It's Finished! // Sara's Civil War Day Dress (Civil War Clothing, Update 4)

Hello everyone! Our trip to the U.P. went amazingly and I'm super excited to show you'll the time we had! But while we sift through the pictures (and believe me, there's a slew!), I thought I'd take this lazy cold afternoon to share the details of one last item I completed for the Civil War muster for a friend of mine last month!

Its Finished! // Cassie's 2016 Civil War Era Assemble (Civil War Clothing, Update 3)

Hello everyone! Hard to believe October is upon us, and boy, do I have so much to share from the last month! So much so that I had a hard time choosing where to begin! But I thought it best to get some of my Civil War clothing shared as I got so busy with trying to complete it, I haven't had a chance to give any updates! So here we are- the grand day I get to share with you both my inspiration for my assemble this year, and the completed look to boot!

It's Finished! // 1950's Wrap Dress

Hello all! Seems like just about every time I hunker down to type up one of my piling up posts, something comes up and takes up my free time! So its a wonder to me at all that I even have this particular post to share! You see, I whipped out this darling dress pattern in just one afternoon this past Saturday!

Outfit // 1950's Touch

Hello everyone! I hope the week or so that I been gone here from the blog has brought you blessings! I for one have been pretty busy as usual. With much to keep me occupied, power outages, and thoughts of the future; have all detained me in one way or another from writing here. Some times its nice to just be able to have some quiet time don't you think?

Civil War Muster 2015 // Cassie's Attire

Happy Wednesday all! It feels great to be showing you all recaps of the Civil War muster and today is no different. I hope we won't bore you with all this this week, but we thought the majority would like to see what Bek and I donned the weekend of the event as we rushed from here to there as busy bees. Let's take a look at what I concocted to bring my day dress I made last year back to life and bit more period!

Calico Sisters Blog is Two!

Huzzah! Today marks the second year anniversary for our little blog y'all! Its kinda hard to take a side on if it seems like that much time as passed or not since we sat hovered around our family laptop on a Sunday afternoon with Mom, trying to figure this thing out!

It's Finished! // Independence Day Skirt

Hello all! I trust and hope that the holiday of our dear country's birthday of freedom found you well! I'm excited to share with you the outfit I sported for the grand old day, not only because we had a fabulous time with this photo shoot (even with the dreadful swarms of mosquitoes), but because one item in particular that I'm sporting has been on my "list" of things to create for quite some time now. Take a gander won't you?

Outfit // Somewhat 30's

Hello there! I had originally penciled in this outfit post to be shared on Saturday, but on second thought, I realized it better to save it for today since we have a full day ahead and had such a busy weekend. So yes, I have kept myself at bay, waiting to share this outfit with you even though I have been looking forward to it, like alot. ;) Want to take a peek?

It's Finished // Civil War Day Dress

Happy Saturday all! I'm super excited to be sharing one of my bigger sewing projects from earlier this fall with y'all! I know that a hand full of you have seen/heard glimpses of this ta-do and have been awaiting to see her, that is this dress, for a while now. I've put off starting up a new sewing project for some reason lately (probably because there's always something else to occupy my mind with, but when isn't there? e.i. cleaning job, house work, studying), but when I pulled my Dress out for our photo-shoot, I got excited again, seeing an accomplished project gives you that I think.

Outfit // Indepedence Day (+Life & an Announcement!)

Hello all! Goodness! Our lack of posting since we have been back have most assuredly lead you to believe that we have been busy- too busy, and you would be right. House sitting, computer problems, power outages, dying refrigerators, day-in-and-day-out baseball games, plus my new cleaning job (more on that later) has kept the blog at arms length. Now that you have a clue to what we have been up to, I am bursting to share with you our big announcement. So as they say, without further adieu...

HSF: Black and White || 40's Seersucker Blouse

Oh goody! I'm all set to share my HSF project with you!
This challenge, as you very well may know, is to create something with the color scheme black and/or white. Ha ha! Well I've got a bit of white in this darling seersucker fabric! I really had zero clue as to what I was going to have ready for this challenge today. Since I basically only had this week to actually create, I am amazingly happy with how this project same together!

