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okay I tried to right the emotional ship. I finished binding my stays today before I went to work

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the boss approves

then I worked a quick 4 hours which wasn't so bad. and I actually think being forced to wear the mask and breathing my own hot air back was helpful in a humidity sense.

I came home and showered and I did a first pass at gathering all my things. I'll fully pack tomorrow as I'm out of brain cells. I'm just trying to stay awake till Amanda gets here in about 30 min and I can go to sleep Zzzzz


blah

Feb. 6th, 2020 12:20 pm
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 I'm feeling the blahs here. I tried to call out of work today because yesterday I went from "lingering cold symptoms for 6 weeks" to "my sinuses are going to explode and I can't breathe" but someone ELSE called out first so the best they could do is let me come in at 3. blah. 

went to the doctor this morning. very unsympathetic. it's probably viral. probably picked up a secondary virus. you COULD try a steroid inhaler and an antibiotic...she'll send them but probably won't make a difference and I don't want to take them if I don't need them and I DO feel significant improvement today so I'll probably wait it out. blah. 

didn't get a fraction of my sewing done for this weekend so I only have the two outfits. blah.

I didn't sew at all last night but managed to get the bottom edge of my stay binding halfway on the first side (which I Find harder) before the doctor. so it's 1/4 of the way finished? (top edge is fully don) blah. 

I should pack or clean or sew before work at 3. blah

Amanda is coming tonight and my house is a mess. blah. 

I didn't finish a cloak and I don't even know where my old ratty one is blah. 

Oh and Rob can't come to Williamsburg now because last week Ellie got a hole in her leg and is in a cone and really requires a lot of attention and he won't like the lectures anyway blaaaaaah 

I want a hug. 
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we leave for Williamsburg in a week *looks at piles of stay pieces* hmmm and I was gonna try and make more than just stays huh.....well THAT is apparently a pipe dream. I WOULD still like to make two stomachers and a petticoat? maybe? 

Currently the stays have all the boning channels sewn and I just finished all fucking fifty million 52 eyelets.  *ahem* don't let me do that again. Monday I got as many bones in as I could before I ran out of boning and my new roll arrived yesterday so tomorrow I should be able to get all the bones in and try it on...then I guess make any alterations I need to and then maybe possibly start binding them? I'm well aware they will probably be unbound at first wearing. 

wish me a very productive tomorrow..
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 I didn't manage to sew at all after my 3 long days...somehow this past weekend kicked my butt (every other weekend I work three 12 hours shifts in a row) and I just vegged after work. 

But yesterday I DID make progress...a little...mostly socialized but a wee bit of sewing was done. I went to Amanda's for sewing day attempt to play with Pip day and be rejected. I did manage to finish one of the back side eyelets...so 1/4 of the total O.O

I also picked up from Amanda my bright red wool for 18th century cloak that I'm JAZZED about and spent a fair amount of time pondering how to make it and testing "rantering" on my wool. It will work! now I COULD just cut it all in one piece and have no seams and it will go heck faster but....cool period technique is cool! I guess we'll see if I've started it the day before the event :-p 

Today I'm working at my PRN job 5-8 which you wouldn't think majorly messes up your productivity but somehow it does. Oh and we have to drive all the way down town today to pick up an antique traveling writing desk Rob bought me for a song that I'm SUPER EXCITED ABOUT...so yeah I probably won't get the rest of Christmas taken down today or much sewing...and I'm going to my sister's this weekend to help her move...*gulp* I'm starting to feel the panic.
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Didn't make as much sewing progress today as I could because we went and had lunch with the in-laws and then I contemplated a nap for an hour and a half but didn't let myself sleep in the hopes of sleeping better tonight. coming off 4 days off I am on a up late, sleep late, cycle.

Did I mention I'm working on stays? I'm attempting to make the Augusta stays from Scroop patterns and virgil's fine goods.

