Planning for a Picnic: New Regency Accessories

Our little group of regency picnickers has decided to get together again this June, so I am trying to use the deadline to motivate me to sew some new regency accessories. Black Snail's Sleeveless Spencer I bought all the regency era Black Snail patterns during a sale awhile back, but have yet to use them.…

NHS/Audrain Exhibit: 1920’s Dressmaker’s Toile Reproduction

My favorite project I completed for the NHS/Audrain exhibition was a toile of a dress for a tableau in the 1920's dressmaker's shop exhibit. The dressmaker, Mollie O'Hara, actually had her shop on the premises which is now the Audrain Museum. Image from Mrs. Depew's Patterns. I was limited on time and resources, so while…

NHS/Audrain Exhibition: Making Mounts

In May, I did some volunteer work on the Newport Historical Society and Audrain Auto Museum's co-curated exhibitions "The World in Motion, Fashion and Modernity 1885-1945"/"Women Take the Wheel: Fashion, Modernity and the Automobile: 1900-1945." This was under the supervision of my professor, Rebecca Kelly, who was curating, conserving, and mounting the fashion objects. It…

A Regency Redingote Update

For the month of January, I hosted a #wednesdaywinterhistoricsewalong on Instagram, and coordinated a weekly Zoom sewing hour with some friends to motivate us to do just a bit each week. I'm not good at chunking out a project in this way, usually I start dreaming that I'll finish a whole project! I have all…

Good, Better, Best Practices for Storage of Vintage/Antique Sewing Patterns

When I started out collecting I could not afford conservation grade materials (nor did I realize how important they are) so I have tried to write this as a Good, Better, Best Practices so that each collector may do the best with what resources they have at hand. I, myself, am just starting the process…

Video Tour of URI’s Current Dress Exhibit

Like many other graduate programs, the Dept. of Textiles, Merchandising and Design at URI, where I am studying for my masters, has started publishing videos about the department's work. I wasn't in either the of the classes involved in curating or conserving/mounting the the objects so I probably can't answer most questions about it. I…

Professional Organizations for Fashion/Dress Historians

So you've been thinking you want to take your interest in fashion history a little further? Joining a professional organization may be just the ticket! "Professional" is a little bit of a misnomer, as in the world of fashion and dress studies these groups often also welcome enthusiasts as well, and they certainly love to…

2021 Historical Sewing Plans

I haven't posted sewing plans here before, so why not start now? I am adjusting to the idea that school leaves me very little time to sew, but I can still hope to get some done. Also there is obviously little in the way of historical costume events right now, outside of whatever my local…

Historic Reproduction and Conservation Stitch Samples

As usual, I have taken on too much this semester and have been unable to do any posts and non-school sewing. However, I have to make stitch samples for my conservation portfolio, so I thought at the very least I could post about that. I was surprised to find out that a number of students…

Independent Study: 5 Regency Dresses

If you've been on my instagram lately, you might have seen the sneak peeks I've been giving of my independent study this semester. Well, here is the reveal! The Historical Society of Old Yarmouth is allowing me to study 5 late 18th century and early 19th century dresses which they recently acquired. Here are my…