The Dashwood Sisters

Disney Princess Themed Doll Dresses

2012-01-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

For Christmas I made some little friends of mine Disney-themed doll dresses, based on their favorite Disney princess. It was such a fun project, and my first sewing project in a long time that was my own idea and I could do whatever I wanted with it. ;) (I've come to the realization that I don't like custom orders because I have to make things according to how other people want them and can't play around with them and make them how I want; but with projects of my own invention, I can do whatever I want with them and be as creative or uncreative as I'd like. ;) It's so much easier. ;) )

The idea started with this dress, made several months ago, from leftover fabric from the bridesmaid dresses.

I thought then that the coloring reminded me of Cinderella, and then I decided to make several doll dresses based on my friends' favorite Disney princesses.

Michaela's favorite is Tiana.

For this dress, I used was the Heritage Wrap Top Dress (which I also used for the Cinderella dress and as a base for the Snow White dress). The main fabric is a greyish-green polyester shantung. (It looks greener in person; the camera captured too much of the light reflecting off of it.) A silky off-white fabric (like was used for the sashes on the bridesmaid dresses) forms an underskirt and the lining. I was going to put the flower on the side, like Tiana's, but ended up liking it better in the front like you see in the picture.

Kirsten's favorite is Ariel.

The Ariel dress is the most unique of the four because I used a completely different pattern for it. I used the Bunny Bear 1940s Sweetheart Dress pattern as a base, altering it so that it was sleeveless (and the back is a little different to accommodate the sundress look). The alterations were tricky, but I'm pleased with the result. The top is made from purple polyester shantung (from my Little Dorrit dress). I'm not sure what the skirt fabric is; I received it in a collection of scrap fabric. ;) The flower on the side is completely random because I thought the dress needed an extra something. ;)

Brianna's favorite is Cinderella.

Again, this is the first one I made.... if I had made it with Cinderella in mind, I might have done some things different with the pattern... but I still love the way it turned out. The fabric I used is cornflower blue satin, with an additional bit of silver ribbon across the waistband. I kept pretty much totally to the original pattern with this dress.

Ivy' favorite is Snow White.

This one was definitely the most stressful one to make because I had only one day to cut it out and sew the whole thing. (I hate deadlines. :P ) I also didn't have yellow fabric for the skirt, as I would have liked... but I still think it turned out cute. The dress is a silky blue fabric, trimmed with a yellow ribbon, and the sleeves are a thin, silky white fabric (again, similar to the sashes of the bridesmaid dresses) with red trim ribbon. I used the Heritage Wrap-Top Dress pattern again, but altered it to no longer be wrap-top, but to have a rounded neckline instead.

I have one more I'd like to make, for another little friend, but I don't know whether she reads this blog or not, so I won't say any more about it for now. ;)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I might list these on Etsy as made-to-order items, as I wouldn't mind making more of them; however, I am starting college next week, and hopefully a job soon as well, so my sewing time will be greatly limited. I'm not even sure if I'll have time to sew at all, or if I'll want the pressure of extra deadlines . So... I don't know. I may or may not list them. :P But these were so much fun and I really would love to make more, of the same, and of the other Disney princesses/heroines, when I have time. :) They're so much fun! :D

P.S. I really should post, too, about the Regency gowns I made for the Christmas ball this December. I'm afraid I always forget to post here though because I have several different google accounts and this one kind of falls into the background of the other ones. :P Oh well. I should get to that this week before I start school. :P

Fall Fashion Challenge: Day 7

2011-11-14T06:17:00.000-08:00

Fall Fashion Challenge
Day 7: Wear a hat

I don't own any hats...I rather take the quote from You've Got Mail as my opinion about hats: "I assume it was going to buy a hat which would turn out to be a mistake, as nearly all hats are." However, there are a few hats that I really do like...and fedoras make me feel positively gangsta. ;)

Blouse - Kohl's
Slacks - Kohl's
Jacket - Kohl's
Silver chain - JCPenney's
Earrings - Kohl's
Shoes - Target
Hat - Alex's :)

Fall Fashion Challenge: Day 4

2011-11-09T19:48:00.001-08:00

Fall Fashion Challenge:
Day 4: Your Favorite Era

Another news flash - I don't really have any clothes from my favorite eras...HOWEVER - this year for Halloween I dressed as a hippie, and made some bell-bottom jeans for the outfit. So my decade for this day is...

The 1970s!
(with a bit of a modern flair :))
Blouse - Goodwill
Shawl-thing (I can't remember the real name :P) - Sears
Jeans - Goodwill, with bells added by me with fabric from JoAnn
Platforms - Mudd, from Goodwill

~Marianne
Jewelry - Kmart

Fall Fashion Challenge: Day 3

2011-11-09T06:58:00.000-08:00

[Skipping Day 2 for the moment because I still need to find the pair of shoes for that outfit. :P]
------------------------------
Fall Fashion Challenge
Day 3: Bold Tights

News flash: I don't own any bold tights at all. I don't even have any bold socks. :P So I just decided I would wear some bright colors - it is a summer outfit that works well on warm fall days.

Cami - JCPenney's
Blouse - thrift store ;)
Skirt - Christopher and Banks
Shoes - Target (P.S. These are my favorite shoes ever. :D)

Apologies about the grain in the pictures...for some reason, they just didn't turn out well this time. :P

Fall Fashion Challenge: Day 1

2011-11-06T18:31:00.000-08:00

FALL FASHION CHALLENGE, hosted by Bramblewood Fashion!
Day 1: Whatever You Want
I chose one of my most favorite fall ensembles...

Mossimo black tee - Target
Apartment 9 sweater - Kohl's
Straight fit jeans - Fashion Bug
Sneakers - Target
Brown jewelry - Kmart

Seriously...if you have any trouble believing that this is one of my favorite things to wear, just ask Alex - I wear it at least twice a week. :P :D

~Marianne

Fall Fashion Week!

2011-11-06T17:46:00.000-08:00

Fall Fashion Week

Hosted by Bramblewood Fashion

I, Marianne Dashwood, am making a return to the blogging world for this week of fun. :) Be sure to check out all the links on Bramblewood Fashion for more entries and ideas!

Mid-19th century doll dress

2011-09-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

In case any of you were wondering, no, I haven't been doing a whole lot of sewing the last couple months. ;-) I took a break after my sister's wedding and the break ended up being a little longer than I was intending. This was due to a lot of factors... my grandma came to stay at our house due to her declining health, and passed away in August; I've been working towards starting college and had things like my ACT to take and fun stuff like that; we went and visited family and friends in another state for a couple weeks.... lots of things like that. Busy busy.

However, now that Christmas is coming, with school closely following, I've decided to get back to work on my sewing. I wrote out a page and a half of doll dress ideas, mostly movie costume remakes. :-) I also have some other large-scale projects coming up to get done before I start school in January, so I should be getting started on those soon too. Details yet to come.

Anyway, I thought I'd show you my most recent project. I started it a couple weeks ago, but ran out of thread and then life and busyness picked up and I didn't get around to finishing it until this last week.

The style was based on an absolutely fantastic specimen I stumbled across on [the world's most awesomest site] Pinterest.

I think this gown from 1844 is simply breathtaking. I would totally absolutely 100% wear this. :-) Unfortunately, historical costuming costs money I'm saving up for college, so the next best solution is to make it in doll size. :-)

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, except that the bodice ended up a little shorter than I would have preferred, and the skirt is fuller than I expected-- it seems to stick out more like a hoopskirt. I listed it as an 1850s dress instead of 1840s because I figured that was about right...? I could be wrong though... :-|

Anyway, this is now listed on my Etsy shop, which, by the way, I would like to change the name of, since I'm the only one who lists on there, and the products don't really have to do with the Dashwood sisters at all, but I would have to set up a whole new shop and transfer everything, come up with a new name, and confuse my Facebook fans... ;-) (and the rules about how many shops you can have are kind of confusing on Etsy, I've found). What do you think? Should I set up a new shop with a new name? Or is it fine as it is?

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully you will be seeing more of me now, though, as I have more sewing projects to keep me busy now. :-)

P.S. Question for [present or former] college students who sew: How did/do you keep up your sewing while in school/college? Or can you at all? :-P

This is How I Feel....

2011-07-20T10:09:00.001-07:00

....when I finish a sewing project. ;-)

Well, if the sewing project turned out. ;-)
At least my dolls seem to enjoy modeling better than Pascal does. ;-P

Bridesmaid Dresses

2011-07-12T18:18:00.000-07:00

Now that enough pictures have surfaced on facebook for me to borrow, I figured it was finally time for me to post about the bridesmaid dresses I sewed for Marianne's wedding.

A friend, Chloe, and I worked together; she sewed three of the dresses, and I sewed the other three.

We used the same pattern that I used for Marianne's medieval-inspired dress. However, we did some things differently.

Before I started on the dresses, I had come across this post by Olivia, in which she has pictures of a very cute cap sleeves design. I thought it was super cute and decided to make the cap sleeve option (View B) with a similar design with the bows. However, some of the bridesmaids preferred short sleeves, so we decided to alternate between the two styles, and also discovered a way to work in the bows into the short sleeves as well. It turned out quite well, I thought.

We used cornflower blue satin (JoAnn Fabrics Casa Collection) for the dresses. I think I may say with assurance now that cornflower blue is one of my favorite colors. It's so beautiful. And the satin was fun to work with-- except that it does fray a bit. But then, I had my trusty serger to take care of that. ;-)

I made "Margaret's" and my dress a couple weeks before the wedding, but saved the last until the week of. Silly, right? Reason: I have this problem where I kind of like to fit the dress as I go *just in case* it's too big, small, doesn't fit right, whatever. So I really wanted to make sure this dress fit the bridesmaid right, but she lives all the way in another state. So she came the Sunday before the wedding to stay the week with us, and I made up her dress that week. Everything was done on time, I didn't have to hold things together with pins and duck tape.... so, all was well. :-)

The day of the wedding came, everything went smoothly, I enjoyed wearing my beautiful cornflower blue dress, had the hardest time smiling walking up the aisle as the maid of honor, had a blast getting pictures with the bridal party afterwards, got a cold and a fever the day after the wedding and laid low the whole next week, and still haven't gotten back to sewing, except I started work on a skirt but haven't finished it yet because I'm missing part of the waistband piece. :-)

More pics for your enjoyment (you'll like seeing Marianne's dress too, though I can't take credit for that by any means ;-) ) :

"Margaret", sister-in-law-in-law Anna (the groom's sister, that is), friend Christie, and yours truly

Margaret, dear Mamma, and yours truly

and yours truly with the bride, my sister and my best friend :-)

Until next time (whenever that may be ;-) ),
Elinor

And they were married :-)

2011-06-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, "Marianne" and "Colonel Brandon" were joined together in marriage.

The ceremony was absolutely beautiful. True, most weddings are beautiful anyway, but this one was especially as I reflected on how God has led Amanda and Alex and, in fact, our whole family, to this point, showering His grace upon them and us through difficult times and decisions. The wedding was a beautiful testimony of the grace of God and the steadfastness of true love.

SONNET 116 by William Shakespeare

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

P.S. And yes, that sonnet was read at the wedding and couldn't be more applicable. "Looks on tempests and is never shaken..."

CONGRATULATIONS

to my beautiful dear sister and her dashing new husband. God's riches blessings be on you both.

News :-)

2011-06-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been, like, almost a month since I posted!! Life has been SOOOOOO busy. Lots of family things keeping us busy; our grandma, who has been suffering from health problems, has moved in with us; and we've been preparing for "Marianne's" wedding!!! Which is in FOUR DAYS!!!

Part of the preparation on my part has consisted of sewing 3 of the bridesmaid gowns and the sashes. The first two dress were Margaret's and mine, and the other I put off until....this week... because the bridesmaid lives out of state and I wanted to make sure it fit as I sewed it. This week she is here visiting and we're working on it together. I'm about 1/2-way done with it and should have it finished tomorrow.

And the wedding is on Saturday. :-D

I am SO EXCITED!! I will be sure to post pictures afterwards! :-)

Well, that's about all for now, but I thought I really should update, as this poor blog has been so neglected!
So what have you all been up to lately? Any special sewing projects?

Little Dorrit Dress ~ Finished :-)

2011-05-27T11:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I wrote this, like, over a month ago and didn't post it yet. But anyway. Here is the post about my Amy Dorrit dress. :-)

Well, I am happy to say that I finished my Amy Dorrit ballgown in time for the Literary Ball! YAY! :-D

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, though I wish I could have found a buckle for the front of the waistband, like on Amy's. Oh well! :-)

Pattern Description: Sense and Sensibility Pattern's Romantic Era Dress Pattern

Pattern Sizing: Size 8 (I think)

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?Yes and no... I made plenty of alterations.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, though I made up a lot of my own directions. ;-)

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? Jenny Chancey's patterns are always a delight to work with. They're easy to understand and the results are lovely. The instructions also tell how to make a wide variation of styles/looks from this one pattern. :-)

Fabric Used: dark purple polyester shantung from JoAnn Fabrics

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: I didn't make very many alterations, but the

alterations I made were big enough to change the look. ;-) I cut the bodice piece wider, and at a slight angle, and pleated the front. I also brought it in a little at the shoulders as my shoulders are a lot more narrow than the pattern allows for.

Would you sew it again? Not this particular movie costume, but I do plan to use this pattern again, yes. :-)

Would you recommend it to others? Of course! (I have. :-) )

Here are some random pictures from the ball that include more shots of my dress. :-)

(Thank you, Brandon P, Mrs. R, and Mrs. F for the pictures! :-) )

FYI....

2011-05-02T14:35:00.000-07:00

Due to so many requests to write movie reviews, and my interest in commentating on various movies and characters in blog posts, just for fun, I have started up a movie-related blog.

