tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35010804437849966182024-03-08T06:34:02.506-05:00Plaid PetticoatsL. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.comBlogger256125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-77449942773495977142022-09-27T21:15:00.002-04:002022-09-27T21:19:21.696-04:00Finally wearing my (white)work<p>While stuck at home in 2020, I had a hard time transitioning to being on the computer so much when my job had previously involved a lot of human interaction.<span style="font-size: x-small;"> (Meetings, I mean meetings.) </span>To help myself focus, I turned back to an old trick I used to keep my mind and hands occupied <a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2012/03/embroidery-practice.html" target="_blank">while in college</a>: embroidery. I would plan projects and practice stitches at night, and then work my way through the project during endless zoom calls.</p><p>I started with a crewel pocket, because I felt more familiar with the stiches and it gave me a chance to try a bunch of different things.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5XsvaosAoPEZYzvRyVkB1-YuPmlNTqQstRnpcgXfKHWk9rHX952q4NBxa1dFln_lE8HLkBPeLLSZcaQnypLIPlzyLFPPptHR_e1b2t-CeDswfMcakeeIzmBMgG87aga85K4TyCTAebXx-uPZCxlvesA3mMxi2XtrsJMGmEIUuEy4_9oTPr6PIMdq/s3024/2020-06-11%2021.42.44.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="photo of the finished pocket on natural undyed cotton with colorful flowers, vines, and blue birds embroidered on it" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5XsvaosAoPEZYzvRyVkB1-YuPmlNTqQstRnpcgXfKHWk9rHX952q4NBxa1dFln_lE8HLkBPeLLSZcaQnypLIPlzyLFPPptHR_e1b2t-CeDswfMcakeeIzmBMgG87aga85K4TyCTAebXx-uPZCxlvesA3mMxi2XtrsJMGmEIUuEy4_9oTPr6PIMdq/w640-h640/2020-06-11%2021.42.44.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">also, birds!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>After that, I decided to try something different and ended up settling on <a href="https://royal-needlework.org.uk/courses/embroidery-techniques/whitework/">whitework</a>. Traditional whitework includes a variety of different styles and techniques, all executed in white thread on white fabric. I've always loved white on white embroidery - I made some truly disastrous attempts at applying it to corsets back in the day - so lockdown seemed like a fine opportunity to really take my time and learn. For that task I turned to the excellent books and online materials from the Royal School of Needlework: for this project I referenced <i>Whitework RSN Essential Stitches Guide</i> by Lizzie Lansberry as well as the RSN's <a href="https://rsnstitchbank.org/">online stitch bank</a>. </p><p>As a first project, I decided to make a mid-19th century collar. Separate collars and cuffs were common throughout the 19th century as they could be tacked on to different items and removed for cleaning. It's one of those little bits that makes an ensemble feel really lived-in...and also something I've been sadly lacking for my daywear. So a practical, small thing I could actually wear and wouldn't be too big to bite off seemed ideal!</p><p>I settled on this collar from <i>Godey's Lady's Book </i>September 1856:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/e7/02/ec/e702ec9b42d3792ac82954022077f512.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="page from godey's with an image of the collar to be traced and instructions above it" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="495" height="640" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/e7/02/ec/e702ec9b42d3792ac82954022077f512.jpg" width="396" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">embroidered collar with grapes and leaves, <a href="https://archive.org/details/godey1856/page/264/mode/2up?view=theater" target="_blank">via</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I started by tracing the original source pattern from my computer screen onto a sheet of paper with pencil, and then went over it with sharpie to create a pattern I could save and re-use. Next I traced <i>that</i> pattern onto a scrap of lightweight cotton using a water-soluble embroidery pen. Then I got to stitching!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQf9vMtnSw66kfK6bKMVn47aRsOPaqeeWi4eIUu55uK6Tnm0X2WVUuPh1KNjDpXKb2_TxObT4E2wP6qNv9k0rTY10kGzQe7ydU8xvbfdQP-m9r6pm3F_aqaz_3Ez0K0zml30nt-6He910C6KDj6TK89sXnpYUhrPwkKkeP0TUsL4MI2p78Raevpmqv/s4032/2020-06-25%2011.48.55.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a picture of the collar in progress, with the blue pen tracing visible and some white stitching in place" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQf9vMtnSw66kfK6bKMVn47aRsOPaqeeWi4eIUu55uK6Tnm0X2WVUuPh1KNjDpXKb2_TxObT4E2wP6qNv9k0rTY10kGzQe7ydU8xvbfdQP-m9r6pm3F_aqaz_3Ez0K0zml30nt-6He910C6KDj6TK89sXnpYUhrPwkKkeP0TUsL4MI2p78Raevpmqv/w480-h640/2020-06-25%2011.48.55.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>The vines are stem stitch, and the grapes are eyelets, and the leaves are outlined in backstitch. The instructions accompanying the pattern in <i>Godey's</i> say to fill in the leaves with backstitch but I decided I liked the look of the leaves better with just the outline, so that was what I did. (I intentionally started at the back of the collar, so all my initial awkwardness and mistakes aren't super noticeable.)</p><p>Once the collar was done I cut it out, hemmed the neck edge using a rolled hem stitch, soaked it to remove the embroidery pen, and ironed it over a towel. And then it was done! But given this was Spring of 2020, once it was done...nothing really happened. I think I posted a photo on Instagram, and that was that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUG_bvNF4gyMaJBpLk0ry7gRr4SOvBrRi24XgwukPyMHQy2115EVYqeu8Rcr8y2iaZyPA4VegjPUo_dXvLW81k5qyUzjWVTcu4VqlQ3rIEX4icv6lPsCEn4z1iTJF2zhrBq86vX5jGwr5BlthfnKD7-VhMh6Dgi4nt34fwt8RjvutAxjPLiWLw36Ef/s4032/IMG_4161.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the author in a purple printed 1860s dress and gray felt hat standing in a field" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUG_bvNF4gyMaJBpLk0ry7gRr4SOvBrRi24XgwukPyMHQy2115EVYqeu8Rcr8y2iaZyPA4VegjPUo_dXvLW81k5qyUzjWVTcu4VqlQ3rIEX4icv6lPsCEn4z1iTJF2zhrBq86vX5jGwr5BlthfnKD7-VhMh6Dgi4nt34fwt8RjvutAxjPLiWLw36Ef/w480-h640/IMG_4161.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>Fast forward two years, and I have finally worn this collar out into the world! As would have been done in the period I tacked the collar into the bodice of my purple reproduction print 1860s day bodice, which closes in front. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(And which I have been wearing <a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2013/07/fort-warren-and-georges-island.html" target="_blank">since 2013</a>! and still have. not. trimmed. Seriously, this is next...)</span></p><p>I didn't exactly get it on center, but aside from that I am immensely pleased that this little piece has made it out into the world (or at least as far as CT!), and that it made the dress feel complete. Now I want to make more collars! For now, here are (<i>finally!</i>) some pictures documenting the fact that yes, I made a thing, and even better, I wore it out.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RBBOR9yFUsx0yO6RcMwT9UXqKWNthTG-qmr-2mkaXEu24pMaJzyAML7l3U7BYpdlkwuBHH10xqs4vKLHTodK94cy6OBQ12Fse6Cb2WGLSesnrDy0b7VhG8gm9odrx38PBscxfy1kpxK-Z5dwHRYW_DJi5zqDiLbc7Wqms-uHuTWw8WmdrCDXU1Lr/s4032/IMG_4098.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the author from the shoulder up standing in a garden wearing a printed bodice and white embroidered collar" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RBBOR9yFUsx0yO6RcMwT9UXqKWNthTG-qmr-2mkaXEu24pMaJzyAML7l3U7BYpdlkwuBHH10xqs4vKLHTodK94cy6OBQ12Fse6Cb2WGLSesnrDy0b7VhG8gm9odrx38PBscxfy1kpxK-Z5dwHRYW_DJi5zqDiLbc7Wqms-uHuTWw8WmdrCDXU1Lr/w480-h640/IMG_4098.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbp5dIrFiCwxEfBl0E6hhaI9ImLvVzboK8dKOTVlCFJJqzGTq0pIcDdryVe8l2pXlEs0K8SYFYQ6eQ2c6XmVM68uGVMcT4wjzfZtWdt026FQIo2pTqHYGDaMyuBNZtewHtnHlUJ0c5BxA72ircVefXu4G0sE9Dq0i_nI4Vc_WBmeVHRaafsJY5PRaP/s4032/IMG_4101.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the same printed bodice and collar in close up, so the stitching is visible" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbp5dIrFiCwxEfBl0E6hhaI9ImLvVzboK8dKOTVlCFJJqzGTq0pIcDdryVe8l2pXlEs0K8SYFYQ6eQ2c6XmVM68uGVMcT4wjzfZtWdt026FQIo2pTqHYGDaMyuBNZtewHtnHlUJ0c5BxA72ircVefXu4G0sE9Dq0i_nI4Vc_WBmeVHRaafsJY5PRaP/w480-h640/IMG_4101.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vAIQViwvJSQHhTfBLoN7kYlvTFLKYN5Z_M9Gai4oSOXKZMR75HEgsXglpPkkDGDFuIYBCDKL9Ji9krYlFbuKFXeUtAB9Gnxlr_DFxJHI8XnhS6NjlrshELRvymVxPTSv_MD3qwudXx0XrR7ud0QQ0yqASL2TSrhhcb7cyLHpaUHgZPtsxI-h9AwB/s4032/IMG_4105.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="another close-up shot of the collar, this time from the back" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vAIQViwvJSQHhTfBLoN7kYlvTFLKYN5Z_M9Gai4oSOXKZMR75HEgsXglpPkkDGDFuIYBCDKL9Ji9krYlFbuKFXeUtAB9Gnxlr_DFxJHI8XnhS6NjlrshELRvymVxPTSv_MD3qwudXx0XrR7ud0QQ0yqASL2TSrhhcb7cyLHpaUHgZPtsxI-h9AwB/w640-h480/IMG_4105.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>So three cheers for perfect fall weather, having the wardrobe to just bop off to a historical site in the right clothes (and right layers for the temperature) when invited, and friends who take a million photos so you get one where your face isn't doing a weird thing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SszopmQMQLyQ6XOi4Vq9RUsZWbGHczD-0b2ihtxQMO3TeB1JptLjUbaRBdmRzu1Y1tHMaK9lzT9VjZ45vN2bQl8VttKJJMlVMnSOC7wuzUiON-130HweT3riHJg69e4bC8rfYr3NBTw3pO1Ph2NibdDyjfFu9dM7AwGtEx_vG_7BQ1_UwptEfZYA/s4032/IMG_4130.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the author and friend smiling into a mirror inside a historic house" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SszopmQMQLyQ6XOi4Vq9RUsZWbGHczD-0b2ihtxQMO3TeB1JptLjUbaRBdmRzu1Y1tHMaK9lzT9VjZ45vN2bQl8VttKJJMlVMnSOC7wuzUiON-130HweT3riHJg69e4bC8rfYr3NBTw3pO1Ph2NibdDyjfFu9dM7AwGtEx_vG_7BQ1_UwptEfZYA/w480-h640/IMG_4130.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>(And in case you're wondering: I am still embroidering on and off! But I don't have much to show for it yet, as I started a pretty big project after this and I've got about a third left to go. Stay tuned!)</p>L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-52181183879193572402022-08-20T05:00:00.002-04:002022-08-21T16:47:41.637-04:00In Which Many Pickled Limes Are Eaten<div class="separator">It stands to reason that if you bring a jar of pickled limes made as faithfully to <i>Little Women</i>'s pickled limes as possible, your fellow Alcott scholars can be cajoled into taste testing them.</div><div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOKf7r9d2cpImP_9s5ZcQFKlsmnu32YkQke_5ZEC_qQcIpFXfUOPmZyCz9ZJV_9AogRO6kuB4dBvDhSA3Wii3BjFpiyn5nrdOJuHYCKl1M9IXi07XVIlGTvtWdZHcpoGZSzCsrgFOwHnV6VfC8e5vDmkg8PT6CSPbouOt2f6fJMsLMxwRYa0iTAqx/s1460/IMG_3964.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a woman bends over a picnic table and smiles at the camera, a skewered pickled lime in her hand" border="0" data-original-height="1460" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOKf7r9d2cpImP_9s5ZcQFKlsmnu32YkQke_5ZEC_qQcIpFXfUOPmZyCz9ZJV_9AogRO6kuB4dBvDhSA3Wii3BjFpiyn5nrdOJuHYCKl1M9IXi07XVIlGTvtWdZHcpoGZSzCsrgFOwHnV6VfC8e5vDmkg8PT6CSPbouOt2f6fJMsLMxwRYa0iTAqx/w362-h640/IMG_3964.PNG" width="362" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4S79BB_efZnljN9DRVynOiWZXswLQtOvzpA3jXHAAOB7POFwhBxIDxutBjggqMjpg2sr_maYLaP4mHThRPAYAKdGmgLeBMfswramZuhpdJWvzr62M3aZlF3co2BJCbUkW2_FfwzcnTeidCTcy7EqZe2ZdQSyvlntFViDQjK9FeeRd-eoAm8b5uW4X/s4032/IMG_3896.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a woman sitting at a picnic table holds a pickled lime on a skewer over a paper plate" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4S79BB_efZnljN9DRVynOiWZXswLQtOvzpA3jXHAAOB7POFwhBxIDxutBjggqMjpg2sr_maYLaP4mHThRPAYAKdGmgLeBMfswramZuhpdJWvzr62M3aZlF3co2BJCbUkW2_FfwzcnTeidCTcy7EqZe2ZdQSyvlntFViDQjK9FeeRd-eoAm8b5uW4X/w480-h640/IMG_3896.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgpzYouqGxAITaD-gGKyEg4re03TAy78zEqM9yrXEMXFL749NfU4Xqsdord8_VxO_u9FquCSLBIvkdJad3xDkC0qfGz8xh6gKo6rdTpuKKJSReZOnz0UD4UBS0-o8_dDaIJ_MbUFDnTDf1nFAZF7jZTFQxkIVaHJsFnwn47FEI70TOgW52e9RT_Oa/s4032/IMG_3894.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a red-haired woman wearing glasses uses two skewers to fish a pickled lime out of a mason jar" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgpzYouqGxAITaD-gGKyEg4re03TAy78zEqM9yrXEMXFL749NfU4Xqsdord8_VxO_u9FquCSLBIvkdJad3xDkC0qfGz8xh6gKo6rdTpuKKJSReZOnz0UD4UBS0-o8_dDaIJ_MbUFDnTDf1nFAZF7jZTFQxkIVaHJsFnwn47FEI70TOgW52e9RT_Oa/w480-h640/IMG_3894.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p>And so they were! Thanks friends.</p><p>In fact, both the sweet and sugar-free versions were such a hit I went home with motivation to make them again! So it's likely these will pop up in my future. But for now, let's review how this batch was made.</p><p>As with my first experiment, the limes were washed and then jarred with salt water using a 1tbs:2c salt:water ratio. They stayed in the salt water for 1 week, then were boiled twice in plain unsalted water. Changing out the water and repeating the process helps draw salt from the limes - it can be done many times, but I stopped at the second because I'm impatient.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9Zrq42a5FQVht9p1NJWj21ECJyugZYLkORNxk5hERWr5vCCh8RMJfmhDuPEmn9fJg9MXu3CbORqnY7TiMl0NSp23HNjFTvAgiu2SIximjTTRk9DF5CVgPcwcOrd_EZQJyJHZfWa3KTg7eRd6alvYO7GaVre8uHoawGBMaAiMf93ZhQZK3rJrB-2p/s4032/IMG_3703.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="close-up of two mason jars full of water with greenish yellow key limes floating in the liquid" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9Zrq42a5FQVht9p1NJWj21ECJyugZYLkORNxk5hERWr5vCCh8RMJfmhDuPEmn9fJg9MXu3CbORqnY7TiMl0NSp23HNjFTvAgiu2SIximjTTRk9DF5CVgPcwcOrd_EZQJyJHZfWa3KTg7eRd6alvYO7GaVre8uHoawGBMaAiMf93ZhQZK3rJrB-2p/w480-h640/IMG_3703.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJL4Lx6m8IL1o5bQAGDwG75boCZL5rGa7dktSzyVM-ypYgIHGkEmC2rSg9pQpIdumZb2HL9RLFT1w7VMyy-2aiFTYuaYIlV0EOONiffgQIwHJGYFNHt5DaFYFS2_E0W2VnwF8Hx0c-27sFFteLwenzeikubr_3pMsJVPIpkxte1UIqhc7Y1E_3eVpN/s1792/IMG_3954.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a very similar image, this time with limes that are more yellow and brownish. Text in the image says "after 6 days in brine"" border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJL4Lx6m8IL1o5bQAGDwG75boCZL5rGa7dktSzyVM-ypYgIHGkEmC2rSg9pQpIdumZb2HL9RLFT1w7VMyy-2aiFTYuaYIlV0EOONiffgQIwHJGYFNHt5DaFYFS2_E0W2VnwF8Hx0c-27sFFteLwenzeikubr_3pMsJVPIpkxte1UIqhc7Y1E_3eVpN/w296-h640/IMG_3954.PNG" width="296" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The limes went from bright green-yellow to a dull yellow-brown after 6 days in the brine. This color change is actually very similar to the first batch, which I thought was interesting! (Also, I'll be pulling in screenshots from my Instagram story on lime pickling for this, because I apparently forgot to save any of the process photos I was taking. Oops.)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldP_sqkcJF5a09UR0yjTs8XOC9kjBHy1hXHbhxw_cKraWFzHpG3hAhmOzSa-2r1Dau0EhHtAb6LAkbV2yShW0Gg4DjC4vBxo4YjcnKaifoMUOXCye4ps8NCTJnBP_dK8rmI3gozTz8GPGsYETi0vsiFW7HdNb_7dxW1kfJenmUcCsdZLsjE4xTj3N/s1792/IMG_3955.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a large pot filled with water and yellow limes. text on the image says "first we boil out the salt"" border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldP_sqkcJF5a09UR0yjTs8XOC9kjBHy1hXHbhxw_cKraWFzHpG3hAhmOzSa-2r1Dau0EhHtAb6LAkbV2yShW0Gg4DjC4vBxo4YjcnKaifoMUOXCye4ps8NCTJnBP_dK8rmI3gozTz8GPGsYETi0vsiFW7HdNb_7dxW1kfJenmUcCsdZLsjE4xTj3N/w296-h640/IMG_3955.PNG" width="296" /></a></div><br /><p>After boiling, the limes were divided in half and put into their jars while I got the vinegar mixtures ready. For the unsweetened mix, I used the same recipe as my first experiment, which comes from <i>The Boston Cooking-School Magazine</i> vol. 17 (1912): </p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Make a brine strong enough to float an
egg and in quantity to cover a dozen limes. Let stand six days stirring the
brine each day. Drain and set to boil in two quarts of boiling water. Let boil
fifteen minutes. Let drain and become cold. <b>Scald one quart of vinegar half an
ounce of cloves half an ounce of mace half an ounce of ginger root half an
ounce of horse radish and one ounce o f white mustard seed</b> and pour over the
limes disposed in fruit jars. Close securely. These are best after keeping some
months.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">This recipe is half a century later than our target decade, but aligns pretty closely to the spices described in plum pickle and lemon pickle recipes I have from 1869. So I think it's a decent guess at what might have been used. I also ended up throwing in a couple of cardamom pods because I had them, and I like cardamom. But that was a personal addition!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg592v4BxTRFOf4fgYNWZKvAPZ7Omp-zuEH7ozvozKwsiOb3I45cAy7OehEvj89hTqnTOHj5wgbHHSLDvP2G4evbty9Q_W_H9ex9ERfZ0Gd9HrTj1yqcvXX01Wnsm5tcyCu1IJbw7uL9b-tXafn7ltJwN54S5UOGJZ06CV6ij53Rwnw81vffYvyTdKk/s1792/IMG_3967.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a sealed mason jar filled with a slightly cloudy brown liquid and two whole cinnamon sticks visible" border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg592v4BxTRFOf4fgYNWZKvAPZ7Omp-zuEH7ozvozKwsiOb3I45cAy7OehEvj89hTqnTOHj5wgbHHSLDvP2G4evbty9Q_W_H9ex9ERfZ0Gd9HrTj1yqcvXX01Wnsm5tcyCu1IJbw7uL9b-tXafn7ltJwN54S5UOGJZ06CV6ij53Rwnw81vffYvyTdKk/w296-h640/IMG_3967.PNG" width="296" /></a></div><br /><p>The second batch was the sweet pickled lime recipe I found in another volume of the same <i>Boston Cooking-School Magazine </i>(vol 16, also 1912). While period descriptions of pickled limes eaten in Boston explicitly say they are not sweet, I also have tariff records from 1824 listing "limes preserved in sugar" as an import. In fact, there's a number of sources referencing limes preserved in sugar or syrup throughout the 19th century. So while these aren't the limes Amy March was sucking on, I think it's possible she could have encountered them (maybe when on tour with Aunt March in Europe)...and I wanted to try them. </p><p>The recipe is much plainer than the spiced vinegar brine:</p>[After boiling saltwater limes] Make a thick syrup of sugar and water using a <b>half cup of vinegar to a quart of water.</b> Cook the syrup until it is as thick as molasses, let it get cold. Prick each lime two or three times with a silver fork. When they and the syrup are cold put them together and let them stand over night. The syrup will then be thinned by the juice of the limes. If it is too watery boil it over again. Put the limes in jars and pour the cold syrup over them. They will keep indefinitely if nobody knows they are in the store closet.<div><br /></div><div>I ended up using the leftover spiced vinegar from the unsweetened limes, but otherwise followed this exactly. When I make them again, I'll use less liquid though. The syrup took forever to thicken (there was a lot of water to boil out!) and I didn't have that many limes to cover. And as the instructions mention, I did have to re-boil a couple of days later after the juice loosened the syrup.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinm-Im671V86JFrd-EafHCLdaLjngSvwfCvqQI70OSedrSsRP-BPEjs7HAHUpjNiT0TlG-MIcLfnkp1HSk4jVl5rCjgvuZ1QddAU1ZBuGOBbsagK18cZXx-yemmslP4tGmJerSyB5qbG9oJqMcRM-S4NAluy2ssi7xQeYfHn3_7LI9GZbsvdN4MiGu/s4032/IMG_3870.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the author's hand holding a closed mason jar of yellow-brown limes floating in brown sugar syrup" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinm-Im671V86JFrd-EafHCLdaLjngSvwfCvqQI70OSedrSsRP-BPEjs7HAHUpjNiT0TlG-MIcLfnkp1HSk4jVl5rCjgvuZ1QddAU1ZBuGOBbsagK18cZXx-yemmslP4tGmJerSyB5qbG9oJqMcRM-S4NAluy2ssi7xQeYfHn3_7LI9GZbsvdN4MiGu/w480-h640/IMG_3870.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>It was hard to capture in photos, but you could actually see shimmery swirls of lime juice/lime oil floating in the syrup as the limes released into the sugar. After canning, both jars sat in a dark cupboard for about 6 weeks before we cracked them open for tasting.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the end, the limes made all the difference. Both of these versions were delicious! The unsweetened limes I think are best described as zesty, which I'd mostly attribute to the ginger and peppercorns in the brine. The cider vinegar zing was pretty mild, and the acid from the limes was also mellow. There was still a little bit of lime or citrus flavor, but it definitely didn't taste like a normal raw lime. The syrup limes were sweet (obviously), but had a more pronounced acid bite at the end which I think provided some balance and prevented the sugar from punching you in the teeth.</div><div><br /></div><div>As long-time readers of this blog will know, I love historical foods. The more weird and surprising, the better. So I was always going to be excited about pickled limes. For me, the true triumph was the exclamations of "oh! this is actually pretty good!" from the most doubtful observers in the group.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLP9csS7LANLp1a99pgh0-C3gZKxr9-X9NS6mk2PVTRgzHGXKVK5s-oUDdIggYIPVtli6HdUevqcmfmmYgOiNFcsgYpBfD8grfazKULcGCYyDNo9lHVkKq0Sb2J_AQZh1ktrBSaNSTSEqKFI_FIMfa-CB3uSfnVd_P02OLkFub63LHDQuZqFUkI4CQ/s1354/IMG_3965.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="the author looking over her shoulder while laughing. behind her, a woman chews and looks surprised" border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLP9csS7LANLp1a99pgh0-C3gZKxr9-X9NS6mk2PVTRgzHGXKVK5s-oUDdIggYIPVtli6HdUevqcmfmmYgOiNFcsgYpBfD8grfazKULcGCYyDNo9lHVkKq0Sb2J_AQZh1ktrBSaNSTSEqKFI_FIMfa-CB3uSfnVd_P02OLkFub63LHDQuZqFUkI4CQ/w392-h640/IMG_3965.PNG" width="392" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamie, pickled lime doubter, taste testing on mic for <a href="https://www.letgeniusburn.com/">Let Genius Burn</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>So on that note, we close the book on pickled limes (for now). If anyone else makes their own, please let me know how they turn out! Cheers to delightful, surprising, and memorable historical food experiments.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GBoMuLS2WhcyFSRODTTqlUddHtxHRwB7XqonPBiPaZm1ru-1X2GAoIXRR30mjXCI-Yq9y1pQadegZPrD-UPmQtNlzMvd1Tt7hIbE0cc0r8Qk-srcFtkrvUJNVTEFxd8RXvpN3Hz5Y2w0b2w9zqSEF4xHjoJeIGx2ajc-dGxFf_nSI2DBqILyLlw-/s4032/IMG_3895.JPG" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="close-up of an open mason jar with pickled limes floating in brownish syrup" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GBoMuLS2WhcyFSRODTTqlUddHtxHRwB7XqonPBiPaZm1ru-1X2GAoIXRR30mjXCI-Yq9y1pQadegZPrD-UPmQtNlzMvd1Tt7hIbE0cc0r8Qk-srcFtkrvUJNVTEFxd8RXvpN3Hz5Y2w0b2w9zqSEF4xHjoJeIGx2ajc-dGxFf_nSI2DBqILyLlw-/w480-h640/IMG_3895.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></p></div>L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-68385461492237625292022-08-13T18:11:00.004-04:002022-08-13T18:12:51.380-04:00The limes of pickled limes<div>This is just a pickled limes blog now. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/c9/e2/02/c9e2027c399e83e7e1676e188fbbf177.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="close-up of a round yellow lime on a branch" border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="735" height="544" src="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/c9/e2/02/c9e2027c399e83e7e1676e188fbbf177.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Not really, obviously. I just posted about sewing and there's more sewing coming up. But the flood gates are open and I will not apologize for the pickled lime content.)</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>When I embarked on the <a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/search/label/PLP" target="_blank">Pickled Limes Project of 2020</a>, I started a post about the type of lime that would have been used for the pickled limes eaten by Amy March in <i>Little Women</i>. But I sort of lost steam on it, partially because I couldn't get anything but a few large limes (Persian/Bearss limes, I think) at the grocery store. (It was 2020, after all. I was honestly thrilled that I found some decent limes of any kind at all.) So I went about my experiments with what I could get, and this particular thread of the research has been tugging on my brain ever since.</div><div><br /></div><div>This spring when I was invited to a gathering of Alcott friends, I decided it was the perfect excuse to try making pickled limes again. This time with the correct lime variety! And (spoiler alert): it turns out the limes make all the difference.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/west-indies-map.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="an old map of the west indies" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="589" height="522" src="https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/west-indies-map.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">map of the West Indies c.1860</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>As I mentioned in my previous research write-ups, a lot of remaining documentation about pickled limes as they were eaten in New England comes from trade commission reports and import tax lists. This isn't very helpful in knowing what pickled limes <i>taste like</i>, but it's useful for understanding where they came from and how they got to Boston. So let's start with that process. The journey from the lime tree to Amy March's hand in 1862 would likely have been:</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Limes are picked on a plantation in the Leeward Islands - likely Dominica or Montserrat - between June and September.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Ripe limes are placed in casks, which are then filled with seawater. The seawater is changed frequently until the limes are "properly pickled".</div><div><br /></div><div>3. The casks of limes in saltwater brine are sealed and shipped to Boston.</div><div><br /></div><div>4? The pickled limes are purchased in Boston by grocers, who move them from the saltwater into vinegar.</div><div><br /></div><div>5? The grocers sell the limes individually for a penny each*.</div><div><br /></div><div>The big question mark on those last points is because I do have references that describe pickled limes being brined in vinegar, so I'm not positive if there was a step after shipment to Boston where the saltwater-brined limes were put into vinegar. But references to "preparing" pickled limes for sale does lead me to think this kind of preparation by the grocer makes sense. These references come from grocers' manuals such as <i>The Grocer's Companion and Merchant's Handbook</i> by the New England Grocer Office (Boston; 1883):</div><div>"LIME -- A fruit resembling a miniature lemon. It is best known to commerce when prepared and sold as 'pickled limes'."</div><div><br /></div><div>That "prepared and sold as" bit is what makes me think at least sometimes the limes did go into vinegar (or sugar!). I also do have references explicitly to pickled limes being sold in vinegar. For example, this description of pickled limes comes from <i>The Housekeeper's Guide to Preserved Meats, Fruits, Vegetables, etc.</i> (London; 1889):</div><div>"LIMES WEST INDIA PICKLED </div><div>West India limes can be obtained pickled in vinegar in bottles. They are very similar to pickled lemons and of course are somewhat acid. ...[In Germany] they are sometimes eaten at the commencement of dinner as an appetiser in the same way as pickled gherkins cucumbers etc. </div><div>LIMES IN SYRUP Limes when premixed served in syrup form a very delicious sweet. They are also very wholesome when fresh fruit cannot be obtained. In long sea voyages they form an excellent dessert dish and they also possess considerable cooling properties."</div><div><br /></div><div>But we've already discussed steps 2 - 4 in previous posts. Today is about step one: the limes and the picking of them.</div><div><br /></div><div><u>The West Indies and Lime Plantations in 1862</u></div><div><br /></div><div>In the mid-19th century, Great Britain occupied much of the Caribbean. To understand the region I'm going to focus on Montserrat, one of the two islands mentioned as a major lime exporter in period records, because I could find the most documentation on the lime trade there. Beginning in the late 1600s, enslaved Africans were brought to Montserrat and other islands in the region by British and French companies to work sugar and indigo plantations. By 1810, there were reportedly 7,000 enslaved people living on the island. In 1834, the Abolition of Slavery Act abolished slavery in Montserrat (although we should note that it did not abolish slavery everywhere in the British empire, and the people on Montserrat were still living under Imperial rule)**. As sugar plantations became less profitable, many companies abandoned their properties on the island.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fast forward to the founding of the Sturge Montserrat Company in 1857. The Montserrat Company purchased abandoned plantations and then turned the land around for profit - some of the land they subdivided and sold to settlers, while other plots were kept whole and used as farmland for lime cultivation. Mrs. John Edward Sturge, the director's wife, described this land as:</div>"No lovelier sight could be seen than these orchards when the trees are laden with their bright fruit, the air being pervaded with the fragrance of the blossom."