Entertainment

Whats a party without Games and Toys?

We must keep the small folks entertained, but honestly the bigguns like to play too!
In my rounds today I discovered Jack Straws or Spillikins, which Jane Austen apparently played. Now as a child I did play with Pick-up-sticks, so I was glad to have another game that we could play.

"One evening, Belinda was playing with little Charles Percival at jack straws."
Belinda, Vol 2, By Maria Edgeworth, 1811, Page 208

"After they had learned these, Harry and Lucy refreshed themselve,s by playing a game at Jack straws, or as some call them spillikins."
Early Leasons, by Maria Edgeworth, 1824, page 249

So I looked for a set. Options were:
1. Antique bone, ivory, wood. Not only would that be expencive, but I wouldn't want to let my children play with them.
2. Vintage plastic or wood. some sets were colored, so that wouldn't work!
3. Historical reproductions. more expencive than the antique if hand carved.

In the end I purchased this vintage set. Hey it was cheap! I figured the off white plastic would "pass" as bone or ivory. If it doesn't meet my standards when I get it, I will look at modern  historical reproductions of wood.

I also have 4 bamboo ball and cup toys from Cost Plus World Market. I am hoping to do paper dolls as well.

I do have a plastic Diabolo, but I don't know how to use it! Wooden ones can be found.

We should look into other toys and games as well.

Food for the eyes

A step away from the costuming for a little bit.
I have 50% secured the location, unfortunatly it is going through a remodel and I don't know exactly how it will look when finished! I have heard 2 things require more thought.
1. No tape or holes are to be put on/in the walls.
2. There will be exercise equipment folded against the walls. I don't know what type though.

There are 2 bathrooms and a number of folding tables and chairs as well as a full sized, though small kitchen and a fireplace. Maybe some of that exercise equipment can be pushed into one of the bathrooms or under a table? Don't know will wait and see.

So we have decorating issues to deal with and quite a bit of unknown.
I have thought of purchasing a large white sheet and painting a backdrop for a "photo session" location, which of course means I will have to brush up on my faux painting. I have been looking through regency era copper plates published in magazines of the era to get an idea of decorations. Looks like we will need some cheap fabric for curtains! We will also need table cloths. Now I do not know what to do about the chairs. the period chairs I am finding look very different from our modern folding chairs. I do how ever have a half dozen or so wooden folding chairs, and we could make fabric slip covers?

I have begun collecting electric candles, so far I have a dozen pillars, I still want some tapers and I know my guests are looking for lights as well.

The other thing I have bugun thinking about is food.
I have decided against attempting a period dinner for several reasons
1. I am not a good cook, I am also a picky eater. I also do not want to spend time on researching and learning recipies. I also do not want to put more pressure and resposibilities on my guests than is needed. I know some of them are likely to stand up and offer to help, but I think attempting to be historically accurate on food is a waste of our time.
2. I know my guests have certain dietary issues, including but not limited to: Kosher, Diabetese, Gluten sensitivity/allergy, Lactose sensitivity/allergy. We also will have 7 children under the age of 6!

I have found that a local bakery will make Gluten Free cakes, some of which are also dairy free. I have not been able to try them yet, as they are not a regular offering. Maybe I should order some cupcakes for my husband's birthday as a test?

There will be NO alcohol at my party. There will however be a little keg of root beer, plus some other sparkling juices to make a festive appearance in our glasses! If you have a favorite sparkling juice/ carbonated beverage, please let me know!

Then there is the issue of what to eat off of? I refuse to use plastic plates that are meant to be tossed in the garbage, I also can not compost. I only have enough plates to serve about 6 people, my mismatched silver-wear can do about 10, I have a set of 6 spoons for little people. So I am looking at nice reusable or recyclable dinner, flat, and beverage wear. I would like to avoid all colored plastics. I am thinking of things that truly mimic glass, crystal, and ceramic. My best bet might be to get some more silver-wear for my home, plus some forks for the kidlets.

This morning, we had pancakes and I used the last of the maple syrup, I was looking at the bottle and noticed just how much it looks like ancient pottery, but in plastic! so I am saving the bottle to be used as a decoration, the threads will be cut off. The Regency/Empire/Napoleonic period was positively saturated with influences from the ancient Greeks and Romans, so keep your eye out for inspiration!

