Pinafores, Stays, bonnets, and treasures

Lydia's mid 1800's Pinafore

(for our Civil War Reenacting)

I absolutely love the white pinafore that I made Lydia to go over her brown dress, but I was afraid that she would continue to get grass stains and dirt on it. Mom and Dad suggested that I save it as an heirloom. So I had to make her another on to wear. Girls never wore their dress without a pinafore unless they were in a formal setting. It's like an apron kind of. To keep their dress from becoming soiled. They were worn about an inch or two above the bottom of their dress, which for Lydia's age group that is right around the knee. I didn't have a pattern so yesterday afternoon I measured Lydia and went for it. It only took five hours. It's getting easier to make up patterns now that I can vision it. It reminds me of doing hair. Someone brings in a a picture of a hairstyle they want and I have to figure out how to create it.

I put four pleats in the front which you can't see unless you double click on the picture. Pleats were fashionable and also trimmings (lace)

Stay

Here is Lydia's Stay I made. Little girls wore them from the beginning under their dresses. They had two purposes. The first reason for it was to prepare them for a corset when they become of age (16yrs). They had no boning in them, so they were soft and quilted. The second reason was to keep their petticoats up because we all know how little kids have no hips/figure quite yet. Just a cute pudgy belly and therfore their slips and petticoats would fall below their tummy and show beneath their dresses which was a no-no. They had buttons to hold the slips and petticoats up on the Stay.

They were always done up in the back.

My first Bonnet

I needed a white bonnet. I didn't have a form and I didn't want to pay $ to have one sent just so I could stick some bird on it, so I made this one. It's not the exact shape I like, but it will have to do till I can get a pattern. FYI-in the mid 1800's the more "junk" or decorations and lace you had on your bonnet the more fashionable you were. This is about as far as I go. I am not a lacy person, so it takes a lot to have that bow on the side by the feathers and that crotchet tie. They actually wore fake birds with birds nest on their hats and bonnets. I laugh at this because I swore I would NEVER go there. Well, I made the first step. I was in Roberts and crafts. I pass by the wedding section. I notice I am all alone. I start laughing to myself, because the thought of wearing a bird/nest on my head is ridiculous! Well, I circled around the store and then right before I checked out I said, "Oh what the heck" and I went and purchased three birds and one nest. I came home, made my bonnet, and they told myself NEVER!!!!!!!!!!

1800's picture case

My Dad found this old photo case frame in an antique store. They are very rare and hard to find in such good condition. There was a picture of a young kid in it already.

Dad kept the picture of the young kid and put pictures of him and and I. This is something I will treasure forever! Thanks Dad!!!!!

Dad didn't know how old this photo case was until he tool the picture of the young kid (around 18 yrs old) and found his name and date. How amazing is that??? Picture of that below

Inscription below:

November 30, 1861

George W.

Conn

Lanterns! I love them. I have no idea why? Maybe because I think it's romantic. Either way, I love them. The three small ones I got for my kids. Lets just pray they don't burn a battle field down at night.

This is for my Mother (to help set the scene) and any members of the 9Th Heber Ward that missed this fantastic new fashion I wore on Sunday. I have many different birds to choose from if any would like to borrow one. Extra charge for the nest.

I have a....

Regular brown bird

A white dove

AND, a quail.