<div><br /></div><div>The Montserrat Company later used the same practices to cultivate and export limes from the island of Dominica as well. From the two islands, their exports included "green limes" (whole fruits packaged in paper, like oranges), casked pickled limes, lime essential oil, and raw and concentrated lime juice. While limes are used in some Caribbean dishes, Montserrat Company reports say that "there are no local buyers in any of these islands"; instead, everything grown was shipped to America or England.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.kew.org/sites/default/files/montserrat_0003.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="800" height="206" src="https://www.kew.org/sites/default/files/montserrat_0003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustrations of lime cultivation and harvesting in Montserrat (<a href="https://www.kew.org/">via</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><u>West Indian Limes</u></div><div><br /></div><div>While lime plantations were aimed at export, the trees they cultivated were native to the Caribbean. In period sources they are described as small, round, and yellow. These, I am pretty sure, are West Indian limes, or citrus aurantifolia, now more commonly known as Mexican limes or Key limes. The same type of lime appears to have been found in all of these countries at the time, based on descriptions of fruit imports to New York written by the Montserrat Company. So it makes sense to me that what I now call a Key lime is the same fruit being cultivated for export in the Caribbean at the time.</div><div>A later Montserrat Company report from 1913 also describes the flavor and popularity of these limes:</div><div>"It is generally conceded by all who have become accustomed to the flavour of the lime that this fruit far surpasses the lemon in the delicacy of its flavour, and it is well known that when these fruits are grown together for household purposes as often happens in the West Indies the lemon is only used when there are no limes on the trees."</div><div><br /></div><div><div>So if West Indian (aka Key) Limes are small and mildly flavored, it stands to reason that they'd be much easier to eat whole when pickled - or for a schoolroom of girls to surreptitiously suck on. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/34600000/Amy-March-amy-march-from-little-women-34691913-800-451.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a still from the 1996 Little Women film showing Kirsten Dunst as Amy March, holding an orange" border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="800" height="361" src="https://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/34600000/Amy-March-amy-march-from-little-women-34691913-800-451.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>And as I mentioned at the beginning, they do indeed make much better pickled limes. I think this is a combined result of a sweeter fruit and a thinner, more delicate skin.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1PACijjcGgv_ryEoUSqqkKFO1rSTvh6a6-J3dESi4p4lIZx9J_gN_tARDEm_citinmKNoViqTKPSdeCVoOl2Dq8I9i66sAAaM884Sc_RzZrX7pUM9mCfTBuQg5lUbe1InIvUt4gDRw2vrcxpqYM1k7ibspJyHyiXImD1Tl_ZKha2Cpj0YNmCAj7R/s4032/IMG_3702.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the author's hand cradling a single greenish-yellow key lime in her palm, with a collander of more key limes in the background" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1PACijjcGgv_ryEoUSqqkKFO1rSTvh6a6-J3dESi4p4lIZx9J_gN_tARDEm_citinmKNoViqTKPSdeCVoOl2Dq8I9i66sAAaM884Sc_RzZrX7pUM9mCfTBuQg5lUbe1InIvUt4gDRw2vrcxpqYM1k7ibspJyHyiXImD1Tl_ZKha2Cpj0YNmCAj7R/w480-h640/IMG_3702.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>And don't worry - since tasting has already happened, you'll be hearing more about the process and the final results in great detail.</div><div><br /></div><div>Notes:</div><div>*Why a penny? That's my best guess based on the money Meg gives Amy for her lime debt (25 cents) and how many limes she buys (25). Here's the passage:</div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">"'<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1em;">Why, I owe at least a dozen pickled limes, and I can’t pay them, you know, till I have money...' </span></span></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-top: 0.25em; text-align: justify; text-indent: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">'How much will pay them off and restore your credit?' asked Meg, taking out her purse.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-top: 0.25em; text-align: justify; text-indent: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">'A quarter would more than do it, and leave a few cents over for a treat for you. Don’t you like limes?'</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-top: 0.25em; text-align: justify; text-indent: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">'Not much. You may have my share. Here’s the money. Make it last as long as you can, for it isn’t very plenty, you know.'</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-top: 0.25em; text-align: justify; text-indent: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small; text-indent: 1em;">...Next day Amy was rather late at school, but could not resist the temptation of displaying, with pardonable pride, a moist brown-paper parcel, before she consigned it to the inmost recesses of her desk. During the next few minutes the rumor that Amy March had got twenty-four delicious limes (she ate one on the way) and was going to treat"</span></p><div><br /></div><div>**I recommend reading through some of the period accounts collected at <a href="https://slaveryonmontserrat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Slavery and Abolition on Montserrat</a> and this <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z2qj6sg/articles/zn7rbqt" target="_blank">BBC History article </a>about abolition in Britain.</div><div><br /></div><br /></div>L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-19460975088229275282022-08-06T01:00:00.001-04:002022-08-06T01:00:00.146-04:00Winter Garments at Midsummer<p>In my recent recounting of the February expedition to Nestlenook, I mentioned that I wore a mix of old and new items. Even though we ended up planning the trip last minute and I didn't have a ton of time, I'd been thinking about skating clothes for years and was inspired to try and knock some garments out. And I did!</p><p>Though I do have a warm winter 1870s outfit (which I've worn on <a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2021/05/the-return-of-witch-winter-journey-to.html" target="_blank">previous</a> <a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2019/03/completed-project-1870s-winter-ensemble.html" target="_blank">excursions</a>), I wanted to do something with a more explicit skating theme, similar to these images:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/7b/77/a1/7b77a1e415655da2c37ab57fe66c9b85.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="564" height="640" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/7b/77/a1/7b77a1e415655da2c37ab57fe66c9b85.jpg" width="481" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balmoral skirt advertisement, 1860s (<a href="https://digital.librarycompany.org/islandora/object/digitool:120913#page/5/mode/1up" target="_blank">via</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://collectionapi.metmuseum.org/api/collection/v1/iiif/390117/774044/main-image" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="800" height="466" src="https://collectionapi.metmuseum.org/api/collection/v1/iiif/390117/774044/main-image" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan. 1860 Harper's Weekly illustration of skating in Central Park, NYC (<a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/390117" target="_blank">via</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/49/a1/df/49a1df30f24a1217337d741703117b2f.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="564" height="545" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/49/a1/df/49a1df30f24a1217337d741703117b2f.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Advert for a skating park in Philedelphia, circa 1860s (<a href="https://pin.it/4R5VoHE">via</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/emergingcivilwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/die_gartenlaube_1867_b_828.jpg?resize=300%2C227" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="300" src="https://i0.wp.com/emergingcivilwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/die_gartenlaube_1867_b_828.jpg?resize=300%2C227" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustration of a lady ice skating with a support structure, 1867 (<a href="https://emergingcivilwar.com/2017/12/24/ice-skating-in-the-1860s/" target="_blank">via</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The key elements that stuck with me when looking for inspiration were layers, gathered/bustled-up skirts exposing petticoats (but everything hitting above the ankle, where it would be out of the way for skating), and fur or knit trim on the coat or bodice. Also, all of my inspiration was 1860s...which makes sense, as I've spend a lot of time thinking about 1860s ice skating in particular while reading period letters over the years. So a vaguely 1860s ensemble it would be!</p><p>I thought I could get away with using the fur-trimmed bodice from my 1870s ensemble, worn with only the underskirt (looped up all the way around) if I added a contrasting petticoat underneath. Originally I planned to wear hoops as well, but when I decided to attempt throwing together a quilted petticoat I decided hoops didn't make sense.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ab/12/1e/ab121e525a86c19b0e64fea24af87db3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="640" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ab/12/1e/ab121e525a86c19b0e64fea24af87db3.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quilted petticoat c.1850-1875 (<a href="https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/240527#slide=gs-178172">via</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Quilted petticoats were a common winter layer in the 18th and 19th centuries - while the style changed to support the popular silhouettes of particular decades, the basic premise remained the same. A skirt of wool, silk, or cotton was quilted over an inner layer of batting to provide warmth and insulation. Essentially, it's a wearable blanket. As an eternally cold human, I really wish these were still in fashion! If you poke around online, it's easy to find beautiful examples of quilted petticoats with all kinds of intricate quilting designs in addition to more utilitarian diamonds/straight lines. And while I really love the way they look, I just do not have the patience to hand quilt a piece this large. (See: the embroidered canezou I've been working on in fits and spurts since 2020.) But I wanted to be warm, and was interested in figuring out if I could do that historically, so I went for historical results and decidedly modern methods.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXbxYVlmcOpQB7Zz0Q7fhK7kzjrukWSro2NGUEYH2_Kb1EgzcHOvioxJKwR99-lAnNloTqY-wfmbDfxdxub40DfNCPeVkpoy75304W0qGe9ch3FdQsKcL5pOtDFDGr-n3GGn1O3CHDknmvrTNZ2-bJk-zQCfnO0qimaOljRdBKZ0DJezeG_c3dLzG/s4032/66621162229__D7D84E8B-C693-4715-9C78-E5B53710BCB5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a bed with a light blue quilt spread out on it, and a cat sleeping in the middle of it" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXbxYVlmcOpQB7Zz0Q7fhK7kzjrukWSro2NGUEYH2_Kb1EgzcHOvioxJKwR99-lAnNloTqY-wfmbDfxdxub40DfNCPeVkpoy75304W0qGe9ch3FdQsKcL5pOtDFDGr-n3GGn1O3CHDknmvrTNZ2-bJk-zQCfnO0qimaOljRdBKZ0DJezeG_c3dLzG/w640-h480/66621162229__D7D84E8B-C693-4715-9C78-E5B53710BCB5.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>I found a lightweight cotton quilt with a pretty floral stitch pattern second hand that seemed like a perfect petticoat candidate. After a washing ("assisted" by a fluffy demon), I measured out the height I would need and cut the quilt down - I am in fact much shorter than a queen-sized bed. Then it was time to seam rip...and seam rip...and seam rip. I ripped all of the quilt stitching and cut the batting out of my "seam allowance" at each side where I would sew the quilt into a tube and at the top to give myself a lighter, unquilted section at the top of my hips (something I'd seen on originals). Then the quilt became a tube, and the tube became a skirt by attaching a deep cotton section to the top (so that the quilt started at my hips, rather than my waist).</p><p>That was as far as I got by trip day...as usual. I ended up throwing sewing materials into the car, and pleating the petticoat to the waistband on my friend's floor before we left. Then the waistband was added in the parlor of the inn where we stayed (with both of us sewing because I am slow). Onto my body it went, along with modern fleece leggings, tall historical wool stockings, a chemise, a corset, a modern thermal long underwear shirt (which I think is a not inaccurate as a layer), boots, and the <a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2019/02/witch-winter.html" target="_blank">"witch winter" velvet bodice and skirt</a>. Layers don't have to be thick to keep you warm!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGKq7AdGVmy2TMBKropaVge7OuXHETVKX58I6tJNxEyGA_CnJ2uw3QTBpiUgd_k0S2m8I2AHknZinrry1sLooLNMBdJP7MPousCx1y28XsIeVCy7K-E5Gb4f45heJAB8rzPbugt7bPCgyJdbo7242eF96sk3sSDg_9jITjm2S-V0VV0sD5STEzUsZ/s4032/IMG_3188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="the author from the back, in motion ice skating" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGKq7AdGVmy2TMBKropaVge7OuXHETVKX58I6tJNxEyGA_CnJ2uw3QTBpiUgd_k0S2m8I2AHknZinrry1sLooLNMBdJP7MPousCx1y28XsIeVCy7K-E5Gb4f45heJAB8rzPbugt7bPCgyJdbo7242eF96sk3sSDg_9jITjm2S-V0VV0sD5STEzUsZ/w480-h640/IMG_3188.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">still perfectly mobile</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I ended up borrowing a muff from a friend because I forgot mine at home, and I did put modern foot warmers in my boots after the sleigh (I have bad circulation and my toes were entirely numb). But aside from that, I was warm enough to survive an open sleigh ride! Which given we were sitting for a long time felt like a big achievement - ice skating, while incredibly fun, is pretty active so it's easier to be toasty.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIOHjCsBTFlwCmMleFcd2scw820GrrrcKLhnWOTPS9ZhmYFewU2ClxxY_BA3S_cGi__gmJILIcmGn0a8tdc6n012bzrqF0mKZaWgSuowFnjPYuvroL6QrJkaNNVJIhNX6Wt2dcKimhr7zPxQKbOBrEJyEedcuSra10mZbgr6DEPkxWX_oeVqvvDAh/s4032/IMG_3146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The author carefully stepping out of a sleigh in the snow" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIOHjCsBTFlwCmMleFcd2scw820GrrrcKLhnWOTPS9ZhmYFewU2ClxxY_BA3S_cGi__gmJILIcmGn0a8tdc6n012bzrqF0mKZaWgSuowFnjPYuvroL6QrJkaNNVJIhNX6Wt2dcKimhr7zPxQKbOBrEJyEedcuSra10mZbgr6DEPkxWX_oeVqvvDAh/w480-h640/IMG_3146.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p>The quilted petticoat provided a somewhat full shape, but isn't distinctly 1860s - since I think it's likely people in the 19th century continued to wear these kinds of practical garments for activities where fashion was less important, I'm ok with that. Overall, my approach of mish-mashing together items I already owned with new, stylish accessories felt like a very natural sort of way of ending up in an outfit. To me that's the difference between a "look" (as we might say in 2022) and real, lived-in clothes. So it works for me, even if I wasn't the most fashionably wide skater on the pond! </p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Although I probably was the widest skater on the pond...details. *waves hand*)</span></p><p>Speaking of fashionable accessories: I did make on of those as well. I knew I wanted to cover my head because that is a really solid approach to staying warm, and just as I was starting to think about how I would do so <a href="https://freshfrippery.com/2021/12/31/shawl-with-surprise-hood-pattern-and-tutorial/" target="_blank">Vivien at Fresh Frippery posted a lovely convertible hood tutorial</a>. Using her measurements as a guide, I was able to pull some checked brown wool and fur trim from the stash to put together a reasonable mid-century winter hood. And with the falling snow, I was so glad I had it!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/4b/45/59/4b45593cbb1511f37e653347613fe7ba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="236" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/4b/45/59/4b45593cbb1511f37e653347613fe7ba.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">an 1860s Harper's Bazaar page showing winter styles</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsd9CY8cQo70s9bxL_OIWqajeMFVxh_5MRTwYHl5XXd0cfAG-22Q5hlpt9uI-VgrGd1-yF7DscTUsmBosPxgM1TjDiwFsSu9jl9hywU2p2oIN1718bEPKbmqLFTqRQQrHOQGxeee5HPn8lpXUJIii6S9KybrQ-6L7d0aV0-E6ciXejii5au8uon8TX/s3088/IMG_3399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsd9CY8cQo70s9bxL_OIWqajeMFVxh_5MRTwYHl5XXd0cfAG-22Q5hlpt9uI-VgrGd1-yF7DscTUsmBosPxgM1TjDiwFsSu9jl9hywU2p2oIN1718bEPKbmqLFTqRQQrHOQGxeee5HPn8lpXUJIii6S9KybrQ-6L7d0aV0-E6ciXejii5au8uon8TX/s320/IMG_3399.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">making a silly face while testing fit </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjEtCRcoAwfgUdMC2_vs6uutFkVbGoQErIMtQyjsB3DhSCCr0VCu38dZDdYuiUH8rz9f-soIER-7lMBlDIFr2ajSU7UVtCwOzkQCON_k_5QW7JD66GWsH8Uu_WX8xSnknMofBKmgqmXMLsgEbsC9q4IrXrTHWBttAbzx9t69zlT6wz-URcBCmHTAn/s4032/IMG_3419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjEtCRcoAwfgUdMC2_vs6uutFkVbGoQErIMtQyjsB3DhSCCr0VCu38dZDdYuiUH8rz9f-soIER-7lMBlDIFr2ajSU7UVtCwOzkQCON_k_5QW7JD66GWsH8Uu_WX8xSnknMofBKmgqmXMLsgEbsC9q4IrXrTHWBttAbzx9t69zlT6wz-URcBCmHTAn/s320/IMG_3419.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">also a fan of the rabbit fur trim</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Altogether, I was immensely pleased with the ensemble!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhX6QlyJZ9Xc66rPuKtANkF3xQ36SsGBAOBFYdgTujsJTVfgCTvS81CCLU3nc92c9HPJtvBvrqQhV8smY_cTIXJGUZ78tWyMWidVOWO8AvgnckQOtwRQBBj7f_Rr2PfmJQ4LuQMMIkEzWlSiOPYwXE5x6B6rlziyEw2ebjiMFELLCTPAHYmsQGT_O/s4032/IMG_3433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the author standing on the ice with snow behind her in the skating outfit" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhX6QlyJZ9Xc66rPuKtANkF3xQ36SsGBAOBFYdgTujsJTVfgCTvS81CCLU3nc92c9HPJtvBvrqQhV8smY_cTIXJGUZ78tWyMWidVOWO8AvgnckQOtwRQBBj7f_Rr2PfmJQ4LuQMMIkEzWlSiOPYwXE5x6B6rlziyEw2ebjiMFELLCTPAHYmsQGT_O/w480-h640/IMG_3433.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p>Fast forward to late July...</p><p>I made it through a day of sleighs and skating and general snow shenanigans in my quilted petticoat. It was wearable! But it was not my finest work. When we got home, it went to the UFO pile to be fixed before it was put away...and remained there until last week, when I was inspired to write this post and wanted to finish the petticoat for real before blogging about it. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQgmBYKDjSTwL10X32IMRKB1wvBOefQ7R1ntJGE6u4jsT814GbrUbPpv7ro8xZ1_X5GA-458Ls-3c1V0pUtfvQ8VbklEakZkxouT5sfrNG2bByTJyMmus6DTUbtqmQqDIcUZK-F-TGqR0m8msdD9QDxsoWWiB2wAdPJca6DgT3jCI1qteHaqm2-f3/s4032/IMG_3937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="a dress form with the blue quilted petticoat being worn, showing the messy and uneven pleats at the waistband" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQgmBYKDjSTwL10X32IMRKB1wvBOefQ7R1ntJGE6u4jsT814GbrUbPpv7ro8xZ1_X5GA-458Ls-3c1V0pUtfvQ8VbklEakZkxouT5sfrNG2bByTJyMmus6DTUbtqmQqDIcUZK-F-TGqR0m8msdD9QDxsoWWiB2wAdPJca6DgT3jCI1qteHaqm2-f3/w480-h640/IMG_3937.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the rushed and highly uneven waist as I wore it in February</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxasiszX66qXfqbJyN1u_2cTdmRQY6Lp79lbOBMo8BaPl3c93Fw73EpaH5u7qwr01EowBr-21FKZr3k37yH8UgTo159KNUCAw8v0ATTGH7YL_nbJmDPU7hfxfMLXq3NArC96GXfwW6ABD9tSpwI5lfemi_jGoD2C3N04GcS_XhrPAB0_IZGjKQtsvP/s4032/IMG_3939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="a bright blue section of the petticoat spread over an ironing board" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxasiszX66qXfqbJyN1u_2cTdmRQY6Lp79lbOBMo8BaPl3c93Fw73EpaH5u7qwr01EowBr-21FKZr3k37yH8UgTo159KNUCAw8v0ATTGH7YL_nbJmDPU7hfxfMLXq3NArC96GXfwW6ABD9tSpwI5lfemi_jGoD2C3N04GcS_XhrPAB0_IZGjKQtsvP/w480-h640/IMG_3939.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waistband removed, stitches picked, getting ironed for round two (plus a Drag Race cameo)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> I went back and removed the waistband and pulled out the pleats. After ironing everything, I measured and put in (more) evenly-spaced pleats. I even added closures! So now this is officially done and ready to be worn again.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutDsMl4QtiFCaktj24sWuYfb_09jSPAM8YaTm7cICjFO9V7FJnqujf43SiotDkqWYoXHexCMGUbEixD5PiuvusLkr0Fs-HSu4zG3XZBCo0IpHEJ5UFXghiW9ATTI0MzbtubwiXUZU6c3a2vynUd7pQCBge8H8O8bohQbncLGuFihr8TB5dU6vZZAt/s4032/IMG_3943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the same sewing dummy wearing the quilted petticoat, which now has smooth and even pleats" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutDsMl4QtiFCaktj24sWuYfb_09jSPAM8YaTm7cICjFO9V7FJnqujf43SiotDkqWYoXHexCMGUbEixD5PiuvusLkr0Fs-HSu4zG3XZBCo0IpHEJ5UFXghiW9ATTI0MzbtubwiXUZU6c3a2vynUd7pQCBge8H8O8bohQbncLGuFihr8TB5dU6vZZAt/w480-h640/IMG_3943.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9I0A1s59sH4UeRgmVV3C5QcRL_jNTOJUpQpygjbQ9masUE7-Cz7fbvlYT2nK_zGVAfGnFA6xMY79zwD2XX3SlylJXnnmxcjTyyZr6-EwioVOgK-LdSAzsJ7z2mZCShQa2OJzzbzl4wn4HRH2ePmSQEW9d1OueQeW7yD4jErm3N8pyY5Il6ETGx2Z/s4032/IMG_3942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="a close-up of the back of the petticoat showing two hooks for closure" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9I0A1s59sH4UeRgmVV3C5QcRL_jNTOJUpQpygjbQ9masUE7-Cz7fbvlYT2nK_zGVAfGnFA6xMY79zwD2XX3SlylJXnnmxcjTyyZr6-EwioVOgK-LdSAzsJ7z2mZCShQa2OJzzbzl4wn4HRH2ePmSQEW9d1OueQeW7yD4jErm3N8pyY5Il6ETGx2Z/w480-h640/IMG_3942.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">closures!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>And as a final fun fact (and ultra-throwback): in the spirit of trying to minimize how many new materials I buy, I was able to make both the hood and the petticoat using stash materials (minus the quilt itself, which I bought). The bright blue cotton at the top of the petticoat was left over from <a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2014/05/tulle-princess.html">a 1950s prom dress I made</a> way back in 2014! That means this cotton remnant has been with me through 3 moves - oi vey. I'm very glad I was able to find a great use for it, even if it won't be seen when the petticoat is worn.</p>L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-7073185954728475352022-07-31T22:20:00.003-04:002022-07-31T22:24:01.743-04:00In which I think fondly of freezing<p>One of the things I love about living in New England is experiencing four seasons - and complaining about them. There is something to love about every one, but it is also inevitable that after a month and a half or so of winter or summer I start to think longingly of the opposite meteorological experience. So now that we're settling into high summer and we're in the midst of a drought and a heatwave, please join me in reminiscing of snowy February, when my toes froze and staying warm was a top priority project.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEbRsPV4zEWbakGgpwHZvi6Y6_28kyhVRSHkYNs5KiuT9pWha-nIErNQLCcTZFI2SWeaGjLJSNhkhubSkyv_DsLscvdH9xHE7NPVBB3ZQ_Tih4vjIvGmNqNnho8Ghxw7WqsuBFE0ZhTqw-PN3gO19HI34h826-q0iw5dtSOtGNB0zCwC7IkYeP9mm/s5184/IMG_7450.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the auther dressed in an 1860s ice skating outfit with hood, bodice, and quilted petticoat under an arbor covered in snow" border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEbRsPV4zEWbakGgpwHZvi6Y6_28kyhVRSHkYNs5KiuT9pWha-nIErNQLCcTZFI2SWeaGjLJSNhkhubSkyv_DsLscvdH9xHE7NPVBB3ZQ_Tih4vjIvGmNqNnho8Ghxw7WqsuBFE0ZhTqw-PN3gO19HI34h826-q0iw5dtSOtGNB0zCwC7IkYeP9mm/w426-h640/IMG_7450.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p>In particular, last February I realized a childhood dream of going to <a href="https://nestlenookfarmsleighrides.com/">Nestlenook Farm</a> in historical clothes. Nestlenook is a Victorian-themed winter resort built during the Victoriana fad of the 1980-90s. As a kid, my family had a somewhat-annual tradition of going to an inn in New Hampshire during December or February school break to ski, snowshoe, ice skate, and generally do all the Winter Things. (Also outlet shopping...but that's less quaint.) Nestlenook was one of the places we would sometimes go on those trips, and the picturesque "historical" aesthetic spoke to my teenage costume-nerd heart.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/71/ae/53/71ae53fc030f6c531a0d3e58a606681b--winter-snow-winter-christmas.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="736" height="435" src="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/71/ae/53/71ae53fc030f6c531a0d3e58a606681b--winter-snow-winter-christmas.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the covered bridge we drive over to get to Nestlenook (internet photo, we were driving in the snow so did not stop for blog evidence!)<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Friends and I have talked about going for years, but usually we're so busy, and good skating conditions so unpredictable, we never managed...until this year, when we somewhat last minute decided to go. We figured even if the weather wasn't great, we would enjoy getting away for the weekend in the bleakest month. <p>The week of our trip, temperatures rose and the snow melted, and it looked like we wouldn't be able to actually do any winter activities...but then the day we left, the temperatures plummeted again, everything froze, and we even spent the day in light snowfall. We couldn't have asked for better weather!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HSGjKlhRPVcEOsuGBb_ZWTPbkfFbD4dnc_SWunYZhVqzwXKV1fyIotBAUXWxrRLiTxdgy9ouW34L2TNFH1Lt_Mzwex6uKxXGP8JYDqsf-DXUBBPl5pyEmytaiEaKdyOYwDjVQXNKoGN4uFrw-ppa0WpH85zJt_DIUzEiKDc4-rtpZ-xzqr6HnFez/s4032/PXL_20220219_193809116.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="snow falling on a bridge hung with pine garland, a snowbank, and snow on an ice skating area under the bridge" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HSGjKlhRPVcEOsuGBb_ZWTPbkfFbD4dnc_SWunYZhVqzwXKV1fyIotBAUXWxrRLiTxdgy9ouW34L2TNFH1Lt_Mzwex6uKxXGP8JYDqsf-DXUBBPl5pyEmytaiEaKdyOYwDjVQXNKoGN4uFrw-ppa0WpH85zJt_DIUzEiKDc4-rtpZ-xzqr6HnFez/w640-h480/PXL_20220219_193809116.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1HDQwiE7x46J8qwe3kJYU90mSO0mQdRlS5H0RtW5onz-ZU3UgNb4QvcIIfmr-7Ps0JXxHkcgsbhxbp7h0H5B5un70LsbhK9rOghzTukiLAdwpo69nd91zBbX-D_DRtAm1Z5mhHtivx2bDCMQ-z3rhzBsVs-ut77WHIXXvVgl-bF0gy7pwggjKDAI/s4032/IMG_3140.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="two women covered in a light dusting of snow over historical garments sit in a sleigh staring up out of the shot" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1HDQwiE7x46J8qwe3kJYU90mSO0mQdRlS5H0RtW5onz-ZU3UgNb4QvcIIfmr-7Ps0JXxHkcgsbhxbp7h0H5B5un70LsbhK9rOghzTukiLAdwpo69nd91zBbX-D_DRtAm1Z5mhHtivx2bDCMQ-z3rhzBsVs-ut77WHIXXvVgl-bF0gy7pwggjKDAI/w640-h480/IMG_3140.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm assuming our faces are because we were listening to a story from our obliging sleigh driver?</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Our day consisted of a sleigh ride (on actual sleigh runners! not wheels! huzzah snow!) followed by hot chocolate, ice skating, and then dinner by the fire in the parlor of the inn. It was a lovely day! And then we went back for snow shoeing and more ice skating (in modern clothes) the next day because it was so nice to have such a large skating area! <div><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Ok, that was a lot of exclamation points...but it was a really great weekend.)</span><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzqIFO-Ujc4ZUvs-nrT7q1YB9FlHNSIqcvUJnxU2BaHYWAejpuBhFlmWHwge1bPbcFbhVVhu2K05qo2P6umdL8K4_MP-KUvwy6_StgjL1wlnHYCqTjRISFkDz0wM_8usaSy_uvInCbKdGqXzMy7C00NE7QekSAGLO0N9WpI85tE9gWe9l5Y8y3dwE/s5184/IMG_7449.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzqIFO-Ujc4ZUvs-nrT7q1YB9FlHNSIqcvUJnxU2BaHYWAejpuBhFlmWHwge1bPbcFbhVVhu2K05qo2P6umdL8K4_MP-KUvwy6_StgjL1wlnHYCqTjRISFkDz0wM_8usaSy_uvInCbKdGqXzMy7C00NE7QekSAGLO0N9WpI85tE9gWe9l5Y8y3dwE/w426-h640/IMG_7449.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I have a whole post coming about my clothes, which pulled from existing winter gear as well as a new hood and quilted petticoat. So for now, enjoy some photos of historical adventures in the snow. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13Ol3na0wWAOSetzhIOlkJOBSt1z9oiCC75yYuW12Il0kzR-GkEK-Ys2tgj-xb8kT0ZQ8Isih5UDn9ZXiV7wy-lwqK6MXAcU58KiH6A5yk7eja5XEe74ph5kTM0B7EZ6yDyKKyR8_6jUHhqzUvLppiJwFZ0cPfhojl-550zKIPWBLBBoNyfpLbhK_/s4032/IMG_3136X.