I'm using the "historical" view but I'm mostly doing these as a fit test so I'm using cotton for all of it and will scrounge what boning I have...I bought some cotton canvas that's just a touch lighter than duck and am using leftover blue sateen for the fashion layer. I had gotten them all cut out and transferred the boning lines. and today I managed to baste all the layers together for all 10 pieces...then looked at the fronts again and realized "those lines are drunk and all over the place and I cannot use that" I tried going over the lines and it just turned into a hot mess.

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so I sucked it up and cut two new fronts and re-did the lines. the first time I used a tracing wheel. This time I used a sharpie to mark the top and bottom of each line and then used a ruler to draw a nice straight line. muuuuch better.

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still have to do the second front. and I'm really hoping I can salvage the other pieces without completely re-doing them as I think the fronts got the most distorted as they had by far the most lines.

maybe I'll poke it after work tomorrow...maybe

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lets see it's noon on sunday and so far I've gone out for brunch and walked the dog...I'm going to set up some filming stuff and work on the Augusta Stays next I think. I've discovered one of the things that's different about costuming and blogging and costuming on video is when you blog you can really put minimal effort into the documenting sans snapping a few photos during it and think about it all later. When I blog something I make stays then write a blog about it, when I'm making stays for a video what I'm really making is a stays video and the stays themselves are a bonus product...does that make sense?...probably why vlogging is the easiest form of costume content but I think it's actually much more "filler" than real content...

and just as proof that I DID in fact knit my last 3 rows...it took me 2 years to make this side of the pinball...and I'd LOVE to have the other side for February in Williamsburg.........hahahaha

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I told myself my 3 goals for the day were to 1. buy stays fabric (ie leave the house for a bit) 2. write a blog post 3. knit the last 3 rows on my first pinball side. So far I've done #1 and I'm being procrastinatey about #2-3. (I've worked A LOT in the last week, this is my lazy day)

There's been interesting discussion in Katie and Amanda's DWs (wait Katie's and Amanda commenting? I lost track) about written vs video-ed content. And I'm guilty of trying out this video thing, not especially because I want to be "famous" although I DO have a guilty desire to be a noteworthy costumer, but partially because I like to try new things and my life here is surrounded by the language of film. My husband sees the world through a lens so to some extent it's been a fun window into his world. I already enjoy shooting and I edited the second of my videos myself (with a HUGE learning curve). That said I find my personal approach is different than most costume vlogs or tutorials, I'm happy to share SOME knowledge but I'm also aiming for actual entertainment value and humor. "humor is my brand" because if you're going to have a successful youtube channel you do to a certain extent need to have a clear idea of what your brand IS.  

Amanda and I have talked about how to a certain extent the switch to video makes it less easy for a beginner to share content and not look like a major beginner. I think it's HUGELY obvious that Rob edited my first video and I did the second. There's just an experience gap of oh 30 years. Plus knowing what software to get, having a set up with quality lights, a good camera etc aren't really cheap things. I have been filming on my Nokia DSLR as well as my cell phone but I have a Galaxy S9 and I 10000% could not have filmed anything on my old Iphone SE. 

But all that said, I am kind of enjoying it as a different media. I don't intend to fully abandon blogging or writing here. They fill different needs to me. in my blog I write out specific outfits, with all the info about how I made them, here I share my feelings and inner thoughts with my friends, video is just a way for me to remember how much fun I had as a performer back when I went to acting classes. 

okay someone make me go knit before I lose the daylight. somehow i can't knit on 0000s without really good light and my living room is dim y'all. 

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Katie started this great holiday tradition a few years ago and for anyone who wants to participate lets give it a January run when we're all a little calmer?

Step One

- Make a post (public, friendslocked, filtered...whatever you're comfortable with) to your DW. The post should contain your list of 10(or more) holiday wishes. The wishes can be anything at all, from simple and fandom-related ("I'd love a Snape/Hermione icon that's just for me") to medium ("I wish for _on DVD") to really big ("All I want for Christmas is a new car/computer/house/TV.") The important thing is, make sure these wishes are things you really, truly want.