Floating Lanterns
http://melaniesshelf.blogspot.com/

The title unashamedly admits by huge fandom for "Tangled". :-)
I may be transferring my period dramas review to that site.

How Could I Be So Forgetful?

2011-04-21T09:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, remember Alex, mentioned in this post?
http://hooks-and-needles.blogspot.com/2010/10/medieval-dress-for-marianne-fine-plus.html

:-)

Alex proposed (a couple months ago! :-P )... and she said yes. :-D

So now I'm getting ready to embark on sewing three out of the five bridesmaid dresses. They will be made in cornflower blue satin (JoAnn's Casa Collection) and have dark blue sashes. I'll be using this pattern:

http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m4491-products-414.php?page_id=493
with some alterations.

I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!

*off to cut out some mock-ups*

(I'll nag Marianne and see if she will post more about the proposal here...it's very cute. ;-) )

The Young Victoria ~ A Review

2011-04-12T20:02:00.000-07:00

"Do you ever feel like a chess piece yourself? In a game being played against your will?"
"Do you?"
"Constantly. I see them leaning in and moving me around the board."
"The Duchess and Sir John?"
"Not just them. Uncle Leopold. The king. I'm sure half the politicians are ready to seize hold of my skirts and drag me from square to square."
"Then you had better master the rules of the game until you play it better than they can."
"You don't recommend I find a husband to play it for me?"
"I should find one to play it with you, not for you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every little girl dreams of being a princess. But to young Princess Victoria (Emily Blunt) being a princess was not all it's cracked up to be. Growing up, she endured a host of regulations-- she could not walk up or down stairs without holding the hand of an adult, she could not read popular novels, she could not make choices for herself. Upon the death of her uncle, the king, she would become Queen of England... and when a child is faced with such a huge responsibility, the people around her will jump at the opportunity to use her as a pawn for their own power.

Now as the death of King draws near and the princess comes closer to becoming queen, Victoria's mother and Lord Conroy, her mother's adviser, put on the pressure to control her reign. Around the same time, Victoria receives a visit from her German cousins, Albert (Rupert Friend) and Ernst. Her uncle Leopold's goal is for Albert and Victoria to marry for political reasons; however, the two find themselves appreciating each other for who they are, not as a political match. Victoria is unwilling to rush into a marriage, but she and Albert keep in contact by writing letters, and Albert's love for her grows, despite her friendship with Lord Melbourne (Paul Bettany), the British Prime Minister.

The king dies and Victoria is made queen. She relies heavily--sometimes too heavily--on the advice of Lord Melbourne, but it is Albert who will be a source of strength to her as she faces the turbulent events of her early reign that nearly threaten her reign.

ACCURACY

Not having studied as much as I would like on the life of Queen Victoria, I point to the knowledge of others regarding historical accuracy. My understanding from others is that it follows the real life events very closely, though some incidents have been modified (for instance, there was an attempted assassination, but in real life, neither Albert or Victoria was hurt). One thing I found fascinating was comparing the actors and actresses with the portraits in my copy of Queen Victoria by Lytton Strachey. Many of them bear a very strong resemblance, down to hair styles, gowns and suits, and facial features. Also, if you keep your eye open in some scenes, you'll catch site of several real historical paintings of Queen Victoria in the background.
If I might add for my fellow historical costumers here, the film features some absolutely gorgeous and period-correct gowns worth studying, as well as a look at less-obvious pieces such as corsets, corded petticoats, stockings, and elaborate hair pieces. :-D

OBJECTIONABLE CONTENT
The Young Victoria is rating PG for "some mild sensuality, a scene of violence, and brief incidental language and smoking." Personally, I would be hesitant to recommend it to younger viewers. Albert and Victoria share passionate kisses and embraces after their marriage, and you do see them kissing in bed, clothed.   As to language, I only recall one use of the word "d**n". The violence mentioned in the rating consists of a man being shot in an attempted assassination, but it is not overly graphic.
A more detailed break-down of content that may or may not be objectionable can be found at Plugged In.

CONCLUSION
Next to Secretariat and Miss Potter, The Young Victoria is probably my favorite movie about real events and people. Watching it, I didn't feel rushed or confused (except perhaps when it came to some of the politics, but then, politics are always confusing, right? :-P )   The cast is nearly perfect, the costumes are delicious, the music is beautifully heart-stirring, the relationship between Albert and Victoria is unspeakably sweet, the end is a definite tear-jerker. Albert's selfless love for Victoria, even to the point of putting his own life in danger to protect her when she was treating him unlovingly, is beautiful, reminds me of Christ's unconditional, self-sacrificing love for us even when we reject Him. He is faithful and loyal to Victoria, strong in his convictions, and kind-hearted and accepting even to people who are difficult to love, such as Victoria's mother. Victoria's courage and determination despite of opposition, her firm resolution to "be good", and her concern for the welfare of common people and workers, inspires me to be strong and courageous in the positions God puts me in and to do what's right, no matter the voices around me that try to convince me otherwise. Victoria fails at times, but she admits her wrong and learns from her mistakes, allowing them to drive her to be a better queen and to deepen her relationship with her husband. A Christian worldview is reflected throughout the course of the movie, as it was in the historical reign of the real Victoria.

The Young Victoria is definitely a keeper. I highly recommend this beautiful rendition of one of the most beautiful love stories in recent history.

Little Dorrit dress, Part One

2011-03-19T11:15:00.000-07:00

"That's a lot of hair..."

...errr, fabric. :-)

I've been working on my Amy Dorrit dress for the Literary Ball! For a while, it was looking like I wouldn't be able to attend the ball, but everything's seeming to work out that I can go, so I'm VERY excited. :-D :-D So last week we were at JoAnn's and the polyester shantung fabric was on sale, and it was the right shade for my Amy dress, so I purchased it. This week I've been working on the mock-up, and yesterday I spent several hours laying out the main fabric and situating the pieces and thinking about it... I can't tell you how scary it was making that first cut into the expensive(to me) fabric. ;-)

Now to start sewing the actual bodice. *is very nervous* Please pray all goes well!

BTW, thought I might mention that the quote and picture at the beginning of this post are from Tangled, and no, I actually haven't seen it yet, only watched the trailers (English and Japanese) and clips from it over and over again. ;-) But, I have pre-ordered it from Barnes & Noble and it should be shipping in 10 DAYS! I am SO EXCITED! I can't WAIT! :-D :-D :-D

Literary Heroine Blog Party!

2011-02-18T10:36:00.000-08:00

A Maiden's Musings is holding a Literary Heroine Blog Party!! There is a questionnaire and some giveaway prizes!!
Wow, it's been "forever" since I filled out one of the questionnaires!! Looks like it will be fun though! Maybe I'll intersperse some pictures throughout too! ;-)

~ The Questions ~

Compiled by Miss Kellie & Miss Natasha

What, to you, forms the essence of a true heroine?

To me, a true heroine is a woman who does what's right, no matter the cost. She realizes the needs of others and selflessly reaches out to them. She may have struggles and faults of her own, but she overcomes them. In my opinion, a true heroine is one whose life looks like that of the Lord Jesus-- marked by love, humility, courage, faithfulness, and goodness.

Share (up to) four heroines of literature that you most admire and relate to.

(1) Molly Gibson (Wives and Daughters). I admire Molly's sweet spirit, selflessness, steadfastness, and courage. I love how she wants what is best for others even when it does not benefit herself; at the same time, I love her spirited nature. Like her, I often find myself as a "middleman" and get caught up in others' problems and secrets which doesn't always keep me in a safe position, so I can relate to Molly in that way and appreciate watching her responses to these difficulties.

(2) Fanny Price (Mansfield Park). I LOVE FANNY!! That is, the Fanny of the book. I think that her character is so Christlike, so unlike a character can be outside of a walk with God, that filmmakers just haven't been able to get it right any time they try. Fanny is patient, selfless, faithful in her love for Edmund, strong in her principles and convictions, wise and discerning, and courageous in doing what's right even when it's not popular. And, like most any girl, I've been in a similar situation as her (liking someone who doesn't like me back) so reading how she acted and felt in that circumstance has been helpful to me.
(3) Margaret Hale (North and South). There have been periods of time, actually, when I did not like Margaret, but at this point I do. She's a strong, courageous woman who leaves all that is familiar to her and sticks by her family despite their problems. She has compassion for the hurting, and a great deal of emotional strength when she goes through intense trials. She struggles with prejudice and "uppiness", but she changes. She is independent and can take charge when needed, but she is also there for others. She also has a tender conscience and the book seems to indicate that she has a love for and walk with the Lord.
(4) Millie Keith (A Life of Faith: Millie Keith series). Some of my readers may be shocked to find out I'm talking about the Millie of the edited series, NOT the originals by Martha Finley. She was one of my favorite heroines and closest friends in my pre-teen and early teen years. Her struggles with siblings, friendships, romantic feelings, and her relationship with God are so real-life and reading of how she goes to the Word and lets the Spirit of God completely fill her and change and grow her helped me so much when I was that age. She was definitely a role-model for me. I think I should read those books again, even if they are written for a younger age group... :-)

Five of your favorite historical novels?

Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
The Curate of Glaston trilogy by George MacDonald
Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Out of those five books who is your favorite character and why?

Probably Fanny from Mansfield Park, closely followed by Bella Wilfer from Our Mutual Friend (I would have put her on my list of four, but ran out of room. ;-) )

If you were to plan out your dream vacation, where would you travel to - and what would you plan to do there?

A dream vacation (not necessarily just travelling to a different country with a specific purpose) would be the British Isles... England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland... I'd visit London, Lacock, and Lyme; meet my English relations; see the Isle of Skye and the Scottish Highlands; attend the Jane Austen Festival in Bath...that is definitely a dream vacation. Maybe one day it will come true. ;-)

What is your favorite time period and culture to read about?

Oh dear. It varies. I enjoy reading about the Reformation in Europe, the American Westward Expansion, World War II in England and America... I also enjoy reading about the "boom" in Christian missions in the late-1800s and after World War II.

You have been invited to perform at the local charity concert. Singing, comedy, recitation - what is your act comprised of?

Probably singing with my family! :-)

If you were to attend a party where each guest was to portray a heroine of literature, who would you select to represent?

I actually was possibly going to attend a literary ball, though I'm not sure it will work out now, but I was planning on going as Amy Dorrit from Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens. I'm not much like her, but I am small like her and I love her dresses in the miniseries, particularly her wedding gown.

What are your sentiments on the subject of chocolate?

Well, I can't exactly fall into raptures in my answer because, while I do love chocolate, I just don't fall into raptures over it. ;-) I do love truffles and turtles and chocolate bars, though. :-)

Favorite author(s)?

Definitely George MacDonald, Amy Carmichael, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, C.S. Lewis, Elizabeth Gaskell....

As a small, imaginative, red-haired damsel might query; would you rather be divinely beautiful, dazzlingly clever, or angelically good? Why?

I'm not sure I'd want to be any of those, particularly. There's no need to be divinely beautiful; to be dazzlingly clever would be very out of character for me and I don't mind so much not being dazzling clever; and angelically good sounds, well, not "too good" but just not the perfect kind of good, if that makes sense. I guess if I had to choose I'd choose good though, but I can only be so by God's grace!

In which century were most of the books you read written?

19th century, of course!

In your opinion, the ultimate hero in literature is…

Once, in real life, not in literature, there was a man--not an ordinary man, either. He grew up the alleged son of a lowly carpenter and was not looked at as a very important person. Then at the age of thirty a band of men began to follow Him, and He taught them how to know God personally and live for Him. But His ultimate act of heroism, if you want to call it that, was when He gave up His life on behalf of another, by His own will, though He Himself was sinless, and by doing so gave life to that "another". As a matter of fact, it was not for just one "another" but for the whole world. A few days later, He conquered the grave and rose again, and continues to live and to save the souls of men. An ultimate hero is one who reflects this God-Man, Jesus Christ, in his actions, attitudes, and relations to others. No one can perfectly, but some do in one way or another. Some literary heroes who, in my opinion, exhibit Christlike traits in their lives would be Arthur Clennam (hearts ;-) from Little Dorrit), Malcolm MacPhail (from The Fisherman's Lady and The Marquis' Secret), Mr. Knightly (from Emma), Sir Percy Blakeney (from The Scarlet Pimpernel), and others.

Describe your ideal dwelling place.

It varies. I would love a two-story white house with a white porch stretching across the whole front, and a deck in the back facing a large lawn, with a South Carolina private beach of my own beyond it. Mmm!! :-) :-) :-) A British sort of cottage would be lovely too... to be honest, I love Huntsford in the 1995 P&P. But the South Carolina white home is probably what I would like best. :-)

Have you ever wanted to change a character’s name?

Only in my own books... I want to change the main pirate's name (it's been Darkie for about ten years now) but my sisters won't let me and I can't think of another name. (Ideas? What would you call an evil but not always intelligent pirate if you wrote a book about one?) I think I may have sort of wanted to change a Dickens name now and then just to make it sound a little more realistic, but most of the time I like the names he chooses for his characters. ;-)

In your opinion, the most dastardly villain of all literature is...

Does literature-inspired count too?? JUDGE CLAUDE FROLLO from Hunchback of Notre Dame. I've only seen the Disney animated version, which I'm sure is very different from the book, but still, it's at least literature inspired, and I am convinced he is one of the WORST villains ever. Perhaps because he is not so much a picture of evil (like the White Witch or someone like that) but a real person and not unlike someone you might actually meet... and about as degraded as one can get. Manipulative, controlling, lustful, murderous, "saw corruption everywhere, except within." I hate that guy. Oh yeah, and that guy from Horatio Hornblower too...Simpson? Wow, you can't get much baser than that. *shudders*

Three favorite Non-fiction books?

