To Winter Quarters

Now that I'm not wearing all of these clothes and using all of this equipment all the time, it's finally time to get to making some stuff. And the list is long. I have orders for clothing, personal clothing to make, clothing for the daughter to make, and new ventures in becoming a true artificer. If I can get half the list completed before the reenactment season really starts up again in April, I'll consider it a success. Here's where I'm at:

Clothing List:

• Finish Greatcoat
• Finish Linen waistcoat
• Unlined Green Broadcloth Frock Coat (Customer)
• Broadcloth Green Waistcoat (Customer)
• Checked shirt
• Girl's Dress with Leading Strings
• Broadcloth Breeches
• Sheepsblack Worsted Breeches (Customer)
• Make at least another waistcoat

Project List:

• Finish rope bed
• Repaint tent poles

New Ventures:

• Make a 9 hole belly box
• Make a Lyman style pouch

Productive Weekend

I am a glutton for punishment. For some reason I like to do all my sewing with a rapid deadline. We went to Mount Vernon on Veteran's Day, which was supposed to be freezing. Can I start and finish a lady's cloak, a girl's cloak, a pair of girl's mitts, and a wool petticoat in time? You betcha.

Cloaks are not too hard to do generally. They are simple geometric shapes with a few pleats and some binding. What makes it time consuming is if you decide to line them. Naturally, Allie wanted them lined. These beauties are made in red wool plush. The bodies are lined with worsted wool and the hoods lined with silk taffeta. They turned out amazing.

Apparently, I need to read The Handmaiden's Tale because people keep saying cryptic phrases from it, and I have no idea what they are talking about.

I also made the tiniest mitts for the small one from white wool (bad idea in hindsight). Have you ever seen a toddler eat strawberries in white wool mitts? It's not pretty.

And for the cold, dad got... nothing. Luckily it wasn't too bad and I was able to keep warm in a sleeved waistcoat and worsted coat.