- If you wish for real life things (not fics or icons), make sure you include some sort of contact info in your post, whether it's your address or just your email address where Santa (or one of his elves) could get in touch with you.

- Also, make sure you post some version of these guidelines in your DW, or link to this post so that the holiday joy will spread.


Step Two

- Surf around your friendslist (or friendsfriends, or just random journals) to see who has posted their list.

And now here's the important part:
- If you see a wish you can grant, and it's in your heart to do so, make someone's wish come true. Sometimes someone's trash is another's treasure, and if you have a leather jacket you don't want or a gift certificate you won't use--or even know where you could get someone's dream purebred Basset Hound for free--do it.

You needn't spend money on these wishes unless you want to. The point isn't to put people out; it's to provide everyone a chance to be someone else's holiday elf--to spread the joy. Gifts can be made anonymously or not--it's your call.

There are no rules with this project, no guarantees, and no strings attached. Just...wish and it might come true. Give and you might receive. And you'll have the joy of knowing you made someone's holiday special.

Don't forget to include a shipping address.

So here are my holiday wishes! 

1. Pictures of your adorable pets being adorable. 

2. An electric tea kettle

3. Any video editing jobs for my husband. 

4.  Get your flu shot and tell other people you did. It's so important to be able to protect everyone with herd immunity. I feel so passionate about it because of the children I work with. 

5. Headphones as I seem to have lost mine. 

6. Advice on how the heck you buy a new car and not get ripped off. We need to and I've been putting it off for months because I'm paralyzed by the enormity of it. 

7. Post to you DW, I miss when this was a vibrant community. I know it'll never come back, but if I'm putting in wishes...that's on my list. 

8. Donate to Australian wildlife. It's breaking my heart seeing the effects of the wildfires there. Climate Change is overwhelming in it's awfulness.

9. VOTE

10. Costume in Detail...yes it's weird but I've never read it. Actually any costume book I haven't gotten any new reading material in a long time. 

Now everyone else do yours as that's the fun part for me.

oh right the address *headdesk* 2601 west walnut st, colmar PA 18915

oops

Dec. 30th, 2019 09:56 pm
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whoops haven't posted in ages...the Christmas season has been hard for me this year. More clearly I can see the chances of us having kids dimming and that makes a lot of it feel like "why bother" why have Christmas traditions if there's no one to pass them too, why does it matter? I barely managed the basics of presents for family and a tree. Rob was very helpful but he just doesn't have the sadness I do so to some extent he's left bewildered. But we made it through. My family came down the weekend after and I had a wonderful time being with them and those girls are just a hoot. I can't believe they're 7 and 5 already. Where does the time go?!

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But please be impressed with my Christmas dinner part 2. I made a beef roast and it turned out perfectly! I was so proud of myself!

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I can already tell we have passed the solstice as I feel the dark lessening. I love turning the corner to longer days. I'm so sun driven. And I now get the glory of a clean house to enjoy. My mom as a present cleaned my embarrassingly filthy fridge to brand new status, I got the bathroom sparkling and had to clean the sewing room for the girls to sleep in. I know I'm coming out of my depression because on a rainy disgusting day, instead of curling up and watching hallmark movies all day I went upstairs and excavated my sewing table so I could start another project. Mind you I didn't get as far as sewing but I did get as far as a clean space to do it in.

I also decided I wanted a regency outing so I'm going to wrangle whoever wants to go to Emma in February which will be fun. I want to make a new wool spencer and ruffly chemisette and an apron front dress.

I also want to go to Williamsburg in the beginning of February for their fashion weekend, need to get in touch with my MIL about the time share again...I really really need new stays. I wanted to use the Augusta Stays pattern...I should probably start sewing if I'm going to do 1/10th of this.
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just like the good old days eh? I remember sneaking up at some costume con to post in my room about my morning. feels like a lifetime ago.

Anyway this B&B has a desktop computer that apparently you can use and as I had to come home from the ball a bit early I thought I might poke this while I wait for people to come home or me to crash and be out cold. 