Green Leaf in Drought by Isobel Kuhn (the true account of the last CIM missionaries in China before the Communists took over)
Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot (how to bring your love-life under Christ's control)
all of my Amy Carmichael books ;-)

Your duties met for the day, how would you choose to spend a carefree summer afternoon?

Oh dear. I'll probably be lazy and spend it on the computer. Or getting a photo shoot with my dolls, or reading, or writing a letter or book, or taking a walk if it's not too warm. If I could, I'd go swimming, but there's not much chance to do that around here.

Create a verbal sketch of your dream hat - in such a way as will best portray your true character.

My dream hat?? I don't know if I have a dream hat. I do like pageboy caps (I think that's what they're called)... gray, with a little faux-jewel heart or a buckle on the side :-)

Share the most significant event(s) that have marked your life in the past year.

Um... I'm going to decline to answer this, because it just happened this last week and hasn't cleared up yet, and a "significant event" isn't always free of stress or pain, and I don't want to talk about it. ;-) So there. ;-) (Obviously, I'm not too stressed now because I'm feeling free to joke around and stuff, so don't worry too much about me. ;-) )

Share the Bible passage(s) that have been most inspiring to you recently.

"Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, and whom you teach out of your law, to give him rest from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked. For the LORD will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage; for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it. Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers? If the LORD had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. When I thought, "My foot slips," your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frame injustice by statute? They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge." (Psalm 94:12-22)
"I will never leave you, nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

And lastly, as I am a rather businesslike hostess, may I ask you your views regarding those adorable little items - namely pin back and mirror back buttons? 1). Where would you choose to display a button badge to best showcase your unique style? 2). What image and/or sentiment would most make you smile were it inscribed on your very own compact mirror?

Well, first, I think the pins and mirrors are lovely, especially the ones with Molly Gibson. :-)
1) I'm not sure where I'd display the button badge, as I've never had one since I was very little. Possibly on a handbag or my backpack.
2) Probably the one with Audrey Hepburn..."smile!" ;-) Gotta love Audrey...!

:-)

New Etsy Listing! :-)

2011-02-10T06:30:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day week! :-)

Valentine Wrap-Top Dress

A new website...

2011-02-09T12:44:00.000-08:00

Just for the fun of it, and for the enjoyment of fellow American Girl fans, I have started up an American Girl-themed website. :-) There are pages for the doll clothes I make, doll repair, photostories, and a blog. I will still post pictures of my Etsy listings on this blog, but most American Girl/non-sewing-related or "just for fun" posts will be moved to there.

Kirsten and Friends

Amy Dorrit Ballgown

2011-02-07T13:07:00.000-08:00

We are planning to attend a Literary Ball in April. You can come as any book character, and I decided to come as Amy Dorrit. This is the dress I'm planning to re-make (just hopefully I can find the right fabric for a sensible price! :-) )

Is it lovely? I'm so excited about this project and really hope I can find the right material and get the right look!

American Girl in Wonderland :-)

2011-01-31T11:59:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine recently wrote me and asked if I could make her an Alice in Wonderland dress for her doll. It was a delightfully fun project-- I love making movie costume re-makes! :-)

The original:

My version:

I used the pattern for Kirsten's Birthday Dress and Pinafore as a base for the dress, but made a few changes. I added a Peter Pan collar from another pattern and put sleevebands on the sleeves instead of elastic. On the pinafore, I extended the waistband piece to make ties.

The only major difference from the original was the back of the dress--Alice's appears to have a sort of yoke in the back, and I wasn't sure how to go about making that, so I just followed the Kirsten pattern. I couldn't get the tie to look quite so big either... :-S

Today Bethany got some pictures of it before shipping it. I'm actually not very familiar with the Alice in Wonderland story (I've never made it through the whole movie) but I knew a few aspects of it and tried to work them into the photography. :-) I tried to find a small bottle ("Drink me") but couldn't...but we did have cards and a kitty. :-)

I am planning on making some Valentines-themed and Regency doll dresses this week, so stay tuned. :-) I'm also planning on a 1940s "Swing" dress but have to finish cutting out the pattern yet (that's the worst part of sewing-- cutting out the pattern). :-) I hope you are all well!

As I said I would...

2011-01-12T07:05:00.000-08:00

I'm posting a picture of my new haircut. :-)

I had been going back and forth between a straight across, shoulder length cut and a short-short deal like Carey Mulligan's here:

A friend of mine had actually taken a picture of Carey Mulligan to the hair salon and showed it to the hair stylist to cut it in that same style. I think it's super cute and thought I might like to try it, but I just didn't feel ready yet to have it that short and I also wanted to still be able to play around with it a little.

So I got a shoulder-length cut instead.

My mamma cut it for me on Saturday evening. Much less expensive than getting it done at a salon. :-)

Here 'tis!

I feel like it is still very distinguishable feminine (I had some people express their idea that it wouldn't) and I actually find I can do more with it than I could when it was longer. It'll actually hold in a clip now, and flat-ironing it gives it a cute little "flip". ;-) The only thing I really miss is being able to braid it, though I think I could still get out two little French braids on the side... not like I've ever been able to do those myself-- Marianne is always the one to French braid my hair. :-) Anyway, I'm happy with it. :-)

Off to sewing now! If you could say a prayer that my serger wouldn't hate me today like it hated me yesterday, that would be grrreat. :-)

Pajamas

2011-01-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

I just got pictures from one of my Christmas orders! :-) The order was four doll pajamas and a pair of pajamas for a very special young friend of mine, Anna, and her dolls. I had a lot of fun with this project, coming up with different styles of pajamas to use with the same fabric.

Doesn't Anna have a lovely little doll family?

My only disappointment in this project was that Anna's pajamas turned out being way to big. The pattern I used was one of those "Fast and Easy" patterns and I'm convinced there was something wrong with the sizing chart. When I was sewing the pjs, they really looked like women's size! However, they apparently are working fine for Anna and she'll be able to wear them for another couple years at least. ;-)

I have a couple custom sewing orders right now-- an Alice in Wonderland doll dress (the blue dress with the white apron, from the animated Disney version), and a "school jumper" and two doll blouses. They're coming along okay except for the fact that my serger has been HATING me the last couple days and doing it's best to slow me down and discourage me in my work. Grrr. Sergers-- you either love 'em or you hate 'em. Anyway! Besides the serger problem, the orders are coming along well and keeping me busy! :-)

What sewing projects have you been working on lately?

Fashion Week coming up!

2011-01-08T13:59:00.000-08:00

Bramblewood Fashion is having a "Keeping it Classy" fashion week from February 13th-19th!
I'm afraid I'm one of the least classy people I know. No matter how hard I try, I can never get myself to look classy. :-P But I might enter on a couple of the days anyway. At any rate, it'll be nice to read others' posts and get ideas. ;-)

Along the line of looks, I'm seriously considering cutting my hair. Part of me doesn't want to, simply because it's taken me so long to grow it as long as it is now, and I can put it up in historical styles, but then, I never can put it up anyway, Marianne has to, and I'm kind of tired of my hair flopping on my shoulders... so I think I'm going to cut it to just above my shoulders...nothing too fancy, just something easy to take care of. :-) I'll be sure to post pictures when I do (unless I change my mind ;-) ) .

New Etsy listing and photography

2011-01-03T14:57:00.000-08:00

Today I was bemoaning the fact that the pictures on my Etsy shop look so unprofessional. So Margaret set up a temporary photography studio in the living room and this is what she did:

Isn't she amazing?

Also, today I listed a new dress on the Etsy shop:

Polyvore Fun and Etsy Ideas

2011-01-02T14:58:00.000-08:00

I got a Polyvore account sometime back. Now, most of you know, I'm no fashionista. I have very little knowledge of modern styles or how to make myself look good in them. I got Polyvore just for the fun of making collages. ;-)
I'm still not very good at it but here is what I've made so far:

I know this one's very simple, but I had fun with it. It was my first Polyvore set.

Based on "If My Heart was a House" by Owl City... I tried to incorporate details from the song but couldn't find everything I wanted. Still, anyway. :-)

This was very spur-of-the-moment--- I was demonstrating Polyvore to Amanda and was trying to think of a topic, and she said "Coffee" and this is what came of it. ;-)

Okay. Now about Etsy ideas.
I'm thinking about opening a separate Etsy shop exclusively for my doll clothes and leaving the other one up for other items. I'm also wanting to do some "series", perhaps seasonal collections or series based on movie costumes. Here are some ideas I had:

* Lucy Pevensie's wardrobe from the Walden Narnia films (maybe Susan's too, eventually, but I'm not sure)
* Princess Bride costumes (that would be a challenge)
* Disney Princess outfits (not just the main ones... also one's like Belle's blue pinafore dress and things like that)
* an exclusive Regency/Jane Austen collection
* seasonal collections (spring, summer, fall, winter)

PLEASE, do you have any other ideas that would be nice for doll clothes? Maybe ask little friends of yours that play with American Girl dolls... what kind of outfits they'd like to have for their dolls. I might not take everyone's ideas (it all depends on if I can find the right fabrics and can copy the look, you know ;-) ) but the more ideas I have, the better knowledge I'll have of what people like. :-)

Things That Make a Seamstress Happy....

2010-12-25T18:08:00.000-08:00

Some gifts I received today! Thank you, Mamma, Pappa, and Marianne!!

I already have the fabric for the Swing Dress-- the same fabric I used for Marianne's medieval dress. I can't wait to get started on it!!! :-D My first '40s dress! :-D

I spent some riding-in-the-car time today pouring over Patterns of Fashion. For those of you who have heard about how amazing it is-- you heard correctly. It is fantastic-- no wonder all the "big-time" historical costumers love it. It contains notes from and for dressmakers/tailors from the mid-1600s to the mid-1800s, as well as the basic patterns for some 40 or 50 women's clothing styles from 1660 to 1860. There are some gorgeous gowns and outerwear from the 18th century which I definitely plan to add to my wardrobe over time. ;-) (I'll just have to sell some more doll clothes first. ;-) ) (Speaking of which, I think some of the patterns in J.A. may serve as inspiration for doll clothes as well. ;-) )

So, yes, I'm pretty excited. :-)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T16:55:00.000-08:00

"The Lord your God is in your midst..."

Emmanuel. God with us.

Approximately 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ came to earth, fully God and fully man, and dwelt among men. He lived, died, and rose again. Now He has given us His Spirit to dwell in us and guide us. He is truly "God With Us".

Let this thrilling thought remain with you throughout this season and this next year. Wherever you are, whatever you are going through, God is with you, and He will never leave or forsake you.

We are never alone, for God is with us.

Merry Christmas, one and all!

P.S. "The Dashwood Sisters" blog hit 100 followers today! :-D

I Want to Make....

2010-12-24T18:04:00.000-08:00

...this dress. :-)

Obviously it's not one I need, but I'd love to make it one day. ;-)

I'm totally love in that shade of blue right now... :-D

Free Patterns!

2010-12-22T12:02:00.000-08:00

Homespun Threads patterns are FREE right now! Swing over there and check it out! They have some adorable baby booties and handbag patterns!
http://myhomespunthreads.blogspot.com/2010/12/all-homespun-thread-patterns-are-free.html

Thought It Right to Mention...

2010-12-21T18:33:00.000-08:00

...By God's help I was able to get all my deadline projects done as of Saturday, the 18th! I got everyone's orders to them on time and marked off every thing as "FINISHED" on my sidebar list. Thank You, Lord, for giving me the strength, endurance, and speed to get it all done on time!

Now I have time for some leisure sewing. I picked up a blouse I had cut out back in the summer, but found I needed to cut some self-fabric binding for it as well and I can't find the rest of the fabric... So until I find that ;-) I think I'll tap into the scraps I've accumulated over the last couple months and make some doll clothes to sell. :-)

Elinor's Sage Green Regency Gown

2010-12-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

First of all, I know this looks a lot different than what I posted about here. That is because the thick satin I had originally bought was too thick and heavy and just not nice to work with, especially for a ballgown, and the darts were being so unruly and it was fitting well over my stays so I finally decided to buy new fabric and start all over again.

I'm glad I did!

Pattern Description: Simplicity 4055, View A (ha ha.... again, sort of ;-) ) (loosely based)

Pattern Sizing: Size 8

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Not really. Again, I made some alterations so it doesn't look much like the original.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I feel like I'm repeating the last survey... the instructions were just peachy! :-)

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? See last post on this subject.

Fabric Used: Something new, finally! :-D Um.... what kind of fabric did I use? You'd think I'd know my fabrics better. It's a silky fabric from JoAnn fabrics, but it's not solid silk and it's not solid green either. :-) It's very light and drapes wonderfully in the Regency style. :-)

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: I didn't alter it as much as Margaret's but the look ended up quite different. I cut the front bodice piece farther from the edge and at an angle to produce the gathered look. The front bodice and the back bodice I raised by a couple inches for modesty (I could have raised it higher in the back though). I also shortened the skirt and fastened the back with hooks and eyes instead of buttons.

I was going to do a sheer overlay on the sleeves but the overlay fabric was shredding (em-hem, fraying-- sorry, Kitty's sitting next to me on my bed ;-) ) so much, so I didn't.

Would you sew it again? Em-hem. Like, YEAH!!

Would you recommend it to others? See above answer or previous post.

Okay, more pictures....

Hairstyle done by brilliant Marianne (thanks, Marianne! ) Didn't she do a lovely job? It was loosely based off of Lizzy's in the 2005 Pride & Prejudice. Not exact, of course (I didn't have the pearls :( ) but still, inspired. ;-)

The gloves are from Icing by Claire's. $15. The only opera-length gloves in the whole mall. :-)

Now some goofy poses, because, of course, I can sometimes get a little goofy... ("sometimes?" ;-) ) (Right now I'm feeling goofy ;-) )

"Now he danced the first two with Jane, and the next with Charlotte Lucas, which vexed me greatly, but lo, there in the very next, nothing would please him better but to stand up with Jane again! And then of course he danced with Lizzy... and then, what do you think he did next??" ;-)

Me pretending to me Miss Wiggin to Beatrix and Norman (from Miss Potter) ;-) Thankfully they didn't give me any intoxicated coffee. :-P

And here's all four of us!

