Sewing Ideas

MsReese · #1 09-04-2005, 02:29 AM

Hiya All,

I was wondering if any of you knew where I could get some ideas for projects.
I'm about to go to my first reenactment where I don't have to help with it, and I'm need something to do at it. I was looking for something to sew or make, or even learn how to knit

Anyhoo.......any ideas would be helpful

Thanks

dawna · #2 09-04-2005, 08:02 AM

MsReese:

Welcome to CWT. I'm sure that our fashion expert, Jenna, will be able to point you in the right direction, since she is a 'sewing wonder.'

Dawna

blue_zouave · #3 09-07-2005, 11:58 PM

Reese, what kind of needlework do you do? Embroidery is quite appropriate. You can even do cross stitch if you refer to it as petit point. Make sure your hoops are wooden. You can embroider monograms on handkerchiefs, also may hem handkerchiefs.

My alter ego, Sister Victoria, is well known for knitting. I wind a ball of cotton yarn (no pull-out skeins in those days) and use wooden or faux ivory knitting needles. I knit dishcloths and potholders, always useful around the fire!

Let me know what else you do, and I can give you some pointers for making it "period."

Zou

jenna · #4 09-08-2005, 06:33 PM

Expert I am not, but thanks Dawna.

Anyways, spinning yarn is a good one. You can pick up a period spinner and scans of wool for a small investment. Embroidery was very big. Rotary anglais was popular as well. My mother learned how to do that. What it is is how they made our modern day eyelett lace. You transfer a floral design onto white cotton, then with a fine but strong thread you make very small stiches around the whole outside of the designe, then you make the wrap thrreads out from there, just like the eyelett looks today. You need a real good pointed sharp pair of scissors to do it and an embroider hoop. It was typically found on undersleeves and underpinnings.

Knitting was also very popular as was the making of flags with silk. It was all in support of the war effort. You could also do detailing on quilts such as outline quilting and embroidery work.

Jenna

MsReese · #5 09-08-2005, 11:24 PM

What is Petit point? I haven't the faintes how to knit. however, I do like the monogram idea, where can I find the stitches for hand embroidery. I know how to do crossstitch, but not the hand embroidery

jenna · #6 09-09-2005, 11:45 AM

Check at your local sewing center, not Wal-Mart. I haven't found any books at Wal-Mart on instruction yet. But Hancocks or JoAnns would have it.

Not sure about peti point though. I don't do all the fancy sewing. I'm lucky I can get the dresses done! Hee Hee!

I have however seen cross stich done on a few things, but have not done the research on it yet to see what is authentic.

Jenna

MsReese · #7 09-09-2005, 12:16 PM

Hmmm, I guess I'll have to do some research then, I have a few crossstitich projects I'm working on and that would be a good time to get them done. I'd really like to find what stitiches to use on monograming as well, I did one for someone and it turned out okay. I can't seem to find anything on the internet on how to do it freehand. a world of information and I can't find a thing...LOL

jenna · #8 09-10-2005, 11:29 AM

Try this site once: http://www.uvm.edu/~hag/godey/images/picsfashion.html
I can't remember how much of the embroidery or cross stich they showed, but it could be helpful. It is plates and etchings for Godey's Lady's Book. Now, some of the designes are from the late 1850's, but you have to remember that allot of what was shown during the CW was from these ideas initially.

Jenna

jenna · #9 09-10-2005, 12:14 PM

http://www.odditiesantiques.com/embroidery.html

This I just found to be and interesting site. The information was interesting.

Jenna

jenna · #10 09-10-2005, 12:43 PM

http://www.sarweb.org/embroidery/des...darkmantas.htm This one shows a basic stich and 1850's design.

http://lace.lacefairy.com/ID/BroderieAnglaise.html And this page has the Broderie Anglaise. Sorry, I had it spelt way wrong the other day. This is really easy to do. My mom is not an embroider at all, and found this to be simple.

http://www.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/w...S/gdy_5747.gif They embroidered everything. The design here is from Godey's Lady's Book and is for a cigar case. Notice the pipes on the desing. Very cool.

This is what I found in about three pages of google search under "1860 embroidery designs"

Hope that helps a little. In the mean time, I found allot of interesting things as I was looking for you. So this was not time wasted at all.

Jenna