This morning we had a totally gourmet breakfast (my melon was balled) and tea and then lazed around till Alice and Adrienne got there. Then we wandered about and shopped, brought Dave at Victorian Photo Studio Lunch  and I dragged Amanda to the cat museum.

Civil War Tails is a "museum" full of really really detailed dioramas of civil war battles, mostly Gettysburg, but all the soldiers are tiny cats. thousands and thousands of tiny cats. some have mustaches, some have beards, some are dead, some are prisoners. It was one of the more unique museum experiences I've had. not sure I'd recommend it though as the $6.50 admission feels steep for 15 min at most of entertainment. Also they gave Amanda a frequent punch card, ten visits and you get one free! who the hell would go 10 times!?

Then we came home and lazed before the ball. I also dragged Amanda to a drugstore as I've developed a runny nose and I was desperate for something to stop the sniffing. In the end she gave me Zyrtec and mucinex, not sure if they worked or if it was placebo but I didn't need to blow my nose at all during the ball. I did still end up coming home early as suddenly my abdomen was NOT HAVING IT. I have had several experiences (two franchise dinner's running) of having too much excitement, anxiety and stays result in vomiting episodes afterwards and I really didn't want that. But I took a shower, puttered and picked up a bit and now I'm feeling significantly better if heavy lidded....perhaps I won't make it till they come home. Especially as breakfast is at 0800 tomorrow...wish Katherine was here  
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 ruh ro raggy Gettysburg is mere days away! lets take stock of how behind our heroine is on her must finish projects:

Rational dress
-sew on hem facing
-sew darts (already fitted)
-buttons on cuffs/buttonholes
-sew on trim (I'll probably do this dead last and possibly thursday night in the B&B)

Dinner bodice
-only thing done is patterned and fitted. going to use muslin as my lining

Amanda's shawl
-I have 50 of 400 bits of fringe sewn on

Also need to
-make a butt pad for my new hoop
-re-trim or at least look at orange ballgown
-clean house for company
-hem Rob's new pants

I am off today but we're going to a "friendsgiving" at 2pm and I'm well aware that will eat most of the day. Then I'm off most of Monday I work 5-8, work 7-7 on tuesday 

but all that said I'm still starting to get really excited for my long weekend with friends playing in another century. 

lab results

Nov. 4th, 2019 01:23 pm
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I really enjoy that I can look up my own labs on Quest's website rather than waiting for them to call me and tell me. Looks like my mono result was negative (phew. kinda suspected as I already feel so much better) and my strep was also negative. So maybe it was Strep B or G or who knows. Whatever it was responded to the meds and I already feel significantly better. *shrug* I'll take it. 
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In a rare turn of events I had what was my most productive sewing day in YEARS yesterday. Amanda says we're all feeling the panic (she is right). I FINISHED my grandpa pants fully. And they fit very well and are very derpy. It feels strange to have pants with no pockets but there was no point in putting in pockets, I'll have a dress over it. I also got all the bias whipped down inside the dress. 

I also sized up the shawl on Amanda and decided to finish the pink stripe I was in and do one additional teal and one pink. So 20 more rows total. Last night after everyone left I was allowed to do 2 rows of knitting before Ellie was ADAMANT it was bedtime, it was actually kind of funny. 

My goal for today is to knit the rest of my teal row so that I'm 10 rows away from binding off, and piece the fabric and cut the sleeves.  So far I've watched the price is right with a dog on my feet and knitted 2 rows so I'm 4 in. I think I might pause and make mac and cheese for lunch... 
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I was going to get SO MUCH done for Gettysburg right?! I'm on day 19 of what I thought was a cold. I finally went to the Doctor yesterday after what seemed like improvement turned into "spiking a fever and getting worse." My main complaint was the sore throat, without advil in my system I had trouble swallowing (I actually debated getting liquid advil for first thing in the morning).  I had asked a Dr. at work to run a rapid strep on tuesday so I thought it wasn't that but on Friday I caved and went in. 