Elinor, Margaret, Marianne, and Colonel Brandon (Alex)

I'll try to do a post soon with links to videos of the ball!

Pictures by/from Mrs. Dashwood, Brandon P., Hannah M., and Margaret Dashwood

Margaret's Ballgown

2010-12-16T04:50:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful for the Lord's help as I hurried to get this dress done in less than a week's time! He helped me to not get stressed and to not run into big problems, and I got it done in time!

The ladies on the Sense and Sensibility forum were also so helpful as I needed help getting the darts just right.

Doesn't Margaret look lovely?

Pattern Description: Simplicity 4055, View A (sort of :-) )

Pattern Sizing: Size 12

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Not too much... I made a lot of alterations, now that I think about it :-)

Were the instructions easy to follow? Sure... I've done this pattern several times, and have made LOTS of Regency doll dresses, so it comes easily to me now :-)

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? It's Regency! Of course I love it! I can't think of anything I dislike about it at the moment...

Fabric Used: costume satin from JoAnn Fabrics

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: Lots. :-) I darted the bodice instead of gathered it; omitted the overlay; shortened the skirt; raised the neckline, and worked the sash from View B into View A. :-) ("Ya got that all, honey?" ;-) )

Would you sew it again? Oh yes. Of course! :-D Though I don't think I want to do the darts again; they're so hard to get to look right!

Would you recommend it to others? You know the answer already! Of course!!! :-D

More pictures:

Photos by/from Mrs. Dashwood, Elinor Dashwood, and Brandon P.

The Dresses are Done and...

2010-12-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

THE BALL IS TONIGHT!

sidebar...

2010-12-09T16:48:00.000-08:00

I figured out the sidebar issue!
Apparently it had something to do with the formatting or something in just one of my posts, so I had to go back and fix that.
http://www.tweakmyblogger.com/2010/08/sidebars-being-pushed-down.html

Glad to have that fixed! :-D

Oh, and:

THE BALL IS TOMORROW AND THE DRESSES ARE DONE!!!

Pictures to come soon!!! :-D :-D :-D

Hairdo!

2010-12-08T18:10:00.000-08:00

Ok, so when you see the curling irons out, you know that hair is gonna be done...

and it certainly was!! Marianne practiced my (Margaret's) hair-style I want for the ball! We based it off of Taylor Swift's hair in the music video "Love Story".

Not exactly the same because I have bangs...

But I think it's definitely close!! Marianne did a GREAT job!!

The decorative headband I got from Claire's for $10.50, and I also got a new necklace at the same place for the same price, but you'll see that when we post pictures of the ball! :D

I'm excited!! :)

~Margaret

P.S. Don't you love my "Hamot Shock Trauma" T-shirt that's 3 sizes too big for me? Totally goes w/ the hairstyle! :D

A Couple Random Things :-)

2010-12-04T18:32:00.000-08:00

First, I'd like to say Happy December to everyone!

Second, I'd like to ask: are all the features (pictures, blog buttons, labels, etc.) showing up on the sidebar for you or do you have to scroll down to the bottom of the page to see them? It's looking kind of strange on my computer and I'm not sure how to fix it.

Third, I finished two of my deadline projects today (with Margaret's help)! YAY! (Thank you, Margaret!)

Fourth, I'd like to introduce you to a new Etsy shop!
Some friends of mine have just opened a new shop to sell a variety of handmade things, such as this lovely tote bag.

Please swing over here to visit this new shop and see their other products (and there's more to come)!

Have a great Lord's Day tomorrow, everyone!

Making Progress :-)

2010-12-03T08:59:00.000-08:00

Besides the "Lucy" outfit, I also finished (late Saturday night), the matching dresses for B. and her doll. I didn't get a picture of the girl-sized dress, but here's the doll dress.

The flower circle was scary to make but I love how it turned out!

Anyway, I am nearly done with my Regency dress, except for the hem and the back fastenings, and I finished Margaret's bodiced petticoat (except for hemming it, which she will do). That means all I have to do is make her Regency gown and we'll be ready (clothing-wise) for the ball! Well, except, we still need to get gloves... going to run to the mall sometime early next week as we heard they have gloves at Icing. We got really cute shoes at Walmart that look very Regency. Maybe I'll get pictures later to show you. At any rate, you will be seeing pictures from the ball (if all works out as planned) and then you'll see the dresses, shoes, and (hopefully) gloves. :-)

~Elinor

Lucy's Coronation Dress and Cape... finished! :)

2010-11-30T12:30:00.000-08:00

I finished the doll-sized version of Lucy's Coronation Dress and Cape! Thanks be to God for His help as I worked on this project-- He gave me the strength and ability to get it done in good time, and He also helped me to not get stressed at all yesterday while I worked on it. Thank You, Lord! <3>

I drafted most of the pattern, but used Josefina's Christmas Dress as a base for the sleeves (I didn't alter the puff part, but I widened the sleeves to make them more bell-like).

The main part of the dress is made from crepe-back satin and the sleeves are a satiny fabric.

The main body of the dress consists of the front, the side front panel (seen in the picture below), and the back, like the original.

I didn't know how to make the pearls throughout the fabric, but I did sew on a pearl trim to the neckline.

The back fastens with velcro, but I added the pearl trim there also to give the look of the back button pearls on Lucy's. I had the hardest time figuring out the Velcro... how to attach it without sewing over the pearls. I broke a needle, but not any of the pearls, and eventually got it figured out. Yay! :-)

Now for the cape. I still wasn't able to get it shaped just like the original, but I did my best. It is basically a rectangle with a scooped area for the neckline. It's lined with white satiny fabric.

It closes with snaps but has a gold button for looks. The original has a lion head embossed on it, but I couldn't find any with a lion head...so I got one that I felt at least had the same "feel" to it. :-)

It has a cord trim around the neckline and front edges...

Look at the hem on the back... isn't it marvelous? I used sari fabric for this, and have enough left over to make another cape AND a sari! But it'll have to wait until after I'm done with all my other Christmas orders.

Thanks to "The Wardrobe Door" for the pictures of the movie costume and construction details! I referred to it often and it was a great help.

Well, I better get to work on my Regency dress. I forgot to post about how terrible it was going and how I bought new fabric for it... that'll come later, I guess. :-)

Have a wonderful day! Keep your eyes on Jesus!

Happy Thanksgiving (late) :-) and Prayer Request

2010-11-28T18:35:00.000-08:00

"Therefore,

as you received Christ Jesus the Lord,

so walk in Him,

rooted and built up in Him

and established in the faith,

just as you were taught,

abounding in thanksgiving."

(Colossians 2:6-7)

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

I've been super busy sewing and other things, but not much time to post. Will post soon! :-)

(Prayers would be appreciated as I attempt to get Margaret's and my dresses and Margaret's petticoat all done by December 10th, as well as several Christmas orders. I'm still feeling kind of overwhelmed and need prayer that I will get everything done and that I will keep my eyes on Jesus with a joyful heart even (read: especially) when I feel overwhelmed. Thank you all!

New Project ~ A Custom Order on Etsy :)

2010-11-19T13:32:00.000-08:00

I know I've been saying I felt overwhelmed by Christmas orders but when I got the email to do this one, well, I just couldn't say "no"!

A lady contacted me on Etsy and asked me to make a doll-sized version of Lucy's Coronation Gown and Cape!

Today I went to WalMart and JoAnn's and was able to find the fabric for it.

The original costume was probably made out of crepe (panne) velvet but I couldn't find it in that color, so I went with a similar looking fabric-- I don't even remember what it is, now. :-P The sleeves will be made of costume satin.

The cape will be made with a sari fabric from JoAnn's, lined with white lining. It's not quite the same shade, but it was close, and it looked royal to me. :-)

I also bought a rope trim to go around the cape and pearls for the neckline of the dress and for imitation buttons on the back.

I figured out how to thread my serger, which was very "motivating", so now I'm moving along more quickly on my Christmas sewing projects. That's a good feeling.

Have a wonderful day and keep your eyes on Jesus!

~Elinor

Last two images taken from The Wardrobe Door.

Meet Fred

2010-11-13T16:26:00.000-08:00

My new Brother 1034D 3/4 Lay-In Thread Serger arrived this week! Isn't he great?
I don't usually name objects, but I had a reason for naming this one. It all started with an amusing Facebook conversation.

Me (status): "Mommy and I ordered my Brother 1043D 3/4 Lay-In Thread Serger (in short, my serger) today!! :D :D :D YAY!!"

DS: "Confused for about 20 seconds as I thought you were saying you ordered a brother! I didn't think it could be that easy. Anyways, congratulations on your new arrival. :) "

SJ: "I was filled with the same confusion as D.S. and about to write Frances a congrats note... then kept reading. Whoo. That was close."

AW: " :D I thought you were saying that you ordered your brother a Serger...hmmm. ;) "

I finally said I should have ordered a Babylock instead. ;-)
Anyway, all the joke about a "Brother" gave me the idea to name it. So I named it Fred. I have sewed a little with the thread that came with it; I haven't tried threading it yet though. Hopefully I'll do that on Monday. Anyway, I'm very happy with it. :-)

Now.
Let's see.... what have I gotten done since I posted last?

Well, I didn't get to sew as much as I had meant to this week. I did buy the sheer fabric for the sleeves on my Regency dress, and have made one of the sleeves so far-- I really like it with the sheer overlay. I cut out the bodice for Margaret's bodiced petticoat today but didn't get around to sewing it yet. (I've been so ridiculously busy! I really can't afford to go places because I have so much to do at home... and yet I do go places and get little done at home. :-P ) I finished another part of one of the Christmas orders:

These are for a little girl at church, and there will be matching ones for her doll too (haven't made them yet). Her mom wanted me to add ruffles at the hem, something which I was at first very wary about. Ruffles? I thought it would look weird. However, once I finished them, I was very pleased with how they turned out. The fabric was so cute too. It's always very encouraging when a sewing project turns out better than you expected. ;-)

What else did I do? Oh, I worked out the dress to match this one. Um..... I believe that's all.

Life is so busy! Busy busy busy. I'm looking forward to after Christmas, when things should slow down a little. :-)

Have a wonderful Lord's Day tomorrow, friends!

11/7 Bible Verse

2010-11-07T17:17:00.000-08:00

"Then Jesus told His disciples,

'If anyone would come after Me,

let him deny himself

and take up his cross

and follow Me.

For whoever would save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it.

For what will it profit a man

if he gains the whole world

and forfeits his soul?"

(Matthew 16:24-26)

Regency Gown Progress 2

2010-11-03T13:33:00.000-07:00

My Regency gown is coming along pretty well! I darted the bodice instead of gathering it; that took some experimenting, even after I made the mock-up (I think I redid the darts four times :-S ) but I think I've gotten them right now. Today I attached the skirt to the bodice. Here is the dress so far (sorry about my very straight face; I didn't have my coffee this afternoon....)

Now I have to hem it, put in the back fastenings (probably hook-and-eyes), sew the waistband, and make the sleeves.

I still have to buy the sheer material for those. Here's a shot of Jane's so you can see what I mean:

I'm afraid my dress isn't going to look half as pretty as hers (I'm realizing more and more that it's not even the same color :-P ), but maybe I'm just thinking that because today has been one of those "Jonah" days, as Anne Shirley would say, in which so many little things go wrong ;-) (and it's all because I didn't have my afternoon coffee! JK ;-) ) Anyway, we'll see-- I hope it turns out well in the end. But now I need to put away the sewing machine for the day and either write my novel or do a Pilates workout-- both of which are relaxing and may help to counter the lack of an afternoon coffee... ;-)

Two New Etsy Listings...

2010-11-01T18:49:00.001-07:00

Hey! Just thought I'd let you know that there are two new listings on our Etsy shop.
Here is one: a picture I took in June and then edited just recently.

And a crocheted hat and scarf set for dolls, preparing for winter! :)

Hope you all have a great evening! ~Margaret

Luther (2003)

2010-10-31T19:59:00.000-07:00

It was October 31, 1517. In the town of Wittenberg, Germany, a monk named Martin Luther posted on the door of the Castle Church a list of 95 Theses, confronting the error and ungodliness in the Roman Catholic Church. In the Theses, he exposed the wrong in the sale of indulgences—remission for sins, and confronted the idea that any man can give—or sell for money—forgiveness for sins, as God alone has power to remit sins. Later, when his writings against the unscriptural teachings of the Roman Church were addressed at the Diet of Worms, and he was commanded to recant his teachings, he spoke these famous words: “My conscience is captive to the word of God. To go against conscience is neither right nor safe. I cannot and I will not recant. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me.”

Martin Luther’s 95 Theses and his words at the Diet of Worms had a great impact on Europe, and indeed, on the whole world. Men and women of every rank began to look to God’s Word again as the source of truth, not to traditions made by men. In returning to God’s Word, they saw that salvation comes not by works of penitence and self-depreciation, or by paying money to the Church, but only by the grace of God in Heaven, through faith in the work of Jesus Christ upon the Cross, where He paid the penalty of sin for all mankind and reconciled man to God. We now refer to this return to the Scriptures as the Protestant Reformation, and it still touches lives today.

The film Luther, made in 2003, follows the life of the German monk Martin Luther, as well as the beginning days of the Reformation. This high budget independent film stars Joseph Fiennes, Jonathan Firth, Sir Peter Ustinov, and Alfred Molina.