Girls dress patern inspiration

Today I spent some time pulling together some images of Printed Cotton Children's Regency Era Dresses.
I had to use originals as my inspiration as the majority of Fashion Plates and Paintings show white, sometimes solid color dresses.

So Here are the inspiration dresses so I can start drafting a pattern

The first pink original found on ebay on Jessamyn's Regency Costume Companion article on Children's Clothes

Next comes a boy's dress from Massillon Museum, Massillon, OH, which was included in Kent State Univeristy Museum's 2006 exhibit Fashion on the Ohio Frontier a better view can be seen on Maggie May Fashions
Tidens Toj shared the pattern for their child's dress.

Then there is this lovely roller print one found on I-like-historical-clothing, which seems to have sold on Vintage Textile

Wisconsin Historical Sociey has another long sleeve dress with buttons on the upper cuff.

Vintage Textile has this lovely dress with long sleeves under the short puffs.

Last is this pink one, for which I have the reproduction fabric from the Lady's Repository Museum

I also have a few saved from e-bay to inspire me.

So far the plan is this: short sleeves with longer lowers that can be buttoned on (or permanently attached if so desired) the back will have ties or a button band. I am wanting a gathered front, but maybe the flat front would be a nice change to see?

Regency Shift/Chemise pattern

“ladies used to wear shifts; they now are called chemises: shoes are turned into sandals, stays are corsets, a girdle is a zone, a band for the head is a diadem, a gown is a robe,” quote by Althea Fanshawe  in 1806

 Well I made my pattern and I made a mock up and now it is ready to share with you!
First off this is not a pattern fro the Historical Accuracy snobs. If you want complete historical accuracy, go buy a pattern from one of the well known pattern companies.

This pattern is one that I personally developed based heavily off of Museum of Fine Arts Boston 99.664.51 and by looking at the instructions in The Ladies Economical Assistant (1808) by Kannik's Korner and The Workwoman's Guide (1838-40) and many other shifts and period diagrams for shifts.


This pattern is multi-sized, but has not been tested for all sizes. Read more bellow

Regency Shifts and Chemises

I am developing a pattern for shifts/chesmises for the ladies to wear under their regency gowns. So today I poked around at museums to find some examples.

Museum of Fine Arts Boston 99.664.51
MFA 99.664.26
MFA 49.895
MFA 49.897
MFA 49.900

Met C.I.41.161.7
Met 1999.216.1
Met 2009.300.392

Slippers!

My dear friend Brid has volenteered to embroider me slippers for my birthday gift. I just had to come up with a pattern.
Well today I did just that!
I put on some little brown flats that I wear with costumes, wraped some plastic wrap around my foot and then many layers of masking tape!

But like the idiot I am, I didn't have a shape in mind! so my foot sat there, all wrapped up while I googled regency slippers. I finally decided on a shape. V&A 1150&A-1901. I chose these for their square toes and no heel.
Others I considered were:
V&A T.565 to A-1913
Met 2009.300.1471a–d

Met 2009.300.1468a, b

So I drew my style lines, then cut open the toe of the shoe, since I needed to extend it to be more square. I also have a very prominent big toe, it really sticks up there! so I needed to make sure that the top pattern piece was smooth without the big bubble from the big toe! Unfortunately I  forgot to take photos of a few of these steps! By now my foot was really wanting to breath better so I cut a slit down the front to remove my foot, then removed the shoe and cut it to style. This is what it looked like then.

You can see the flats I taped over have a bit of a heel, I had to remove this in the pattern.

The top piece are shown right side up, the bottom is right side down,

Now I need to make up a mock up to test the pattern. there should be plenty of ease since they wer not taped directly over my foot.

If this works out I would like to try to make some sandals. I have been holding on to those turquoise vintage sandals to use as a sole for some new shoes for sometimes. They came from Hubby's Grandmother.

Here are some Sandals for inspiration

Beta Shoe Museum via the Regency Society of America Forum
LACMA (M.2000.10.2a-c)
Met 2001.576a, b

More Fashion Plates

New York Public Library Digital Gallery can be a great place to browse images.

check out the Women-Clothing & Dress on the W page Remember we are looking at the time period 1700-1820

And for the men, check out the M page

And of course children's fashions would be found on the C page


Also Ebay can be a great place to look for fashion plates. This seller seems to have a nice supply