She looked at my throat, said it looked awful and I either had "impressive strep" or possibly mono. She did a throat culture to check for strep and blood work to check for mono. I went home with a z-pack incase of strep and because my right ear drum was bulging so I probably was also working on an ear infection and a medrol dosepak (steroid taper) because while you can't treat mono steroids really help the swelling in you throat go down.  I started both yesterday and I would say I definitely do feel some improvement. I still cough if laying flat but I can swallow all by myself without drug help! The one awful thing is that steriods can apparently amp up anxiety and sleeplessness so I'm super tired but can't turn off my brain and the hamster wheel of anxiety enough to sleep.  Doesn't help that Ellie is having a very unsettled day that started at 4am with barking at things in the yard. 

That said I have gotten zero sewing done and almost no knitting. So here are my new goals

1. Finish rational dress
2. Finish A's shawl
3. pray Jenny-Roses' plaid ballgown fits and I can borrow it
4. dinner bodice? re-wear day gown to dinner? add sleeves to orange ballgown? 

I think I should buy a dinner bodice pattern....
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I'm struuuuggling here with the motivation for Gettysburg. Besides Amanda who is definitely bringing the inspo it feels like most of my group is re-wearing or done or making-under-duress. JESS SHARE MORE I KNOW YOU'VE SEWED A BUNCH and I'm just...slogging. But perhaps if I'm better about talking about it I'll be more inspired to sew.

so far the only thing I've touched is my rational dress. and to be fair it's the only thing I NEED

I've mostly made a very questionable pair of pants. But really you're only going to see from the knee down so who cares.

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Also I just cut the same length Alice did...spoiler alert I look like I'm 7 and wearing my dad's pants. She got waaay more leg than me.

I didn't feel like putting a waistband on them so I skipped that and started the dress portion. I mean it's all got to be done anyway right? I basted in the half lining and sewed the pieces together. I had to whip down the seam allowances over the lining as it frays like a mofo. Tonight I cut out the bias strips for the edge finishing and a wider bit for the hem facing.

To Do:
- pants waistband
-pants buttons
-hem pants

-finish CFs
-finish neckline
-sleeves
-hem

I had said I wanted this dress and the body of Amanda's shawl done by Halloween. hahahahahahahahahahahahaha At least the shawl is coming along well.

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 it's beautiful and breezy in the 60s here. I have all the windows open and am enjoying a cup of tea and a cozy blanket. It's DIVINE. It's perfect knitting weather, which means I shall now never sew anything for Gettysburg but Amanda will have a shawl. And I have a knitting stretch goal of knit undersleeves. I've been admiring a pair Prior Attire sells and I think I can make my own...maybe. I'm probably 1/3 of the way done with the body of the shawl? I should measure how big I'm actually going to make it and math. 

So instead of sewing lets talk about my outfit plans....

Thursday- we arrive, wear civvies. Possible I'll sit around in my wrapper if I"m REALLY motivated or Amanda does it and I wanna be cool. 

Friday Day- Some form of day dress. There's a few options. My black velvet bodice with my orange check ballgown skirt, The blue plaid dress I'm kidding myself that I'm going to make...

Friday Night- ballgown. I have ZERO inspiration for this one. I could retrim my orange check ballgown but I really wasn't loving it last year so I think I'd like to make a solid ballgown bodice? maybe? I just felt meh in my last one and I'm honestly toying with my alphabet dress because I just LIKE It more. I dunno. someone inspire me. 

Saturday day- Rational dress. This is actually started, barely. I mocked up and cut out the dress portion and have cut out the pants. I'm planning to sew pants first as they sound hardest. 

Saturday night- Dinner outfit. I WANT to make a bodice to go with my plaid dayskirt that I've worn the last few years. I also could make sleeves for the orange ballgown bodice and make that a dinner outfit, I've seen at least 3 or 4 examples of that. 