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="snow falling in front of a field covered in snow with trees in the background" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13Ol3na0wWAOSetzhIOlkJOBSt1z9oiCC75yYuW12Il0kzR-GkEK-Ys2tgj-xb8kT0ZQ8Isih5UDn9ZXiV7wy-lwqK6MXAcU58KiH6A5yk7eja5XEe74ph5kTM0B7EZ6yDyKKyR8_6jUHhqzUvLppiJwFZ0cPfhojl-550zKIPWBLBBoNyfpLbhK_/w640-h480/IMG_3136X.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbbZ5_8yjEcEebDHseQqGsSGP3eoVaHZIg96A-fCMRZN9038h-SvUsE1mXZOZXDcvq3sD5dFtBBcDmu_O18qYjfbRUkznXVJ2y2w-L5cqgm3xZrdsTa2Q5KsTOeL9pnkzeBMhBa8PIW79syXTrzt6zczMYuAGbs-NaNt-it9GqlEbCX8pCiGgGEgd/s4032/IMG_3159.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A horse's head wearing a leather bridle" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbbZ5_8yjEcEebDHseQqGsSGP3eoVaHZIg96A-fCMRZN9038h-SvUsE1mXZOZXDcvq3sD5dFtBBcDmu_O18qYjfbRUkznXVJ2y2w-L5cqgm3xZrdsTa2Q5KsTOeL9pnkzeBMhBa8PIW79syXTrzt6zczMYuAGbs-NaNt-it9GqlEbCX8pCiGgGEgd/w480-h640/IMG_3159.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">we were allowed to pet our valiant draft team after the sleigh ride</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLnHi0UKLmsD26ckmzTjdQqneFEysfc8HYkpaSGFda0-iPCGX3wTt93i6XQrEyJn2eeDAFPJiobF6v-d9ywEVm_FpL5Roe4rz_0bouKQUb31gOJybZMX7xvnWZFuBdn2VkWOQEBGyoO-mBNwpP8dZMzeMh837mHwds9DyYMtrSEC4fVuL1-yr4HSB/s4032/IMG_3500.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLnHi0UKLmsD26ckmzTjdQqneFEysfc8HYkpaSGFda0-iPCGX3wTt93i6XQrEyJn2eeDAFPJiobF6v-d9ywEVm_FpL5Roe4rz_0bouKQUb31gOJybZMX7xvnWZFuBdn2VkWOQEBGyoO-mBNwpP8dZMzeMh837mHwds9DyYMtrSEC4fVuL1-yr4HSB/w640-h480/IMG_3500.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaL2d4lnwOGYDshGMhSW-D5iV140N6wEozrh5rGnAJ9PIC8P2FgWnvUQM8aOynzBdWqJ2Y4X9G6JyPNmQj6cM9M6cW4YXj80m-IY9qigflJCZIjjUXigjzWDzzp7573QbBAABwTL4eT4_SDAy4Y3BfX2ATSKWTIGx-Si6J-8LPckzVb6g6KZQjjwa/s4032/IMG_3435.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaL2d4lnwOGYDshGMhSW-D5iV140N6wEozrh5rGnAJ9PIC8P2FgWnvUQM8aOynzBdWqJ2Y4X9G6JyPNmQj6cM9M6cW4YXj80m-IY9qigflJCZIjjUXigjzWDzzp7573QbBAABwTL4eT4_SDAy4Y3BfX2ATSKWTIGx-Si6J-8LPckzVb6g6KZQjjwa/w480-h640/IMG_3435.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjef1ZjwRkE_HrwlniU6lX92UGMC39Z1EzwMvtv_7oqWESAzeYJqqi6v4qlTjkEYxHNYmOKPHZtQA_KcDZQ0q5TNZawEFdaulHisq6JeL_z4gsEqCJfjp5DP0tSX2ZApS7jRIDXEp0uCG0MbgZ9xHcvieGG83OK2oMWUm7UboN1pI7SUEijvzW5j0Wk/s4032/IMG_3439.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjef1ZjwRkE_HrwlniU6lX92UGMC39Z1EzwMvtv_7oqWESAzeYJqqi6v4qlTjkEYxHNYmOKPHZtQA_KcDZQ0q5TNZawEFdaulHisq6JeL_z4gsEqCJfjp5DP0tSX2ZApS7jRIDXEp0uCG0MbgZ9xHcvieGG83OK2oMWUm7UboN1pI7SUEijvzW5j0Wk/w480-h640/IMG_3439.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ChGFRkQHFhuWJJHnUKHY2TXInHUmn3xrgN04HJgLXknsrKFD-DpcLebq9CNuvwzojJlT0MPsT1trOAC5QnMWhCQnL1doK0esEaBMT7GeetvZOb-kvF7XjCeMtDUoiwvDx-AyPuowGQdSpd8jk0UWhnM3t491XFgQv3dtPLYvIyDrMQPV1vREtnCw/s3293/IMG_7448.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3293" data-original-width="2195" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ChGFRkQHFhuWJJHnUKHY2TXInHUmn3xrgN04HJgLXknsrKFD-DpcLebq9CNuvwzojJlT0MPsT1trOAC5QnMWhCQnL1doK0esEaBMT7GeetvZOb-kvF7XjCeMtDUoiwvDx-AyPuowGQdSpd8jk0UWhnM3t491XFgQv3dtPLYvIyDrMQPV1vREtnCw/w426-h640/IMG_7448.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>And in case anyone is wondering: I did not find it more difficult to skate in 1860s clothes (including a corset) than in modern clothes. I was able to bunny hop, skate on one leg, and spin just as well (or just as poorly) in historical garments as I can in modern ones. I just felt a lot more elegant!</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVxN7iI_y9cDe5oKANIug5yO4l9M1bK00pIOyv9V1TPbjzNx7UngLADNcEM3N4T1RqeRKhcjaKGksvUfLUv4o89FSKM1Yy7GHvFeGkMP21rX2EiFARESyPMF6KQtxAtEh4dCY3_Mp4gSaIfdZactG34mGoRMOgkqYS8UcmsO23w8942AP1r_O0roJ/s500/trim.146CA4E0-D747-44AD-92DF-378D4B45B1DB.GIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="282" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVxN7iI_y9cDe5oKANIug5yO4l9M1bK00pIOyv9V1TPbjzNx7UngLADNcEM3N4T1RqeRKhcjaKGksvUfLUv4o89FSKM1Yy7GHvFeGkMP21rX2EiFARESyPMF6KQtxAtEh4dCY3_Mp4gSaIfdZactG34mGoRMOgkqYS8UcmsO23w8942AP1r_O0roJ/w360-h640/trim.146CA4E0-D747-44AD-92DF-378D4B45B1DB.GIF" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div>L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-80087035078234812392022-05-23T01:00:00.001-04:002022-05-23T01:00:00.158-04:00An Alcott Research RoundupA highlight of my winter was spending a couple of hours on Zoom with Jamie (an old friend) and Jill (a brand new friend), nerding out about research, historic house museums, 19th century fashion, and Alcott's novels. Today, some of that conversation will be appearing in season two of their fantastic podcast Let Genius Burn. In honor of that conversation, I wanted to revisit a few projects I've done over the years inspired by the Alcotts and/or Orchard House.<div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEij2OQgDEqJU8C7f0vbRG02xcmHabq5O1qN669q_0OaNnoSX8xjCXf28R0nWVw8xfJgXX47iE1rIy3_DituLQaFShURXMnv20MnPt1Dz_PNli7xIioUxUL0Z_teur61X2_dVoMwfmagOWP3V8QZvon3Y8T2Fv4HYDXZoNMrN68VSST3rJswCP6BxjVY" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEij2OQgDEqJU8C7f0vbRG02xcmHabq5O1qN669q_0OaNnoSX8xjCXf28R0nWVw8xfJgXX47iE1rIy3_DituLQaFShURXMnv20MnPt1Dz_PNli7xIioUxUL0Z_teur61X2_dVoMwfmagOWP3V8QZvon3Y8T2Fv4HYDXZoNMrN68VSST3rJswCP6BxjVY=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">playing May Alcott or Ellen Emerson during the 2012 christmas program</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Pickled Limes</u></b></div><div>In <i>Little Women</i>, Amy ends up in trouble at school because she brings pickled limes to class - something her teacher had banned because they were so popular and the girls kept trading them and not paying attention. I love historical food, so it's no wonder this has always stuck with me. But it's also such a familiar elementary school experience that it's just a favorite passage for me in general...maybe because I grew up in the era of pokemon cards and snap bracelets, both of which were banned in my own classrooms. (And which we also snuck in anyways!)</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNaVOe3F0hWYi4oon2JKffkmP6pf9KCWP3PJGCLNseP942Wa4DG6PrVCsfy7k8Hk-n596yUU-7onlsFOWzyYoOknvsh15ZzfTn1RR0lOhgwnC17Pm-HI553WHQ-oqSwF6rJBdP_4RzZIBncA27rW9dUwGTciszK5aKdW3xChaCygM19KnfCMlfVKUw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNaVOe3F0hWYi4oon2JKffkmP6pf9KCWP3PJGCLNseP942Wa4DG6PrVCsfy7k8Hk-n596yUU-7onlsFOWzyYoOknvsh15ZzfTn1RR0lOhgwnC17Pm-HI553WHQ-oqSwF6rJBdP_4RzZIBncA27rW9dUwGTciszK5aKdW3xChaCygM19KnfCMlfVKUw=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/search/label/PLP" target="_blank">You can follow my research and experiments so far here</a>. Plus, this one is ongoing! I'm about to start a new batch that will build on what I learned last time, and change some variables I didn't have a chance to try in 2020. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Dancing in Little Women</u></b></div><div>My historical dance research is often driven by a specific reference from 19th century letters, journals, or novels - I love digging into what a dance mentioned by name might have looked like in the ballroom. And having spent so much time with the Alcotts and their friends, I reference their writings a lot when doing dance research! <a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/search/label/PLP" target="_blank">A few years ago I spent some time diving into <i>Little Women</i> specifically</a> to explore what dances are mentioned, and how they fit into the story. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Orchard House Centennial Lemon Coconut Pie</u></b></div><div>This is an oldie (and unfortunately the image seems to have gone away), but delicious! I worked at Orchard House during the museum's centennial in 2012, and <a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2012/05/lemony-centennial.html" target="_blank">shared this recipe</a> (which I brought to share) from the year of the museum's opening.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjscEqDTnE2dHa1zNIxSxg9Qz-cJ_nhHS2NisP2LxR1paDXyWtS_skUWMI2dovHl5ixY7E9Fl9R8ZwndxPkrr_G96pL6GdxCh5drWn87wUBTHrgMQJvVgK24aIuayn62R7SMuLgwJ645YDbhIzO99-L_AJNeMqYVBbUhlDDPdWOosLoZG9iv5-C_EnM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjscEqDTnE2dHa1zNIxSxg9Qz-cJ_nhHS2NisP2LxR1paDXyWtS_skUWMI2dovHl5ixY7E9Fl9R8ZwndxPkrr_G96pL6GdxCh5drWn87wUBTHrgMQJvVgK24aIuayn62R7SMuLgwJ645YDbhIzO99-L_AJNeMqYVBbUhlDDPdWOosLoZG9iv5-C_EnM=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br />And yes: it <i>was</i> very weird to be at the house in a time period other than 1860s!</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Germans and <i>Rose in Bloom</i></u></b></div><div>Many of Alcott's novels mention dancing - not just <i>Little Women</i>! <i>Eight Cousins</i> and the sequel <i>Rose in Bloom</i> are actually my favorite of Alcott's childrens' novels, so I tend to think about them a lot. <a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2014/11/see-our-german.html" target="_blank">I referenced a particular section of <i>Rose in Bloom</i> that discusses "germans" after we had one of our own</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAOu_y_-EzlNi1_amRBE6_a9PRmVvAT7nmddIVRkU7JE83TMO_sqeRkYVlKby20Xg5q_jXruxvwSsUv-sh_Sn8wct-r3GwuhNMxn1leSN9tZZdDB6DPSo1jHkT8b1Ibl_r0i0bjeht8xkfzCFWulRhSiKRsSo594oefWTqiGfgwESRzJOLfTB-HWMI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAOu_y_-EzlNi1_amRBE6_a9PRmVvAT7nmddIVRkU7JE83TMO_sqeRkYVlKby20Xg5q_jXruxvwSsUv-sh_Sn8wct-r3GwuhNMxn1leSN9tZZdDB6DPSo1jHkT8b1Ibl_r0i0bjeht8xkfzCFWulRhSiKRsSo594oefWTqiGfgwESRzJOLfTB-HWMI=w400-h259" width="400" /></a></div><br /><b><u>Other Topics</u></b></div><div>In addition to the truly Alcott-themed posts above, my 1860s dress posts touch on different facets of Boston in the 1860s that overlap with when the Alcotts lived here. A few of particular interest might be:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2016/10/in-memento-mori-mt-auburn-cemetery-and.html" target="_blank">Mount Auburn Cemetery and the Rise of Rural Cemeteries </a></li><li><a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2020/04/a-dress-for-staying-home-1860s-morning.html" target="_blank">1860s morning robe and New England cotton manufacturing</a></li><li><a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2014/06/day-to-night-in-1860s.html" target="_blank">Transformation dresses (robe a la transformation)</a> </li><li><a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-glare-and-glitter-is-brutal.html" target="_blank">Chemical dyes and bright colors</a></li></ul><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for stopping by! Putting this together was a walk through the last 10 years of historically-inspired adventures, and I look forward to sharing many more.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKD_DLJmEwIKk00hLw5jIROKEA2ZZVVvS7he2JFHhZmJw2PN6BAis_g9tzdmsjaayQBHVbd3bMmFLvS6RQ31d_7l2T96UZFxpxiA_T5rBY1QerNatSyyGtSyn6yEPCAzyiyTxeddtKxhvHUcTo-FfggMyV9mVY3xHok9j8T-XIbUgqu20fq_tl2fRy/s500/trim.146CA4E0-D747-44AD-92DF-378D4B45B1DB.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="282" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKD_DLJmEwIKk00hLw5jIROKEA2ZZVVvS7he2JFHhZmJw2PN6BAis_g9tzdmsjaayQBHVbd3bMmFLvS6RQ31d_7l2T96UZFxpxiA_T5rBY1QerNatSyyGtSyn6yEPCAzyiyTxeddtKxhvHUcTo-FfggMyV9mVY3xHok9j8T-XIbUgqu20fq_tl2fRy/w225-h400/trim.146CA4E0-D747-44AD-92DF-378D4B45B1DB.GIF" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div>L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-18950664651615313452021-05-21T22:19:00.005-04:002021-05-21T22:19:31.319-04:00A Little Photoshop Entertainment<p> We went on a castle adventure, so there had to be magic.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlYJGlJqruOB2LUcG6kCA-jwZPOpJfprvsT4bi8o2LpPnmNRiAzbCcySnw3yUSweHjJJSj2tnhE3EGXB3vepFyZYhv2kXrTbksJGd_UO5ABxoks4Lf9PExdJ5YM-YK-8bikNEbllgLHQ/s2016/patronus+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="the author in 1870s winter dress, holding a stick that has been photoshopped into a glowing wand surrounded by translucent smoke effects" border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlYJGlJqruOB2LUcG6kCA-jwZPOpJfprvsT4bi8o2LpPnmNRiAzbCcySnw3yUSweHjJJSj2tnhE3EGXB3vepFyZYhv2kXrTbksJGd_UO5ABxoks4Lf9PExdJ5YM-YK-8bikNEbllgLHQ/w480-h640/patronus+2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In high school I took photoshop (I'm not sure if this counted as an art class, or a technology class?), and loved learning effects that let me zhoosh photos into something a little more otherworldly. I don't play with it often, but I still really enjoy photography and the editing process.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Do I really need to hone my patronus-conjuring skills? No. But adding to or drastically altering photographs pushes me to consider the composition, light, and color balance because all of those come into play. So I think it helps keep my eye sharp for future photoshoots even if they don't require magic!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since I'm still in a non-sewing, too-drained-to-finish-that-dance-research-post transition, I thought I would share a few of my attempts. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In addition to the patronus above, I gave myself a wand...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHhyphenhyphenFCBGyjNR0Oic4F8o7Pb8VHfIPHrsTGCGPrvWdLZEdjC_TI8neikgPJVbO7n8W4tGWLghJ44yxd4igEQ4pnvfxxt_OSX6rKIRcQZNVROI3MApbaJlSmaBagjjKVb_AxkJFpE8Eudg/s2016/IMG_1615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHhyphenhyphenFCBGyjNR0Oic4F8o7Pb8VHfIPHrsTGCGPrvWdLZEdjC_TI8neikgPJVbO7n8W4tGWLghJ44yxd4igEQ4pnvfxxt_OSX6rKIRcQZNVROI3MApbaJlSmaBagjjKVb_AxkJFpE8Eudg/w480-h640/IMG_1615.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div>...and an owl.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1lkpOXK3iY3aEQkfG0N4WqJdb_OymwcKOASOdkUhHQ6TE3DVK1YnH2xtAikAJnY-JWjVeh4uTT1HmvlMVLI7yic195XYYpT3iW2mg9QuZ261yKJKp8j-qbdpoeNFkJ7DbU6644EV4A8/s2048/owl+flyinig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the author standing in the open stone arch of a castle, in 1870s winter dress. An owl is flying in the background through the castle ruins" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1lkpOXK3iY3aEQkfG0N4WqJdb_OymwcKOASOdkUhHQ6TE3DVK1YnH2xtAikAJnY-JWjVeh4uTT1HmvlMVLI7yic195XYYpT3iW2mg9QuZ261yKJKp8j-qbdpoeNFkJ7DbU6644EV4A8/w426-h640/owl+flyinig.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's a different kind of creativity, but it's nice to mix it up every once in a while!</div><br /><p><br /></p>L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-47166240198710905302021-05-08T18:37:00.005-04:002021-05-08T18:43:03.870-04:00The Return of Witch Winter: A Journey to Bancroft's Castle<p>At the moment I'm sitting on the floor of a hotel room trying to coax my cat to come out from under the radiator...so I figured I would entertain myself (and hopefully all of you) with a sequel to a 2019 undertaking. (Thus the very extra title. I am amused at least!)</p><p>A pact, some magically perfect weather, and the ruins of a stone <strike>castle</strike> hunting lodge - definitely the tagline to a movie right? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoESWK1toSaDz7t8DYMXIWKEsI9ikECa_dR_nl2f_SLwKd9ry4xnK45qnQrDjEIWe_IQ8CYaZTJj6Z4aKNn59KK2SSy3mIuoy_WsdufDwdgUwcIi1lIDYclGDeNeftzO8vZYRzZo7_kg/s2048/IMG_6970-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the author in her finished ensemble among stone walls and snow" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoESWK1toSaDz7t8DYMXIWKEsI9ikECa_dR_nl2f_SLwKd9ry4xnK45qnQrDjEIWe_IQ8CYaZTJj6Z4aKNn59KK2SSy3mIuoy_WsdufDwdgUwcIi1lIDYclGDeNeftzO8vZYRzZo7_kg/w426-h640/IMG_6970-2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p>Not a movie, but a very good adventure, which is better I think.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpLEOxl3wWiBDfeUcgOHRAX4wzfk8_h99KofNxao0SLWsIZMk53voM7_cAbSaepkB53zcEuwW1JLC3hE52k4Jx6mg_2pgNrhosPFnWSbqlu2XXYoPeJKi-eBvL9YOgBbC3lp2B0D19HI/s2048/20210130_152552.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the author and friend in bustle ensembles trekking through a snowy forest" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpLEOxl3wWiBDfeUcgOHRAX4wzfk8_h99KofNxao0SLWsIZMk53voM7_cAbSaepkB53zcEuwW1JLC3hE52k4Jx6mg_2pgNrhosPFnWSbqlu2XXYoPeJKi-eBvL9YOgBbC3lp2B0D19HI/w360-h640/20210130_152552.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The prologue:</p><p>Several years ago, a friend made a <a href="https://ballgowninabackpack.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Hufflepuff bustle ballgown</a>, and as I was doing research to make my own 1870s ballgown I started noticing green dresses with gray trim popping up quite frequently in fashion plates. As a Slytherin I'm partial to this combo anyways, and with Emma's dress on the brain<a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2019/02/witch-winter.html" target="_blank"> I decided I wanted my own house bustle dress</a>. But I <i>also</i> got my heart stuck on doing a velvet and fur ensemble, which....doesn't really lend itself to a ballgown. So instead I abandoned the ballgown idea, and decided that I would make a winter dress at a later time. </p><p>That time became winter 2019, (aka "witch winter" because I was also on a bit of a witch-based novel kick at the time). <a href="https://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2019/03/completed-project-1870s-winter-ensemble.html" target="_blank">I finished the project in March</a>, which was too late to go skating or have enough snow for good photos. Then late 2019 into early 2020 was insanely busy and I was travelling, and I didn't have time to do a photoshoot. And by the time I was grounded, the snow was gone again.</p><p><br /></p><p>Cue the pact. Quinn at <a href="https://thequintessentialclothespen.com/" target="_blank">The Quintessential Clothes Pen</a> had also recently completed a wintery bustle ensemble, and needed photos as well. So with lockdown keeping our weekends very free, we vowed that the next weekend when there was good snow for photos, we would do a photoshoot. We actually scouted locations in advance (it was nice to get out and do some hiking), so we knew exactly where we wanted to go: <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bancroft-castle" target="_blank">Bancroft's Castle</a>, a 20th century estate-turned sanitarium-turned hunting lodge that burned down in 1932 and is now public land. (And an off-topic fun fact: if you hike up to the castle and look out over Gibbet Hill, it may look familiar...because it was one of the filming locations in the 2019 <i>Little Women</i> movie.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbevGo7ABqRre37wsKlGPndoMqcnnIduylu_usMPPPg-nrMB3e3N6OqSnzOV5BDeYnqhrMMZRLlBARdR3CZUMi0BUgNBlHmcFrvOtcjPJYMlE1xh0uPoOmjKBECPZQ6RHO3prS-EWxkY/s2048/IMG_7000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the author wearing a green velvet 170s bustle with fur trim and a gray hat in a ruined stone tower" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbevGo7ABqRre37wsKlGPndoMqcnnIduylu_usMPPPg-nrMB3e3N6OqSnzOV5BDeYnqhrMMZRLlBARdR3CZUMi0BUgNBlHmcFrvOtcjPJYMlE1xh0uPoOmjKBECPZQ6RHO3prS-EWxkY/w426-h640/IMG_7000.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p>The Adventure:</p><p>During the week it snowed, and Saturday dawned crisp and clear. It was a perfect New England winter day, with bright sun and low temperatures, and I was totally warm! Between the cotton velvet, flannel interlining, and silk lining, I was plenty toasty. The only cold part of me was my hands, but I have notoriously bad circulation and that happens in modern clothing too.</p><p>(I did cheat and wear modern snow boots, because we were hiking up a hill and I honestly didn't want to get my historical shoes dirty.)</p><p>This was essentially the first outing for this outfit, and it was so fun to get to finally wear it!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbfPSXDPigm-2gEJDxOvg2jvwnJLKD4YN5s7OKLWrJlubIJEef0PKgOV_zDl6upw6E6jZ7Wo3vWUBVECv1NvauheEjDimxYBPSaLXPf8dlZWi0ehXwHnTTer8fjdxPtLpDlU4DwpxZr4/s2048/IMG_6963.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="posing under a large stone archway" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbfPSXDPigm-2gEJDxOvg2jvwnJLKD4YN5s7OKLWrJlubIJEef0PKgOV_zDl6upw6E6jZ7Wo3vWUBVECv1NvauheEjDimxYBPSaLXPf8dlZWi0ehXwHnTTer8fjdxPtLpDlU4DwpxZr4/w426-h640/IMG_6963.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxGcAEPiHTdmy_LNgKsEgCas7XLCL52kOnUP48A6JpAu2LUHvK8PJ-ODvcHYU0IM5jbZWMFCIrryPymxH2_dJSw-u1ozJMczSUYFzWUOf6TdfX4QlGQNJLV49i6p4f2epXCEgHaMvoCI/s2048/IMG_7012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="on the second level with another archway and the large fireplace and chimney in the background" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxGcAEPiHTdmy_LNgKsEgCas7XLCL52kOnUP48A6JpAu2LUHvK8PJ-ODvcHYU0IM5jbZWMFCIrryPymxH2_dJSw-u1ozJMczSUYFzWUOf6TdfX4QlGQNJLV49i6p4f2epXCEgHaMvoCI/w426-h640/IMG_7012.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had a lot of fun playing with the angles of the archways and the modern wrought iron railings. With the weather so cold, we had the place to ourselves which was lucky but perhaps not surprising.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also got to put the pockets in the underskirt to good use - they were great places to stash a cell phone, lens cap, and mask.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUsAdlDwsRx62dBpb6zXRG90axGQht7714Y-Vet1eaqngbVjMqKXI-2ZMWv8Yg20k7ukS8aL8rSbBPkV7JjmkJTxOMnD3TXLRSw_lQlm4FJ3mER0ONuZNIDcIin4THCInFTANwaVCmbc/s2048/IMG_7004-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="portrait shot of the author in a tower window, showing the gray hat and braided hairstyle in detail" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUsAdlDwsRx62dBpb6zXRG90axGQht7714Y-Vet1eaqngbVjMqKXI-2ZMWv8Yg20k7ukS8aL8rSbBPkV7JjmkJTxOMnD3TXLRSw_lQlm4FJ3mER0ONuZNIDcIin4THCInFTANwaVCmbc/w426-h640/IMG_7004-2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My hair was a bit of an undertaking, but I'm happy with the way it came out! Since my hair is naturally very curly, I can usually tuck the ends around false braids to make them blend in. But I dyed my hair purple this year! From the front, you can't tell and everything blends - from the back it's a little more obvious what's actually my hair and what's not. Oops. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33ORoyNOzWYq-bF08HW-c4eFy4wRCr4KilefYZexGxh5Eh3xm4ECh634yqGVZI06eHehdNLzROfbHmON4C17CPvT8iHri2N8H_pSZO7n8HIqXTqAAsH3m3FcPY1yegb8IdmMVZjuOwr0/s2048/IMG_7013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="full length in profile, where the purple hair is visible at the back of my head" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33ORoyNOzWYq-bF08HW-c4eFy4wRCr4KilefYZexGxh5Eh3xm4ECh634yqGVZI06eHehdNLzROfbHmON4C17CPvT8iHri2N8H_pSZO7n8HIqXTqAAsH3m3FcPY1yegb8IdmMVZjuOwr0/w426-h640/IMG_7013.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0Jk_WlQ5AEDUCW18mhkhvUBBzksR8ka-8hHPYgJWFPWdHLClq6sb9kLVDrocCUa-bMtBRyWjr85_LuTXA6ffCHUGunhFRBLReFQu9AbOvGtUVsSNiT9iKh1FWIn3K5w64JmDJKr1rQM/s2048/IMG_6964.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="from the back, showing the circled braid and curls in the center" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0Jk_WlQ5AEDUCW18mhkhvUBBzksR8ka-8hHPYgJWFPWdHLClq6sb9kLVDrocCUa-bMtBRyWjr85_LuTXA6ffCHUGunhFRBLReFQu9AbOvGtUVsSNiT9iKh1FWIn3K5w64JmDJKr1rQM/w426-h640/IMG_6964.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The hat is a very old purchase from a sutler at a reenactment when I was in high school or just after. Since it doesn't work for most of the periods I do, it's been languishing in my closet and I was pleased it fit so well with this project!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JRtzH4Vur7KNMJyAVGP5EriWPAXA8HOnmWoFSPN1FNRmoL0mV2V-DMT2o5ChY70UCpOUseV9pBbCK5PDBZ6TAJPxs2YHC3c4L50V4KvLrbsfJ8UHLL1QcLg9ncveJpqDzjeMep2MvIo/s2048/IMG_7022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a repeat of the earlier image showing the second level stonework with a slightly different angle" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JRtzH4Vur7KNMJyAVGP5EriWPAXA8HOnmWoFSPN1FNRmoL0mV2V-DMT2o5ChY70UCpOUseV9pBbCK5PDBZ6TAJPxs2YHC3c4L50V4KvLrbsfJ8UHLL1QcLg9ncveJpqDzjeMep2MvIo/w426-h640/IMG_7022.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p>Now I just need to finish the cape I was making to go with this...I suppose that's an excuse for a trilogy. Maybe by next winter!</p><p><br /></p>L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-20211905167100902162021-03-20T16:46:00.000-04:002021-03-20T16:46:06.343-04:00The Great Pickled Limes Picnic of 2020<p> Well then.</p><p><br /></p><p>I've gotten a few comments recently asking how my pickled limes experiment ended, and I did make sure to carefully document results! But between *waves hands* the world and computer issues my inclination to write about pickled limes on the internet took a bit of a hit. And things on the world front haven't really improved, but my computer issues have been resolved! So no promises I'll post with any frequency, but I think I can promise I will post at least sporadically.</p><p>Anyways, on to the main event: <b>how did the pickled limes turn out?</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXXdSQMPEjrO6Jn0Q3ErOKEeeNx3v42cbAaYq4On8h4L5H1eHD-T7hXw_PY645ACDbuhgNU56Ia3C2hc4MfvovOENYKSfVYGR9NnaqVuiOTownO4rHicjhRT2B44UxTNGG5fhOhyphenhyphen-kj0/s4032/IMG_1828.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a white porcelain plate with blue floral decoration. Quartered chunks of brined limes are piled on top of it." border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXXdSQMPEjrO6Jn0Q3ErOKEeeNx3v42cbAaYq4On8h4L5H1eHD-T7hXw_PY645ACDbuhgNU56Ia3C2hc4MfvovOENYKSfVYGR9NnaqVuiOTownO4rHicjhRT2B44UxTNGG5fhOhyphenhyphen-kj0/w480-h640/IMG_1828.HEIC" title="Limes for tasting at a covid-safe distance" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>When I envisioned opening the limes and trying them out, I had grand visions of discovering a long-forgotten delightful snack...</p><p><br /></p><div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56%; position: relative; width: 100%;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="100%" src="https://giphy.com/embed/QBYKa5iYgIeErdqbs2" style="position: absolute;" width="100%"></iframe></div><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/LittleWomen-little-women-littlewomen-movie-QBYKa5iYgIeErdqbs2">via GIPHY</a></p><p><br /></p><p>But I am sorry to say that they ended up aligning more with the historical sources deriding them as an "acquired taste" only adopted by Bostonians.</p><p><br /></p>
