Getting Ready! It's that time of year.

It's that time of year where we start our Civil War Reenacting. Spring is in the air, snow is melting, and sewing is at its peak to get ready! Thomas already tried his outfit on the other night, so it was William's turn. He was such a good sport. He had three shirts to try on. I still have to take off every button except the top two and sew the shirt closed in front starting from the bottom up, but other than that I think his outfit turned out great.

This is his summer shirt. Notice there is no flap over the collar? It's officially period correct!

I have to make his neck tie thicker and wider, but all I had for the picture is a thin black ribbon.

He was sweet after wards when I asked him to get changed. He asked if he could stay in it and "Play Civil War with Thomas". Thomas was excited and wanted to get back into his outfit, but I could just see them rough housing and ruining them before our first event. William wanted to know who was the bad guys and who were the good guys. I told him the South was the good guys and the North was the bad. He asked me how I knew and the first thing that came out of my mouth without thinking was, "Because Grandpa Bowman said so." I guess I could have gone into detail, but his little mind is not quite old enough to handle all the politics that go into it so when he is a few years older I give him the low down. But as far as right now we portray Southerners and he can question it later;)

Making Lydia's 1860's petticoat

I picked up this $2.00 bed skirt at a second hand store. Lydia has her dresses already to wear but no petticoat to go under them. Girls her age wore layers and layers of under pinnings, but I thought with how non-feminine she is, putting her is layers and layers of frilly things was not going to be easy so I am easing her into all this with one big petticoat (and she will also wear her pantaloons..or as she calls them "pants" which makes it much easier to get on her).
Two Hours Later and a cookie bri

Lydia's petticoat I made out of a bed skirt.

(under her dress)

Here is the dress over her new petticoat. I asked her to smile. It was a forced smile, but I'll take it.

Barley hanging on emotionally..

(With a clinched fist) "I DONE MOM...I DONE!" The ribbon is what did her in. I learned real fast that that was the wrong thing to put on her.

Please feel free to wish me luck at our first Civil War Reenactment coming up in a few weeks. Lydia may be the only girl dressed as a boy because I have simply given up. We'll see.