I was pondering something like this but with a low square neckline? it's a similar proportion to my plaid and I could add some skirt decoration in this mythical world where I get 10x the amount done. OR i make it like this and wear it on Friday and do the ballgown/bodice version for dinner. That may be more realistic than making a new blue dress, not that the skirt is the part that's hard...

I think I might need to take one or two PTO days in November to plan to give myself some sewing time, because bare minimum I need rational dress, a dinner bodice, and giant ballgown question mark....for now I'm enjoying sitting on the couch knitting. 
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Yesterday I went to Belvidere Victorian Days, which in itself isn't weird, but for the first time I went without a close friend. Yes I saw people I knew, but none of the usual suspects went, and it felt very out of my comfort zone to go "alone." But somehow it didn't bother me? Rob was surprised the day of when he suddenly realized I was going solo, I guess I hadn't talked about it at all.

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I wore my 1882 tea gown that I made for last year, but honestly I love it so much I'd wear it a million times. Something about it makes me look so curvy in all the photos...which I am very much not actually.

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I met up with Mick and Shane and mostly hung with them or bounced over and saw Lara. It was very relaxing and kind of freeing to realize I can have a good time without my security blanket. The weather was beyond perfect, 70s and breezy. We had a formal tea time with china and laughed a lot.

The shopping at Belvidere is sadly not what it once was. But I did get a few things from Lara. I got a Young's Improved Plaiter board (pleater) which is magic as far as I can tell. Now I want to pleat ALL THE THINGS. And the CUTEST pair of slippers. I have zero idea how old they really are, but they're super comfy and I think they're darling.

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They changed the fashion show this year and instead of being one old lady's collection of misdated things they put out a call to all participants who wanted to show their work. Which meant it was a really mixed bag. Some very interesting interpretations, some lovely tailored things, a few beginners who made solid dresses straight out of TV patterns...

All in all it was a lovely day and I'm glad I went. It really remains my favorite event, even if the shopping isn't great. what I want out of an event is to relax and laugh a lot. mission accomplished. 
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My next thing to sew for is Gettysburg and I'm determined to actually work on things ahead of time. I don't actually NEED anything new. I have a full 1860s wardrobe which really does take the pressure off, but I would like a few new things.
  1. I need to re-trim my orange check ballgown so I actually like it. It's totally do-able
  2. rational dress outfit
  3. new day dress with evening bodice out of blue plaid I bought off Amanda
  4. berlin work slippers to wear around the B&B with my wrapper
One of those is TOTALLY not necessary...so I of course started there. But there's something SO NICE about a lap project I can sit on the couch and work on. I bought the crewel wool for it in May at Amanda's fancy needlework store. (it wasn't cheap but what's the point of a handwork hobby if not to keep tiny handwork shops open). Yesterday I fished out the bag and managed to figure out which skeins went with which colors. I had to substitute some (my berries will be orange instead of red) and I got one less green than required and one other thing I combined but forget now. I made myself a handy swatch chart or I'd never remember.
 
Part of why they will be $60 slippers is that a) I bought enough canvas for me AND alice and that was more expensive than you'd guess and b) I picked a design with 50 billion colors that I'll use 12" of each. OH WELL I LIKE COMPLICATED. In for a penny in for a pound right?

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I imagine this will take me till like gettysburg 2021 but hey I started right? 
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In the end I managed most of my sewing for our Longwood outing. I did not make a stock collar, but looking at Alice's super tall collar I don't think I have enough neck for it anyway. I also didn't make a belt, partially because I forgot, and partially because I did a quick sweep and didn't have any fabric that wanted to be a belt and sort of matched. I wore it with a brown ribbon, but it didn't matter because my shirtwaist is SO blousy it hung over it.

I got there super early because I'm always late and dammit. I wanted to be ontime. Dressed myself fully in the parking lot and was just figuring out how to fish my sunglasses out of the car with a bird wing on my hat when Adrienne and Mackenzie rolled in. I did film a very amusing (to me) clip of myself dressing in the parking lot as I was kidding myself that I would "vlog"

The weather was STUNNING. It was warm but with a steady cool breeze and low humidity it was super pleasant. The news claimed it was the nicest day of the summer and I'm tempted to agree with them.