PLOT

While travelling during a thunderstorm, Luther, in terror of the lightning, pleads with God to save his life and vows to become a monk. He keeps his vow; however, even as a monk, he faces doubts about the justice and the love of God. He battles with depression and wishes for a God who loves him, and whom he can love. His mentor, a monk named Johann van Staupitz, encourages him to look to Christ and rest in Him for salvation.

A visit to Rome opens Martin’s eyes to the immorality taking place inside the Roman Catholic Church, as well as to the emptiness of indulgences and the evil in the Church taking money from people while claiming to give forgiveness, which God alone can give, and that freely, through Christ. Soon after this, Martin is sent to Wittenberg, where he digs into a study of the Scriptures. There, he discovers that God is indeed a God of love, and that salvation from eternal punishment for sins can be found, not in works or indulgences, but in faith in Jesus Christ.

Martin begins to speak up about his discoveries in the Word of God, and openly challenges the Pope’s selling of indulgences to raise money for St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. This creates great debate, and Martin must make the choice to stand boldly on the truth of the Word of God, even if it means excommunication, capture, or death.

HISTORICAL ACCURACY

I ought to be ashamed of myself; I have done little reading on the life of Luther. However, I know that the d greater part of the film follows his life very accurately. That was not hard to do, for Luther’s life really was as exciting as a novel! Inaccuracies (mostly small details) are pointed out in this article under the subcategory “Historical Inaccuracies”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_%282003_film%29

CONTENT ADVISORY

If there is a damper on my being able to complete enjoy the film Luther, it would be the language. There is quite a bit of language that is just not necessary. The “s” word is used in a few scenes in which Luther is rebuking the devil (we often fast-forward these scenes), and some mild language is used here and there as well (some are mixed into conversation and easy to miss, but still there). The Lord’s name is used in vain a couple times.

Luther is rated PG-13 for “disturbing images of violence”. We see a few dead bodies hanging (one is a suicide), Tetzel burns his hand in a fire to illustrate the terrors of hell, one man is burned at the stake (the camera fades out before it gets graphic), and dead bodies fill the Church after the Peasant’s Revolt.

There is no sex or nudity; Luther and his wife are seen in bed, but are clothed. Immorality is hinted at during Luther’s visit to Rome, but not shown.

FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE

Luther is a thrilling and challenging movie for a Christian. These days, we often take for granted the multiple copies and translations of God’s Word that we keep around our house, the freedom we have to worship as we believe God has commanded, and the privilege we have to know God’s truth rather than having it hid from us. Luther reminds me of the great struggles men and women went through to overcome the darkness of the Catholic Church and proclaim the truth God has spoken. Luther’s boldness is a challenge to me as I find myself to be such a coward when it comes to declaring the truth.

Interspersed throughout the film are pieces from Luther’s writings mixed in with dialogue or in the sermons he preaches. Perhaps the most stirring of these, for me, is included in his sermon before going to Augsburg. “Terrible. Unforgiving. That's how I saw God. Punishing us in this life, committing us to Purgatory after death, sentencing sinners to burn in hell for all eternity. But I was wrong. Those who see God as angry do not see Him rightly, but look upon a curtain as if a dark storm cloud has been drawn across His face. If we truly believe that Christ is our Savior, then we have a God of love, and to see God in faith is to look upon His friendly heart. So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: ‘I admit that I deserve death and hell. What of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction in my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God. Where He is, there I shall be also.’” What a thrilling blessing it is to reflect on this glorious truth—If we have turned to God in faith for salvation, we need no longer fear judgment or spiritual death. Jesus has indeed made satisfaction on our behalf—taken our place and paid the debt of our sin—so that we might be reconciled to God and live with Him forever, free from guilt and sin and death.

Luther also challenges me to share Jesus Christ with others. Luther sees many people in the movie who are downtrodden by darkness and hopelessness: a boy hangs himself in despair, impoverished and starving people give money for indulgences that mean nothing, many people live with no hope of anything but the same daily routine until they die and suffer eternally. Luther reaches out and points them to Christ, the only true hope. I need to as well—for, just as in his day, so in our day do people live their lives day by day with no hope or joy or peace. We hear of suicides and crimes and broken lives and despairing people everywhere we turn—even among the people of high standing whom we look up to as a culture. We cannot pass these people by without heeding the cry of their heart; if we have seen the light and come to know Jesus Christ, we must pass it on to others. We may not affect a whole continent, as Luther did, but each soul we touch counts in Jesus’ eyes.

MY THOUGHTS

This is definitely a favorite film of mine, and I have enjoyed renting and watching it with my family in honor of Reformation Day both last year and this year. Besides being a stirring and convicting film, Luther is also very well done. Music, costumes, sets (especially the castles ;) ), and acting are wonderfully done. And while the movie, being only two hours long, does not cover even half of the details of Martin Luther’s life, it is a great start to studying this great man’s life. Due to the topics covered under “Content Advisory”, I would not recommend this for children under 13. For older teens and adults, however, I highly recommend it for spiritual and educational value and very uplifting entertainment. I would particularly recommend making it part of your Reformation Day (October 31^st) celebration. Instead of obsessing over the death and darkness promoted on this day, we may instead rejoice in the life and light God has given us through His Son, Jesus Christ, and made known to us in His Word!

Review at Plugged In.com

Trailer:

Note ~ Mild language at 0:34 and 1:24

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jilpbQaHpY

Christmas Projects Progress / Regency Gown Progress

2010-10-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

I finished the dress for the first order today and have just a little ways to go on the doll dress. Here it is:

It is based off another dress that the mom of the girl I'm making it for had ordered from an Etsy shop a couple years ago. Her little girl has grown out of that dress so she asked me to make one similar to it. The project was fun and easy. Mrs. H bought the T-shirt from the store, then I cut off several inches from the bottom of the shirt, cut out the skirt, and sewed that onto the T-shirt. I also added pockets of another fabric and made a fabric "flower" design similar to the one on S's original dress. Cutting out the circles for the "flower" and positioning them just right was a challenge, but a good one.

I will be making another one of these for S's best friend once I get the fabric for it. The doll dresses are also matching (I made the T-shirt piece for the doll dresses from the fabric I cut off from the bottom of the main T).

Today I also made the mock-up for my Regency gown for the ball. This is the movie gown I decided to re-make. It is so beautiful!

I'm altering the main pattern (Simplicity 4055, View A) so that it has a darted front instead of gathered; I am also adding a waistband and raising the neckline and inch or two. I noticed that the sleeves in Jane's dress in the picture above appear to have a sheer material overlay, and I did not buy any fabric to do that; and the fabric seems to have an imprinted design, and my fabric doesn't have the either, but the basic construction will be the same, and the color similar. (The camera did not capture the color accurately; it is a deeper green than the pictures show.)

(The smaller cut of fabric on top is the lining; the larger cut is for the main body of the dress. :-) )

It's a beautiful day here in my State today; most of the leaves have fallen from the trees, and the sun is casting a silver glow on the edges of the gray clouds interspersed here and there against the sky. God is so good and has been reminding me of His wisdom and care as He orders the events in my life for my good and His glory. It is exciting to see Him at work in so many different ways, from the lives of His people to the intricate details of the leaves changing colors and falling. Everywhere are traces of His presence!

Have a wonderful weekend, friends! Keep your eyes on Jesus!

P.S. The picture in the middle of the post is from the film "Becoming Jane". I have not seen this film, so I leave recommendation to others-- judging my some reviews I read, I am not sure it is one I want to see. I have collected screenshots from various places, however, and there appear to be some very beautiful costumes, including the one I am trying to remake. :-)

What Have I Been Up To?

2010-10-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

Well, you know, Christmas is coming! :-) I can't believe how many sewing projects I have to get done by Christmas!!

Matching dresses for a girl and her doll

Progress: 1/2 done

Matching pajamas for the same girl and her doll

Not yet begun, fabric purchased

Matching dresses for this girl's best friend and her doll

Not yet begun

Matching pajamas for another girl and her four dolls

Not yet begun

A few simple skirts for yet another little girl

Not yet begun

A bodiced petticoat for Margaret

Not yet begun, fabric bought

A Regency gown for Margaret

Not yet begun, fabric bought

A Regency gown for myself

Not yet begun, fabric bought

Oh dear. I'm beginning to feel almost overwhelmed!! But it's a good overwhelmed. Sewing is, after all, something I love to do. ;-) I just hope I can get everything done in time.
Well, I had better get back to work on my project.... finish the first set of matching dresses and move right away to the bodiced petticoat.
Merry Pre-Christmas Season, everyone! :-) :-) :-)

P.S. On another note, I sold two doll dresses on Etsy this week (YAY!!!) and am buying a serger!!!! Woot woot!!!! I'm so excited about it! :-D

Check This Out!

2010-10-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

This outfit is sooooo cute!! Perfect for American Girl lovers. ;-)
This Etsy seller (Bonny Blue Arts) has some of the most ADORABLE girl costumes!!

Blue Colonial Felicity Dress

Material!!!!! :)

2010-10-19T14:19:00.000-07:00

Hello from Margaret!

This is a post about my material for my Regency dress for the ball in December!!!! I originally wasn't going to get red and gold, but the green that I wanted was too expensive, and when I saw this crimson stuff, I was like "Aww, man, that'd be a cool dress." So I bought it. :D The gold will be the sash, and maybe trim, if I need it. :D I'm SOOO excited!!!! :)

I love the buttons. :)

Just thought I'd share that with you all! :) :)
~Margaret

Simplicity 3750 ~ finally posting about it! ;-)

2010-10-19T13:28:00.000-07:00

I made this top several months ago for Margaret (I believe I made it in July) and keep on forgetting to post about it. Well, now I'm posting about it. ;-)

Pattern Description: Simplicity 3750, View C

Pattern Sizing: Size 14 (I think)

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? not really. Because of the alterations I made, it ended up looking kind of different.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, quite easy.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I love the style-- the higher waist and the gathered top are really cute. It was also an easy pattern to work with. I don't care for how low the collar is though... it looks fine on the model on the pattern but on my sister and me it was very low, which is why I altered that piece (but I'll talk about that later).

Fabric Used: It's been a while so I don't remember what it is called... I think it's one of the Silky Prints fabrics at JoAnn Fabrics.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: I added three or four inches to the top and an inch to the bottom of the front bodice piece. Later I realized I didn't need to add that extra inch on the bottom... oh well. I also widened the skirt piece a little because it was very snug in the hips.

Would you sew it again? Yes. I actually have a top in this style cut out for myself, but for some reason unknown to myself I haven't gotten to work sewing it yet. :-)

Would you recommend it to others? Yes! It's a lovely pattern and the result is very cute! It's also a pretty easy pattern, and the most you have to worry about is it fitting correctly (make a mock-up first!).

(Of course, as usual, Kitty just had to make it into the photoshoot. :-) )

Regency Gowns Yet to Come!

2010-10-11T19:04:00.000-07:00

I am so thrilled!! We just found out that we, Lord willing, will be attending a Regency-themed Christmas Ball in December!!! I am SO EXCITED, for one reason, because I've always wanted to attend a Regency ball, and for another reason, I never thought I'd have the opportunity to make and wear a Regency ballgown, and now I do! :-D

Marianne and Margaret have already told me what kind of dress they would like me to make them. Marianne is interested in a dress similar to the dress Emma (Gwyneth Paltrow) wears to Box Hill in the Mirimax version of Emma, or View A of the Simplicity version of Jennie Chancey's Regency Dress pattern.

Margaret is interested in a dress similar to Emma's green evening gown in the 2009 BBC miniseries of Emma.

Now, you think I know which gown I want to make?

Me? Indecisive me?

No way!

A hundred options lie before me. Well, maybe not a hundred, but in any case, I have a lot of ideas.

I love the following two dresses from Persuasion. We'll call them Anne's Rose-Colored Evening Gown and Anne's Concert Gown (because she wears it to the opera concert).

I'm not sure why, but have always liked this dress of Charlotte's. I think it is the more modest neckline and the lovely trim. I'd make the waistline lower though.

Then there is the afore-admired Marianne Crossover Dress, but would it be practical for dancing in?

I also just noticed this lovely dress from Becoming Jane. I've always wanted a green gown! :-) (BTW, referencing a gown from the movie does not mean I approve of the movie. I actually haven't watched it, but as far as I'm concerned, it's not the story of the real Jane Austen. :-P )

This would be a little later than Regency, but I do love Amy Dorrit's ballgown/wedding gown too.

What do you think? Which of the above should I make for myself? Or should I be creative and make something of my own imagination? :-D

Edited October 13th: A dear and honest friend of mine expressed a concern about some of the immodest dresses in some of the pictures I posted (Lizzie's and Caroline's) so I have either removed or cropped them. I apologize to those whom the pictures may have offended. I do want this site to be honoring to the Lord, so if ever you have a concern, please feel free to voice it to me in a comment or email.

A Marianne Dashwood Dress~ Historical Costume Inspiration Festival, Post 4

2010-10-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

I can't believe the Historical Costume Inspiration Festival is already almost over! Have you been keeping up with it on Atlanta's blog? There have been some amazing entries! I am so inspired now to sew more historical costumes!

I so wish I had remembered on time to make the many other costumes I'd love to re-create. Perhaps I will do a post next week about those-- only it might be a very very long post. ;-)

Here is my fourth and last post for the Historical Costuming Inspiration Festival...

I love this dress of Marianne's! I would love to make one like it for myself...

...but instead I made a doll-sized version.

The fabric is not the same color, but the construction details are the same. :-)

I used the Josefina's Christmas Dress Pattern as a base, but made several alterations. I added about an inch to the width of the front bodice piece so that it would have room to gather. The sleeves I borrowed from another pattern so that they would be slightly gathered at the top (but not puffed) and cut them at 3/4 length. I also created a waistband like Marianne's.

