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| I still really love this 1785 polonaise jacket and matching skirt. 1785 is a bit late for the event we’ll be attending in CW …but maybe I don’t really care? |
I’m feeling so “blah” about my Colonial Williamsburg plans. Do you ever feel that way?
I have collected some fabric and sewn some pieces – striped silk for a polonaise, a celadon green petticoat, an apron. I started stamping some linen/cotton with red flower, but now I’m really uninspired about all of these things.
This might be a side effect of planning too far in advance, but I think it’s more to do with not following my heart. When it comes down to it, you have to make what you love, otherwise you might never start it, finish it, or enjoy wearing it.
I think instead of setting out a plan in concrete, I’ll just go willy-nilly and sew whatever 1770s-90s items I find appealing, and see what I have by October. There’s something about that chaos that seems appealing.
10 Comments
Stephanie Lynn
April 3, 2012 at 2:57 AMWell, you'll probably be more inspired to whip up some coordinating pieces closer to the date if you already have something you're in love with sitting in your closet.
Lauren R
April 3, 2012 at 4:10 AMI think so too – start with one piece, then build out from there
Anonymous
April 3, 2012 at 3:17 AMYeah, that happens to me too. My favorite century changes with my mood. You can sometimes steer it toward a particular era by looking at a load of pictures from that time, but it doesn't always work.
By the way, do you mind if I suggest a name for the button boots- Adelina after Adelina Patti, what do you think ?
Lauren R
April 3, 2012 at 4:11 AMLooking at pictures definitely helps, but looking at too MANY pictures can be overwhelming!
Ooo, I like Adelina. I will have to file it away for a future style – the button boot's been named, but I'm sure there will be another the Adelina will be perfect for 🙂
Vienna La Rouge
April 4, 2012 at 6:21 AMWhen I hear the name Adelina, I think of a 1830s satin slipper. Something perhaps seen at a ball, with satin ribbons around ankles:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5145/5774635906_91d69a0ebf.jpg
😉
Anonymous
April 3, 2012 at 1:34 PMI think it is the heart thing. A simple thing like settling for the blue because you can't find enough of the PURPLE that you really really want unless you sell your oldest child can take the heart out of it. Sometimes it is better not to do a project until you can do it the way you want to.
Rowenna
April 3, 2012 at 2:00 PMI do find that when I really chew on a project in the planning stages, and fret over the details, and brainstorm up a hurricane, I sometimes spend most of my excitement on that–and when I get to the actual sewing I'm waning on the whole thing. This is why I sometimes have mini catastrophes mid-project–I didn't plan *quite* enough before I dove in!
I think as long as you will love what you're sewing and feel 100% comfortable at the event in what you wear, dive in. Remember that the organizations participating in the event have a range of years from probably 1775-1783 that people have portrayals in, and not everyone is going to make a new outfit specifically to fit the year the event is placed in. At least, that's been my experience 🙂
Rebecca
April 3, 2012 at 9:01 PMYou might be interested in the post I wrote yesterday: http://buttonbasket.blogspot.com/2012/04/reenacting.html
I made a similar decision about my 18th Century sewing.
Jenny
April 4, 2012 at 3:03 AMGood idea. Don't restrict yourself, just have fun 🙂
Vienna La Rouge
April 4, 2012 at 6:13 AMSewing willy-nilly; I've done that, and I think it's how I work best, too.
I did that a few years ago for a weekend-long Victorian event, literally buying fabrics as I went, and ended up with 4 gowns for the event. 3 late bustle, 1 late natural form (my Madame X gown).
I would choose a color scheme, a shape, a detail that I'd seen somewhere that was stuck in my mind, and then I'd just 'go'.
Planning a little helps of course, when choosing a wardrobe for an occasion. But what inspires you to sew these fashions in the first place, should also be the driving force that keeps you from over-analyzing. That can make me overwhelmed and then "meh" about a project.
That's really bad when I have a deadline, no matter how far away I think it is.
xoxo