<div style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 69%; position: relative; width: 100%;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="100%" src="https://giphy.com/embed/l0MYzxkg0o1tkGSaI" style="position: absolute;" width="100%"></iframe></div><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/hulu-parks-and-recreation-nbc-l0MYzxkg0o1tkGSaI">via GIPHY</a></p><p><br /></p><p>That is overreacting slightly - they weren't all terrible. And there were still some decided differences in how they tasted! Science is cool, guys.</p><p>To help with the tasting portion of this project* I had the help of an esteemed panel of judges. We wore masks except while actually tasting, and stayed outside with ample space between our picnic blankets. Luckily we had a truly fantastic early October, so the weather was worth enjoying!</p><p>Let's dive in:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Our Least Favorite: Plain Brined</u></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQVJglQvBREIZcQ73h2IfXup6NQr5tPRrmtDHyQ7ZEZFMx8h0qWVpibZ83Rx8zYgCB6Z9PSzY86akFzEFioDNMmS8qsEm1vt8FcEEEfxlOP61OM9-XTxu0Ymuq6Tr54SX4A1Wb3oHtEs/s4032/IMG_1827.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a single lime cut in half on a white and blue plate" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQVJglQvBREIZcQ73h2IfXup6NQr5tPRrmtDHyQ7ZEZFMx8h0qWVpibZ83Rx8zYgCB6Z9PSzY86akFzEFioDNMmS8qsEm1vt8FcEEEfxlOP61OM9-XTxu0Ymuq6Tr54SX4A1Wb3oHtEs/w300-h400/IMG_1827.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>The plain brined limes surprisingly didn't smell like salt! They smelled...sort of floral?</p><p>From the panel:</p><p>"It smells like the toilet bowls in the Old Town Hall"</p><p>"It smells like 1950s chemical cleaner"</p><p><br /></p><p>The taste was more salty, as I would expect given they'd been brined in salt water. I was expecting salt and sourness, but it actually wasn't sour at all. It tasted salty and organic - a little floral and musky.</p><p>The panel was more positive than I was, actually:</p><p>"I'm not hating it."</p><p>"Once you get past the initial salty awfulness it's ok"</p><p>"It has a musky floralness"</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>Runner Up: Spiced Vinegar</u></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3y6NGt8KkbVZ2SPiQ4ne3X9m-iWKzz3inct8G4hDbhepxQf8Vd4KAwzga0bG4zMxJIB0ElXAbe1wHBSQWl3H-2Z3BXZptFn5l40RBCduCENbWcWWJSgN2U8y3jnvQ_aloeKKhVzGQWQ/s4032/IMG_1829.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="close up of a lime cut in half on a blue and white plate. the lime is slightly browner than the last batch." border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3y6NGt8KkbVZ2SPiQ4ne3X9m-iWKzz3inct8G4hDbhepxQf8Vd4KAwzga0bG4zMxJIB0ElXAbe1wHBSQWl3H-2Z3BXZptFn5l40RBCduCENbWcWWJSgN2U8y3jnvQ_aloeKKhVzGQWQ/w300-h400/IMG_1829.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>This was my favorite of the bunch, because the punch of the vinegar overpowered everything else. I like vinegar! I do think if I ever tried this again I would use more spices though.</p><p>The panel was more mixed:</p><p>"That one hits you hard"</p><p>"I don't taste any lime whatsoever"</p><p>"No toilet here!"</p><p>"The peel is pretty nice"</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u>The Winner: Sweet Vinegar</u></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLYbRD2YvfWre8DCKb-RQWlY1jDO2DdbdsMP6AAKPYCXdmaHeIcTk2GmepvNMrwBJGNfqvj7b5kw5iKSpnpfE-EOURc-q3WrT7e8eZJFhn6Uu5pI1WsWacheyFFyf7mMqu-EP-X0iWXE/s4032/IMG_1833.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a lime cut in half, a bit desiccated-looking, on the same white and blue plate" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLYbRD2YvfWre8DCKb-RQWlY1jDO2DdbdsMP6AAKPYCXdmaHeIcTk2GmepvNMrwBJGNfqvj7b5kw5iKSpnpfE-EOURc-q3WrT7e8eZJFhn6Uu5pI1WsWacheyFFyf7mMqu-EP-X0iWXE/w300-h400/IMG_1833.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqD2RdUvWT5m_jnIW17g32WXwrkuIM4bAMtAr1TsdULVMuFpoKouWQsN7462Vin45wYwVBHc_6I1xui4YEanQlbG9v3EM2EgZ9doT1TOc_SMwTcbCICARNhAZwWXkcjXd0-Z8fYkj-At8/s4032/IMG_1835.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="3 slices of desiccated lime on the white and blue plate" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqD2RdUvWT5m_jnIW17g32WXwrkuIM4bAMtAr1TsdULVMuFpoKouWQsN7462Vin45wYwVBHc_6I1xui4YEanQlbG9v3EM2EgZ9doT1TOc_SMwTcbCICARNhAZwWXkcjXd0-Z8fYkj-At8/w300-h400/IMG_1835.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>I expected to like this one the best but in the end I think I liked it without the sugar. </p><p>This one got the panel's vote though:</p><p>"This one is actually quite good"</p><p>"It's different, I don't know that I like it?"</p><p>"It's not bad!"</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUSRY8pBvXU-dKVO_w350BcqOSkouNwkBftiqdMlKAKdQrH2HJPIuDbM7OvCI7lV5HSfK7yIZFNo8u4oMMjjVPDHSRHdmOjuvYJRBZ1uV_gAmt6eU7OEV3ISQUlFr9mzlAgoOTHgy33M/s4032/IMG_1834.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a hand pinching a quarter lime slice in the foreground with a picnic basket and jars of limes in the background" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUSRY8pBvXU-dKVO_w350BcqOSkouNwkBftiqdMlKAKdQrH2HJPIuDbM7OvCI7lV5HSfK7yIZFNo8u4oMMjjVPDHSRHdmOjuvYJRBZ1uV_gAmt6eU7OEV3ISQUlFr9mzlAgoOTHgy33M/w480-h640/IMG_1834.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>So there you have it! I am calling this a successful experiment, because now I have tried them. Would I make them again? Probably the sweet vinegar batch, with more spices. And I'd probably serve them <i>with </i>something. I used the same recipe (originally from an 1869 fruit pickling book) that I used for the sweet vinegar limes to pickle peaches over the summer, and those were delicious! Especially with manchego cheese and crusty bread.</p><p>When limes are next in season, I may try again with slightly different ratios (and try a batch where I pickle them in vinegar right away, instead of brining them first). But we'll see - for now, I think my appetite for pickled limes is satiated.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPusXrT15qGFG62ALjz4f8hs6UGyo0SVKPLrZKfFrKOYZxs7Np2bRYbJu8pJC6QNagUX7lwA9ucWj3q2JgpioQygyG3BD-QeRq3_iaRunb4Eo1gBs3N_19mTYOfsgwWEk3NtP22ZUnTc/s4032/IMG_1826.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="top-down view of an open jar in the grass with 2 limes floating in salted water" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPusXrT15qGFG62ALjz4f8hs6UGyo0SVKPLrZKfFrKOYZxs7Np2bRYbJu8pJC6QNagUX7lwA9ucWj3q2JgpioQygyG3BD-QeRq3_iaRunb4Eo1gBs3N_19mTYOfsgwWEk3NtP22ZUnTc/w300-h400/IMG_1826.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><p>*Note: the salt-packed limes didn't make it to tasting. I ended up with something growing in there and it wasn't worth giving my friends botulism in the middle of a pandemic :(</p>
L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-44770979100452857522020-05-31T07:00:00.000-04:002020-05-31T07:00:06.088-04:00Pickled Lime Brine; or, how salty was the ocean in 1868?In the midst of preparing to brine my 3 tests of pickled limes that are soaked in saltwater, I decided I wanted the salinity of my brine to roughly resemble seawater, since that's what my research suggests limes would have been preserved in on their way to Boston. Which is about when the rabbit hole opened up next to me and I jumped on in.<br />
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<div style="height: 0; padding-bottom: 41%; position: relative; width: 100%;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="100%" src="https://giphy.com/embed/z6ccg9ZZzWT2E" style="position: absolute;" width="100%"></iframe></div>
<a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/mrw-high-quality-niece-z6ccg9ZZzWT2E">via GIPHY</a><br />
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One of the first articles I saw when I went looking for information on seawater was that seawater composition shifts over time, and a lot of those shifts are due to environmental changes (hello again, global warming). So then I wondered: how much has seawater changed since the mid-19th century?<br />
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It turns out, there's actually a wealth of information on ocean temperature, salinity, etc. at multiple depths. Scientists wrote and published about both the makeup of the earth and the ocean throughout the middle of the century, but the records of ocean information that continue to today began in roughly 1870 when the H.M.S.<i> Challenger</i> set sail.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8xU9j7_PX1bgKCHCcS249VCXQgmaw5QUL4kKWYL9BXhVZKTo1YiAFxBpJCtqLSFrAXIUfP5fpShlox1zotRc7cE2cPvDy8J4BgwCi0SQJaegKh1MbIDK8zikQXjcEjJDrKM8rVo-8A8/s1600/SIL-scienceofseaele00chal_0011_crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1600" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8xU9j7_PX1bgKCHCcS249VCXQgmaw5QUL4kKWYL9BXhVZKTo1YiAFxBpJCtqLSFrAXIUfP5fpShlox1zotRc7cE2cPvDy8J4BgwCi0SQJaegKh1MbIDK8zikQXjcEjJDrKM8rVo-8A8/s640/SIL-scienceofseaele00chal_0011_crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image of the ship, via the<a href="https://library.si.edu/image-gallery/68434" target="_blank"> Smithsonian Library</a></td></tr>
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Considered the start of modern oceanography, the <i>Challenger </i>voyage from 1872-1876 was specifically intended to collect data on features of the ocean--the first mission of its kind. During the five year voyage, the crew of the <i>Challenger</i> collected data on ocean currents, sea floor topography, marine life, and components of the water (e.g. temperature, chemical composition) at various depths. Over its 4-year voyage, the 6 scientists aboard discovered over 4,000 new species and many new elements of the ocean floor--including the Marianas Trench.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The chemical laboratory on board HMS Challenger." height="434" src="https://divediscover.whoi.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/challenger-lab.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the laboratory aboard the H.M.S. <i>Challenger</i>, via <a href="https://divediscover.whoi.edu/history-of-oceanography/the-challenger-expedition/" target="_blank">Dive and Discover</a></td></tr>
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Most helpful to me, the team eventually published their findings: the 50-volume, 29,500-page report was finally finished 23 years after the expedition. Part of what took so long was that the scientific members of the crew brought many samples back to England, and over the time after their return worked with experts on a variety of additional research to better understand what they had collected.<br />
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As you might imagine, there's a <i>lot</i> of data in the <i>Challenger</i> report. And much of it has been digitized, which is really cool! In fact, NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has documentation of ocean data from 1870 through today, including for the <i>Challenger</i> expedition. But as you also might imagine, not being a chemist it was kind of difficult to just find the one number I wanted.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Sir C. Wyville Thomson | Scottish naturalist | Britannica" height="640" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/22/41922-004-AA2B21AC/C-Wyville-Thomson-1877.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="504" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sir C. Wyville Thompson, one of the zoologists aboard the <i>Challenger</i> and authors of the Challenger Report on ocean chemistry</td></tr>
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After a lot of searching, I landed on two helpful sources: <i>The Earth<span style="font-family: inherit;">: </span></i><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Its Physical Condition and Most Remarkable Phenomena</i> by W. Mullinger Higgins (published 1858); and <i>Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873-1876, </i>Physics and Chemistry - vol 1 (published 1884). The latter had a lot of discussed on how the amount of salt in the water was determined (letting the water evaporate and weighing the leftover salt was the main method while at sea!), many inscrutable charts of chemical breakdowns of various samples, and some description of average salt content per kilo of water. With that last part, I was able to determine that a ration of 34.751 grams of salt to 1 kilo of water was generally what I wanted. From the former, I learned that northern oceans were generally considered to have a higher salinity than southern oceans (within a narrow range). Since the pickled limes being imported to Boston during the 1860s were coming from the West Indies, a slightly lower salinity would make sense. According to Higgins, northern ocean salinity ranged from 3.27%-3.91%. Since my 34 grams per kilo falls within that range (and vaguely on the lower side), I felt pretty confident going with it.</span></span><br />
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One last internet search to figure out how many cups of water and salt I would need for that ratio (and a little rounding later), I settled on 4.5 cups of water to 2 tablespoons of salt. And I was off!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Little Women - PART ONE: CHAPTER SEVEN - Amy's Valley of Humiliation" height="388" src="https://assets.americanliterature.com/al/images/book/little-women/VII-humiliation.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">illustration for <i>Little Women</i> chapter 7: Amy's Valley of Humiliation</td></tr>
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SOURCES:<br />
<a href="http://www.geology.19thcenturyscience.org/books/1858-Higgins-Earth/README.htm" target="_blank">Higgins, 1858</a><br />
<a href="http://www.19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-INDEX/index-illustrated.htm" target="_blank">The Challenger Report in full</a><br />
<a href="https://salinometry.com/PDF/Challenger%20report.pdf" target="_blank">Physics and Chemisty, vol 1</a><br />
<a href="https://salinity.oceansciences.org/learn-more.htm?id=114" target="_blank">Salinity at Ocean Sciences</a><br />
<a href="http://salinometry.com/early-determination-of-salinity-from-ancient-concepts-to-challenger-results/4/" target="_blank">Early Determination of Salinity</a><br />
<a href="https://data.nodc.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/iso?id=gov.noaa.nodc:0085914" target="_blank">NOAA Historical Data Index</a><br />
<a href="https://divediscover.whoi.edu/history-of-oceanography/the-challenger-expedition/" target="_blank">The Challenger Expedition, Dive and Discover</a><br />
<a href="https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/hms-challenger-humanitys-first-real-glimpse-of-the-deep-oceans" target="_blank">H.M.S. Challenger: Humanity's First Real Glimpse of the Deep Oceans, Discover Magazine</a><br />
<a href="https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/03mountains/background/challenger/challenger.html" target="_blank">Then and Now: Oceanic Expeditions, NOAA</a><br />
<br />L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-64987401955729432852020-05-25T16:24:00.003-04:002022-08-17T20:37:28.476-04:00The Pickled Lime Project begins; or, more than you ever wanted to know about pickled limes<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">"Why, you see, the girls are always buying them, and unless you want to be thought mean, you must do it too. It's nothing but limes now, for everyone is sucking them in their desks in schooltime, and trading them off for pencils, bead rings, paper dolls, or something else, at recess. If one girl likes another, she gives her a lime. If she's mad with her, she eats one before her face, and doesn't offer even a suck. They treat by turns, and I've had ever so many but haven't returned them, and I ought for they are debts of honor, you know." -from "Amy's Valley of Humiliation", <i>Little Women</i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Bagsy a pickled lime - Telegraph" src="https://secure.i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01917/limes_1917546c.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/8555310/Bagsy-a-pickled-lime.html" target="_blank">The Telegraph</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">Pickled limes have long held the fascination of modern readers of <i>Little Women</i>, because they're not a thing most 21st-century people are familiar with. I love food history, and I love literary history, and I work at the <i>Little Women </i>museum...so it should come as no surprise that pickled limes are often on my mind. Many many years ago I made them with a group of campers during a museum summer program, and let's just say that it was not particularly successful. Surprisingly, it went way worse than the time we tried to get 7-10 year olds to make pulled toffee (although I probably wouldn't eaten much of that either), likely because they were way less excited about the prospect of hot vinegar and salt than hot sugar. But I've always wanted to try again, and just never quite gotten around to it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The kitchen at Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House" height="450" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/6e/a4/dc/6ea4dceba516bf65e548074d7f9eb646.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the kitchen at Orchard House--this is not where I had campers make treats though ;)</td></tr>
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Then the new <i>Little Women</i> movie came out, and (in addition to all of the general movie hype being a lot of fun) I ended up spending some extra time with friends who also work at the historic site. We were talking about things from the book that have stuck with us, and that brought pickled limes back to the front of my brain. But I was feeling a little scarred from the first time, and so rather than just attempting a random internet recipe (of which there are many!), I went back to period sources. And eventually, I made some! Or rather, I've started the process. But more on that in a bit--there's research to discuss first!<br />
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<i>What were pickled limes, and why were they popular?</i><br />
When I was in elementary school (aka "Amy's age"), everybody wanted snap bracelets--pieces of warped plastic with patterns and textures on top that would curl around your wrist when you whacked the taught plastic against your arm. Why??? Kids are weird, and I think that's pretty much always been true. And while no amount of research can explain weird kid fads, it's still worth noting that much of the information available about pickled limes comes from import tariff documentation, as pickled limes <span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">were being imported from the West Indies (what we would now call the Caribbean). These </span>congressional committee transcripts date both from the early and mid 19th century (where there are long accounts of what was imported and how much the taxes were), and from late 19th and early 20th centuries (when there were changes in import tariffs and a lot of debate over how much pickled limes should be taxed). Other sources include fictional works (such as <i>Little Women</i>) that mention pickled limes, and a few recipes...but there really aren't that many recipes. My hypothesis for this is that pickled limes weren't something typically made at home during the 1860s; as Amy mentions, pickled limes could be purchased individually in general stores.<br />
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It's also worth noting that in several of the sources I read, pickled limes are noted as a food only popular among New England women and children. Other sources mention that they require developing a taste to enjoy them. As described by William Brennan, a Boston importer: "<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">this commodity has but a very limited sale and confined almost exclusively to a few New England states. After limes are immersed in sea water for twenty four hours it causes such a physical change that they are of no commercial value whatever other than as a pickled lime...<b>in this form they are consumed mostly by women and children of this section of the country </b>who have acquired the taste for them" (1; emphasis mine). </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">I think it's safe to say that</span> pickled limes were not wildly popular nationwide, and appear to primarily have been imported to New England. I think this is important, because I have seen a lot of recipes for "Amy's pickled limes" that start with some variation on "school children everywhere in the 1860s loved pickled limes!" and I don't think this is accurate--I think it's more likely that pickled limes, like many other moments in <i>Little Women</i>, help to root the book in the peculiar yankee culture Louisa May Alcott knew (and often satirized) so well.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bpldcassets.blob.core.windows.net/derivatives/images/commonwealth:2801pn83w/image_access_800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="800" height="425" src="https://bpldcassets.blob.core.windows.net/derivatives/images/commonwealth:2801pn83w/image_access_800.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Engraving of Boston Common looking towards the State House, 1860 (<a href="https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:2801pn82m">via</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><i>What did pickled limes taste like?</i><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">Let's get this out of the way first: I'm about as sure as I can be based on the sources available that pickled limes as eaten by Amy March were <b>unsweetened</b>. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">The earliest set of import records I found that mention pickled limes come from about 1803, but they appear to gain popularity later in the century. By the 1820s there are 3 kinds of imported lime products documented: "Limes: -juice of, -pickled, -preserved in sugar or brandy" (4). Note that here pickled limes are separate from </span><i style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">sweet</i><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"> preserved limes, which do exist as their own thing. </span><br />
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My favorite descriptor of pickled limes (and how they might have tasted in the 1860s) comes from a different fictional work published in Godey's Magazine in 1859. In <span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><i>The Embroidered Handkerchief: Or, How a Piccolo-Maniac was Cured</i>, author Mary Janvrin</span> describes pickled limes as "<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">that choice <b>acidulated 'goody'</b> of which schoolgirls are so fond" </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1b; text-align: justify;">(2; emphasis mine).</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"> I love this description! For me it calls to mind something sour and addictive even if you aren't sure why you keep eating it. I actually feel this way about some pickles, which might be why it speaks to me so much. Later, Dora (one of the schoolgirls who are the main characters in the story) says "'</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1b; text-align: justify;">I always keep a supply on hand, and am going to tease papa to import a cargo of them for my own especial appropriation. George says I'm always eating them; and if I go on, he shall call me 'Lady Weazenface;' <b>they pucker up one's mouth so, you know</b>" (2; emphasis mine). </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1b; text-align: justify;">Additionally, a later 1890 description of pickled limes specifically notes that they are unsweetened: "p</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">ickled limes are an East India delicacy popular in New England and in Great Britain. They are made of the fresh limes pickled in their own juices and spiced <b>without adding sugar</b>. This pickle is popular with men who used to lived in the tropics or have acquired the taste" (6; emphasis mine). While this description (from a CA farmers' newspaper) doesn't match the brined limes that would have been seen in Boston, I do think the limes Amy ate were unsweetened as well. As Dora describes, they were sour enough to make your face pucker! Additionally, salt amplifies flavor; it's entirely likely that a lime soaked in saltwater would taste more intensely lime-y than salty. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">Finally, I think perhaps one of the key elements here is that the limes used to make pickled limes in the 1860s probably weren't the green limes I can easily buy in the grocery store, but a small, sweeter variety: fully ripened key limes. I say this because every description I found for how limes were harvested and pickled referred to using <b>ripe yellow limes</b>, and the key lime (</span><em style="color: #00240e;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Citrus aurantifolia)</span></em><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"> is also known as the West Indian lime or Mexican lime. I might do a separate blog post about limes, but for now I'll just note that "a</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> ripe lime will be sweeter, less acidic, and juicier than an underripe one" (7). So I think we can likely say that pickled limes were sour but pleasant, and I would be curious to see what elements of the lime's flavor are emphasized by an extended saltwater soak!</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"> (Unfortunately, I couldn't find any yellow key limes in my local grocery store mid-pandemic. So I used green Bearss limes for this set of experiments.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="west indian" height="400" src="https://citrusvariety.ucr.edu/images/WestIndianlimeCVC1813003.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="368" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">West Indian limes, via <a href="https://citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/west_indian.html" target="_blank">UC Riverside College of Natural and Agricultural Scien</a>ce</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1b; text-align: justify;"><i>How were pickled limes made?</i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1b;"><span style="background-color: white;">During my research, I have come up with 5 different methods for making pickled limes, all from mid 19th or early 20th century sources. However, I think the most likely version of pickled limes to be accurate to what Amy actually eats is just whole limes barreled (or jarred) in saltwater. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1b;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1b;"><span style="background-color: white;">The numerous tariff hearings discussing the import of "</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-indent: 4%;">pickled limes, or limes in brine" (1, 3) provide some indication that pickled limes were, as stated, pickled by being soaked in saltwater--specifically, seawater. A description from the 1880s describing the lime trade in this region notes the method of</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-indent: 4%;"> "selecting good sound ripe limes and placing them in casks <b>over which is poured salt water or strong brine</b>. The cask is then made perfectly tight and exported. <b>Limes preserved in this manner are invariably sent to Boston</b>. The brine has to be changed frequently during the process before the fruit is properly pickled. The quantity exported in this manner is very small and, like the export of green limes, is not increasing" (5; emphasis mine). (It's interesting to note here that the author makes a distinction between the yellow limes that get pickled and the green limes that are exported as plain fruit.) A second description of the same process from the same period (but focused on the Florida fruit trade) describes "l</span>imes for pickling for shipping to distant markets. They should be a bright yellow when picked...Place in tight barrels on the same day they are picked and cover at once with a brine as salted only as sea water then head up tight. Change water two or three times. Limes prepared in this way are ready for use at any time either as pickles or by first freshening in clear water and then other recipes" (8). Based on these descriptions and the hearing transcripts, brined in saltwater seems to be a pretty clear winner for what constitutes a pickled lime in Boston in the 1860s. However, I do think it's interesting to note the line about using pickled limes in other recipes--as I mentioned, I found several other recipes for pickled limes. Most of them start with a saltwater brine, but then you wash or boil the limes before re-preserving them using vinegar, sugar, or both. So while Amy was sucking on plain saltwater-brined limes, I think there's room to hypothesize that grownups might have also done more with them. (Or maybe I'm over-interpreting, but I'm going to try all the recipes anyways.)</div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Again, the saltwater brine method is important as a uniquely Boston thing--all of the recipes I found describing salt covering or salt packing methods are from other places, while all of the brined recipes I found are from Boston. While of course it's possible other people in non-New England places made pickled limes with brine, the taste for saltwater-preserved limes seems to have arrived from West Indian trade and stuck around more observably in Boston than in other places. For example, both British and Hawaiian sources describe leaving limes in a warm dry place while coated with salt for several days before putting them into jars, where they cure in the salt and their own juice (9, 10). </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Attempting pickled limes</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Let's get into what I did! I started by breaking the recipes down into two groups: salt and juice brines, and saltwater brines. (As stated above, I believe the saltwater brines are correct for a <i>Little Women</i> pickled lime, but I also wanted to try all the things.) I had a half dozen limes from the grocery store (green Bearss limes, as noted above), so I decided I wanted to try 4-5 approaches and broke the limes up accordingly (I need more limes, but might wait and try a second batch with more correct limes). I used 3 ingredients: pickling salt, limes, and water.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">For the "slit and shove in salt" version, I made 4 shallow vertical slits down the lengths of 2 of the limes, as described in a few recipes (9,10, 11), and filled each cut with pickling salt. Rather than leaving them in the sun, I decided to jar these as described in an 1869 fruit pickling and preserving manual and more modern recipes (12, 13, 14). I will press these down each day to help release juice, then leave them to sit once enough juice is released. Then these will get brined in vinegar.</span></span><br />
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For the rest of the recipes, I put whole limes into a saltwater mixture (more on that later). I found I could only comfortably fit 2 limes into my jars, so I filled each jar with water, added salt, and shook. Once the salt was dissolved and no granules were visible in the water, I opened the jars back up and added the limes. These will sit in the pantry (but may move to the fridge because it's supposed to be HOT the next few days) for 3-4 weeks before I do anything else. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">All of this means that next month things will get interesting. My plans for the limes are:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><br /></span>
1. Salt packed: once cured in salt and their own juice, brine in vinegar and spices as described in 11 & 14. Pretty straightforward, just not what I think was mostly seen in Boston.<br />
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2. Salt brine (plain): whole limes soaked in salt brine and eaten plain--likely what Amy March would have had, based on the description Dora gives in (2), that she's asking her father to import a barrel for her. This implies to me that kids were eating limes straight out of the saltwater brine, and I can't find any mention of new brine or other preservation of the limes once arriving in Boston.<br />