Well, that is all for my Costume Inspiration entries. Hopefully, you will be seeing more in the future. :-) Now, ladies, we all must try to convince Atlanta to do this festival again next year!! :-D :-D :-D

P.S. I could not enter these because they were not my work, but if you want to be further inspired, check out the "Costumes Inspired by Wives and Daughters" page of my Costume Study series! :-)
http://hooks-and-needles.blogspot.com/2009/12/reproductions-of-costumes-from-wives.html

My Molly Gibson Dress~ Historical Costuming Inspiration Festival, Post 3

2010-10-08T12:43:00.000-07:00

Here's my third post for the Historical Costuming Inspirational Festival! :-)

This post is about my "Molly" dress. It found its main inspiration in what I call "Molly's Berry-Picking Dress" (for lack of a better name :-P ).

It was originally meant to have elements of both this dress and the one following, Molly's Orange Sprigged Dress, but once I had made up the bodice, the collar was too wide, so I ended up gathering it instead, so the only similarity is that the back fastening.

Anyway, that said, here is my dress; the first picture was taken when I first made it, and the others are from today, with me wearing my new, $5 crinoline underneath :-)

For this dress, I used Sense and Sensibility's Romantic Era Dress pattern. I raised the waistline so that I could wear the dress with my short stays since I don't have a full-length, Romantic era corset... I kind of wish I hadn't raised the waistline because I think it makes me look kind of blimpy, but oh well. The skirt is also a little too short, especially with the crinoline underneath.... :-S

The fabric I used was just a cotton print from JoAnn Fabrics.

"I don't think you would have called Molly a lady the other day, Miss Browning, if you had found her where I did: sitting up in a cherry tree, six feet from the ground at least, I assure you!"

-Wives and Daughters, chapter 21

Actually, I was in a crab apple tree. :-)

Of course, I had to get a shot of me being goofy.... Behold, the shining leaf-raker.....

I am not sure whether I will have more posts for the festival or not... I do have some more doll dresses that I based off of various sources, so I may post about those. :-)

Emma's Box Hill Dress ~ Historical Costume Inspiration Festival, Post 2

2010-10-07T09:39:00.000-07:00

Aagh! I've been forgetting to do my posts for the Historical Costume Inspiration Festival! Here is today's:

Emma's Box Hill Dress.

I love this dress of Emma's! It's so cute and I love the trim on it!

Here's an up-close on the bodice trim:

Sometime back, I made this dress in doll-size. It sold on Etsy within a day of me posting it! My only regret is that I didn't get better pictures before it sold. They're all pretty dark. Still, here's the basic idea.

I used the pattern for Josefina's Christmas Dress, but added maybe an inch or two across the bodice so that it would gather at the top.

Lace, brown bias, and yellow thread instead of the additional yellow bias on the actual dress of Emma's.

I think I need to make one like this again and get better pictures. ;-) I would also like to make one for myself. ;-)

Regency Spencer Jacket ~ Historical Costume Inspiration Festival, Post 1

2010-10-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

This week is the week of the Historical Costume Inspiration Festival, hosted by Atlanta! I had forgotten about it (as I usually do... oops!) until I started seeing lovely posts by other people with outfits inspired by various historical sources (fashion plates, paintings, films, book descriptions, etc.) I hope you will take time to look at everyone's creations here!

I actually did not make anything specifically for this event (because I forgot :-S ) though I have a million ideas in my head of things to create based on movies, paintings, etc. But for the event, I decided to post about some projects I have done in the past. Most of you have already seen these, but I'll post them anyway. One at a time, however.

Today I will be posting about my black Regency Spencer Jacket.

I got the inspiration from the 1995 miniseries Pride and Prejudice. I have always loved Elizabeth's Spencer jackets from this film, and had a hard time deciding on which one to make, but I eventually decided on this one:

There is some debate as to whether that's dark green or black, but it looks black to me, so that is how I made mine. :-)

Here is my re-make:

For the jacket, I used black velveteen fabric. I used Sense and Sensibility's Regency Spencer/Pelisse pattern. I did make an alteration to the front opening and the collar, however, to make it look more like Lizzie's. (I borrowed the collar piece from another pattern.) My sister crocheted the frog closures. They work pretty well, except that it doesn't hold it as closed as it could. ;-)

This is supposed to be my arriving-at-Netherfield, encountering-Mr.-Darcy look. I got more of Kiera look than a Jennifer Ehle look, I think.

Long walks after the rain.... very "Lizzie"... ;-)

More details on this jacket can be found in this post.

Medieval Dress for Marianne- FINE! plus the explanation I promised...

2010-10-03T19:06:00.000-07:00

Here it is-- the Medieval/Modern "formal" dress for "Marianne"! :-) :-) :-) Beware, there are lots of pictures in this post. :-)

Pattern Description: McCall's Costumes, M4491, View C

Pattern Sizing: Size 10

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? (except for the alterations I made and the look of the trim :-) )

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, they were very easy to understand. (How easy to apply is somewhat debatable.) The only problem I had with the instructions was that they could have used much larger and bolder writing to let me know what view a certain set of instructions were for... that caused me a great deal of grief. ;-)

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I look the medieval look to it, but also how it can be altered to look suitable for modern "fancy" wear. (In Marianne's case, it was to play for a wedding.) It would make lovely bridesmaid dresses... The two things I disliked about the pattern were 1) what I already said about the confusion about the instructions for the different views, and 2) the underarm gussets!!! The Sense & Sensibility Chemise gussets were a piece of cake compared to these. They took me a looooong time and just weren't the most fun thing to sew. Next time, I might alter the sleeve style so that I don't have to do the gussets. ;-)

Fabric Used: Casa Collection Special Occasion Fabric for JoAnn Fabrics... I am not sure what the actual kind of fabric is called, though. I wasn't the one who picked it out. ;-)

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: I omitted the train on the skirt. I also inserted a zipper instead of having it lace up the back (to make it both more modern and more convenient). My error in this was narrowing the back piece too much, so that the dress was almost too snug. I just sewed in the zipper at a smaller seam allowance to make it work.

Would you sew it again? Definitely! Margaret wants me to make it for her in View D, and I may be sewing several for another occasion in the semi-near future... :-)

Would you recommend it to others? Again, definitely! It's a great pattern, pretty easy, mostly straight seams, and very beautiful. Just make sure you mark all the dots, squares, and circles on the fabric in the right place so you don't mess up on the gussets. If you don't, it could be frustrating. And make sure you know which view you are sewing and which directions are for which view... Just sayin'. :-)

Okay, now we move on to pictures:

Unfortunately, the last WEEK has been so dull and cloudy and dreary and blaagh.... I'm sorry, but I just do not like fall. Anyway. The weather caused for not so gorgeous pictures, but I tried to alter the lighting to make it look a little better. :-)

:-D It was windy. :-D

Aaaahhh, silly Princess Kitty, always having to be in the middle of everything....

The trim on the sleeves.

The neckline. It took me almost an hour to sew that trim on (in the car on the way to the revival meetings, because I was on such a tight deadline...) My left hand was literally falling asleep holding on to the trim and fabric while I sewed it on (and I'm not kidding you; it was falling asleep). The result was very satisfactory though. Marianne picked a lovely trim.

And now for those who were wondering...

and for those were not wondering...

and especially for Lady Helen Mar who was not sure whether she was reading into things...

Regarding the "Colonel Brandon" mentioned in this post...

...though I did not check with him to see whether he minded be called Colonel Brandon, though he did enjoy watching the movie Sense and Sensibility with Marianne...

...you can just call him...

....Alex.

Here are Alex and "Marianne". :-)

Here is a better picture of them, from the Tall Ships Festival last month. :-D

Alex, "Marianne", and "Margaret" played the music for the wedding of some friends of ours on Saturday. "Marianne" played the piano, and Alex and "Margaret" played the violin-- it was beautiful!!! Alex and Marianne love to make music together-- that is actually how they met-- her accompanying him for a song at church. :-)

In case you are wondering, no, they are not engaged...yet... but they are prayerfully heading that direction. :-)

So there you have it. :-)

Sneak Peak of the Dress...

2010-10-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

...more pictures and details to come tomorrow! :-) :-) :-)

I did them myself.

2010-09-29T07:32:00.000-07:00

You heard that right - I did them myself! :D Not only did I *sew* quilt squares this month...I scrounged through our scraps, selected a few that would go together, and cut the squares out, as well as sewing them. :D It was really fun to do because I could actually choose the fabrics according as they would look really nice together. Here are some pictures...by the way, I made only three squares, but Margaret took more than three nice pictures of them. ;)The original nine-patch square isn't necessarily supposed to have one-and-a-half-inch fabric strips around it...but my squares ended up being 11 inches on each side, when they should've been 12 1/2 inches...So I had to cut two-inch wide strips (thirteen inches long) in order to make the squares the right size. It was fun, though. :)

"Dress for Marianne" Progress...Heart Progress

2010-09-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

Is it because I've become too used to sewing tiny doll clothes that I have run into so many problems this time, making a life-sized outfit?? Or is it because I have a deadline that I need to finish by?

The dress for Marianne is giving me lots of problems! To begin with, I altered the back piece without really having to (not understanding how the pattern was going to work) so it is almost too snug... I say almost because I think I can adjust it to work; still, it would have worked better if I hadn't trimmed off some of the back center piece like that. :-P Then, on Monday, I attached the lining to the main fabric and understitched, only to realize that I had been following the instructions for the sleeveless option, not the short-sleeves option that Marianne wanted!! AAAHH!! So I had to seamrip all that... Then yesterday I had to seamrip again, though it wasn't such a big deal-- I sewed the sleeve on inside-out. *sighs*

And yet the Lord sent me just what I needed to hear at a revival meeting last night by Evangelist Steve Pettit. Trials-- whether they be big trials like illness and family problems, or whether they be small annoyances like the washing machine breaking down or having to seamrip all you were working on for the last three hours-- are to test our faith and to build in us patience/endurance. They reveal what is in our heart, and sometimes what we find coming out from our heart is a little scary. When I had realized I had to undo all my work on Monday, I reacted in anger which ridiculously slid into self-pity/Charlie Brown syndrome ("Everything I touch goes wrong!") Then I was upset at everything until we got to the revival meetings that evening and I was convicted about my response of self-pity and self-love. I can see that God is wanting to help me overcome these sometimes-hidden sins in my heart, and to teach me to have a Christ-like response to even "small" trials... True, I may be a little upset at having "wasted" all that time, but then, if I choose to glorify God with my response, then the time wasn't really wasted, was it?

The key in all the great and small frustrations of life is to glorify God and act as Jesus would. Then the Lord will build endurance in us and make us more like Him and draw us closer to Him. Isn't knowing Jesus more important than getting a seam right the first try?

I had better "run" now and get to work on the dress... I have to finish it by Friday. If you think to, please say a word of prayer for me that I will glorify God in my sewing today (no matter what goes wrong) and that I will be able to finish it on time. Thanks so much! :-)

Have a wonderful , creative, Christ-honoring day! :-)

A Dress for "Marianne"....

2010-09-24T12:38:00.000-07:00

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Elinor reembarks on the ship of historical costuming.

Or perhaps, "big" projects.

"Marianne" is going to be playing the piano at a wedding next week and wanted a new dress to wear for it. Doubtless, she will have even more need of a fancy dress in the upcoming months. :-) Anyway, so I have the responsibility of making this dress for her by next week.

Marianne was so kind as to cut out all the pattern pieces for me (thank you, kind Marianne!) but I get to sew it.

Of course, the fabric is purple because that is Colonel Brandon's (who???) favorite color. Well, it's also the colors of the wedding she'll be playing at.

I did not take time to make a mock-up (my bad, I know), but I did pin the pieces to her and figured out any alterations I'll need to make. I'll post pictures of my progress, and of course, of the finished product.

Have a wonderful day and keep cool! (It's so un-autumnly hot here!! :-) )

Our Mutual Friend (1998) ~ A Review

2010-09-23T22:04:00.000-07:00

Our Mutual Friend is the 1998 miniseries created by BBC and based off Charles Dickens’ last completed novel. The film, with a screenplay written by Sandy Welch (North and South, Emma, Jane Eyre), runs for approximately 351 minutes, in four episodes. Some of the familiar faces in this adaption are Keeley Hawes (Cynthia, Wives and Daughters) and David Morrissey (Colonel Brandon, Sense and Sensibility).

PLOT

Dickens’ last novel, and one of his most complex and unique plots, finds its beginnings with a man named Harmon. Harmon was a hard, greedy, and unfeeling man who gained a great fortune in dust mounds. Upon his death, his inheritance is to go to his son John, who has been living abroad for most of his life, on the condition that he marries a woman whom he has never met—one Bella Wilfer. However, at the time that young John Harmon was to return to claim his fortune and his bride, he is reported drowned.

At this unexpected turn of events, the Harmon fortune goes to Mr. Harmon’s most trusted servants, Mr. and Mrs. Nicodemus Boffin, while various people become suspect for the murder of the drowned man. Happy-go-lucky, endearing, and unspoiled Mr. and Mrs. Boffin decide to “go in for fashion” and take in John Harmon’s intended bride, beautiful but somewhat mercenary Bella, to help soften the injury at being willed “like a dozen spoons” and at losing a prospective fortune. Joining the Boffins to act as a secretary is a mysterious man called John Rokesmith, who appears to have no back history but who studies Bella quietly and faithfully.

At the same time, a carefree, idle young laywer named Eugene Wrayburn makes attempts to clear Gaffer Hexam, the man who recovered the body of John Harmon, of the suspicion of having done the murderous deed. Not only does he wish to clear Gaffer, but he also finds himself attracted to the man’s modest and gentle daughter Lizzie. He is not the only man attracted to Lizzie’s beauty and sweet temperament; the girl also finds herself followed by her brother’s somewhat psychotic schoolmaster.