My Zuid Beveland Dutch Costume

 As you can see, this post is about my Dutch costume! 

HSF: UFO's and PHD's || Staphorst Bib

 Goodness! Finally I get the chance to bring this post together! Nine o’clock is not the best time to do this- let us not get back into our old habits shall we?

As I mentioned in our last post our week of preparation is awaiting to get busy for our Tulip Time event and our verity show. Among other things we had to throw together a funeral luncheon at our church and our family has been battling the spring cough and aching throat. And it has been rainy all day leaving me with that dreary feeling of not being able to catch up on anything and bringing many sighs and a downtrodden face. I think that now that the work day is completed and we have crossed off our lists of tasks I can now can sit and move on with this, that is a sewing challenge for Historical Sew Fortnightly.

Outfit // What I Wore on Resurrection Sunday

Hello all! We are busy over here getting ready for our big week of Tulip Time. Each year it seems to creep up on us even with all of our preparations. Last minute costume alterations, 200 banket sticks to make and package, and daily toils has made our family very grateful for our fabulous Sabbath weekend before the event actually begins.

HSF: Fairytale Inspired | Hooded Cloak

Hello all! I hope that this week is off to a great start for you! As you can see, I am once again sharing a sewing project for the Historical Sew Fortnightly challenges with you all. If you missed out on my last challenge post then you may be wondering why I am just now posting about this challenge that was given for last fortnight's, well let's just say I was a little distracted when it came to which challenge was coming up next. With that behind us let's move on!

Outfit || Vintage Spring

Howdy!
Oh, the joy shifting the computer around! That is what has kept me till now with this post, but our taxes had to be done sometime. And I will say Bek and I get more than our fair share of it's hours since we have started blogging.  Oh well...

HSF: Under It All | Shift

Yippidy-do-da! I have another challenge complete and ready to share!
I have to say, this time around I had such a hard time figuring out what I was going to make! I absolutely love making antique underpinnings! And though I don't recall sharing that particular kind of project with you, believe me when I say I have made my share of pantaloons and slips! Not to mention trying my hand countless times on corsetry. Anyway- I finally decided on this wonderful pattern that has been yearning to be made. Which ended up being the perfect project- not too time consuming (since I was gone most of last week) just glorious detail and still rich in learning!

Just in case you missed my last sewing challenge post, you can see that just by clicking this.

To see further what this is all about (I did write of it briefly in the linked to post above) visit The Dreamstress for this year's guidelines.

Let's dig in to this project fellow seamstresses!

 I embroidered with the French knot, herring bone, and traditional cross stitch for uniqueness and a beloved antique flair. It was so intriguing! I really would love to get into this more! Soon!

 .

Details needed for the challenge:

The Challenge: Under it all.  Make the foundations of your outfit: the things that go under it to provide the right shape and support, and to protect your fancy outer garments from sweat and grime

Fabric: Three yards of 100% muslin cotton. Bought at Jo-Ann Fabrics with coupon for $4.50.

Pattern: Simplicity 2621 (view B)

Year: 1820

Notions: Embroidery floss (little sister's stash) and thread.

How historically accurate is it? As far as my opinion- probably 95% since I didn't hand-sew it completely which would have been more accurate. Other than that, the structure and embroidery detail is perfecto! It could have been placed earlier had I made the neck with a draw string. Other wise the neckline is accurate- necklines were beginning to not be as low as in the past.

Hours to complete: About 4.5

First worn: Only tried on so far- as soon as I attached the sleeves.

Total cost: Nearly $5.

I just love how the sleeves turned out! That is one of my favorite things about sewing, mixing and matching patterns! How wonderful! I would love to use this sleeve in the future!

I outlined the seams here so you can better see them. It was such a change from what I am used to! I love the turnout! What a great way for extra walking room and great piecing detail!