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3. Salt brine, then vinegar brine: whole limes soaked in salt brine, boiled/de-salted, and re-pickled in vinegar as in 15 & 16. This seems possible as an at-home use of imported pickled limes when purchased by adults.<br />
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4. Salt brine, then vinegar/sugar: whole limes soaked in salt brine, boiled/de-salted, and re-pickled in vinegar and sugar as in 15b. Given all of these recipes are from Boston and mimic imported limes by first brining in salt water, I think it's possible something like this was originally done with imported pickled limes and then adapted when those were less common to get than the plain fruit. I also have a reference in an 1892 article on CA fruit mentioning that it's best with "yellow sugar" in the brine, so I wonder if sugar started getting added when the variety of limes changed too.<br />
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5. Salt brine, then sugar syrup: whole limes soaked in salt brine, boiled/de-salted, and soaked in sugar syrup. One of the articles from Boston Cooking School (17) mentioned this method, and it sounds delicious so I wanted to try it. I also noticed a couple of similar recipes in <i style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Peterson's Preserving, Pickling, & Canning Fruit Manual </i><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">(18)</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, which puts the method as early as the 1860s. Whether it was ever done to pickled limes I don't know...but I'm trying it anyway. For science, of course.</span><br />
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References:<br />
1: United States Congress transcripts for the Committee on Ways and Means, 1908-1909<br />
2: <span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><i>The Embroidered Handkerchief: Or, How a Piccolo-Maniac was Cured</i>, by Mary Janvrin. Godey's Magazine, 1859</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">3: Tariff hearings, <i>from</i> Miscellaneous documents of the House of Representatives, 1892-1893</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">4: Rates of Duty on goods, wares, and merchandise imported into the United States; Amendment to the Tariff of 1824, June 1828</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">5: </span><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, serif;"><i>Limes and Lime Trees in the Leeward Islands</i>,</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #3c4043;">Report by Vice-Consul Galbraith of Antigua,</span><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">1893</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">6: <i>Domestic Economy,</i> column, </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">Pacific Rural Press (California) 1890</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">7: "This is why you should quit passing over yellow limes at the supermarket", <a href="https://www.thekitchn.com/this-is-why-you-should-quit-passing-over-yellow-limes-at-the-supermarket-230318" target="_blank">The Kitchn</a>, April 24, 2016</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">8: </span><i>Florida Fruits and How to Raise Them</i>,1886<br />
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Reference Recipes:<br />
9: <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><i>Pickled Limes (Chinese Method)</i>, From Bulletin 49,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station 1921</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">Needed: Limes, Coarse salt, Granulated sugar, Large glass jars fitted with air tight caps.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">Wash limes thoroughly expose them to sun for two or three hours to dry out surplus water, rub salt into limes while they are warm from the sunning and again once or twice each day for the next four or five days after they have been exposed to the sun. At the end of that time place salted limes in large glass Jars having air tight caps. Sprinkle surface with coarse salt before placing the cap. Expose the jars of pickling limes to the sunlight for two or more months to cure limes thoroughly before opening Jars. When properly cured pickled limes vary in color from light brown to dark mahogany. When serving remove the number of limes desired, sprinkle with granulated sugar one half teaspoonful of sugar to each pickled lime, and then partly mash. They may be served with meat, rice, and the like.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">10: "The Lucknow Receipt for Pickling Limes or Lemons", </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><i>A New System of Domestic Cookery: Founded upon Principles of Economy</i>, London 1842</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">Bruise the limes or lemons on a stone then throw them into water and place them afterwards in an earthen vessel covered with salt for two or three days. Shaking the vessel frequently take out the limes when they are soft spread them on a cloth and let them dry. The open air is sufficient in India but in England they must be placed at the side of a stove. When dry add vinegar and the juice which came from them when in the earthen vessel. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;">11: Pickled Limes, </span><i>Florida Fruits and How to Raise Them</i>, 1886<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 4%;"> </span><br />
Pickled Limes are prepared exactly according to recipe given for pickled lemons and are equally good...<span style="background-color: white;">Pickled Lemons. Cut the lemons in quarters not entirely apart and put a teaspoonful of salt in each one. Put them where they will dry either in the hot sun or by the stove when they are dried so that they are black and look good for nothing. Prepare the vinegar with cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger root, onion, and a little mustard seed and pour it boiling hot over the lemons. Keep a year before using. They are quite equal to the West India limes. They require more vinegar than other pickles as the lemons will swell out to their natural size.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">12: Amy March's Pickled Limes, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=yubK8iNWXooC&lpg=PA77&ots=YnfRvIcE49&dq=joy%20of%20pickling%20pickled%20limes&pg=PA77#v=onepage&q=joy%20of%20pickling%20pickled%20limes&f=false" target="_blank"><i>The Joy of Pickling </i>by Linda Ziedrich</a></span><br />
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13: "What to do with preserved limes, your latest kitchen experiment", <a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/article/what-to-do-with-preserved-limes" target="_blank">Bon Appetite Magazine</a>, August 23, 2016<br />
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14: <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Mrs. C’s Lemon Pickles, </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Peterson's Preserving, Pickling, & Canning Fruit Manual</i> 1869</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">They should be </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">small, and with thick rind. Rub them with a </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">piece of flannel; then slit them half down in four </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">quarters, but not through to the pulp ; fill the slits </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">with salt hard pressed in ; set them upright in a </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">pan for four or five days, until the salt melts ; turn </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">them thrice a day in their own liquid, until tender; </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">make enough pickle to cover them, of vinegar, the </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">brine of the lemons, Jamaica pepper and ginger; </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">boil and skim it; when cold, put it to the lemons, </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">with two ounces of mustard-seed, and two cloves </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">of garlic to six lemons. When the lemons are </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">used, the pickle will be useful in fish or other </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">sauces. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">15: "</span>Pickled Limes", The Boston Cooking-School Magazine, volume 10, 1910<br />
The limes must first be steeped salted water to remove bitterness cook in water until tender drain in jars with whole spices-a tablespoonful to a quart then cover hot vinegar. Seal as in canning. Without experience the exact of salt needed in the brine and time required for steeping cannot definitely stated. Probably a cup salt to a gallon of water and steeping twelve to twenty four hours would about right.<br />
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15b: Sweet Pickled Limes, from the same article as a variation<br />
To a gallon of limes steeped in salted take a gallon of vinegar, three of sugar, one fourth a pound of cinnamon, three ounces of cloves, one ounce of mace. Boil the limes very tender, drain, cover with the liquid and spices heated together then as above.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">16: "</span>1901 Recipe for Pickling Limes," The Boston Cooking-School Magazine, volume 17, 1912<br />
Make a brine strong enough to float an egg and in quantity to cover a dozen limes. Let stand six days stirring the brine each day. Drain and set to boil in two quarts of boiling water. Let boil fifteen minutes. Let drain and become cold. Scald one quart of vinegar, half an ounce of cloves, half an ounce of mace, half an ounce of ginger root, half an ounce of horse radish, and one ounce of white mustard seed and pour over the limes disposed in fruit jars. Close securely. These are best after keeping some months.<br />
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17: "Sweet-pickled limes [variation on pickled limes, similar to recipe above from vol 17]," <span style="background-color: white;">The Boston Cooking School Magazine of Culinary Science and Domestic Economics, volume 16, 1912</span><br />
Put the [salt-brined] limes in cold water and let it come to a boil. Cook ten minutes and throw the water away. Repeat the process as long as patience or the kitchen fire holds out. The water should be changed four times at least. Skim them out and put them in a big bowl to cool. Make a thick syrup of sugar and water using a half cup of vinegar to a quart of water. Cook the syrup until it is as thick as molasses. Let it get cold. Prick each lime two or three times with a silver fork. When they and the syrup are cold put them together and let them stand over night. The syrup will then be thinned by the juice of the limes. If it is too watery boil it over again. Put the limes in jars and pour the cold syrup over them. They will keep indefinitely if nobody knows they are in the store closet.<br />
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18. <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Plum Pickles,</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> <i>Peterson's Preserving, Pickling, & Canning Fruit Manual</i> 1869</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">To every quart of plums, allow </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">one-half pound of sugar, and one pint of best cider </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">vinegar. Melt the sugar in the vinegar, and put </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">spices of all sorts in a fine muslin bag, and boil up </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">with the sugar and vinegar. When the sugar and </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">spiced vinegar boils up, put in the plums, and give </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">them one good boil. If you wish to keep the </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">plums whole, prick them with a needle.</span></div>
</div>L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-55109671845748024842020-05-04T22:21:00.000-04:002020-05-04T22:21:05.144-04:00A Little Armchair TravelWhile incredibly important, staying home is definitely difficult. I work part time at a museum as I've spoken about before, and I have appreciated the solidarity among the guides during our closure period. To feel a little less isolated, I've been virtually visiting places I'd love to see in person someday. This is actually a very 19th century approach! As <a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2014/02/an-introduction-to-19th-century.html" target="_blank">photography became more prevalent</a> in the mid-19th century, you could buy images (especially "stereo", or 3D, images) that showed <a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2014/07/industry-and-exploration-travel-and-war.html" target="_blank">faraway places</a> unreachable without extensive travel. Of course, we've come a long way from squinting through a stereoscope...modern options for "armchair travel" include panoramas, videos, and interactive tours.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Home of Louisa Alcott, Concord" height="316" src="https://fedora.digitalcommonwealth.org/fedora/objects/commonwealth:9880w644g/datastreams/access800/content" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">stereocard: "home of Louisa Alcott". Undated, but likely late 1870s? (<a href="https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:9880w6436" target="_blank">via BPL</a>)</td></tr>
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<br />I thought I would share a few of the virtual tours I've explored over the last few weeks. I tried to pick the ones that I thought had the best virtual experience, but there were so many more I found! Definitely check to see if a place you're interested in has a virtual tour up right now.<br />
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Most of these are free, but some are behind a paywall that goes to support the museum. (Since museums are being hit incredibly hard, this is a nice way to help support them right now if you can.)<br />
I hope you enjoy this list! And if there are any great virtual tours you recommend, I would love to hear about them.<br />
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<b>Orchard House (Concord, MA)</b><br />
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<img alt="Orchard House: Home of Little Women — Network Ireland Television" height="347" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5374a2bae4b065b57c0ddf98/1541431163679-DRTVCKT1KWS6OPIXOJ4S/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kCZVIquQ-GsCS_aZkyr_tDZZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWQUxwkmyExglNqGp0IvTJZamWLI2zvYWH8K3-s_4yszcp2ryTI0HqTOaaUohrI8PIqgGtG3dVcWYimP7kLDXVdZXaO-bxYeLEJ_bzdADnoV8KMshLAGzx4R3EDFOm1kBS/Orchard+House+Main.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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I'm partial to this home of the Alcott family, as I've worked there since 2005. The historic house museum was the home of <i>Little Women</i> author Louisa May Alcott, along with her family. Their history covers many themes that still resonate today: educational reform, women's suffrage, abolition, and class inequality were all an important part of the Alcotts' time in Concord. <a href="https://vimeo.com/ondemand/peekinsideorchardhouse" target="_blank">You can rent a virtual tour here</a>, and check out <a href="https://vimeo.com/showcase/7073854" target="_blank">free posts highlighting specific artifacts</a> each week.<br />
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<b>Villa Lewaro, the Madam C.J. Walker Estate (Irvington, NY)</b><br />
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<img alt="A new life for Villa Lewaro, grand home of the country's first ..." height="425" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/88yxin_WQMz6c1MEo8eXp2pSNp4=/0x0:2048x1362/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2048x1362):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7709255/Villa_Lewaro_1360_crHistoricNewEngland_DavidBohl.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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This grand Italian renaissance-inspired villa was owned by Madam C.J. Walker, the first black female millionaire in the U.S. Walker and her daughter A'Lelia were both important figures in social movements of their time: during her lifetime Walker championed programs for black women's economic independence and was a vocal advocate for the anti-lynching movement. <a href="https://savingplaces.org/places/villa-lewaro-madam-c-j-walker-estate/updates/take-a-virtual-tour-of-villa-lewaro" target="_blank">You can tour the estate for free here</a>, with narration by Walker's great-great granddaughter. In 2018 the site was purchased by the New Voices Foundation, and <a href="https://newvoicesfund.com/" target="_blank">you can read more about them (and donate) here</a>.<br />
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<b>Winchester Mystery House (San Jose, CA)</b><br />
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<img alt="Is this America's strangest house? | loveproperty.com" height="425" src="https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/c6ae1375-9cae-4b5b-b7b6-f5dc8521a721-0e52d766-c200-4593-aa66-bafacd70ced4-32-winchester-house-from-above.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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I will never let Mr. Plaid live down the fact that before we were dating, we were in San Jose and he would not tour this house with me! The Winchester Mystery House began life as an 8-room farmhouse purchased by Sarah Winchester, heir to a large part of the Winchester gun manufacturing fortune from her husband. Between 1886 and 1922 Sarah Winchester pretty much constantly added or re-did parts of the house--upon her death the structure had 160 rooms. No one knows why, but there are a lot of (very haunted) theories. The house itself is weird and beautiful, and Sarah Winchester was fascinating person. You can <a href="https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/video-tour/" target="_blank">rent or buy a video tour here</a>, or opt for <a href="https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/immersive-360-walkthrough/" target="_blank">the 360 tour</a> (which I have not tried!).<br />
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<b>The Frick Collection (New York, NY)</b><br />
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<img alt="My New York Obsession: A Throne Fit for a Frickin' Queen at the ..." height="416" src="https://wswd-wordpress-production.s3.amazonaws.com/content/uploads/2018/06/27122934/the-frick-collection.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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The Frick has a reputation for its incredible art collection (it is an art museum after all), but I was intrigued by the description of the museum as "the last Gilded Age mansion on Fifth Avenue." All that Wharton immediately made me perk up at that! It was very cool to get a peak inside this very fabulous space. <a href="https://www.frick.org/visit/virtual_tour" target="_blank">You can see the virtual tour here</a>, which is free and includes an audio guide.<br />
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<b>Museo Frida Kahlo (Mexico City, Mexico)</b><br />
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<img alt="Casa Azul: a glimpse into Frida Kahlo's world – Museeum" height="260" src="https://www.museeum.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/hero_JULIO_Semana-de-Frida_MAIN-3.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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After her death, husband Diego Rivera donated the home of artist Frida Kahlo to become a museum to her life and legacy. During her life, Kahlo was a revolutionary whose art drew from Mexican folk culture and her struggles with chronic pain. Her work focused on reclaiming identity--both her own femininity outside beauty standards and Mexican culture freed from colonialism. The museum has a <a href="https://www.museofridakahlo.org.mx/en/the-blue-house/multimedia/" target="_blank">free photo walk through here</a>, but there's no guide--I recommend reading the information on the rest of the website and at the <a href="https://www.frida-kahlo-foundation.org/" target="_blank">Frida Kahlo Foundation</a>.<br />
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<b>Royall House Museum and Slave Quarters (Medford, MA)</b><br />
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<img alt="One house, two histories in Medford - The Boston Globe" height="480" src="https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/JxxTp2lqWqbY1uaKKKllVwoh1II=/1440x0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-bostonglobe.s3.amazonaws.com/public/EMR46PAUHQI6HNH6SZNY2AN6WY.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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The 18th century home of the Royall family is an important look into enslaved peoples' experiences in the North. The site of the wealthy Royall family is currently the only surviving slave dwelling structure in New England, and the historic site's mission to share the experiences of everyone who lived there is so important for understanding U.S. history. The museum does not have a special guided tour during quarantine, but was previously feature on Stuff You Missed in History Class. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdE7ravZvas" target="_blank">You can watch the video here</a> and see the<a href="https://royallhouse.org/" target="_blank"> museum's site (with information about how to support the organization) here</a>.<br />
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<b>Edgar Allen Poe House & Museum (Baltimore, MD)</b><br />
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<img alt="Poe Baltimore | The Museum" height="274" src="https://i2.wp.com/www.poeinbaltimore.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/shadows1.jpg?resize=1287%2C552&ssl=1" width="640" /><br />
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I'm including this one specifically because the Poe museum is doing <i>live</i> guided tours of the site via Zoom, which is really cool! You can find out more about<a href="https://www.poeinbaltimore.org/virtual-tour/" target="_blank"> signing up for this pay-what-you-can experience here</a>. The Poe museum has actually been on the forefront of incorporating technology into the historic museum experience for a while--I wrote a paper on them in grad school--and I love that they're finding ways to bring the site to life right now.<br />
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<b>Lippet House Museum (Providence, RI)</b><br />
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<img alt="filmed at lippitt house museum - Google Search | House museum ..." height="426" src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/15/91/10/15911086e64bca435f0c85f54db7b7f0.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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I'm ending on a slightly different kind of tour: this guided tour is entirely in American Sign Language. I was able to spend an afternoon at the Lippett House <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BziREQFgqpn/" target="_blank">last summer</a>, and really enjoyed seeing the beautifully preserved rooms and learning about the cutting edge technology (for its time) used throughout the home. Henry Lippett designed the home and had it built for his family in 1865, 10 years before he became governor of Rhode Island; his interest in technology is reflected in the "modern" advances built into the house, like central heating. After their daughter Jeanie became deaf from scarlet fever at age 4, Mary Ann Lippet became an advocate for deaf children's education and founded the Rhode Island School for the Deaf with her daughter in 1876. <a href="https://www.preserveri.org/asl-tour-lippitt-house-museum" target="_blank">You can read about the house and watch the ASL tour playlist for free here</a>.L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-41938952230379543562020-04-17T13:00:00.000-04:002020-04-17T13:00:05.527-04:00Breakfast Cap for a Bride, 1860s<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I have an ongoing fascination with caps. I think they're absurd. Also, I kind of love them?</div>
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Usually my focus is on Regency caps, because the only reliable daytime event I go to these days is the tea at our annual Regency dance weekend. But every now and then I come across a later period cap, and I tuck it away. While I was working on my 1860s morning dress, I came across a particular description for a breakfast cap that seemed serendipitous:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" " src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/22/fe/ed/22feed3caa65a9e63b91e27672fd83e9.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Godey's Lady's Book, December 1861 (<a href="https://archive.org/stream/godeysladysbook100hale#page/516/mode/2up" target="_blank">via</a>)</td></tr>
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"NOVELTIES FOR DECEMBER...Breakfast-cap for a bride (a fashion becoming more and more universal since breakfast caps are now made extremely <i>piquant</i> and becoming). Material spotted thulle [sic], trimmed with roses and <i>rose de chine</i> ribbon."</div>
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I think a combination of being newly married myself and finding spotted tulle while at the craft store for something wholly unrelated lead me to decide that I needed a breakfast cap to go with my morning dress. I ended up taking inspiration from the description above and the general shape of these two extant caps from the period.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Black net cap" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/22/94/97/2294972e95f5cb63ac623d62aec64ea6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">black net cap, French, from the<a href="https://collections.mfa.org/objects/47757" target="_blank"> MFA Boston</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="1863 Godey's. "Breakfast caps. 1. ...of French muslin trimmed with violet ribbons. 2. ...in the form of a net trimmed all round with a double row of blonde; two ribbon streamers behind. Three roses make a pretty bandeau to the front of the cap. Black or white net may be used for the purpose, and whatever colored ribbon best suits the complexion of the wearer." [jrb]" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ab/fa/01/abfa01c13ff72e5aa995a6643e446497.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">breakfast caps, from <i>Godey's</i> 1863</td></tr>
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And then I made it up. I knew I needed a structure of some kind, so I ended up using black velvet ribbon to make a base shape. Then a gathered a circle of spotted tulle to the ribbon, and trimmed the hell out of it.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUfk9a2UlhpaOgzUkzUqqYpINGhjokLds6rFzAM6gBKKWZDIFLjiRMZHmfdNqQZ3yU03_xq9a8AbZ4I5RdUk-d71HCTzkBGs34A-KTLnI5Fxf0cG25pP-p3xRERh1nhyphenhyphen24OmWlxd2vJg/s1600/2020-04-03+17.55.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUfk9a2UlhpaOgzUkzUqqYpINGhjokLds6rFzAM6gBKKWZDIFLjiRMZHmfdNqQZ3yU03_xq9a8AbZ4I5RdUk-d71HCTzkBGs34A-KTLnI5Fxf0cG25pP-p3xRERh1nhyphenhyphen24OmWlxd2vJg/s400/2020-04-03+17.55.18.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ribbon base</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGXTIZtfNF-3ktr4kPAvLPnq1TEKWh-_pqU5TYkj5t5WQmTnFE0k3IfgOog9NuQOt9KEK9upElzlqlexyK_gZFzeCX7eyNLqvTFESnM5-XQkRlzYavnqgfmoeO_E3a4My7oAOqGzdKEw/s1600/2020-04-03+21.37.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGXTIZtfNF-3ktr4kPAvLPnq1TEKWh-_pqU5TYkj5t5WQmTnFE0k3IfgOog9NuQOt9KEK9upElzlqlexyK_gZFzeCX7eyNLqvTFESnM5-XQkRlzYavnqgfmoeO_E3a4My7oAOqGzdKEw/s400/2020-04-03+21.37.17.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">completed cap</td></tr>
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I did depart from the description on the colors: mine is trimmed in blue silk ribbon and purple flowers rather than roses and pink ribbon, but both the ribbons and flowers came to my stash from wedding gifts. So I feel like that doubles down a bit on the "bride"-iness of the cap and it makes me happy! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4lnWViqCRLSJ9T6wot0ns1uVlCYXQCiGquMJi_gKq62yqsE1mvJmAKtwqmMi93GOyMDJmNS2x0Ll4Me7MiZmWyXng9K-zfOF6xc5kj5cCJDJAcyCqm-S4vP1X3A74WyuNmFVWv58W9g/s1600/IMG_6714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4lnWViqCRLSJ9T6wot0ns1uVlCYXQCiGquMJi_gKq62yqsE1mvJmAKtwqmMi93GOyMDJmNS2x0Ll4Me7MiZmWyXng9K-zfOF6xc5kj5cCJDJAcyCqm-S4vP1X3A74WyuNmFVWv58W9g/s640/IMG_6714.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cap, hair, and dress</td></tr>