In his masterful way, Dickens weaves together a tale so complex and so compelling, and at the same time packed with rich spiritual truths, and all of it finding its center in the “mutual friend” of the title. Six hours of viewing will sweep you up into a tale consisting of sweet romance, murder mystery, stalkers, the painted lives of high society and the stark realities of riverside London, wealth and poverty, disputed wills, midnight chases, and a vast array of unique characters (some totally loveable and some absolutely detestable).

ACCURACY

Our Mutual Friend may be one of the most accurate of the Dickens films I’ve watched. Of course, as the book is very lengthy, some very minor subplots have been omitted (for instance, Georgiana and Mr. Fledgeby’s) and some scenes left out or condensed, but the order of events and the dialogue are, in my opinion, profoundly similar to the book. Most of the lines come straight from Dickens’ own pen, and very little (or nothing) is added by the screenwriter. As I read in another review, it’s like reading Dickens “on-the-go”. There are a few scenes that I wish the filmmakers had not left out—for instance, the movie leaves it very unclear as to whether Gaffer Hexam was ever cleared of suspicion or not (the chapter in which that issue is addressed I found most intriguing when I read it, and wish the filmmakers had not omitted it, though I suppose they did so because of the time limit). Overall, however, the story development and the characters are very true to the book. It even begins and ends the exact same way as the book, with the exact same scenes.

CONTENT ADVISORY

Sadly, one can barely find a movie anymore that does not contain at least one or two questionable elements. There is some brief nudity in Episode 4, in which a character Bradley Headstone bathes in the river, which is easy to predict and fast-forward, and isn’t essential to understanding the plot. Language is hardly an issue in this miniseries—there are a very few exclamations of the Lord’s name; I can remember one use of “the devil” and one "d**n" (but then, I have not watched it with the subtitles—my apologies if I have missed anything!) There is one violent scene at the end of episode 3; one character attacks another, beats him up, and throws him in the river.

Besides that, there are a few images that may be disturbing to some viewers (myself included). As one of the recurring themes throughout the miniseries is the river, a number of characters drown (or almost drown) and their bodies are recovered, some looking disturbingly…decaying. These camera shots are easy to predict and to shut one’s eyes to if desired.

Ladies’ gowns in some of the “society” scenes reflect the styles of the day, which translates rather too low in the front and rather too far down off the shoulders.

FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE

I wonder whether Charles Dickens realized the fascinating Christian aspects of his stories. Not only does Our Mutual Friend commentate on the social ills of the day, but it also portrays a variety of Biblical truths that leap right off the page (or screen) into the very lives of the readers/viewers.

My favorite spiritual “allegory”, so to speak, would be Bella’s storyline. I cannot go into detail without giving away spoilers, but I will say that her journey from selfishness, worldliness, and love for money to humility, trustfulness, and true love reflect the work I long to see continually in my life. Like Bella, I (and many other young ladies, I’m sure) struggle with putting too much emphasis on worldly and fleeting things, but our Heavenly Father is so good and lovingly tests us (as Bella is tested!) to bring us to the point of realizing what truly matters. In addition, Bella’s story encourages me in the area of faith and trust in God; I wrote an article about this parallel some time back, which can be found here (WARNING: article contains spoilers).

Lizzie Hexam also shines as an inspirational character. Until the middle of the film, she stands as a notable contrast to Bella. One of the scenes that struck me recently was that in which Bella visits Lizzie across their paths cross for the first time directly. When Bella confronts Lizzie on her choice for living in secret, she asks, “What’s the gain in that?” and Lizzie replies so selflessly, “Does a woman’s heart seek to gain anything?” Her love throughout the film is so selfless and so beautiful, so Christlike—for a love that loves without thought of what it can receive, and regardless of the other person’s failures and weakness—can only spring from a heart where Christ reigns freely.

Bradley Headstone’s character also creates much food for thought—perhaps not so pleasant food for thought, however. :-) How does a man descend from being a respectable (though somewhat unstable) schoolmaster to such a mad and conscience-seared…well, I won’t say what for sake of those who don’t want spoilers. :-) This aspect is further explored in this article (also containing plot spoilers).

MY THOUGHTS

While some may find the “dark” aspects of the story too much for their taste, and while others may find fault in the extent of complexity in the plot and extreme situations, I have to admit, Our Mutual Friend may be my favorite of all Dickens’ books that I have read or watched. It is such a beautiful love story; and I love deep and complex plots and thought-provoking storylines…and besides, it has some great one-liners (particularly thanks to Eugene Wrayburn! :-) )

In addition, I think the filmmakers did a wonderful job in bringing this classic work of Dickens to screen. I’m pretty near crazy over Steven Mackintosh’s portrayal of Rokesmith, and Anna Friel does wonderfully as Bella Wilfer. It was a surprise and delight to see the actress of the selfish and fashionable Cynthia Kirkpatrick of Wives and Daughters as a quiet, sweet, good young woman. Perhaps one of the best actors is one of the worst characters—how David Morrissey could play such a detestable character in Our Mutual Friend and then such a steady, good, and romantic character in the 2008 BBC version of Sense and Sensibility seems proof to me of excellent acting skills (even if he acts well enough to make my mom dislike this movie simply for his role! :-) ) Along with the excellent casting in the good points of the series are the beautiful score, consisting of a good deal of cello and piano; gorgeous costumes and hairstyles reflecting the decade during which the story takes places (the 1860s); and stunning cinematography that captures the very emotions of the characters and the details of both the grand houses and the miry river. Beautifully done.

All that said, I highly recommend this movie to those who enjoy a good Dickensian tale. It will either climb to your favorites list by the time you are done with it, or you may want to throw it into Old Harmon’s dust mounds in disgust over the very-well-acted slimy characters. :-) I will again refer you to your remote control for the one questionable scene I mentioned and would add that the story may not be suitable for younger children (due to the complexity of the plot in general and the darker elements). I hope you will enjoy the miniseries as much as I have.

Jane's Blue Spencer Jacket

2010-09-20T10:02:00.000-07:00

A friend on one of the forums I am on requested pictures of Jane Fairfax's wardrobe in BBC's new adaption of Emma. That considered, I decided to add Jane's wardrobe to my Emma Costume Study (which has been sadly neglected of late!)
I will try to post an extensive list this weekend, as my sisters and I are going to be watching a long movie during which time I can do a lot of screencapping ;-) , but for now, here is Jane's Spencer jacket, which my friend specifically requested.

It is dark blue, and crossed over in the front.

I wonder if it fastens with hook-and-eyes underneath, as no buttons or ties are apparent.

Sorry, this is the best I could get of the back. :-S

The Sense and Sensibility Regency Spencer/Pelisse Pattern can probably be altered to make Jane's. While cutting out the front piece, you might extend in the opening farther so that it crosses over like Jane's, and then fasten it with hook-and-eyes.

Picture from Sense and Sensibility's site.

Unfinished Projects

2010-09-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

It occurred to me last night...
that I really should finish some of my current projects before I start any new ones. (Duh!)

I have quite a few projects already cut out, and some even half-done, but not... fully done. :-) These include:

a second pair of Regency short stays
an empire-waist top (Simplicity 3750)
a pair of dress pants (Simplicity 3686)
Victorian era chemise

And I have some alterations to do for people too (blaa... I hate altering things. I like making things! :-) )

I'm not sure which project to finish first. I guess I'll go downstairs and look at them and decide then. It will probably be the top or the chemise. I'll let you know. ;-)

9/19 Bible Verse

2010-09-19T17:06:00.000-07:00

Who is a God like you,

pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression

for the remnant of his inheritance?

He does not retain his anger forever,

because he delights in steadfast love.

He will again have compassion on us;

he will tread our iniquities underfoot.

You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

You will show faithfulness to Jacob

and steadfast love to Abraham,

as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

(Micah 7:18-20)

Variations on a Theme ~ Regency

2010-09-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

In my year-and-a-half of sewing, I've been enjoying learning the secrets of altering patterns to achieve different looks. I haven't done much of this on regular-sized clothing (except for lengthening a bodice or a skirt), but I've done a lot of it on doll clothing (which, taking up so little material, makes more allowances for cutting out new pieces if the alteration goes wrong).

The pattern I use for all my Regency style doll dresses is a pattern for Josefina's Christmas Dress (American Girl). It is the perfect pattern for altering.

The original:

The original pattern calls for a ruffle on the neckline, and no lining. For each dress I've made with the pattern, I've cut out double the amount of bodice pieces to make a lining, and omitted the neck ruffle completely. I usually don't included the ribbon on the waistline either.

The following two were made with those basic alterations.

The only alteration I made on this dress (besides omitting the neck ruffle and adding a lining) is that I borrowed the sleeves from Kirsten's Pinafore Dress pattern so they were more "puffy".

This one's almost the same except that I did use the upper sleeve piece from the Josefina pattern and left out the long sleeve piece.

For this, I borrowed sleeves from a McCalls pattern.

For this one, I cut the front bodice piece a couple centimeters away from the fold and at a slight angle, and gathered it instead of darting it. I borrowed the sleeves from a Felicity pattern. :-)

For this dress, I did the same thing with the bodice (gathering instead of darting), added bias around the neckline and waistline, and also sewed lace to the neckline to resemble Emma's Box Hill dress. I wish I had gotten better pictures of it before it sold.

Same deal with the bodice here, except somehow I must have lengthened it because it seems longer (almost like a 1790's dress rather than mid-Regency). I couldn't resist adding the little rose on the neckline; isn't it precious? ;-) Sleeves came from the Felicity's Christmas Gown pattern.

So those are the alterations I've done on that pattern, and there's more to come. I am planning a slightly different technique for the gathered bodice option as well as thinking out how to make a crossover gown in doll size.

(Speaking of which, I think I settled on making the Regency crossover gown for myself, though I'm not sure what fabric yet. I'd still like to make Buttercup's dress, but I really would like an excuse to wear it someplace when I make it. ;-) )

Project Ideas... :-)

2010-09-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

What to do with a JoAnn's Gift Card?

I'd like to make something historical, as it's been quite a while since I've made myself something historical. The problem is, I can never seem to make up my mind. :-)

"My fancy tends towards this one..." And it does. I really love this pelisse (?) of Marianne's.

I like this pelisse too (the one Marianne is wearing).

And this one of Emma's.

But I would kind of like to make a dress too. Here are the options currently looking good to me:

Emma's Orange Floral Gown:

Marianne's Crossover Gown (I might do a different color for myself):

Molly's Red Dress:

Or I can be practical and make something modern, like this red jacket here (adorable!):

Or I can be ever so impractical (and expensive and creative) and make this breathtaking gown of Buttercup's:

And I mean breathtaking. It blew me away when I first saw it! SOOOOOOO gorgeous!

Anyway. I'd love to hear your opinions on what I should make, or at least which ones you like. :-) Hopefully I'll come to a conclusion soon. I am leaning towards the first one I listed (Marianne's...pelisse? What is that called??) because I can wear it over my white Regency gown. But I'm not totally sure yet. :-)

9/5 Bible Verse

2010-09-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

"Charm is deceitful,

and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the Lord

is to be praised."

(Proverbs 31:30)

Meet Our New Etsy Model!

2010-09-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

This week Sonali joined us at The Dashwood Sisters Etsy Shop!

Technically, Sonali is one of the "best friends" of last year's "Girl of the Year", Chrissa. As she is retired/archived, it was a long search for one of her that didn't cost $130 or more, but I finally was able to purchase her from a board member on the American Girl Fans page at about the same price as I could have bought her from the catalog plus shipping. I'm so excited! :-D

In the AG book, Chrissa, Sonali starts out as a bully in school, but throughout the story realizes how wrong she was and begins to stand up against bullying instead.

But that's not my Sonali.

My Sonali is a sweet ten-year-old girl and is, at first, quiet and shy (in contrast to Rebecca's extremely excited and enthusiastic nature and Kirsten's "oldest-sister" outgoing personality). And yet, despite being shy, she has a huge heart for others and longs to reach out to people with the Gospel of Christ. Just as her dark skin, deep brown eyes, and gorgeous black hair reflect her Indian/Tamil heritage, so does her passion for winning souls reflect her Christian heritage. Her grandmother's life was impacted by the ministry of Amy Carmichael in India; now Sonali wishes to impact others the same way. One of the ways she'd like to do that is by writing. We'll have to see what she comes up with! :-)

Sonali loves her new family and is also excited about her new job with the Dashwood Sisters Etsy Shop. She has already modeled an adorable, plaid corduroy "back-to-school" jumper!

I have been doing a LOT of sewing doll clothes... five new listings in two weeks plus another outfit that I'm debating whether to sell or keep... and haven't taken the time to work any more on the shirt I was making for myself. ;-) As I said previously, I am interesting in making a new Regency or Romantic era gown or pelisse for myself; I have yet to decide which movie gown or pelisse I want to re-make though. :-)

8/29 Bible Verse

2010-08-29T18:59:00.000-07:00

"If we say that we have fellowship with Him,

and walk in darkness,

we lie, and do not the truth:

But if we walk in the light,

as He is in the light,

we have fellowship one with another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son

cleanseth us from all sin."

1 John 1:6-7

Random :-)

2010-08-24T19:22:00.000-07:00

Ever since Blogger came out with the "Stats" page on blogger dashboards, I have been intrigued to see what posts on "The Dashwood Sisters" blog are visited most. Did you know that the Molly's Wardrobe page has been visited 383 times since May? Following that is the Emma Costume Study at 228 views. The other pages on the Wives and Daughters costume study, the movie reviews, and the posts from the Anne of Green Gables fashion week all have received a good many views.