FYI this is the back view of the shift.

 

I kind of wish this project would have come up sooner, if not in the challenges, on my own 'list'.

It will be ever so warm on winter nights under a flannel nighty! And perhaps under my project that I have always longed to make- a resistance gown. I hope that it will work it's way into all this soon!

Have you ever made your own underpinnings of some kind?

Do you embroider?

 How do you think I did in dating this piece?

Cassie

a Fellow Sewer

Built By Our Cornerstone || Seersucker Black + White

Hello lovelies! I have had  a great weekend getting back into the life of things around my own house again after having been gone most of this past week. I do recall letting you all know a few weeks ago that I would be helping my cousin and her husband out for a few days- taking care of their little ones- but the date was misunderstood- thus it was this week! Anyways....

Everything went great and I am ever so happy to be home again!

I Need Thee || Wool + The Delight of a Hat

Shalom ladies! Hope that you all had as successful a weekend as I did! I feel like I am in pretty great shape for the coming sewing challenges (see our last post), which is a great feeling! Getting a project from pattern envelope to wearable in just two weeks is quick! It was also great to see our Pastor and his family and hear of their adventures to and from Florida.

I just finished my one year devotional (Joy and Strength by Mary Wilder Tileston) and wanted to put some of it's excerpts together toward the thoughts of how much we need the Lord! This little book takes a number of treasured selections from writers of many countries and centuries and sorts them out, into topic, adding verses from the Bible to make an excellent and worth while read.

Oh how we need Thee o Lord, every hour I need Thee!

HSF '14 || A Pink of the Past

Hello dears! Unless you are a fellow follower of the wonderful sewing blog The Dreamstress you are probably in wonder of today's title.Even though I have only recently found it myself, I would highly recommend it to you! And I am so very exited to participate in this year's 'Historical Sew Fortnightly' hosted by the lovely author of The Dreamstress!

Just as a quick overview of what the HSF is, it's a biweekly historical themed sewing challenge that lasts throughout the year.Since I was introduced to it a bit into the year I am starting with the third challenge and moving on from there.So I will be sharing a post in like manner every-other Saturday with all of you! If you are interested in knowing more, this will get you the needed info!

This round's challenge was to make something, (anything dating pre-1945), pink! Since I was not yet entirely prepared, and after considering my options, I decided on a more simple project for my kick-start.

Let's get into the details of the apron!

Now for the required challenge info:

The Challenge: Make something pink!

Fabric: 100% cotton calico. Clearance bin $6.

Pattern: Butterick 'Making History' #4042 (view-A)

Year: 1890-ish. It could work for a pretty good range.

Notions: Around three yards of rick-rack (.50) and three wooden buttons (pennies since they were bought in a jar of nick-knacks.) And random cotton thread!

How historically accurate is it? Well, after considering all of the elements- I decided it reminded me alot of Anne Shirly's era in the very beginning of the famous series- so about 1890.
I think that it would have been a little easier to place had I used soutache braiding instead of rick-rack.But I did use my treadle machine and handstitch the entire thing which helps out a lot- at least in the making of it.
So in short- not entirely accurate. I want to do a little better in this area in the feature.

Hours to complete: 4 or 5

First worn: The hour it was completed.

Total cost: Right around $7.

 Bek did such a great job this morn with my styling photos! The snow was so light and sparkling, freshly fallen from last night.It sure is piling up! I have to say that I envy all of you who have been writing of the rain and mud.I can see myself bending over a sprouting garden in this summery apron if spring will ever arrive.I am hoping the news that we hear on the radio will be for once correct in their guesstimations that we will escape this cold period next week.

                                                                          How do you like my new apron?
  In what era do you think it best imitates, do you think that I hit the nail on the head with 1890-1900's ish?

                        If you are a fellow Historical Sew Fortnightly sewer, I would love to hear from you!

                                                                     Shalom and have a wonderful Sabbath!
                                                                                                  Cassie
                                                                                    the Elder sister and Writer