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In the end, I should have pinned this in a bit better. It slid back from the center of my scalp where I had intended it to sit. Also, by the time this picture was taken my loosely styled hair was falling pretty considerably. But even so, I'm really pleased with this first foray into caps! It's absurd, which is just the way I like it.<br />
<br />L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-90810949047565780002020-04-12T20:10:00.000-04:002020-04-12T20:10:01.806-04:00A Dress for Staying Home: 1860s Morning RobeBack in December, I bought two lovely reproduction print cottons on a <i>Little Women</i> movie high. Printed cotton always feels very appropriate to me for New England, as between 1810 and about 1840 the Massachusetts textile industry was one of the largest in the country (and is where the power loom was invented). The Waltham-Lowell system of fabric production introduced two major ideas to fabric production: 1) going from raw material to a finished product (fabric) with all processes happening within the same factory building, cutting down on transportation and logistics; and 2) primarily employing single young women. These factors helped to shape the production of cloth in America for much of the early 19th century, and helped give the group of mill owning families known as "the Boston Associates" significant financial clout. The textile industry shaped the state as I know it today: 45 mill towns were established in MA in the first half of the century, and the mill owners also invested in the establishment of railroads and water power sites.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Mill Girls of Lowell - Lowell National Historical Park (U.S. ..." height="446" src="https://www.nps.gov/lowe/learn/historyculture/images/lowe-1547.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">period illustration of a mill campus in Lowell, MA</td></tr>
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Of course, during the 1860s new cotton fabric would be difficult to come by--the economies of the North and South were closely linked through cotton textile production, and so the Confederacy placed an embargo on raw cotton. With a lack of raw materials or employees (as many mill workers, known as "mill girls," volunteered as nurses or went home to fill in for men who had joined the army), many mills shut down until after the war. But there are so many mid-century cotton dresses, I think the association has stuck for me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="426" src="https://cdn10.bostonmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/lofts-boott-mills.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boott Mills, Lowell (now apartments)</td></tr>
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But you came here for the clothes! So back to that fabric order...I ordered 2 prints, one dated c. 1860 and the other dated 1830-1845. The 1860 print seemed perfect of a very particular impression-inspired dress, but I had didn't really have a vision for the earlier print. I just really liked it when I saw it on the <a href="https://www.twobeesfabric.com/index.htm" target="_blank">store website</a>. Xena approved as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgpIDTPYRAmHgUP7xtSCRQTW1bMPu3z8nxJaK8exQhItG0p5Kx9RfyQZ794HLqKRrCQxQSh7GwRAOeES1-sroXNpBJ2kT_16dRaZSM2q19F3hWpoFTqPtHjKyClUleJrz1Eexb1AWLec/s1600/Xena-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="1600" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgpIDTPYRAmHgUP7xtSCRQTW1bMPu3z8nxJaK8exQhItG0p5Kx9RfyQZ794HLqKRrCQxQSh7GwRAOeES1-sroXNpBJ2kT_16dRaZSM2q19F3hWpoFTqPtHjKyClUleJrz1Eexb1AWLec/s640/Xena-collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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At some point over the next few months while I was busy with other projects, this fabric started to tell me that it wanted to be a morning dress. I spent some time looking at extant morning dresses and fashion plates, and started to get some ideas--specifically, many of the originals I liked were trimmed with quilted silk, and I happened to have some in the stash!<br />
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The term "morning dress" referred to relatively simple dresses that closed in front, and were intended for wear around the house. Several styles appear in magazines, including a sack coat and matching skirt, a fitted dress with no waist seam, and a dress belted to define the waist (with or without an actual waist seam separating the bodice and skirt). Two notes I found interesting while looking at issues of <i>Peterson's</i> and <i>Godey's Lady's Book</i> for this project were that morning dresses intended for interior wear (as opposed to walking dresses or morning walking dresses) were noted as often trimmed with velvet, embroidery, or quilted silk; and that apparently in France morning petticoats were more expensive than morning dresses, because they were so finely trimmed or embroidered. This actually makes sense, as many morning dresses are open in front, revealing the petticoat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Peterson's Magazine September 1863 blue wrapper." src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/7b/62/d1/7b62d12e60a189ddb54330d9b6425749.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning dress, 1863, with embroidered, tucked, and ruffled petticoat visible in front (from<a href="http://www.copyrightexpired.com/fashionillustrations/petersons/jandec1863/sep.html" target="_blank"> <i>Peterson's Magazine</i></a>)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="640" src="https://hne-rs.s3.amazonaws.com/filestore/3/2/5/0/1_ff8e980408d39d3/32501scr_1931b51c9207d58.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Extant morning gown, wool, c.1860-1864 (<a href="https://www.historicnewengland.org/explore/collections-access/capobject/?gusn=27297" target="_blank">Historic New England</a>)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="640" src="https://www.augusta-auction.com/auctions/36/113/0113.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="389" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Printed wool morning robe with quilted silk trim and patch pockets, 1860s (<a href="https://www.augusta-auction.com/list-of-past-auctions-by-date?view=lot&id=15770&auction_file_id=36" target="_blank">Augusta Auctions</a>)</td></tr>
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You can see <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/plaidpetticoats/1860s-morning-gowns-and-wrappers/" target="_blank">my Pinterest board for this project here</a>, but in general here were the elements I decided I wanted to incorporate:<br />
-button up bodice<br />
-full sleeves with cuffs that open to undersleeves<br />
-quilted silk trim<br />
-a patch pocket<br />
-a belt with a bow<br />
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I also decided that since this project was not for an event (shocking, I know!), I was going to use it as an opportunity to focus on small details<i>. </i>So I made a particular effort to pattern match at the center front overlap, do something fun with the pocket (cut from scraps, so still an efficient and period use of fabric), and carry the decorative piping to the belt. Overall, I'm incredibly pleased with how it turned out!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rutY-f0g3x5ymkNhapQvY19PwsYsraXzvl8smDtkI8kazPZCjiEvSZqjScxClgMXOujXXz35-BgQXWjaKZr9_bZjMoKjXfFt-q07Y4tqwzSn_AR43SLW1NjM1Ig3ubgmmQ2rn1k2xvI/s1600/IMG_6710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rutY-f0g3x5ymkNhapQvY19PwsYsraXzvl8smDtkI8kazPZCjiEvSZqjScxClgMXOujXXz35-BgQXWjaKZr9_bZjMoKjXfFt-q07Y4tqwzSn_AR43SLW1NjM1Ig3ubgmmQ2rn1k2xvI/s640/IMG_6710.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVe6kHSaJlsbhjaJLEhTSjhNBp-YGSsbrydx5wtmrUohJtMN6cyuwpyFtXS51rTsNaFLoDTj4X3jQe6Et7O7Hihc_0n6zdB2vsYp1IGdTrhyphenhyphenfUsWbDNFMVbJ5ZHRTmijPAy9iUri3_zaE/s1600/IMG_6704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVe6kHSaJlsbhjaJLEhTSjhNBp-YGSsbrydx5wtmrUohJtMN6cyuwpyFtXS51rTsNaFLoDTj4X3jQe6Et7O7Hihc_0n6zdB2vsYp1IGdTrhyphenhyphenfUsWbDNFMVbJ5ZHRTmijPAy9iUri3_zaE/s640/IMG_6704.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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(Please excuse the sad photos, obviously locations and materials were limited! Plus after I ironed the sheet it feel down and got wrinkled.)<br />
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The dress uses the <a href="https://www.pastpatterns.com/1850s-to-1860s-antebellum-era/fashionable-skirt-and-gathered-fitted-bodice-pattern" target="_blank">Past Patterns 701</a> bodice, which has a nice full look from the gathers at the front and back. Then I altered the sleeves to be open at the bottom and stop just above my wrist, allowing my undersleeves to fill in the space below. The skirt is just rectangles finished at the front edge without closures and gathered to the waistband. The quilted silk trim is sewn on top of the bodice and skirt fronts, and finishes the neck and sleeve edges. All of the quilted strips are edged on one side with bright green silk piping.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0UNRE65Pofv2HF39Txgnqn4YzBv7rw3dlqGglA_puLrFFiwDbCHVcOqOG7fuYf5no0VyYUgvxk7FshdaZLXV24TYxdxoVc-1nirtlRUISIYpnJh_ZlLOJ4DAygDTGhZsJCH1Xpvt2zx4/s1600/2020-03-15+17.26.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0UNRE65Pofv2HF39Txgnqn4YzBv7rw3dlqGglA_puLrFFiwDbCHVcOqOG7fuYf5no0VyYUgvxk7FshdaZLXV24TYxdxoVc-1nirtlRUISIYpnJh_ZlLOJ4DAygDTGhZsJCH1Xpvt2zx4/s400/2020-03-15+17.26.30.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fiddling with button placement while I could still lay out the front pieces flat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWB2Idry5O3EX0S4mItzzd224lZ1p0CNmzD_sHbraRnpe_chyphenhyphen-cv5a46e4N3g4FNTKlfRFbjCLRg3O-oY-2i1ZMRtCUuOuFZ3sNoXxbVbBbt4Y7_STLqsEGhxHwsuFzhPojmwLNFbRu1U/s1600/2020-03-16+20.51.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWB2Idry5O3EX0S4mItzzd224lZ1p0CNmzD_sHbraRnpe_chyphenhyphen-cv5a46e4N3g4FNTKlfRFbjCLRg3O-oY-2i1ZMRtCUuOuFZ3sNoXxbVbBbt4Y7_STLqsEGhxHwsuFzhPojmwLNFbRu1U/s400/2020-03-16+20.51.57.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piping what became the top edge of the sleeve cuff</td></tr>
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Aside from the cotton (which admittedly was the bulk of this project), everything else came from the stash: acid green silk for the piping, quilted silk for the trim, lining, and an old "create your own buttons" kit I found in a large collection of miscellaneous buttons I was given several years ago. It was nice to use so many things that have been around for a long time!<br />
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This dress also gave me a chance to try out several new techniques, including patch pockets and hand-worked button holes. I actually really enjoyed doing the button holes, and will no longer avoid buttons on projects! The patch pocket was less intimidating but equally fun to do. It's stupidly large because I wanted to be able to carry my cell phone in it if I'm wearing this for living history programs in the future. To ensure my phone would fit I traced my phone onto a piece of pattern fabric and then measured a pocket around it that seemed reasonably sized.<br />
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Then I folded the pattern in half and added a seam allowance, so that I could cut 2 pieces to create a chevron on the pocket. Because why not?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN36k5hvORCMhbL0YBCx6HWTnjV6iI8gd6XOTNgQGBC9DzJNtrmzGxBS7XLUXl9T10hx80TCTxaignqFGv5rVvAZu6O6gaIeu9sbEvgO7GJUYnSbCm1I_r49_eosyM8SgI6bVxlEc_Me4/s1600/2020-03-18+10.46.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN36k5hvORCMhbL0YBCx6HWTnjV6iI8gd6XOTNgQGBC9DzJNtrmzGxBS7XLUXl9T10hx80TCTxaignqFGv5rVvAZu6O6gaIeu9sbEvgO7GJUYnSbCm1I_r49_eosyM8SgI6bVxlEc_Me4/s400/2020-03-18+10.46.07.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Since I've only worn this for photos to date, I haven't needed to carry my phone around. But I know I can, and that's what matters!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9er758T7Zh5j1b9ifcl2w1btvNqvY8-qtRM9jU_vKv5lMVEOADZXu4k4-_HgbscJnCliF8xCNey4gaX5osuNDTAoeruqkzrDKtRalG_B3inU8E0NfxbSvUGngGGAwbApZ1BKboJQXKA/s1600/IMG_6699.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="1600" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9er758T7Zh5j1b9ifcl2w1btvNqvY8-qtRM9jU_vKv5lMVEOADZXu4k4-_HgbscJnCliF8xCNey4gaX5osuNDTAoeruqkzrDKtRalG_B3inU8E0NfxbSvUGngGGAwbApZ1BKboJQXKA/s640/IMG_6699.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The final element of this ensemble is the belt. Many of the morning dresses I looked at for inspiration had tie belts with tassels, which are very cute. I liked the idea of a belt but worried a tasseled belt would push this more into wrapper/negligee territory than I wanted. But then I found this illustration with a fun bow belt:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" " src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/4e/67/b6/4e67b612660dcce70e18f646318afe9f.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Period illustration, <a href="http://www.extantgowns.com/" target="_blank">via</a></td></tr>
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I decided to go in that direction and make a belt with a bow. I also piped it with the same acid green silk as the quilted trim on the dress, similar to the way the scalloped edge and lace are carried from the dress to the belt in the illustration.<br />
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I forgot to take pictures of the belt construction process, but it consists of a long belt piece, a square that becomes the bow, a small loop for the bow center, and 2 tails. The tails are sewn to the back of the loop, and then the large square and the belt are threaded into it. It makes the whole thing rather compact and gave me control over each element individually, which I think worked out well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdJDPD1l5V9Ecszlfu7VwLOFm-VHfgZrVB1SHrjAA9Zo05tGFjYDHBgnXqPFcUKF8WItmgDco0PvOzgit4t-5wHNvXoFpqsD3i3wD1HdxqYr8Jc9ozr_cYZXrsPjJrkHkwrX5jwXXMBs/s1600/2020-04-11+13.14.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdJDPD1l5V9Ecszlfu7VwLOFm-VHfgZrVB1SHrjAA9Zo05tGFjYDHBgnXqPFcUKF8WItmgDco0PvOzgit4t-5wHNvXoFpqsD3i3wD1HdxqYr8Jc9ozr_cYZXrsPjJrkHkwrX5jwXXMBs/s640/2020-04-11+13.14.18.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">excuse the weird angle...bow selfie!</td></tr>
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Since it will be a while before I can wear this out and get help with photos, I decided to entertain myself this weekend by setting up a photography studio in our bedroom. I had planned to be totally self sufficient, but after a small disaster falling off a chair, losing my carefully hung bedsheet-as-backdrop, and having the cat escape (I was trying to get her to be in photos <a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/de/42/33/de4233ee07ffa2b7a8221148972d7693.jpg" target="_blank">like</a> <a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ab/a9/e0/aba9e047194d7fa957344181bfce0392.jpg" target="_blank">period</a> <a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/cd/6a/87/cd6a87086367d5454ef60a12a9909138.jpg" target="_blank">cats</a>!), Mr. Plaid stepped in and decided it would be better for everyone if I had a photographer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJpw9m0rixbS7JFCB68l4pr13rIHIDc6zCh5TH344AJSXR0oxEbrbD7lHwKn3IEXeTEq-lawIN7_aBsz84_l-0tHFkfTpBkCtE7COzyDXet4fwXSKJQ_jhEOfl6YsdA-6TFfoxjoaTRo/s1600/IMG_6692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJpw9m0rixbS7JFCB68l4pr13rIHIDc6zCh5TH344AJSXR0oxEbrbD7lHwKn3IEXeTEq-lawIN7_aBsz84_l-0tHFkfTpBkCtE7COzyDXet4fwXSKJQ_jhEOfl6YsdA-6TFfoxjoaTRo/s640/IMG_6692.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Considering he has never used my camera before, and I was posing in front of a bedsheet taped to the wall, I think he did ok!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFAyutENia2SSvOfSQ0Syp1urhOodW2xeMgVcykiErX7TyBb0dBHsogQtPWynqtXn_0LxtRoOY8FPAO3HyjA0laRpx2JUjxGBH2QjbMaGJdFxxrIfxPhz8tEvni9hi_dWE6qAsqH5cok/s1600/IMG_6698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFAyutENia2SSvOfSQ0Syp1urhOodW2xeMgVcykiErX7TyBb0dBHsogQtPWynqtXn_0LxtRoOY8FPAO3HyjA0laRpx2JUjxGBH2QjbMaGJdFxxrIfxPhz8tEvni9hi_dWE6qAsqH5cok/s640/IMG_6698.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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I look forward to making a fancy petticoat to wear under this in the future, but for now the simple look matched my mood. This was definitely a "make do" sort of photo shoot. But I appreciated the comfy-ness of this ensemble and the opportunity to experiment a bit with period hair without the looming deadline of a ball.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzyeL7EKDw_zKxYEeyQvFW_R4AZTO9gzsi4v-uyZYKMJCkNxi0hyoGgn10F7qJ7EkC021EeAR1e8SgPY8PagsaLRbZeAIP23rYN4pwyE1cgqsyMpvvciOJpoXL4yfoWUwDQAJmn6uDwo/s1600/IMG_6706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzyeL7EKDw_zKxYEeyQvFW_R4AZTO9gzsi4v-uyZYKMJCkNxi0hyoGgn10F7qJ7EkC021EeAR1e8SgPY8PagsaLRbZeAIP23rYN4pwyE1cgqsyMpvvciOJpoXL4yfoWUwDQAJmn6uDwo/s640/IMG_6706.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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In the end, this project had somewhat ironic timing: as we're all staying home these days, it's rather appropriate to have a dress for wearing around the house. But I look forward to wearing this out in the future, for living history programs or just having friends over for brunch! In the meantime, I'll crack open a good book and continue to try to rope the cat into photos.<br />
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I hope you are all well!L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-63082456506305208242020-03-07T13:36:00.000-05:002020-03-07T13:36:05.823-05:00Avada Ke-jodhpurI have loved the Holyhead Harpies for a long time--which is saying something, because sports aren't typically my jam. But an all-witch quidditch team really spoke to me, and on my first trip to <a href="https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/universal-orlando-resort/the-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/hub" target="_blank">WWoHP</a> several years ago a Harpies t-shirt was the only memorabilia I brought home. I've wanted to make a Harpies outfit for Halloween/our local sci-fi convention in past years, but since sports aren't really my jam I was having trouble getting behind a set of quidditch robes. They just look so...sporty. Not to mention I'd never be able to wear them when not doing a Harry Potter Thing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image result for holyhead harpies" height="374" src="https://media.harrypotterfanzone.com/holyhead-harpies-emily-gravett.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HH illustrations by Emily Gravett from the upcoming illustrated edition of <i>Quidditch Through the Ages</i></td></tr>
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But then this fall, as my annual desire to make a Harpies uniform for Halloween re-emerged, I saw a string of Instagram posts by Emily of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sewingfrankly/?hl=en" target="_blank">@sewingfrankly</a> and <a href="http://www.thehomemadepinup.com/" target="_blank">Lauren</a> of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecosplayhistorian/" target="_blank">@thecosplayhistorian</a> in which they wear adorable vintage Hogwarts uniforms and Yule Ball gowns. Which inspired me to think about vintage Holyhead Harpies--much more useful, and much more me!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh36LENoZdLXvGS7lWLBcO7vF4XxoCmktZgxm6XtrE4-EH_kl9FzmFm43kdVGgNwx3_WMpTMAJAbhfByhV0AubXmB52_tuqg7rFvy6krHNMoK46qtEd1dUaSWtYFWVt7S7rH0DEzH9eeL4/s1600/2020-01-18+17.59.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh36LENoZdLXvGS7lWLBcO7vF4XxoCmktZgxm6XtrE4-EH_kl9FzmFm43kdVGgNwx3_WMpTMAJAbhfByhV0AubXmB52_tuqg7rFvy6krHNMoK46qtEd1dUaSWtYFWVt7S7rH0DEzH9eeL4/s640/2020-01-18+17.59.27.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">yes, I am generally a ham, but the look of trepidation towards the quaffle is just naturally my face when a (sports)ball is involved.</td></tr>
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I was even able to talk a friend into embarking on this silly project with me, so there were two of us! That's practically a team, right? Another friend happened to have a green and gold 1930s dress already, so she was dubbed our coach. I'm really pleased with the way these turned out, and running around the convention with a quaffle was a lot of fun.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO08TIGoxwDt-pOoRnrVDO22zw4tz8qLl2PZE9ivw9TIzys6avHsoW2taOKJqqhgGPp80_uSqB8cBYS3b9kW4Ka3ZG-nVPAPkZW5jqXUyhV8iZCW7FmEM_ICYnfHnbkC6PlyXQgwp3tLI/s1600/2020-01-18+14.12.15-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO08TIGoxwDt-pOoRnrVDO22zw4tz8qLl2PZE9ivw9TIzys6avHsoW2taOKJqqhgGPp80_uSqB8cBYS3b9kW4Ka3ZG-nVPAPkZW5jqXUyhV8iZCW7FmEM_ICYnfHnbkC6PlyXQgwp3tLI/s640/2020-01-18+14.12.15-1.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">suffice to say: shenanigans ensued.</td></tr>
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Unfortunately, hotel lighting is not the best for pictures...so someday (hopefully) soon we'll do an outdoor shoot and then I can share details of the full outfit. But for today, I wanted to share a bit about my construction process of making the jodhpurs. It was...not a great process.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TenFPZLCCjW6LB86E2FEv3s47ynVW_dDDWWYU8C66FU-e3NhEjaZnvJVH3sqcEZYj-BBetuA4gtWOaj95vO4mrhQr8A-caD5RW-CiHdNmYRQ0IK9Vdna04SsgltjVN1eHnAVV_jxF3E/s1600/2020-01-18+17.59.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TenFPZLCCjW6LB86E2FEv3s47ynVW_dDDWWYU8C66FU-e3NhEjaZnvJVH3sqcEZYj-BBetuA4gtWOaj95vO4mrhQr8A-caD5RW-CiHdNmYRQ0IK9Vdna04SsgltjVN1eHnAVV_jxF3E/s640/2020-01-18+17.59.56.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bubble butt, 30s style</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When we decided to do vintage uniforms, I was most inspired by images like <a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/58/8d/14/588d149195bbb1df19bc6c4cd30788d2.jpg" target="_blank">this</a>, <a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ba/1f/fa/ba1ffac5a355a514a2ea0299db84998c.jpg" target="_blank">this</a>, and <a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/7c/a1/ce/7ca1cec4f040eb083a16e74747f00b6d.jpg" target="_blank">this</a> of early 1930s women in jodhpurs and sweaters--so that's what I set out to make. I couldn't find many patterns for vintage jodhpurs floating around the internet, but Butterick makes one (<a href="https://butterick.mccall.com/b6433" target="_blank">B6433</a>) currently marketed as ideal for 20s lady detectives.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="640" src="https://butterick.mccall.com/sites/default/files/styles/p_xl/public/products/b6433/B6433_01.jpg?itok=px8iyhZF" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="465" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image from the Butterick pattern site of B6433. Hmmm, doesn't that ensemble<a href="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/68/3f/9d/683f9dd25db635422ffb9fd5926038c6.jpg" target="_blank"> look familiar</a>? ;)</td></tr>
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The best thing about commercial patterns is that they tend to go on sale...and since I was shopping over Thanksgiving, I snagged both this pattern and the Simplicity retro pattern we used for the sweater for a dollar or two each. And once they arrived, I set to work!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JUg1h11EUYwT3RrN8sfOaHwh2adcyWF38cErfwKc6jC-NmMrf82OusZ7FOK8vpjCC-K05iW8menAynq29Xv99z-4yR0dvoLFH_r8s_v7bc88FrkJNCWrZS9UT6h1MW191D27lGTABv4/s1600/2020-01-06+21.16.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JUg1h11EUYwT3RrN8sfOaHwh2adcyWF38cErfwKc6jC-NmMrf82OusZ7FOK8vpjCC-K05iW8menAynq29Xv99z-4yR0dvoLFH_r8s_v7bc88FrkJNCWrZS9UT6h1MW191D27lGTABv4/s640/2020-01-06+21.16.35.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<div>
After tracing the pattern off of the tissue, I made a mockup of the jodhpurs (without pockets) to check the fit. I ended up adding an inch to the hips, as they were a little tight on me, but otherwise things seemed fine and I moved on to cutting out my fabric: a lightweight wool houndstooth from the stash. Then I started construction--which is about when things started to go wrong.<br />
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It's been a lot of years since I used a "big 4" pattern, and I wanted to make sure I didn't cut corners. So I dutifully followed the instructions...or tried to. It turns out, the instructions were either not proofread, or everyone who tried them out ignored some bits, or they were all on a brain wavelength I was not accessing. Seriously, there were multiple steps where I either couldn't figure out what the instructions wanted <i>at all</i>, or after I did what the pattern described I realized that what was described was exactly <i>backwards</i> and I needed to do it again. UGH.<br />
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In an effort to understand what was happening, I spent a lot of time looking online for other people who had made this pattern and might have some advice to share. I couldn't find much, so I wanted to include as much detail as possible for the next person who gives this a try. (And on the flip side, if you've made this and know what I did wrong I'm happy to learn from the comments!)<br />
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So here we go!<br />
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<u>Problem #1: The leg facing instructions end up with the wrong side out</u><br />
I don't actually have a good solution to this, besides just sewing it in the other way. Each side of the ankle opening has a different facing: the self-facing and the facing. On the self-facing side, the self-facing is basically an extra bit that is cut out as part of the pant leg, and should end up sewn wrong side to wrong side with the pant leg, so that it looks like a normal facing. This one is easy, although I am unclear why it needed to be cut as part of the pant piece and couldn't just be a normal facing.<br />
On the facing side, the facing piece should basically hang out from the edge of the opening like a placket. When I followed the instructions, this worked...except that the wrong side of the fabric faced out. But knowing what it was supposed to be, I just ignored the instructions and sewed it the other way.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyi1GcBNpb954iYMxU5RUKd4_yN5mKVQyGcBpd43m94RTgJTYocMUkSDJ1iN9xvk7kDc0WmIVwNZ_R-wdWoaserJOxXaw9jajSziVXb_Rj7GxTSR6U5Ye5WTmR6BS21HfCO3aJ47EZa2Q/s1600/2020-03-07+12.26.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyi1GcBNpb954iYMxU5RUKd4_yN5mKVQyGcBpd43m94RTgJTYocMUkSDJ1iN9xvk7kDc0WmIVwNZ_R-wdWoaserJOxXaw9jajSziVXb_Rj7GxTSR6U5Ye5WTmR6BS21HfCO3aJ47EZa2Q/s640/2020-03-07+12.26.23.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">completed (corrected) facing from the inside</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIi9dCJC9VnvUc9nMfNvgIbDNSLKg1B_LVGNAMIA6OY91HkvFboS7RB3aMTJGOB_dhNV1kf7HKnMBc0pb7XL1r5qug8TtRZy8m6VTDbEt-dbcy6_so-RsbliKhJ1KJsSEbzQini0PZ890/s1600/2020-03-07+12.26.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIi9dCJC9VnvUc9nMfNvgIbDNSLKg1B_LVGNAMIA6OY91HkvFboS7RB3aMTJGOB_dhNV1kf7HKnMBc0pb7XL1r5qug8TtRZy8m6VTDbEt-dbcy6_so-RsbliKhJ1KJsSEbzQini0PZ890/s640/2020-03-07+12.26.44.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">on the outside, this functions as a placket and goes underneath the other half of the opening (I sewed snaps on after this)</td></tr>
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<u>Problem #2: The front extension is never explained</u><br />
After sitting with my friend and failing to figure out what the "front extension" was, I eventually was reduced to scream-crying in the kitchen while Mr. Plaid* attempted to make sense of it (no, he doesn't know anything about sewing). Eventually I thought I had it figured out--and then either I was wrong, or something about the pattern just doesn't work. Here's the pattern instruction for this step/this piece:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqiBz4GvA9uQYF3YiNBtWHULIdJNim0CNJBKjMZ_3XPhpqFPFBeSyIMCZkRLDkjSvR0LKpeevHnJBKsarCIScuJUeJA_nEe1LRVmi2_rlkuXy99pzWufA2dUT8zuri6x4Ab17tjKwBH3Q/s1600/2020-03-07+12.26.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqiBz4GvA9uQYF3YiNBtWHULIdJNim0CNJBKjMZ_3XPhpqFPFBeSyIMCZkRLDkjSvR0LKpeevHnJBKsarCIScuJUeJA_nEe1LRVmi2_rlkuXy99pzWufA2dUT8zuri6x4Ab17tjKwBH3Q/s640/2020-03-07+12.26.58.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Notice how the extension is never shown in context of the rest of the garment? Yeah. That would have made this a lot easier! Basically where I landed is that the extension is sort of the waistband piece for the top of the back of the pocket. After attached the extension to the top of the pocket, the raw edge of the piece ends up inside the back facing when you turn under the edge of that piece and stitch it down. Unfortunately I didn't take pictures while I was doing this, but here's the piece in its final position (inside and outside). Again, this wasn't hard once I figured out what the instructions wanted me to do!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oaYp4EX6WOIv9UaKMOLnZvwiHKnZkdnctK15IUm8oz_iv0mlDPuZYdCZe2m5Ft1LOr1amt6F_VZRtQ1QVxNsXQu-3mRzYDY8YJyDEMIJRlU7LpsGUtH6d6SvlfDqF1nXgv1eZddNjS8/s1600/2020-03-07+12.27.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oaYp4EX6WOIv9UaKMOLnZvwiHKnZkdnctK15IUm8oz_iv0mlDPuZYdCZe2m5Ft1LOr1amt6F_VZRtQ1QVxNsXQu-3mRzYDY8YJyDEMIJRlU7LpsGUtH6d6SvlfDqF1nXgv1eZddNjS8/s640/2020-03-07+12.27.40.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the front extension (with button hole and button) from the outside</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizK1DjWAaGJGMar2xfs37LZwu8ymoonLFar7D3ZO-N2AxLD2_ZxYcYmUl_UD4dTojKi8vzhenLV_63vTgqQK2Ea5nqNTgZQZkIWSfWSObd68IrEoZu819eRXTmynkCoERb_bkI9SVvOZ8/s1600/2020-03-07+12.27.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizK1DjWAaGJGMar2xfs37LZwu8ymoonLFar7D3ZO-N2AxLD2_ZxYcYmUl_UD4dTojKi8vzhenLV_63vTgqQK2Ea5nqNTgZQZkIWSfWSObd68IrEoZu819eRXTmynkCoERb_bkI9SVvOZ8/s640/2020-03-07+12.27.21.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and from the inside--notice the back waistband is folded over the raw edge of the extension before being sewn down</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<u>Problem #3: The dots don't work</u><br />
