Outfiting my Niece

[Mark Wadsworth]

My niece is going to help in my tent at 3 events this winter down in FL. She is 12 years old and going on 30. I want to dress her out but I really don't know what all I need to get or tell her mom to get for her. I don't want to dump a whole lot of money on her since I don't if she will stick with it. What should I do for the girl.
My nephew is going to but I know how to dress him. He out grew his other uniform so I need to make him another one. That I can do.

[Mark Wadsworth]

I don't clue on the shoes. I know at her age the thread counting is not there just yet.

[johan_steele]

Let her be a child, a little girl. A dress should cost less than $100. Slight modifiications to a simple pattern available at Wal Mart w/ relatively accurate materials avail there can create an inexpensive & disposble outfit.

Either being around Laundresses or blending in w/ the refugees or civilians she might just learn a lot.

If you need ideas PM me and I'll put you in contact w/ my wife, she's a rather talented seamstress IMHO.

[southern_belle1861]

Hey there.
I am around your nieces age. I would recommend a cotton work dress (opening in the back and to the proper length) and either a corded petticoat or a few plain white cotton petticoats. Since you don't know if she is going to be doing many of these, I would just get her a pair of plain black flats from Wal-Mart or something. I have a friend who did that and they looked like mary janes.
If you have any more questions, please PM. There are a lot of sources I can give you.

[Mark Wadsworth]

I made a list for her mom to buy
White cotton tights
Marry Jane's ( some kind of shoes not the penny candy).
or Black Boots
A white cotton sleeveless night gown to act as one of the layers of under penning. It will do for now
I found a burgundy and pink set on a white brocade fabric for the skirt and a matching zauove style jacket. They tried to explain to me what a brocade is and failed. When it comes to the women's stuff I draw a blank.The outfit will also have a white blouse, pantaloons and petticoat.
I know it will be winter down there but will this be enough to keep her
warm? Knowing my luck she may kidnap my great coat.

[southern_belle1861]

You might wanna get her a plain wool shawl. That may help a little. You said you were going to FL? Its souldn't be *too* cold down there.

[Mark Wadsworth]

I have thought about a shawl but rulled it out as something that she should get only if she sticks with it. But it would be great.

[southern_belle1861]

Ok, one of my friends saw the thread and told me it was probably better and easier for her to wear socks instead of tights.

[Mark Wadsworth]

I will keep that in mind

[blue_zouave]

I have thought about a shawl but rulled it out as something that she should get only if she sticks with it. But it would be great.

Mark, a shawl can be your smallest investment... check the remnant bin or the clearance table at the fabric store for 100% wool fabric. One and a quarter yards of 45" fabric is just right. The piece of fabric can be hemmed, or you can pull the threads to make a fringe.

Zou

[Mark Wadsworth]

Zou, that sounds simple eneugh. I will check my cutting room and may have something in that order already.

[Mark Wadsworth]

I just checked my fabric stock in my cutting room. I do not have any wool that I can spare. I do have an bunch of red cotton flannel. I am think about making a shawl out of 3 or 4 layers of cotton flannel. My math tells me that 1 1/4 yard if 45 inch wide fabric makes for make for about a 45 X 45 inch wide square.

[blue_zouave]

That sounds great, Mark, and perfectly in the spirit of wartime... making do with what you have!

Zou

[Mark Wadsworth]

With luck every thing that I have ordered will be ready in time. I will try to fit in the shawl in to my sewing schedule. On Fridays when I oil my sewing machines I need to do a bit of sewing on scraps before I can trust the machine to do real work. I will use that to time to stitch the inside of the shawl.

[Mark Wadsworth]

What shape is a shawl?

[CWSeamstress]

If you don't want to buy a cape right now, then a throw size or baby size blanket will work just fine. I used a wool baby blanket at Fort Branch, because my cape did not come in time. What you do is fold the blanket in half from point to point so that it makes a triangle. It works perfect for a cape. I hope this helps!

[blue_zouave]

A shawl can be square (worn folded diagonally) or triangular.

Zou

[Mark Wadsworth]

I have thought about it and with all the garments I have to make already, my neice can make her own shawl. I may have to do some over the sholder time but I can only use one of my machines at a time.

[Mark Wadsworth]

My nieces first event is done and over with. She spent the most of the weekend working in a ladies sutler tent
They fixed her up for the ball also. She was loaned a green dress They she took white flowers and a bow then pinned them to the dress. My niece had her hair braded some sort of French style over her ears, then a hairpiece was added to the back of her head. She was dolled up.
I think that the reenacting bug bit her. Afterwards we got the pictures back. They had shown me what needed to be fixed on her normal dress. Last weekend we took in the hem or the skirts and hoop.


Mark

[Mark Wadsworth]

I was able to edit the pics so that will fit on this as an attachement. I hope it works. This pic is her normal dress. The skirt was shortnened some and of the top was taken in on after the pic was took.

[Mark Wadsworth]

Here is the pic of her in the dress that she wore to her first ball.

[southern_belle1861]

Not too bad! May I suggest putting a few growth tucks in the workdress to take it up and dropping the hoops? Its much easier to get around in a few petticoats and shorter skirts

[ole]

That's a workdress? A handsome lass, indeed, Mr. Wadsworth, I'd be more effusive if it weren't for the code of the dirty old man: never let them see you drool.
Ole

[blue_zouave]

That's quite the workdress!

It's a lovely all-purpose reenacting outfit, day to night. A young lady in proximity to the field would travel light and wear what she had -- in this case, borrowed finery, like Meg in Little Women!

Zou

[Mark Wadsworth]

Not too bad! May I suggest putting a few growth tucks in the workdress to take it up and dropping the hoops? Its much easier to get around in a few petticoats and shorter skirts

The pinkish dress was fixed up some after she got home from the event. From what I have been told the skirt was himmed along with the hoop and petty coat. I think bluse was had some tucks in it also. I don't know a thing about dresses.
I learned that my neice worked her tail off working for one of the ladies sutlers. I may just have her working in my tent.