Stays and Other Musings.

Hello Friends and Readers, I hope you are having a good week. I don't know about you, but I'm really anticipating the upcoming three day weekend. I need it :-D Anyway, I have been practicing like crazy for our ball this weekend. I met with the pianist last Thursday and I finally feel ready to perform. It's so strange, I haven't been performing regularly for such a long time, I'm really looking forward to it again. I've really loved practicing on my lunch breaks, in the mornings, and evenings. It's been fun. It's also such a blast watching Birdie Boy's reaction to the high notes. It's hilarious he screeches and fluffs up his feathers and chatters.

I also finished my Pierrot jacket and petticoat. It's so pretty and I'm super excited to wear it. However, I intend to torture you all until Saturday. I don't want the other ball attendees to see it until the ball. Tee Hee, I'm a nerd.

I have also been doing some research on stays. I have never been completely happy with the pair I made last year. The armseyes are just a little high and when I sit, they dig into my armpits. The most severe being when I'm in the car, although I don't know if a new pair will remedy the uncomfortableness of a car ride in stays. Anyway, I was thrilled when JP Ryan came out with their strapped half-boned stays pattern. I was hemming and hawing over making another strapped pair or making a strapless pair. I decided on the former, mainly because my impression is upper class, and as a Lady I would have worn a strapped pair. And, as their site says, shape is more important than comfort. So, I ordered it, and I'm now "patiently" awaiting their arrival so I can start. I'm thinking I will do a canvas pair with a silk outerlayer and a muslin lining. I will probably use the leftover blue silk from my robe a la turque and bind the edges in a white muslin. I will probably end up hand sewing them. I have thought about machine stitching the boning chanels, but I like the look of hand stitching so much better, and it's more relaxing and accurate. So, that is the plan for the next few weeks. Here's a picture of the stays pattern. God Bless! Love Lauren.

Bishop’s Close and Tea

Yesterday we had a nice intimate event at Bishop’s Close, a beautiful private garden overlooking the Willamete River.  We had a small group, about 8 or so, and we toured the gardens and then headed into town for tea. It was a lovely afternoon. Here are a few photos. 

Christian, Tara, Me, Ryan

 

Tara and Me

Christian, Ryan, and Aaron

 

God Bless and have a great week everyone!

Of Life and Sewing...

Life has been interesting lately and quite busy. Aaron and I started attending a new church in West Linn. So far we really like it. The church we were attending starting buying into the whole environmental movement. There were things that we just didn't feel right about. So, we decided to try out our friends' church. It seems really biblical based with no show or fluff. Hopefully it stays that way.

On the home front, we have been super busy. Aaron just finished his summer term and is starting to get ready for his board exam at the end of September. I have really been struggling with patience and waiting on God's timing. I so badly want to move on to the next phase of life. Without going into too much detail, I'm ready for the man to be done with school and be a dentist. I know God has placed me here, in this time, for His purpose, but I'll tell ya, the waiting is hard sometimes. It almost feels like we're standing on the edge of a precipice just waiting for our lives to start. It's really exciting, but at the same time it's frustrating because we're so close, but we still have a ways to go. It reminds me of when my sister-in-law was adopting her son. She kept saying "hurry up and wait." Like we're hurrying through hurdles just to wait for the next one. That's what it feels like. I tell ya, when he's finished, we're both going to need a well earned rest, whatever that may be. I vote for Hawaii, but that probably won't happen.

I have been sewing like a mad woman, working on a Regency wardrobe for a new ORS member. I haven't had much time to work on my own projects, but I hopefully will soon. I am starting to plan my next project. I definitely have a bad case of CADD ( costume ADD). I always finish a project before I start one, but while I'm working on one, I'm planning the next great thing, tee hee. I even dream about costuming. I mean, literally, I put the projects together in my dreams. I don't know if that's cool or something I should be concerned about. Slightly obsessed maybe?

Oh, I've been meaning to post this link for sometime now. Mme Berg, from Costumes, Cast, and the 18th Century, has started a Historical Costume forum. It's wonderful. So check it out if you get a chance. Historical Sewing

As for the Regency Society, we have a garden walk and tea this weekend, and a ball the next weekend. I am singing at the ball, and I am a little nervous. I plan to sing Mozart's Ach ich Fuhl's and I'm meeting with the pianist this Thursday. I haven't sang regularly since I was a student and I am always nervous to work with a new pianist. I have been practicing during my lunch breaks, in the mornings, and in the evenings. I'm ready to kill the run in the middle, I just can't seem to get it. I'm sure I will, but it makes me nervous to sing for a new person, i.e. the pianist, when I don't have something perfectly. I might be brave and post a video of the performance, we'll see. I also hope to have my jacket and petticoat finished by the ball. I might be getting too many things going at once, but I'll do my best. If not, I might have to wear my green ball gown I wore in May, shock and horror :-D

Well, I couldn't leave you with out some sort of picture. So, I will post what I've been dreaming about lately. I'll let you make of it what you will. *NOTE* No I'm not pregnant, this is just a very lovely scene and I want babies someday.