The final step of construction is to sew the outside seams of the legs together from just below the knee (i.e., the top of the ankle opening) to mid-hip (i.e., the bottom of the waist opening). The pattern instructions say to match the dots on the pattern pieces and sew in between them. Except when I did this, I ended up with a front and back that were about an inch off from each other.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlm6hkCFJvAg-MCuPN-XZMWJ_CmoA4yE7mG3VaAWWvzNs_La86YXdsI2Y66-dpDPS2qzv7GcDnCrXfkJzr1IsejeaekpWKJYcgkjpFC-UBUFHLJpjyWS1P2XMZUy_25YNHTXZ-YSH5qcs/s1600/2020-01-12+17.03.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlm6hkCFJvAg-MCuPN-XZMWJ_CmoA4yE7mG3VaAWWvzNs_La86YXdsI2Y66-dpDPS2qzv7GcDnCrXfkJzr1IsejeaekpWKJYcgkjpFC-UBUFHLJpjyWS1P2XMZUy_25YNHTXZ-YSH5qcs/s640/2020-01-12+17.03.34.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">that super sexy pointy hip situation is a result of the fronts being longer than the backs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzexoYl3Uqe3sFjhlhyphenhyphenXwD0dZG97cs9dagz9JMvvMl29AsgpCC8sPClkYKpCJP8GMM1kuaBLZnmnhzgcMEHOqIxGlLO5n4lTo5ho9Xa8CBPlNwdmMQLdjfvGf3v7eEqz0UTzqZpkFGao/s1600/2020-01-12+17.06.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzexoYl3Uqe3sFjhlhyphenhyphenXwD0dZG97cs9dagz9JMvvMl29AsgpCC8sPClkYKpCJP8GMM1kuaBLZnmnhzgcMEHOqIxGlLO5n4lTo5ho9Xa8CBPlNwdmMQLdjfvGf3v7eEqz0UTzqZpkFGao/s640/2020-01-12+17.06.28.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">here's the difference when the pants are laid flat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once more, an easy fix once I knew the problem! I ripped out the seams and re-stitched, this time matching the waists and pockets rather than the dots. Full disclosure on this one: the bottoms are a little off, so this wasn't a perfect solution. But since I never plan to wear these without boots, I'm not going to worry about it. (I think if I did want to fully fix it, I would need to re-hem the pants, correcting for the length in the hem.)<br />
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<u>Bonus round: the pockets are also the closures</u><br />
This one isn't actually a problem with the pattern, it's just really silly. The jodhpurs close with a series of buttons (mine are brown vintage Bakelite in two sizes) up the hips and at the overlapped edges of the waistband. Since this is also the location of the pockets, the pockets basically only work as pockets when the jodhpurs are fully buttoned--as soon as you unbutton them, anything inside is wont to fall out. Why??? Maybe it's period? But it seems ridiculous.<br />
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So while these jodhpurs almost killed me to make, they came out really cute in the end. I have a lot of this fabric left, so someday I'll hopefully make a matching jacket for bicycling and other "tweed" outings. But in the meantime, I look forward to further adventures on the only all-witch professional quidditch team in the league!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8uLrzg8sCa3vWxv_UGlFloDJHm9KDcw8LUSFBMcEt7OzSKjA7INZZRG7o-ya9VMcjh8qeEO3wNNeJW6BPzL3nYE-DDq2oBgUUhWPeYUo-oU49u2RmY4CHT6Lcnxe1-rgGNMQ26MgJ5Sk/s1600/2020-01-23+16.30.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8uLrzg8sCa3vWxv_UGlFloDJHm9KDcw8LUSFBMcEt7OzSKjA7INZZRG7o-ya9VMcjh8qeEO3wNNeJW6BPzL3nYE-DDq2oBgUUhWPeYUo-oU49u2RmY4CHT6Lcnxe1-rgGNMQ26MgJ5Sk/s640/2020-01-23+16.30.16.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">courtesy of Nerd Caliber</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-57296874619792150842020-01-23T20:56:00.000-05:002020-01-23T20:56:07.564-05:00Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020s!January is often a time of year for reflections on the past year and making plans for the year to come. January also happens to be the time I attend our local sci-fi convention, and this year that means I've already completed my first project of 2020! I'd like to take this as a sign of productive things to come.<br />
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But before I post about that, I thought I would take a look back and see how I did in 2019.<br />
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<b>January-March</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErS8I5EMEclUipe0S4RKsz6BGYmD5G8I0b3qSsihj-tNtqLI7K-yCgyeWlkWL4K5sNt8ZtfKt1ZyMEXkdvT2Tx-RHQziGSMrpMtyDCIn9JX9RT2_kquqEGMFXgSxPp8-dx7AHNyKVv2w/s1600/2019-03-09+13.01.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErS8I5EMEclUipe0S4RKsz6BGYmD5G8I0b3qSsihj-tNtqLI7K-yCgyeWlkWL4K5sNt8ZtfKt1ZyMEXkdvT2Tx-RHQziGSMrpMtyDCIn9JX9RT2_kquqEGMFXgSxPp8-dx7AHNyKVv2w/s640/2019-03-09+13.01.48.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2019/03/completed-project-1870s-winter-ensemble.html" target="_blank">1870s winter ensemble</a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>April</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyq1M6teIZvZnVWrt2otpsI2qul2Zkhiqyyds_iJtqd5CVTCT7sAQL198hWVOhiW070Ou8nB5GlsoJz1F3pqcNdg66V5A0y2-U7TANT2NJjQakgsxVwLeHwsggmP-e82e6EsTclySlTGA/s1600/IMG_6078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyq1M6teIZvZnVWrt2otpsI2qul2Zkhiqyyds_iJtqd5CVTCT7sAQL198hWVOhiW070Ou8nB5GlsoJz1F3pqcNdg66V5A0y2-U7TANT2NJjQakgsxVwLeHwsggmP-e82e6EsTclySlTGA/s640/IMG_6078.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2019/04/twice-sewn-once-worn-or-spangled.html" target="_blank">gold spangled sleeveless Regency ballgown and under-dress</a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>May-October</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijF-_KNCVlsaufDzyUwe1AABArkxSnOiF8ZmezAMKE-Rs9O-A5dKimu_hUzxo6RTL7KqPrnWdIw8FMZjkZ9A4jiVtW3BdFJ3Dz6r8w5AF0m7Wuux1s2jEr2jO5Obf-SiOkvE_ovzZ_yTw/s1600/IMG_6460-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijF-_KNCVlsaufDzyUwe1AABArkxSnOiF8ZmezAMKE-Rs9O-A5dKimu_hUzxo6RTL7KqPrnWdIw8FMZjkZ9A4jiVtW3BdFJ3Dz6r8w5AF0m7Wuux1s2jEr2jO5Obf-SiOkvE_ovzZ_yTw/s640/IMG_6460-2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2019/11/in-which-old-dress-returns-much-improved.html" target="_blank">tartan silk 1860s ballgown</a></div>
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So I completed 3 whole projects. My goals for the year were:<br />
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<strike style="color: #333333;">Early 1870s winter ensemble </strike><span style="color: lime;">yup!</span></div>
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<strike>Regency pelisse </strike> I swapped this out for a Regency ballgown, but I'm counting it.</div>
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<strike>Tartan 1860s re-make</strike> <span style="color: lime;">yup!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Chemises and petticoats</span><span style="color: #333333;"> I ended up getting help from a friend here. So while I can't really count this as done, I am giving myself partial credit because I have updated my period undergarments so I no longer have only one chemise from 2007 ;)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;">Bonus Round: something new for Fezziwig's next year </span><span style="color: red;">nope.</span></div>
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Additionally, I wanted to <u>blog more</u> and <u>focus on having accessories for all ensembles</u>. I definitely succeeded on both counts. I posted 11 times in 2019: 4 research posts, 2 construction posts, 3 completed project posts, and 2 miscellaneous posts. That is a large improvement over 2018, when I posted 3 times total! And on the accessories front: I wore jewelry, hair ornaments/hats, and gloves with every outfit...not just the ones I blogged about.<br />
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My blog output (and sewing output) increased a lot towards the end of the year, which makes sense given the busy life events that happened. In May and June I was out of the country for work for about 6 weeks, conducting research in Japan, France, Germany, and England. And then in October I got married!<br />
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My goals for this year are:<br />
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-1920s "tweed" ensemble<br />
-1860s day dress<br />
-1830s dress in cotton<br />
Bonus round: regency dress with long-sleeved chemise (so I can wear it for day and evening!)<br />
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Again, this is a small list of goals. But I can't really expect to slow down a whole lot this year (that said, not planning a wedding is already going a long way towards my mental energy for sewing), and I want to set goals I can accomplish without stressing myself to do things without enough time. And speaking of time--though it requires a lot of time, I've really enjoyed my return to research posts over the last few months. So my extra goal this year is <u>more research-focused posts</u>, including some food experiments!<br />
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So thanks for sticking with me, thanks for reading, and here's to an optimistic 2020 :)<br />
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L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-73371612720658716842019-12-31T09:33:00.001-05:002023-06-04T15:06:19.467-04:00Dancing in Little Women, part 4: New ImpressionsHappy holidays, readers! Today seemed like a perfect time to continue our exploration of dance in <i>Little Women</i> by venturing to a Christmas ball in Paris.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image result for christmas ball 1860s" height="433" src="https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/a-society-ball-in-paris-in-the-1860-s-ken-welsh.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">a society ball in Paris, 1868, from <i>Lunivers Illustre</i></td></tr>
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While abroad, the hotel where Amy and Aunt Carrol* are living is also home to several other Americans, and so the venue hosts a Christmas ball for the ex-pats. I'll let Alcott set the scene:</div>
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<i>"</i><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;">she loved to dance, she felt that her foot was on her native heath in a ball-room, and enjoyed the delightful sense of power which comes when young girls first discover the new and lovely kingdom they are born to rule by virtue of beauty, youth, and womanhood. ...</span><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;"><i>With the first burst of the band, Amy's color rose, her eyes began to sparkle, and her feet to tap the floor impatiently; for she danced well, and wanted Laurie to know it." </i></span><br />
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<u><span style="font-size: large;">Quadrille, or Cotillon</span></u><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;">"The set in which they found themselves was composed of English, and Amy was compelled to walk decorously through a cotillon, feeling all the while as if she could dance the Tarantula with a relish."</span></i></span></div>
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Amy and Laurie dance the first dance of the ball together (the aforementioned cotillon) while Amy is fit to bursting to do something more complicated where she can show off (we'll come back to that "tarantula" in a bit). That description leads me to believe that the cotillon Amy finds herself in is what I would refer to as a <b>quadrille</b>: a dance for 4 couples which includes multiple sections, is typically performed by walking through patterns, and was immensely popular throughout the 19th century. Here's a bit of the Prince Imperial quadrille as an example--the clip begins at the start of figure 3 of the dance, and ends at about 1:04 (and a ballroom, the figure would be repeated 3 more times).</div>
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nRnmxzLf9k4?start=29" width="560"></iframe><br /></div>
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Howe explains the terminology of cotillon vs. quadrille in his 1858 manual:<br />
"<i>Cotillions or cotillons are of English origin, Noah Webster** spells the word both ways. The word Cotillion was derived from the English, and the word Cotillon from the French. And were first danced by four persons standing as the first four now do, in the set; two more couples were afterwards added and formed the side couples; thus the English Cotillion and the French Quadrilles are now formed precisely alike, and it is equally proper to call the dance by either name.</i>"</div>
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I am used to the term quadrille, so that's what we're going with. Let's break it down!<br />
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By the 1860s (and I think it's safe to say that Amy is in Europe between 1867-1870), a quadrille is done by 4 couples together in a square with 4 sides (so two couples face each other)-- this is called the set. Then within each set the couples are numbered 1-4, which determines the order in which you dance different figures:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGn4eXhOh-5Z0Rdjp7ygVrlYC5kPg8o86YeGIbKOw4ZEzHIO39OT07Dqx_jSlPvCiNgbN-S6ZZGCMjvSCGqGZWVrSVTDakFgDEBIOraYPug_HKbBfYQkiiQWbtshnB-vs9XBKiwhnEIGw/s1600/Quadrille+arrangement.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="407" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGn4eXhOh-5Z0Rdjp7ygVrlYC5kPg8o86YeGIbKOw4ZEzHIO39OT07Dqx_jSlPvCiNgbN-S6ZZGCMjvSCGqGZWVrSVTDakFgDEBIOraYPug_HKbBfYQkiiQWbtshnB-vs9XBKiwhnEIGw/s400/Quadrille+arrangement.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">quadrille arrangement diagram, from Howe (1862). The first couple is always closest to the head of the hall, typically where the band is located.</td></tr>
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Often you dance with your partner as a couple, interacting with other couples. But sometimes you also dance as individuals: for example, ladies and gentlemen might do different things, or couples might split and dance with the person across the set from them. This second arrangement is also common, and is called "pairs":<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWW_k6k3xXM4G3wolbK0U0OdYTi71Re22OOtUGLDbrY-4NA1kYZ3N2X2xlKlMmeH7jNAEWFgAPAXZvppD0ypl33Zjc8XH9FzwMsAU5pugEvHQOYfUBOhlep2vVQfiPwMn_73_kxLR1Q6s/s1600/individual+numbers+for+quadrille.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="541" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWW_k6k3xXM4G3wolbK0U0OdYTi71Re22OOtUGLDbrY-4NA1kYZ3N2X2xlKlMmeH7jNAEWFgAPAXZvppD0ypl33Zjc8XH9FzwMsAU5pugEvHQOYfUBOhlep2vVQfiPwMn_73_kxLR1Q6s/s400/individual+numbers+for+quadrille.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">numbered pairs for quadrilles, Howe (1862)</td></tr>
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The two couples marked "first couple" and "second couple" are the "head couples" and dance first, and then usually whatever they do is repeated by the sides (so the same thing is done multiple times and everybody gets a turn). Here's another quadrille, called the French Quadrille or sometimes just The Quadrille. This was one of the foundational dances in this genre, and is often referenced in dance manuals (e.g., do X "as in the French quadrille"). In this performance we performed in the French style (used specifically for this quadrille), meaning we only had head couples (2 couples across from one another rather than 4), but the basic premise still stands. Notice how the couples sometimes dance together, and sometimes with their opposites:<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LwN6OknbkLY?start=29" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Something else you may have noticed: quadrilles are really long! There are multiple sections*** (usually, but not always, 5) in a quadrille, with separate distinct music for each section. Each section has its own sequence of patterns (called "figures") that the couples complete. Quadrilles tend to mirror other dance trends in the particular year of the quadrille's initial creation, as well as serving as an introduction of different steps that also become popular round dances (including several of the Bavarian dances I've mentioned in previous posts). So the typical breakdown of a quadrille in the late 1860s would include mostly walking, perhaps with the addition of some waltz, polka, or other round dance. Since Amy is internally complaining about walking, I think it's safe to assume this is an all-walking quadrille like the French Quadrille and Prince Imperial Quadrille videos above.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image result for quadrille 1860s" src="https://tunearch.org/w/images/thumb/4/4e/Lancers.jpg/400px-Lancers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">illustration of figure 3 from the Lancers Quadrille, frontispiece for quadrille music c.1860</td></tr>
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There is a language to 19th century dancing: figures get repeated over and over in many different dances. This extends to quadrilles as well, both as the same figures you might see in a contra dance appear in quadrilles, and among quadrilles themselves. There are a few quadrilles that were very popular, and many other quadrilles follow similar patterns; so you have many quadrilles that have structures echoing the French Quadrille, and others that echo Lancers (which we're going to touch on in a later post). Quadrilles also have specific music, but there were arrangements that drew on popular operas or other music of the day. In fact, there's a great Lancers quadrille arrangement of Gilbert and Sullivan's <i>The Mikado</i> that I've danced to, which made me smile when I realized what the music was because I was in a production of the operetta in high school.</div><div><br />I actually also found a clip from the ball, and you can hear the arrangement! It goes from 6:48 to about 7:12 in the video (sharing is disabled, but <a href="https://youtu.be/Hv-CYHH4LA0?t=408" target="_blank">you can watch it here</a> if you're curious).</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.gsarchive.net/ruddigore/mus_covers/lancers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="sheet music cover for Ruddigore Lancers music" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="589" height="640" src="https://www.gsarchive.net/ruddigore/mus_covers/lancers.jpg" width="471" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a Lancers arrangement of music from <i>Ruddigore</i>, another G&S operetta I performed in</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br />
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As a final example, I have some terrible footage of a recent performance of the Prince Imperial Quadrille this September (there's a reason I'm not in charge of videography!). The reason I'm including it is to show two things: one, the way quadrilles move through different figures, and two, a bit of how it looks when you dance with a complete set of 4 couples. On the latter, notice how the two active couples complete 2 figures (forward and back, ladies' chain) then all 4 couples do a figure together (march to corners). The video cuts off just as we start march to corners.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;"><u>Polka-redowa</u> </span><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;">(3/4)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;">"<i>She showed him her ball-book with demure satisfaction when he strolled, instead of rushing, up to claim her for the next, a glorious polka-redowa.</i>" -New Impressions</span></div>
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Fast forwarding a bit through the evening (although Alcott's ball descriptions are incredibly colorful and this one is the best...if it's been a while, I recommend going back and re-reading this whole chapter :) ), Amy finally gets to show Laurie what she can do when they dance a polka-redowa together. Does the word "redowa" and the time signature ring any bells? We're back in waltz time, and we talked about redowa when Meg danced it in <i>The Laurence Boy</i>.</div>
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Polka-redowa is another dance from the Bavarian fad, and is comprised of sliding steps, cutting steps, and leaping steps. This same list of steps is used in several of the Bavarian round dances, but the prevalence of leaps in the polka-redowa makes it especially elegant to watch when done well (and very exhausting). Because it is in 3/4 time (the same time signature as plain waltz, polka mazurka, and several other dances), it's possible to swap polka-redowa in and out with other steps. This helps mitigate the energy required for all the leaping because you can show off for a bit and then take a break with something lower-impact like plain waltz.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">the polka redowa illustration in Hillgrove (1863)</td></tr>
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1860s dance manuals describe this dance as being like the polka, except not. Seriously, Howe (1862) describes the polka-redowa as:</div>
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"<i>This dance is composed of the same step as the Polka, with the exception that you slide the first step instead of springing, and omit the pause, as in this dance you count three, both for the music and dance.</i>"</div>
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So, do a polka step, but use a slide instead of a hop on the first step, and count in 3 rather than 4. How is that the same step as the polka? sigh. Several other manuals I looked at had similar descriptions, but Hillgrove's 1863 <i>A complete practical guide to the art of dancing</i> (another trusty favorite) gave us a bit more. He still describes the step as being a polka step, but adds some explanation of how the changes to polka-redowa impact its form:</div>
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"<i>This dance is precisely the same as the first three movements of the Polka, the fourth step or interval berg omitted; and is danced in three-four time...which makes a more graceful and easy dance than the Polka, and one that is a great favorite</i>."</div>
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Here the easy grace that is noticeable in well-executed polka-redowa is highlighted.<br />
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Below is an example of polka redowa, pulled from an 1860s waltz choreographed for performance--notice that even though a hop is used to turn 180 degrees each time, it's a pretty smooth dance.<br />
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I think with this note about gracefulness in mind, polka-redowa is a perfect dance for Amy to really show her skills. It is difficult to execute well, and it requires stamina and form to make all the sliding and leaping look easy and elegant. Plus, the pointed toes that peak out when you slide your foot forward are a perfect opportunity for Amy's white satin slippers to make an appearance!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">white satin dancing shoes, mid-19th century (MFA collection). <a href="https://recreating19cballroom.blogspot.com/2013/03/dancing-shoes-for-civil-war-period.html" target="_blank">More on 1860s dancing shoes here</a>.</td></tr>
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Hillgrove also notes that polka-redowa can be done in several different ways, and it's up to the gentleman to use whichever method he sees fit. This is an added challenge, because you really have to know the dance backwards and forwards!</div>
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"<i>There is no particular rule by which the Polka Redowa should be performed. This is left to the option of the individual. It may be danced turning to the right or to the left, backward or forward; or, in cases where there is not sufficient space to proceed, the step and portion may be preserved in making a kind of balance or set.</i>"</div>
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This is also an opportunity for Laurie and Amy to connect as a couple (dancing-wise, at least!) because staying in tune with each other to switch things up is key. Practicing years ago at home would certainly have helped, and would have made it easier for the pair to dance well together than to dance as gracefully with other guests at the ball.</div>
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<u>Tarantula, or Tarantella</u></div>
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Finally, let's end with a quick note about the "tarantula" Amy would rather be dancing at the beginning of the ball. In both the Matteson (2016; p497) and Shealy (2013; p479) annotated editions of <i>Little Women</i>, there is a note that Amy is incorrectly using "tarantula" where she means "tarantella" (a Sicilian folk dance). I expected this to be a quick note about the presence (or lack) of tarantellas in mid-19th century Parisian ballrooms...but I actually found the word "tarantula" in multiple dance manuals, including Howe's! The best description of a tarantula I found is from <i>The amateur's vademecum: A practical treatise on the art of dancing</i> by E. Reilley, published in Philadelphia in 1870:</div>
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"<i>But no dance has so singular a history respecting its origin as the national dance of the Neapolitans, called the Tarantula...Love and pleasure are conspicuous throughout this dance. Each motion, each gesture, is made with the most voluptuous gracefulness. Animated by the accompanying mandolins, tamborines and castenets, the woman tries, by her rapidity and liveliness, to excite the love of her partner, who, in his turn, endeavors to charm her with his agility, elegance, and demonstrations of tenderness. The two dancers unite, separate, return, fly into each other's arms, again bound away, and in their different gestures alternately exhibit love, coquetry and inconstancy. The eye of the spectator is incessantly diverted with the variety of sentiments which they express; nor can anything be more pleasing than their picturesque groups and evolutions. Sometimes they hold each other's hands, the man kneels down, whilst the woman dances round him, then again he rises; again she starts from him, and he eagerly pursues. Thus their whole dance is but assault and defence [sic], and defeat or victory appear equally their object</i>."</div>
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However, the plot thickens. I did find one dance manual that refers to the Italian dance as a tarantella and not a tarantula: <i>Coulon's hand-book; containing all the last new and fashionable dances, </i>published in London in 1866 and 1873 (expanded). Coulon writes:</div>
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"<i>To dance the Tarantella, however, in our circles as they dance it at Naples would be impossible, and, therefore, when Madame Michau introduced it in London in 1845 she made a selection of about eight steps or figures, that have had great success among the higher classes here</i>."</div>
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Here is where I admit that I've never done either the traditional Italian tarantella or the European ballroom version described by Coulon. Looking at his instructions, the ballroom version is a dance for individual couples (in open and closed positions), which seems pretty different from at least the modern versions of the tarantella that I've seen. Someday hopefully I'll get to try reconstructing this, and then I will add a video! </div>
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But for now, I'm not sure that using the term "tarantula" is Amy making a mistake. As it appears to be a somewhat common term for referring to the folk dance (in American sources at least), Alcott may just be using the term she's seen. Or it could be even more intentional, to differentiate the Italian folk dance from the ballroom dance "la tarantella" her readers may have seen or heard about. </div>
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That's it for this week! Next up is likely a break from the dancing and a return to costuming for a bit, since I've actually been sewing. But if you're enjoying these posts, there are more to come!</div>