Everyone else came mostly dressed so it was just a few min of gathering bits and picking up a Taylor in the parking lot before we headed inside to find more of our group. All in it was a group of about 20 breathing bodies, 3 of whom were Alice's ADORABLE 2 nieces and nephew who are visiting from the UK. Somehow Alice managed to perfectly costume five people in like a week..and they were perfection!

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This is the picture of those who made it till 6:00 closing time, We had a lot of people arrive late and some who left early so I never managed one good group photo.

In terms of my outfit I'm hoping Amanda got some full length photos as I didn't really.

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The sad but true reason is because I felt fat and uncomfortable and didn't WANT to ask someone to take my picture. :-/ all I see is that I'm a giant white blob. I have no waist. I wore Rob's 1860s cravat on a whim and regret it in every picture, it hides the insertion work I did on the shirtwaist. I had my hat tipped so far back you can't see the amazing wing and it looks like a cowboy hat instead.

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I did however think everyone else looked stunning, and as someone who really enjoys photography I loved getting to take all their pictures. Alice and Amanda seem to be so perfectly lithe and elegant and made for this era. I had major lust for Amanda's super sharp jacket.

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I think as a unit we were a stunning view at Longwood that's for sure. Looking forward to going back sometime.

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For my next wearing of this outfit I want to finish a belt, lose 50lbs, and ponder some skirt embellishment. So many of the originals have it, but would it detract from the elegant line? unsure. 
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 Okay the Longwood Gardens Stroll is less than 2 weeks away. Lets take stock and then delve into a serious corset conversation.

1. Chemise- done (me?! finish something!?)

2. Bloomers- not getting made, gonna wear my cotton pettipants

3. Corset cover- I think I'm going to order off amazon and shorten this nightgown.

4. Petticoat- bought an antique off ebay that should fit me, [personal profile] mandie_rw  talked me out of feeling bad about it as there are hundreds around that aren't remarkable enough to be in a museum so why should they just rot or be cut up for some old lady's crafting habit and not worn. 

5. Skirt- the hem with facing, interfacing and full lining is done but it's too long so I need to shorten the top edge about 2" and put on a waistband. possibly two darts in the sides of the front for more of a nipped in waist. 

6. Shirtwaist- I traced my size of the TV pattern off onto true grid and got that cut off. Need to make a mock up. I was planning to use leftover "sheer white shit from the YVD" as there's a done lying around but the biggest bits are organdy and I don't want to joust with my pigeon breast. The second largest is a yard and a half of voile from Farmhouse fabrics...gonna do a mock up and see if I can squeeze it out. I want to lose the giant sleeve goiters anyway so that'll cut down on yardage and she always massively over estimates yardage I feel. 

7. Which brings me to The Corset *cue dramatic music* I wanted to try making a mesh corset with Amanda for science! and I bought the TV edwardian corset and cut it out according to her sizing and...holding it up over my modern clothes it looked like a hot fucking mess yesterday. too small in the waist, ENORMOUS in the boobs with bust gussets the size of my head. I was all prepared last night to throw $300 at the problem and buy a Redthreaded corset to save my sanity...but our house needs $4k of work this fall and Rob's job tomorrow got cancelled and I really shouldn't spend that much on a corset. 

Here's my plan- I'm going to bone the CB and put in the grommets so I can actually lace it. I'm going to make the bust pads so I have those to try on with fittings and then I'm going to try it on over my chemise. That'll give me at least a better idea what I'm working with. I suspect if I take out the giant bust gore and replace it with a smaller size one I'll get myself almost to a workable place. When I held it up to myself in a pj shirt and no bra this morning the bust gappage wasn't nearly as bad, so maybe trying it on over a modern bra is just the worst thing ever. I mean other people make this thing work for them! 

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