Let’s see, where did I leave off?

Oh, yes, the sewing pile, which is still a pile. BUT the alterations pile far surpasses it. OI!! I have enough experience to know to sew garments only after the undergarments are made. What I did not reckon in The Edwardian Everyday Project was how much a new corset (and, full disclosure, a health-required change to a vegan/vegetarian diet) would change my shape. This may have been obvious to most of the rest of the world but it was not obvious to me. What can I say? So, I’ve exchanged the original beautiful corset for another …and then another. Yep, three different corsets in two months. I have taken in the blue wool skirt three times since I started this project. Three shirtwaists have been newly french seamed and could use still more alterations. The cardigan that fit so smartly at first is sagging now. I stopped sewing the other outer garments because my measurements were almost immediately smaller than when I cut them out! Unheard of!!

So I am making do for the time being until my form stabilizes. No new photos for a while, sorry.

And now I will begin The Historical Sew Fortnightly. Late but better than never, right? The current challenge is Under it All and is due 1 March. More underwear is always a Good Idea. (And I am not counting the completely handsewn linen braies I finished for Darling Husband during a particularly looooong Court at the Stellar University of Northshield. I’m doing all Edwardian for the HSF.) I have ideas for all the remaining challenges which I will detail in another post… however I consider myself to have successfully accomplished the first challenge of Make Do & Mend!!! (grumble, changing shape, grumble, grumble) By far the largest part of that challenge has been the alterations/making do to accommodate my changing form. Have I mentioned that I hate alterations? And I mended a chemise which got eight little kitty claw holes while hanging to dry in the hallway. No idea which of the four was the naughty kitty!

I should also come clean. I did not wear Edwardian while traveling to Stellar University of Northshield nor did I wear Edwardian during the family waterpark getaway or while in bed sick for the past two days. Wearing a corset while riding in a Model T (Hey Ira Hill! I have a new duster! Let’s go for a spin!) was easy the last time I did it because of the flat and firm support of the bench seats. Wearing a corset while riding in a modern car with bucket seats is… well, the nicest word to put here is “not”… easy. I didn’t want my travelling companions discomfited by constant adjusting of the seat or a crabby momma. Every other day has been all Edwardian all the time!

And as this post has been rambling about anyway….

Most strangers I meet do not comment on my clothes. I find that interesting. But it is winter and I’m pretty well wrapped against the cold.

While returning a sculpture to the library, someone commented that the piece, ‘Portrait 1910’, by Pierre Troubetzkoy, could be of me. I must have the correct silhouette, hair to shoes! Huzzah! I have one and only one very odd comment to report which was made by a total stranger at the grocery store, “White Diana Ross! You are the white Diana Ross!” I admit, it took a long while to realize he was speaking about me. He was walking away pointing at me by the time I realized. I guess my hair is …big? Hmm. I still don’t know what to make of that.

Most of the people I know have thought my clothes are beautiful and I do love hearing that about my sewing. I ran into a parent I knew from the PTO the other day and her comment was first an incredulous, “What are you wearing?!” and immediately “You look like you stepped out of a picture!” so that was good.

More posts coming soon!