1860s Turquoise Teen Dress

Before I found out about the new baby and slowed down on sewing this summer, I was doing quite a few dress commissions. 

This was a fun one - an 1860s young lady's sheer cotton dress in turquoise. Meant to be a nicer day or party dress - cute and pretty for dances at reenactments without being something you have to worry about ruining (like a silk ballgown!). It has a wide neckline, piped, short sleeves accented with tiny self fabric ruffles, a very full gauged skirt with a few decorative tucks around the hem. All visible seams are hand done - it fastens up the back with hooks and eyes. The fabric is a semi sheer cotton. The website I ordered the fabric from listed the cotton as 'voile' which normally is *very* sheer, this turned out to be less so than I had hoped, but still made up into a lovely dress. I really adore the design - the lightly gathered bodice and rounded is such a flattering style for teens. I very much regret that I didn't know enough about period fashions when I was a teenager reenacting to really take advantage of all the fun youthful styles that were age-appropriate then.

I've been collecting pictures of girls and teens dresses of the 19th century here if you are interested in seeing more of this style.

 

 

This original c. 1850 dress was our inspiration picture:

The young lady who commissioned the dress sent me some really fun pictures where she used the dress during her graduation photo shoot!

Marian is a Big Sister!

That's right. We are expecting a new baby Goodwin next spring!

I've had to stop most extra activities (including most sewing) for now just to concentrate on making sure I'm getting enough to eat to feed three people (Marian is still nursing full time) and getting enough rest. I've also had to start out on the baby food journey with Marian a lot sooner than I had planned - but i think she is plenty old enough, and absolutely *loves* getting to eat her "bites" at mealtimes. So far she eats lots of soft cooked egg yolk, banana, summer and winter squash, blueberries, some green beans and green peas. Planning to try avocado and carrots next. If anyone has suggestions about good baby food recipes or recommendations for a baby food mill, I'm all ears!

She is getting so big! Seven months old already!

 Her personality is really popping - she is such a sweetheart. (most of the time!)

She also loves wearing Dad's hats...

 and taking baths on the porch...

Marian sometimes enjoys going swimming in the creeks, 

but she mostly enjoys playing with the rocks on the bank.

 

Marian loves to watch animals. She always gets very excited when she sees 'Violet' the cat.

Occasionally she will condescend to play with her toy basket on the floor for a few minutes.

...and of course she loves hanging on Dad's arm. One of her favorite things to do is going around with Dad outside while he is working. She intently watches everything he does.

I take way too many pictures of Marian asleep - but I just can't help it! She so adorably soft and cuddly.

We are so thankful for the new baby on the way! I am so anxious to know whether Marian has a sister or a brother!

Got quite a few posts coming to catch up on what we've been doing the past couple of months.

(If you want to keep up with our little family a bit more frequently in the day-to day, I post quite a bit as 'atlantavictoria'on Instagram.)

My Birthday at Rippavilla Plantation (Marian's First Historical Event)

On my birthday in July we attended an event at Rippavilla Plantation. It was Marian's first event in historical attire, so I was definitely very excited. Rippavilla was having a big fancy craft/antique sale on the front lawn, and they requested that some living history people attend to populate the house and grounds for the day to give visitors a more authentic experience. That was our role.

Here we are in the back courtyard.

Marian and I spent a good part of the day sewing with the other ladies in the sun-room.

Some of the time she played happily in her basket.

We also got to hear some wonderful period music.

 

  

 Marian was such a show-off that day, she wore herself out smiling at everyone. 

She finally fell asleep on Dad's shoulder, and then napped in her basket.

 Several people thought she was a doll at first.

  

 More pictures of the inside. It was a beautiful house! I wish I had gotten pictures of the upstairs.

 This is a new sheer dress I made for myself. Finished it the morning of the event, actually. lol. 

(Not the most ideal thing for your sanity.)

Some of the time we spent outside, admiring all the neat booths and antiques, 

and enjoying the shade of the front porch. Marian was quite the star attraction wherever we went.

Marian and Mommy in the rose garden

 We wondered our way home that afternoon via back-roads looking for old houses, it was quite a fun day!

Marian's First Historical Dress

 

Marian's first historical outfit! A little 1860s petticoat and dress. I made these for an event we planned to attend on my birthday back in July. It was so fun making her tiny little things! The dress is sheer dotted swiss cotton, and has little puffed sleeves and a gathered bodice. It closes in back with two buttons, at neck and waistband. The skirt is gauged and very full with two decorative tucks.

Below is a picture of the little full petticoat, its made the same as the dress, the only difference is it has plain un-puffed short sleeves, and is from cotton batiste with three skirt tucks. (Sorry its not a better picture!)

The two pictures below were my main inspiration as far as style. See how the sleeves are 'raglan' style? Those were my 'aha' moment in making the pattern. I pulled out an old chemise pattern that had the same type of sleeve seams, and it was no time until I had a tiny version for Marian's bodice.

 

And, below an original dotted swiss dress...

 

Originally I had planned to make Marian's dress with the long infant skirts like above. But then I realized that she will be crawling very soon, and is already so wiggly and active, that perhaps that wouldn't be the best idea. So, I started looking to see if I could find pictures of babies Marian's approximate age (5 months) that had shorter skirts. Sure enough, it seemed quite common. (I'm very new to baby wear, so forgive me if everyone already knows this!) I know there are probably some basic do's and don'ts of baby wear and skirt lengths, but I am so far quite ignorant. If anyone is knowledgeable about Victorian baby wear, please do chime in.

Examples of shorter skirts on infants:

I was also glad to see that Marian wasn't alone in the 'poofing bodice syndrome' when she sat down.

Pictures of Marian at her first event to follow...