Pennypacker Mills' Victorian Christmas

It did not turn out to be as costume-filled a weekend as anticipated; the plans were to do Pennypacker Mills' Victorian Christmas on Saturday, and then Pottsgrove Manor's 18thc candlelight tour on Sunday, but it turned out no one but Robin wanted/was able to go to the latter, and it's rather a far drive for no especial reason. And I didn't want to have to pay PA prices for gas, which I'd've had to do if I drove out to Pottsgrove! Thanks but no thanks. And then Robin and I were going to go to the much closer 18thc farm, Peter Wentz...but then we were watching the version of A Christmas Carol with Patrick Stewart, lost track of time, and missed the few hours the site was open. Oops.

So today my most efficient use was for downing pots of tea and eating way too many gingerbread hearts. And sewing a very few eyelets on my wool 1770s stays. I hadn't planned to try and finish them for the colonial ball or anything, but they were the only handwork project I had ready to stuff in a bag and go...

But anyway, PPM was a lot of fun: it was an 18thc house that was added on to and remodeled in 1901(ish?), and they did a great job of decorating for the season. Everything was lit by oil lamps, and they had Santa, a bell choir, and a candymaking demonstration in the kitchen. And free hot cider after the tour! I'd like to go back sometime in warmer weather and walk around the grounds (good location for pics of our sooper seekrit plaid project, eh wot, partners in crime?).

As for pictures, we basically just made sure to get photos of my new dress and that was it. Most of the tour was too dark for my poor old camera so I didn't bother taking it out the whole night...at least til we got to Taco Bell afterward! That was well lit, haha.


( A few pictures, and then Words about Boots )

There will be sewing tomorrow! I almost promise!

Starting a new 18thc dress

This is me not making a new dress for the colonial ball. Completely and definitely not...

Okay, so I sewed the petticoat panels together today and hemmed them. I'm compromising: you know how I like to hand sew my 18thc things, but I also really want a new fancy dress in two weeks. Compromise is definitely in order. Basically that just means machine sewing the seams I can get away with. A lot of those on a petticoat.

I'm using the yellow and green and red striped silk taffeta that I bought this fall. No one particular inspiration, just a lot of plates of those fluffy looped-up skirts of the mid-1770s. Also depends how much fabric I can squeak out for trimming, as I bought the fabric in pieces off a remnant table.