of our basketry samples went well, and now we're moving onto netting.  Oh, and I began a figure skating class, which means of course I'm watching Olympic reruns and dreaming up skating costumes now.  Like I need more projects...

Friday, November 1st

Fridays are my textile studio days!  Not only do I have the graduate/advanced studio seminar (a meeting time for critique and discussing our weekly readings with Professor Janice Lessman-Moss), but every first Friday of the month, there's a visiting artist lecture at noon.  This week featured Wayne Gonzales, visiting artist in drawing and painting.

Afterwards, I spend the rest of the day working...sometimes I don't leave the building until 2 am, which makes for a long (16-hour!?! 10am - 2am) day.  I often do all of my dyeing on Friday nights (since I'm usually guaranteed to have the dye lab all to myself haha), but today I continued to work on sampling.  Here are the two pieces I finished this afternoon:  

Sample #5
Hand-dyed 2-ply wool and 10/2 cotton weft; 5/2 cotton warp.

Sample #6
Same hand-dyed 2-ply wool and 10/2 cotton weft
and 5/2 cotton warp as above.

The plan is to finish sampling this week, and critique at the seminar on Friday.  Then, I'll be planning and prepping for the final project.  

Tonight, I also had the chance to attend two MFA thesis show receptions!  I've had the privilege of getting to know both Nate (MFA in glass) and Erica (MFA in jewelry/metals) through a few textile courses, and it has been an honor to weave side-by-side with such talented artists.  I will miss them both, and wish them all the best in their careers and continuing artistic practices!  

Nate's glass weavings are incredible!  These few pictures of my favorites from the show do not do them justice.  To see more of his work, please visit his website here: Nate Avery Glass

Glass weaving by Nate Avery, MFA.

Glass weaving by Nate Avery, MFA. 

Glass weaving by Nate Avery, MFA.

Erica's multimedia body suits are equally inspiring and just fantastical!  Her woven pieces often feature an array of found materials, and her transformation of "trash" or plastic bags in this costume is beyond words.  On a more personal note, the textiles studio will definitely not be the same without her - she's been so kind and supportive of my own work, in class and late nights at the loom, I will really miss her.  Luckily, you'll find her and be able to follow her work over on Instagram @eurrrca

"Chaosmomalia" body suit by Erica Hoosic, MFA. 

"Chaosmomalia" body suit by Erica Hoosic, MFA.
All of that weaving! 😍 

All in all, a wonderful way to end the week.  See you in the next weekly writings! 

Summer Sewing

Is this summer going fast or what?  While I am keeping busy at the museum, and with some other commitments, I feel that I am not sewing or blogging nearly enough or as much as I would like.  I may or may not have a four page sewing list and the stash to match!  Aah clothing was soo much better in the 19th century!  

A dress in progress.

Anyways, I thought I would compose a quick, summer sewing list of projects currently in progress, many of which I hope to finish before college begins again:

(1)  Late-1820s Red Roller Print Dress. When I came across this fabric four years ago, I snatched up a dress-length plus some to reproduce one of my favorite late-1820s extant dresses in the Snowshill Wade Costume Collection.  Something about all of those vertical, horizontal and bias stripes made me happy, and I just need it!  

Red roller printed fabric.

Dress c.1825-1830
Snowshill Wade Costume Collection
(Source: National Trust Collection, 1349130)

I had wanted to finish it in time for the c.1826 4th of July celebration at the village, but alas...good thing it's an annual event.  In addition to the dress, I would like to make a new set of 1820s undergarments (shift, long corded stays, and corded petticoat), large double collar, cap and apron with pockets and matching navy ribbon trim.  I've also dreamed of playing around with a hard-bottomed reticule, perhaps using a woven basket as the base?  

Hem facing.

Pinterest board for this project:  1820s Stripe Dress


(2)  1830s Orange Squiggle Dress.  Another dress in progress...all cut out and ready to be assembled!  I had intended to make this for the Hosmer Dinners earlier in the season, but ended up abandoning it post-cutting out.  I find that the most enjoyable parts of a project for me are the initial planning/designing and cutting.  I tend to lose my momentum after that - CADD (Costume Attention Deficit Disorder) strikes again!   