I'm glad so many people are visiting my costume study page! Because of all the views, I thought I would ask my readers, what do you think of the Wives and Daughters Costume Study page? Is there anything you think I could add to make it more detailed and interesting? Or do you like it as it is? Have any of the posts helped you in recreating your own Wives and Daughters costume? (I should love to see the finished product, if they have helped!) Would you like to see other characters added to the study? (I have been planning on screencapping Mrs. Hamley's and the Browning sisters' gowns but have not taken the time to yet.) What about any new pages? Please feel free to share. Just please be kind in your comments and don't slaughter the posts. You may give ideas, but don't slaughter them.

One more thought: I would like to start posting Bible verses more frequently; perhaps schedule them for every Sunday. After all, God has made us for His glory, and there is no greater joy in life than fulfilling that purpose for which He created us. Here is one to get us started, even if it's not Sunday:

~*~*~*~*~*~

"But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting

on those who fear Him,

and His righteousness to children's children,

to those who keep His covenant

and remember to do His commandments."

(Psalm 103:17-18)

~*~*~*~*~*~

New Etsy Listing

2010-08-24T13:31:00.000-07:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/54627208/plaid-pajama-set-for-18-inch-dolls

Also, I have recently purchased a new "model" for my shop ;-) (an American Girl doll) though I'm not sure when she will arrive yet. She's one of the retired Girl-of-the-Year dolls so I have been keeping an eye out for her to no avail-- and eBay was definitely no help-- until this week, when I was finally able to purchase her at a comparatively good price from a message board member... so hopefully within a couple weeks she'll be modeling for the Etsy shop. :-) I guess that's neither here nor there.

One more thing-- plans for a new Regency/historical costume (human-sized, not doll-sized) soon, Lord willing! More to come on that later...

Another 1890 Doily

2010-08-20T08:30:00.000-07:00

I finished this doily several weeks ago, but took quite a long time to actually get pictures of it. :P Click here to see a previous post on a doily made from the same pattern.

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This one I made with burgundy-colored thread (obviously!), and I rather like it. :)

Thanks to Margaret for getting the pictures for me. ;)

More Quilt Squares

2010-08-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

This month, the quilt squares I worked on were nine-patch squares. (Sorry about two of the pictures being sideways...I took them right-side up and they were right-side up in the folder, but the things chose to load sideways. :P)

************

Tell you what, dear followers...I hate sewing, but I love doing quilt squares!!! :D

Apology :-P

2010-08-18T09:05:00.000-07:00

I am sorry for our ridiculous lack of posts lately. :-) Last week we were REAAAAAAALLLLLY busy helping at VBS at church and other stuff during the day, and I haven't had much time for sewing. Several weeks ago, I made a top for "Margaret" and a new skirt for me, but we haven't had a chance to get pictures yet. Hopefully we will soon. (We just need to take the time to do it. :-) )

Meanwhile, here's a picture of last week's thrift store find. A gorgeous crinoline/petticoat that I got for $5!!

I love it and can't wait to wear it under some of the dresses that I'm planning to make. ;-) (No, I won't be wearing it the way I am in those pictures-- I'll be wearing it under something. The shirt in the pictures is for modesty. :-) ) Anyway-- I love it! It is so PUFFY and FULL!!! And I'm so glad I don't have to make one now. I think one yard of the netting would have cost the same price that I bought the whole crinoline for. :-P

While I'm at it, here are pictures of the house we visited last week. It's about as close as I can get to visiting an English estate without going to England. ;-) Isn't it beautiful? It reminded me of Pemberley and some of my friends of Sense & Sensibility. :-)

A Tale of Two Sisters...or Three :-)

2010-07-29T10:48:00.000-07:00

Elinor: I do not attempt to deny that I think very highly of him - that I greatly esteem him... I like him.
Marianne: Esteem him? Like him? Use those insipid words again and I shall leave the room this instant.

No two sisters could be quite as unlike, and yet so close, as Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. Elinor, the older sister, governs herself with sense and wisdom, always practical and not allowing her emotions to run away with her. Marianne, on the other hand, feels deeply and passionately and lets others know it. Their approaches to life vary greatly: after the death of their father at the beginning of the story, Marianne spends much time weeping and playing mournful songs on the pianoforte, while Elinor rallies herself to help her family find a new home. Their approaches to romance differ very greatly too: Elinor keeps her heart and waits patiently and does not share her emotional struggles with others, while Marianne wears her heart on her sleeve; when she falls in love, she falls totally in. When someone steps in and destroys Elinor's hope of love and marriage, Elinor hides her emotions from others and keeps her promise to Lucy to remain silent (reminding me of the verse in Psalms that speaks of the righteous person who "swears to [her] own her and does not change"); Marianne, on the other hand, when her romance is suddenly shattered, weeps night and day and even risks her health by walking out in the rain to see the house that would have one day been her own.

The following dialogues, in separate scenes of the movie, illustrate the girls' very different outlooks on and responses to matters of love:

ELINOR'S VIEWS:
Mrs. Dashwood: You must miss him Elinor.
Elinor Dashwood: We are not engaged Mamma.
Mrs. Dashwood: But he loves you dearest, of that I am sure.
Elinor Dashwood: I am by no means assured of his regard and even were he to feel such a preference I think we should both be very foolish to assume that there would not be many obstacles to his marrying a woman of no rank who cannot afford to buy sugar.
Mrs. Dashwood: But Elinor, your heart must tell you...
Elinor Dashwood: In such a case it is perhaps better to use one's head.

MARIANNE'S VIEWS:
Mrs. Dashwood: Why so grave? You disapprove her choice?
Marianne: By no means. Edward is very amiable.
Mrs. Dashwood: Amiable? But?
Marianne: There is something wanting. He's too sedate. His reading last night...
Mrs. Dashwood: Elinor has not your feelings. His reserve suits her.
Marianne: Can he love her? Can the soul be really be satisfied with such polite affections? To love is to burn - to be on fire, like Juliet or Guinevere or Eloise...
Mrs. Dashwood: They made rather pathetic ends, dear.
Marianne: Pathetic? To die for love? How can you say so? What could be more glorious?
Mrs. Dashwood: I think that would be taking your romantic sensibilities a little far.

While the sisters think and feel so differently, they remain close friends and are a beautiful picture of what sisters can be to each other. In the 2008 BBC miniseries of Sense and Sensibility, we see the sisters talking quite frequently-- conversing about their family, about Marianne's love interests, about life in general, enjoying each other's company. Elinor is bold yet loving when she confronts Marianne about her behavior, and Marianne stands by Elinor even when she can't understand her and says, "Let me hope for you." They stand up for each other and encourage each other and wish the best for each other. There are times when their relationship hits bumps in the road-- Marianne sometimes, without realizing it, says things in the height of her emotion that hurt Elinor-- and yet they stay together, and their love for each other is sweet to watch. And in the end, we see Marianne turn to Elinor and say, "I compare [my behavior] with what it ought to have been. I compare it with yours."

I love Sense and Sensibility, partly because it is such a beautiful story, mainly because the Dashwood sisters remind me so much of my own family, and the circumstances related are so REAL. I do not know how Jane Austen managed to make her characters and story events so true to life, so applicable to us today, but somehow she did.

We have often joked around and called my older sister Marianne because she is so very like Marianne Dashwood. At the same time, she and I are actually an even mix between Elinor and Marianne-- she is more romantic than I, and I tend to be very reserved and slow to "fall in love", but she has more of Elinor's "oldest-sister sense" (careful consideration of economy, for instance) while I bear the most shocking resemblance to Kate Winslet's portrayal of Marianne, in the many "second-child" mannerisms that weren't necessarily portrayed in the book or by Charity Wakefield (think: Marianne and Margaret bickering in the carriage on the way home from Sir John's, dropping her silverware in exasperation at Fanny, rolling her eyes at Mrs. Jennings' fascination with Mr. "F", etc.) My sister shares Marianne's passion for music, and I share Elinor's love for art. She is more "hot-headed", likes to be unconventional (a mild example would be not wearing green on St. Patrick's Day :-)) and unafraid of what people think, while I am more reserved, and perhaps too concerned about convention and what people think. We also are very close like the Dashwood sisters, and share many enjoyable chats about our lives, our hobbies, our love interests...We are very different from each other, like Elinor and Marianne, and yet we listen to each other and learn from each other.

And let us not forget Margaret. I imagine that as Margaret grew older and as her mind matured, she probably grew to be as close friends with her sisters as they were with each other. We coined our younger sister "Margaret" years ago because she resembled her to the T-- picture Margaret, in the 1995 version of Sense and Sensibility, poking around in the swamp for creatures, playing swordfighting with Edward, calling through the halls, "Please don't say anything important!" "Wait for me!!" In the last year or two, our "Margaret" has matured a lot and we have come to include her in more of our sisterly chats and activities, and she is a little to big to be Margaret now in any of our movie scene re-makes, but she is still... "Margaret". :-) I am confident that when Margaret Dashwood was our "Margaret's" age, she must have been very like her indeed. And she is every bit as much as part of the sisterhood as Elinor and Marianne. :-)

Jane Austen hit the nail on the head when she crafted the characters of Sense and Sensibility, especially the Dashwood sisters. A mix of sense and of sensibility, of reserve and of emotion; balancing each other; sticking together in difficult times and being there for one another; learning from each other and helping each other. In the words of that one song, "All kinds of weather, we stick together; the same in the rain and sun..." This is sisterhood.


Our "Dashwood" Family: Elinor, Marianne, Mamma, Margaret :-)

New Listing on Etsy!

2010-07-27T08:09:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! Margaret here! :) I have just put the following picture up for sale on our Etsy shop, available in three different sizes! So go check it out!!

"The Gregory Situation" ~ A Scene from Disney's "That Darn Cat"

2010-07-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

This is the second movie scene re-make the my sisters and I did. The shots in Ingrid's room and the shots in Patti's room were filmed about two months apart from each other, hence the reason why my hair is longer in the Patti's room scenes.

That was Kitty's fault. She would NOT cooperate for us the first time (she was supposed to be drinking milk out of a bowl, but she hates the camera and wouldn't do it for us, and I think she got up and ran out of the room.) So finally one evening we decide to film those shots as "sneakily" as possible without making Kitty think she was on film. We just had her lounging on the bed (which she likes to do anyway :-) ) and she handled it just fine. And it turned out great.

Oh, and, NO COMMENTS ABOUT ME DOING MY HAIR, PLEASE!! I know I'm not doing that right; remember, this was just for fun and we got a good laugh out of me pretending to do that. Okay, so remember-- no comments about my hair. :-)

Enjoy!

"Just What a Young Man Ought to Be"

2010-07-21T10:35:00.000-07:00

We "Dashwood Sisters" love re-making movie scenes. Some of our favorites have been from That Darn Cat (the original, with Hayley Mills) and the Jane Austens. This one is from the '95 Pride & Prejudice. We also have another from that version, and one from the Gwyneth Paltrow Emma that we can share if you really, really want us to. :-D (They were earlier ones though, and not as well done.)

DON'T expect professional filming and acting, or accurate accents and costumes. This was just for FUN. :-)

(I reloaded this a couple times in an attempt to make it not so fuzzy and pixelized. Hopefully this will be okay. *crosses fingers* If not, maybe I'll load it to YouTube.)

Please respect property rights... because this was just a family fun goofy thing, we request that you do not repost it without permission.

2010 Jane Austen Tour

2010-07-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

I don't know how, but somehow I failed to realize that Feelin' Feminine's "2010 Jane Austen Tour" began two days ago! (Oops) At least this one is lasting through August 3rd, and there is plenty of time to participate.
I am planning on participating in several of the categories and hope you will too! Most of them, however, will probably have to wait until next week, as this week I am busy getting ready for my graduation open house.

While I'm doing that though, I will start uploading a very fun video for the second category!! Hee hee hee!! Okay, so I'll upload two... or three?? Okay, well, you don't even know what kind of videos I'm going to be uploading yet, and I sha'n't tell you, except that it's for the Jane Austen Tour.

I also plan on posting pictures of my latest sewing project too. :-)

Anne of Green Gables Fashion Week: Day 5

2010-07-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

Today for Bramblewood Fashion's Anne of Green Gables Fashion Event I am posting pictures of the 1914 Afternoon dress (available for purchase here) that was made for me two years ago. (Correct - I did not make it. :P)
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The skirt of the dress was made from eyelet, which was actually pretty nice. The sash was actually from a bridesmaid's dress from my parents' wedding.
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Back view

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Anne might have worn a dress like this sometime between Anne of Avonlea (the movie) and The Continuing Story. (I'm not sure what the dates are in the books, because the only one of the books I have read is the first one. :S My bad.)
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This picture makes me think of in the movie when Anne meets Diana's baby Fred. :)

"At first I wanted a girl, so I could call her Anne; but now I wouldn't trade baby Fred for a million girls!"

Anne of Green Gables Fashion Week: Day 4

2010-07-14T06:17:00.000-07:00

Today I'm just posting pictures of my favorite of Anne's outfits - the Brown Vest Outfit.

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I LOVE LOVE LOVE the watch she has pinned to the vest, and the hat just fits so well over her hair...(You know, I should just do a post on Anne's hair... :P)

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The dramatic pose that reminds me of me.
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And of course, Anne with Gilbert; in this picture, she isn't wearing the vest (obviously). I am going to get a picture like this when I get engaged - I mean, honestly! It's cute, and would be even cuter if my fiance and I could wear similar clothes to the ones Anne and Gilbert are wearing here. *goofy smile*
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Elinor has offered to make me this outfit if I buy all the fabric. So...I need to buy the fabric...I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Don't worry - you'll find out when I have. :P

Click here to read a more exhaustive post by Ashley on Anne's clothing.