And the Award Goes Too...

Here are my picks for the Mozart award...

Mme. du Jard's Atelier: Her costumes are gorgeous and meticulously designed. I love to read her blog for inspiration and technique.

The Dreamstress She has some amazing costumes from the 18th century, as well as some from other eras. Her blog is always a great read and resource.

Marie Antoinette's Gossip Guide to the 18th Century: A must read for anyone interested in the 18th century. This blog is well researched and just plain fun!

The Duchess of Devonshire's Gossip Guide to the 18th Century: The sister blog to Marie Antoinette's and is a wealth of information. It shows the English side to the 18th century. I particularly love the Tart of the Week.

My 18th Century: This is a charming new blog dedicated to the 18th century. Miss Ellinor has some lovely costumes and events.

That's all for now :-) God Bless and have a great day.

An Award

Dear readers and friends, I am very honored to receive this award from the American Duchess. It was originally created by Wolfgang Amade’ Mozarts the Blog and has been awarded since 1998. " The Amadeus Award for Taste and Excellence is to be given to five blogs that meet the qualifications which I have previously stated. Please give it in the spirit of community, love of history, and artful presentation." So, I will certainly be passing this award along, but I need to decide who I want to give it to first :-) So please check back soon. God Bless!

Love Lauren

Progress…

 

Life has been pretty busy as of late. Aaron just finished his summer term and is preparing for his second board exam in September and I’m working away at my job, as usual.

In between work and sewing for client, I have had a little time to work on my own project. Here are the pictures of the bodice thus far. I’m planning to add trim around the neckline and on the sleeves. I also need to hem the peplum and add hooks and eyes to the stomacher and bodice. Right now, it’s pinned onto my dress form. Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful week. God Bless!

Love Lauren

   

Aaron’s Suit

 

I finally finished a complete suit for Aaron. It was quite the undertaking. I redrafted the pattern from the “Frock Coat of Doom” and revamped my breeches pattern. The hardest parts were drafting the collar on the coat and figuring out how the pockets work on the drop front breeches. Once I got my head around it and made Aaron try on multiple muslins, it worked :-) So, without further adieu, here are the pictures. Have a wonderful rest of your weekend. God Bless!

Love Lauren

The Lord of Portland House, my own Darcy :-)

P.S. The gold frock coat fabric and the green waistcoat fabric is what I plan to use on my zone front jacket in the afor mentioned post :-)

Opinions Please :-)

Dear Friends and Readers,

I am getting ready to start on my next project, after I finish Aaron's breeches and a large project for a client. Anyway, I want to know if my idea is Ball Worthy. I'm trying to use pieces in my stash and this is what I've come up...

I am planning on using the left over fabric from Aaron's frock coat and waistcoat. The main jacket done in a gold silk, the zone front in a striped green silk with a hint of gold, and the skirt will be done in a cream striped silk organza with cream satin stripes. I probably will not wear a panier, since I'm in the late 18th century. I'm also debatin on how I want it to close: buttons, hooks and eyes, or stomacher. Anyway, I wanted to hear your ideas and see if my little creation will be worthy to wear to a ball or be destined for picnicing :-) God Bless!

Love Lauren

Pittock Mansion Picnic

 

Today was my the much awaited picnic at Pittock Mansion. It is one of my favorite events of the year. The setting is gorgeous and the views of the city are spectacular. This year was indeed fun, but quite warm. We’ve just began a heat wave that is supposed to last until next week. It was about 85 degrees at the mansion, which is around 90 degrees in town. It was beautiful in the morning, but started to get uncomfortable towards the end of the afternoon.

We also made quite the spectacle. It always entertains me to see how people react to us. Usually, they either ask to take our pictures with them or they avoid eye contact at all costs. Today, the mansion was swarming with tourists. Aaron and I had our picture taken by so many different people. One little girl came up to me with her mom and asked me if I was real. It was so adorable. I always love watching little girls’ reactions to our bonnets and dresses. They always look like they want to join us :-)

Anyway, enough of my rambling. Here are the pictures! God Bless!

 

Steph  in her new day gown

Christian, Tara and Angel

Tara and Christian

Me in my “oh so over the top” hat :-)

Steph and her pork pie.

Stephanie with her new day gown and parasol.

A really handsome man ;-)

Touring the gardens

 

Have a wonderful week everyone! Love Lauren :-)