Orange squiggle fabric!

Dress c.1832–35
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection
(Source:  MET, 2009.300.948a–e)

For ease of dressing by one's self, this project will include a front opening dress with a gathered bodice overlay, and matching pelerine with fun scalloped edges.  Accessories will include a gathered cap, wide green silk belt and buckle, as well as a double ruffle chemisette like this one:  

Chemisette, c.1825 - 1835
Snowshill Wade Costume Collection
(Source: National Trust Collection, 1349953)

Another skirt hem done!

Pinterest board for this project: 1830s Squiggle Print


(3) 1860s Birthday Dress or the Purple Plaid Dress.  I sort of ran out of time this year for a birthday dress seeing as the 5th of July has come and gone...though I had been planning this last teenage hurrah for half the year!  I came across 6.5 yards of this lovely plaid silk twill at a local second hand shop and snagged it at a incredible price for a plaid skirt and white blouse combination.  Since it was to be my 21st birthday dress, I thought a short puffed sleeve blouse would be a nice nod to the teenage styles, which I'd like to try before I lose the chance.  Two yards of yummy black silk taffeta were purchased for a Swiss waist with streamers like this:  

Young ladies, c.1861-1865
(Source: The Barrington House)

Plaid silk for the skirt, black silk taffeta for the Swiss waist,
and cotton lawn for the puffed sleeve blouse.

To make the ensemble more versatile, I planned to either make a matching day bodice with pagoda sleeves...

1860's Lavender & Gray Silk Stripe Dress
(Source: Ebay #17137)

...Or a matching plaid silk waist as well!  And probably a long sleeve blouse to go with it too.

Purple plaid silk dress, c.1865
Kent State University Costume Collection
(Source:  In the Swan's Shadow)

Silk for my project, with the black stripes running horizontally.

Pinterest board for this project:  1860s Purple Plaid 

(3.5)  1860s Undergarments.  I still need to finish a new chemise and drawers set, as well as the matching under-hoop petticoat.

(4)  Maria Reynolds, Hamilton Cosplay.  Oh Hamilton, coming from a theatre conservatory, I must have listed to you at least 1000+ times in the dorms, and another 1000+ times since then!  Just for fun and not intended for historical use!  I began this project over the winter, and think it would make a good entry for the September - Seen Onscreen challenge of the Historical Sew Fortnightly.  

Jasmine Cephas Jones as Maria Reynolds in Hamilton.

The start of my cosplay including 18th century style supports and petticoats,
over a 19th century corset and shift... 

(5)  Three Important Projects (not for me) - these include a wedding veil, 19th-century baby layette, and toddler size sacque coat, but that's all I can say for now ;) 

Future projects worth mentioning here include two bustle dresses - an 1870s lilac polonaise and an 1880s plaid & velvet ensemble!  I have been dying to try the late-Victorian Era, which means an entire set of new undergarments and supports.

For the lilac polonaise, I purchased 3 yards of a coral sateen and 5 yards of sage silk to pair with the main printed cotton.  I also saved a length of white China silk and forest green velveteen for a hat and accessorizing.  

Coral sateen, sage silk & lilac printed cotton.

Dress detail, c.1872–75
(Source:  Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1986.304a, b) 

Forest green velveteen and white China silk (not pictured)
were set aside for a bonnet and further accessorizing.

For the 1880s ensemble, I have 8 yards of a lightweight cotton plaid for a bustle skirt and over-skirt draperies to go with a navy cotton velveteen bodice.

Plaid cotton, navy velveteen, ombre ribbon & velvet flowers.

I'm also really in a regency mood!  One of the projects that I would like to make is another morning robe to wear over a white petticoat with puffings and tucks:

As well as a sheer, light yellow cross over gown accented with wool challis borders and a tall stovepipe bonnet trimmed with bright orange ribbons:

With that, I'll be all set with projects probably until the next summer!