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Happy New Year to all!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*While Aunt March funds Amy's trip abroad, she doesn't actually go--instead, Aunt Carrol and cousin Florence are Amy's companions</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">**here, "Noah Webster" refers to Webster's Dictionary</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">***Another note on terminology: we tend to refer to each of these sections as "figures", but that's a bit confusing because the individual patterns that make up a figure are <i>also</i> called figures. In the dance manuals, they referred to the sections of the quadrille as numbers or by names (for example, the third section of the Prince Imperial quadrille in the video above is called "la corbeille"). </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">I've abandoned Howe for a second in favor of </span><i style="font-size: small;">The Prompter: Containing full descriptions of all the quadrilles, German cotillons, etc.</i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> by William De Garbo (New York, 1865) as his discussions of quadrille mechanics are a lot more detailed. De Garbo explains the makeup of quadrilles:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"<i>A Quadrille is one Number of Figures. Two or more Figures constitute a Number: as in 1st No. Quadrille Francaise, “Right and Left” is a figure; “Balancé” is the next figure; “Ladies Chain” the next; and “Balancé” the last: altogether, these figures constitute a Number. Five Numbers usually constitute what is termed “a set of Quadrilles;” as the “Lancers Quadrilles,” “Caledonian Quadrilles,” “Le Prince Imperial Quadrilles,” etc. </i>It is common to designate Numbers as Figures,— i.e ., instead of 1st No., 2d No., &c., they are sometimes called 1st Fig., 2d Fig., &c. The former definitions are preferable<i>; the term “Numbers” according with the five Numbers or different pieces of music set to the Quadrilles. Figures accord with the strains of music.</i>"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(emphasis mine.)</span><br />
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L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-60683984825508957662019-12-22T14:30:00.000-05:002019-12-31T09:39:52.914-05:00Dancing in Little Women, part 3: Meg Goes to Vanity FairAs I mentioned in our discussion of "The Laurence Boy", the two scenes in the novel where Meg attends parties make a nice pairing. In the earlier chapter in Concord, Meg dances a "bohemian" dance in 3/4 time (sometimes called "waltz time") which is bouncy and light. When she attends the Moffats' party in Boston, the only dance mentioned by name is the waltz. This is the same time signature as redowa, but has a very different feeling. Let's discuss!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Meg at the ball, from "Meg Goes to Vanity Fair"</td></tr>
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Waltz</b></u> </span><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;">(3/4)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;"><i>"She leaned her forehead on the cool pane, and stood half hidden by the curtains, never minding that her favorite waltz had begun, till some one touched her; and, turning, she saw Laurie, looking penitent, as he said, with his very best bow, and his hand out. ...</i></span><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Away they went, fleetly and gracefully; for, having practiced at home, they were well matched, and the blithe young couple were a pleasant sight to see, as they twirled merrily round and round, feeling more friendly than ever after their small tiff.</span></i></span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;">"-Meg Goes to Vanity Fair</span></div>
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By the 1860s, the waltz had already been present in American ballrooms for several decades (although with some evolution over time). I think the waltz is especially interesting as the choice here because of its history: originally making its way from Europe to England in the early 1800s, the waltz was unique from most English dances of the time as it was done in a close hold between partners (which gave it a somewhat questionable reputation!). By the mid-1810s the waltz had taken off, and was popular as a fashionable dance. Wilson, a dance master of the time who wrote extensively about popular dances, published <i>A description of the correct methods of waltzing</i> in 1816. In it he describes:</div>
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"<i>Waltzing, since its origin, has ever been a particularly favorite amusement in the </i>higher circles of fashion<i>...It is rather unfortunate that introduction of waltzing should have been so much </i>objected to<i>.</i>" (emphasis Wilson.)</div>
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This choreography of 3 waltzes comes from that publication--it begins with basic waltz until about 0:18.</div>
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In early waltz, the dancers stay on their toes throughout the six steps (each taken on one count of the music). Mid-century waltz actually uses the same series of six steps, but the dancers move up and down between the balls and flat of their feet so that the dance has a rise and fall that is reminiscent of a carousel horse.</div>
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The hold had also changed by the mid-century, standardizing from the variety of options available in the 1810s (Wilson shows 9 in his book) to a single "waltz hold" by Howe's 1858 manual. Howe describes correct waltz position as relaxed and rounded:</div>
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"<i>The gentlemen should place himself directly opposite his lady, upright, but without stiffness; joining hands, the left arm of the gentleman should be rounded with the right arm of the lady, so as to form an are of a circle, supple and elastic.</i>" </div>
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You can get a feel for the natural rise and fall of 1860s waltz in the video below. Notice the up and down of each couple as the step, and also that the main contact of the hold is really in the gentleman's arm on the lady's waist, with the other hands forming a circle (as described by Howe). </div>
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As I mentioned above, I think waltz pairs neatly with redowa in Meg's part scenes to show the contrast of the events she's attending. Where redowa was a newer dance, part of the Bohemian fad and still maintaining a lively "country" spirit, the waltz was old by the 1860s--a refined and standardized classic. In fact, by the 1850s waltzing was such a classic that Durang notes in his 1856 manual that "<i>in this age of waltzing, we need not dilate at length</i>" on the basics of it. He then proceeds to describe the step under the heading "The Old Waltz, Called with Us the Plain One." Even though both are danced in the same time signature, waltz feels elegant and measured, and it's easy to imagine it being done in European palaces. To me, this fits the atmosphere of the Moffats' party rather well, as it's a gathering of Boston wealthy society--bringing with it elegance, ill gossip, and significant contrast to Concord that leaves Meg valuing the way things are at home.</div>
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I'll end on one final video. In addition to appearing as a dance in its own right, waltz steps appeared in "figured waltzes" (contra dances in waltz time that included figures as well as waltzing) during this period. This demonstrates a key skill for couple dances (including but not limited to waltz): steering! Whether navigating a crowded ballroom floor or moving in specific patterns with in a figured waltz, being able to steer effectively was an important part of learning the dance. Durang (1856) even mentions this explicitly:</div>
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"<i>considerable practice [is required] on the gentleman's part to dance it well; for he, especially, has to guide the lady through the mass of confused waltzing couples into which it usually forms itself: and herein lies the skill of the gentleman waltzer, sustained by the easy dexterity of his partner—it is to preserve the step and time and perform the various evolutions in gracefully avoiding collisions with the other couples in whirling by them, or, in threading gently through the “</i>cretan labyrinth<i>” of the modern waltzing ballroom.</i>"</div>
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So with that, here is a short clip of a figured waltz called "Spanish waltz" from Howe (1862), ending with plain waltz around the ballroom.</div>
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Next time, we head to Europe with Amy!</div>
L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-36363127423202442252019-12-05T21:11:00.000-05:002019-12-29T09:28:44.826-05:00Dancing in Little Women part 2: The Laurence BoyWelcome back, all! When we left off, I was sharing some thoughts on the major elements of mid-19th century dancing--today we'll move on to actually quoting some things. Hooray!<br />
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In the novel Alcott mostly mentions round dances by name, so that is what we will focus on today; we'll talk more about the other types of dancing later on.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image may contain: one or more people, crowd and indoor" height="425" src="https://scontent.fbos1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/72490153_10156590236279327_5664771459210280960_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_ohc=0IWdBaTVDwMAQlVM5nORKeYj3FlopPVwYELzlgC147zubvgMi4Wa5u7ag&_nc_ht=scontent.fbos1-2.fna&oh=c446ba53d1a9fe2bf33d89ee6e911af7&oe=5E474CF4" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">spirals in the grand march (not a dance we're touching on today, actually, but it looks lovely and dramatic from above)</td></tr>
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As we discussed last time, dancing in the mid-19th century included a mix of contra dances (danced in sets with many other couples), quadrilles (danced in sets of usually four couples), and round dances (danced by individual couples moving around the ballroom). Formal balls usually started with a march, which <strike>gave you a nice chance to see everyone else's outfits</strike> was a follow-the-leader set of figures that could include the entire party at once. Then there would be a mix of dances, varying the style and groupings of attendees throughout the evening. An interesting note about the round dances (our topic today) is that there are multiple dances with similar tempos, and the dances often bleed into each other as variation steps. It keeps things interesting!<br />
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<tr><td><img alt="Face to face with the Laurence boy" height="316" src="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37106/37106-h/images/b025.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">illlustration for "The Laurence Boy" from the <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37106/37106-h/37106-h.htm" target="_blank">Gutenberg e-edition</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><u style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">Polka </u>(4/4)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;"><i>"The hall was empty, and they had a grand polka; for Laurie danced well, and taught her the German step, which delighted Jo, being full of swing and spring."</i> -The Laurence Boy</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;">Well, was there anywhere else to start? Not only is the polka the first dance mentioned by name in <i>LW</i>, it's also the dance Laurie and Jo do together when they first meet. It's energetic, and very fitting for Jo. As Howe puts it:</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;"><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;"><i>"Unlike the waltz, which is a continual whirling round, and which allows no pause or cessation until the dancers are exhausted, the Polka admits of exceeding variety"</i> -</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-indent: 0px;">Howe (1862)</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-indent: 0px;">So there you have it. As Howe mentions, one of the fun things about polka is that there are a ton of variation steps, so you can change things up as you're dancing around the ballroom. My guess is that "the German step" mentioned in the text is a variation, but we'll come back to that. Let's start with the basics. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">illustration of the polka, from Howe 1862</td></tr>
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The basic polka is danced in closed position, and is comprised of step-togethers and hops, allowing the couple to turn around each other while also moving around the room. You can keep doing that forever, or mix in other positions so that the couple isn't turning but is continuing to take steps and hops around the ballroom. You can also mix in variation steps that add diversity to the pace and tenor of the movement. Polka requires dancers to take tiny steps, be light on their feet, and able to think fast while they move. When it's done well it looks bright and airy, and not at all as difficult as it can be (especially when executing complicated variations). As Durang (1856) puts it (emphasis mine):</div>
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"<i>There is only one Polka known or recognized in the fashionable world; but the style of dancing it varies considerably. <b>The most elegant people, and the best dancers, always dance it in a quiet, easy style</b>; and those gentlemen who rush and romp about, dragging their partners along with them until they become red in the face and covered with the dewdrops of a high corporeal temperature, are both bad dancers, and men of very little good breeding.</i>"</div>
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Here's an example from an old performance. The first 25 seconds are the basic polka step, then the variations start. How many distinct variations can you spot?*</div>
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Of course, this was a choreography for performance where we all knew the order. Imagine being in a real ballroom, dancing socially: someone (in period, the gentleman) has to come up with what variations to do on the fly, and then both partners have to execute them. Not only do you need to be light on your feet, you need to think at the speed of light! As I said, a perfect dance for Jo.</div>
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And speaking of variations...what was "the German step" Laurie taught her? This is a hard one. "Bohemian" steps and styling were quite popular in the mid-19th century, and there are many bohemian-by-way-of-France dances that appear in manuals. As Coulon (1860) describes,</div>
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"whether the Polka be German or Hungarian by birth, is a question frequently discussed by writers on the subject. It has, in fact, during the last few years, been so completely remodelled [sic] in France that it may almost be said to have taken its rise there." So "the German step" could be a general reference, or it could be a specific step. In fact, there is a German Polka contra dance in Howe's 1862 manual.</div>
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But, given the description of "swing and spring", and the context in which Laurie is teaching Jo (they're alone--they would need another couple for the contra I mentioned), I'm going to offer the schottische as a plausible candidate for what Alcott is referencing here**. </div>
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<u>The Schottische</u></div>
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I'm giving the schottische its own sub-category, because it can be danced as its own dance outside of the polka. In fact, there are particular pieces of music marked as scottisches in period sources, and there's a very distinctive pattern to the cadence of the melody that fits very well with the two-part schottishe step. But since the first part of the schottische is essentially a basic polka step it's also easy to mix it in as a variation to the former. </div>
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Ok, let's break that down. First off: why do I think the schottische could be the step Alcott is alluding to here? Well, let's go back to Durang (again, emphasis mine):</div>
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"<i>Of all the new dances which have been introduced within the last few years, none appears to be a more general favorite than the Schottische Valse...But although it ranks in novelty and fascination with the most attractive of the new dances...<b>in truth, it is no more than a German peasant dance</b>. The music, too, is Germanic and of antiquity, although it impresses us with novelty and inspiration. The Schottische is now as universally danced as the Polka.</i>"</div>
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We know that Laurie has spent time in Europe at this point. He's been at school in Vevay (Switzerland), and at some point has at least visited Germany, because the next line in this scene is:</div>
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"<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;"><i>When the music stopped, they sat down on the stairs to get their breath; and Laurie was in the midst of an account of a students' festival at Heidelberg, when Meg appeared in search of her sister.</i>"</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;">So I think it's probable that Laurie might have encountered a German-peasant-turned-French-ballroom dance even if it hadn't quite made it to Jo's radar in rural Concord yet. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;">The schottische itself has two parts: part 1 is step-together-step-hops and part 2 is step-hops. Depending on the tempo and emphasis in the rhythm, the first part can look like a polka or like something with its own character (assuming in both versions the couple is in closed position). Here's a clip from the internet of a closed schottische danced as its own dance:</span></div>
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Now here's the schottische done as a polka variation (from 3:31-3:40ish):</div>
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nRnmxzLf9k4" width="560"></iframe><br /></div>
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Notice the "swing" during the step-hop second part of the step? I could see Jo immensely enjoying that, and it matches Alcott's description pretty neatly. So I'm calling that dance #1!</div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Redowa</b></span></u> (3/4)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;">"<i>'I saw you dancing with the red-headed man I ran away from. Was he nice?'</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: justify; text-indent: 3%;"><i>'Oh, very! His hair is auburn, not red; and he was very polite, and I had a delicious redowa with him.</i>'" -The Laurence Boy</span></div>
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There is an interesting contrast between the dances Meg mentions at the two parties we see her attend: in this first party in Concord she dances redowa, while later in Boston she dances the waltz (coming in part 3). I think this is a neat pairing, because like the schottische the redowa is one of several "Bohemian" dances that were all the rage in the 1860s. It is light and fast and I think quite elegant, but would have more of a "folksy" association than the waltz--an older dance (originating in the 1810s) with a French pedigree. Thus Meg's dances are a nice parallel to the atmospheres of the two parties: rural Concord versus brahmin Boston. We'll get to waltz soon, but for now let's talk a bit about redowa.</div>
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The redowa is counted in threes, with six steps creating a full 360 degree rotation. It consists of hops and slides with the partners moving around each other in a clockwise direction while moving through the ballroom counterclockwise (line of direction). Like many round dances of this time, the lady and gentleman essentially take the same steps except that they start on opposite feet (gentlemen on their left, ladies on their right). This also means that by reversing the starting foot (gentlemen on their right, ladies on their left) the dance can be done in reverse--meaning that the couple turns around each other counterclockwise while still continuing to move through the ballroom counterclockwise. Instanity! It's incredibly hard to do but also kind of amazing. Howe offers the following (brief) description of this element:</div>
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"<i>The reverse turn may also be used in the dance to form a variety</i>."</div>
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Unfortunately, I didn't have a performance to pull from for this one. I did track down a nice-looking video from the internet, but it's not in period dress. I suppose that does mean you can see everyone's feet though!</div>
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cJMHI_h7ZRI?start=34" width="560"></iframe><br /></div>
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The switch to reverse turn happens around 0:46, did you catch it?</div>
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Durang (1856) notes that the redowa is disctinct for "<i>the beauty of the step, the elegance of the movement, and the pleasing character of the music</i>." I quite agree, and I understand why Meg would finding dancing it "delicious!"</div>
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And fun fact: there's a redowa on the 1995 <i>Little Women</i> soundtrack! </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*There are 5 with some repetition. They are: the esmerelda, the oriental, schottishe, bohemians, and flings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">**Are there other plausible candidates? Definitely. But this one just made sense to me at a gut level and I'm going with it.</span></div>
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L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-67023754120291542062019-11-29T16:29:00.001-05:002023-06-04T15:02:45.297-04:00Dancing in Little Women, part 1: an IntroductionI have worked at Orchard House (home of author Louisa May Alcott, and the setting for <i>Little Women</i>) for almost half of my life, and spend most of my free time romping around in the 19th century. So as you might imagine, the 2017 BBC/PBS miniseries and the upcoming movie are a topic about which I have a lot of Feelings. <br />
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When the 2017 miniseries aired, there was one scene in particular that made me pause and re-wind during the first episode. That scene was the first party of the book, where Jo meets Laurie.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DupVgL2UTu2dgSDBwqCDfkltS6yLqMljXQXKa3vZGHNE9OM5Fz4gyhCybYJH0yZDz1aldoL5rom2hhhFOsjH60bk1FTePjuo9NwBObz68lbSW4pvs8_aWfEKcciKwXmA8DafoOm7JBg/s1600/LW+screenshot.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1303" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DupVgL2UTu2dgSDBwqCDfkltS6yLqMljXQXKa3vZGHNE9OM5Fz4gyhCybYJH0yZDz1aldoL5rom2hhhFOsjH60bk1FTePjuo9NwBObz68lbSW4pvs8_aWfEKcciKwXmA8DafoOm7JBg/s640/LW+screenshot.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">screenshot of the scene in Little Women on PBS, at about 16:17 in episode 1</td></tr>
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The first dance in the scene is done to "Dodworth's Very Best Polka," a tune originally published c.1850 which the <a href="http://vintagedancers.org/" target="_blank">Commonwealth Vintage Dancers</a> often perform to. Hooray!<br />
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Dancing was a frequent activity in the Alcott household, and we know from the family's letters (as well as letters written by their friends) that they loved to dance and attended dances often (although in every letter Louisa insists she doesn't know the steps, which I am greatly amused by). It seems only fitting that a few key scenes in <i>Little Women</i> take place at dances.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="File:Houghton AC85.Aâ194L.1869 pt.2aa - Little Women, illustration 138.jpg" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Houghton_AC85.A%E2%84%93194L.1869_pt.2aa_-_Little_Women%2C_illustration_138.jpg/401px-Houghton_AC85.A%E2%84%93194L.1869_pt.2aa_-_Little_Women%2C_illustration_138.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Illustration by May Alcott, 1869 (from <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Houghton_AC85.A%E2%84%93194L.1869_pt.2aa_-_Little_Women,_illustration_138.jpg" target="_blank">Houghton Library</a>)</td></tr>
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Given my own first-hand (or I suppose, first foot!) experience with mid-century social dance, I thought I would share a bit about what dancing would have really been like if you stepped into <i>Little Women</i>. I started writing a series of posts on the topic...then had to finish grad school and plan a wedding, so the posts have been sitting half-completed in my "drafts" folder for literal years. Sigh. But now the Gerwig-directed movie is coming out, and I thought I should use that as some motivation to actually get this going!<br />
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I'm going to approach this in three parts: this post is a brief introduction to mid-19th century dance terms and other basics that will come up throughout the other posts in the series; next are the dances mentioned by name in the text of the novel; then I'll dive into the dances the Alcotts and their friends mention in their letters; finally, I'll wrap up with everyone's favorite "after party" (the German or Cotillion), which is briefly mentioned in <i>Little Women</i> but has more significant plot relevance in <i>Rose in Bloom</i>.<br />
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Let's get started with a little bit of dancing, shall we?<br />
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A couple of important things:<br />
1. I apologize in advance for the often not-great dance footage...I don't have a ton of videos available! We did a couple of big 1860s performances several years ago, and recently created a series of overviews so that's the footage I have to work from. (shameless plug: see dancing live in technicolor by coming to a ball sometime!)<br />
2. All of the dance information I'll be discussing in these posts comes from <b>primary sources</b>. Alcott letters and novel texts are of course the big ones for my particular selections, but what about the dancing? Let's start there.<br />
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<b>Dance Descriptions and Dance Manuals</b><br />
In the mid-19th century, dance teachers commonly published manuals on ball etiquette, basic dance posture and steps, and instructions for popular dances of the day. These books were a resource for learning new dances, and updated editions were often released only a few years apart. For the dances I'll describe, I'm primarily using publications by Elias Howe. He was a New England dancing master, and his dance manuals <i>Howe's complete ball-room handbook</i> and <i>American dancing master, and ball-room prompter</i> were both published in Boston, MA in 1858 and 1862 respectively. Since the real-life Alcotts and fictional Marches were all in New England for much of their lives I think these are appropriate for our discussion. (Yes, I know we'll hit Europe in the latter half of the novel--I'll discuss that when we hit those chapters.)<br />
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Dancing was also sometimes discussed in the press, both in coverage of particular events or in sharing a particularly hot new trend. We'll touch on both of these sources.<br />
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To set the mood, here is Howe's introduction to his 1858 dance manual:<br />
<i>"There is no scene in which pleasure reigns more triumphantly than in the ball-room...The music rising with its
voluptuous swell, the elegant attitudes and airy evolutions of graceful forms, the mirth
in every step, unite to give to the spirits a buoyancy, to the heart a gayety, and to the passions a warmth, unequalled by any other species of amusement."</i><br /><br /><br />
<b>Elements of mid-19th century Dancing</b><br />
<b><br />
</b> In the mid-19th century, there were three main types of dance setups*:<br />
-contra (or country) dances: couples are arranged in rows (sometimes straight, sometimes in a circle) and dance with each other, progressing throughout the dance to new couples<br />
-quadrilles: in America, these are usually done in squares of four couples (one on each side), and each part of the dance is repeated for the different people dancing<br />
-round (or "couple") dances: one couple dances together around the ballroom; these are what most people now think of when they think of "ballroom dances"<br />
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The takeaway here is that there were many different kinds of configurations in which you might dance while attending a ball. And it was a lot to keep track of! So it's no wonder Louisa insists she never knows the steps.<br />
<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ820PzKa_8uiVKXVurnm7JIYl6GAwW0D9A7Yi9W8UvMTq7rYesQjbSIGSM2Nv1zWifaRLDJPv5ELB7Gc7LQn0fyIXxZf8NhD4QC_ItjHUpBBZpAoAmeIqgaE7YA1aMRYXW-PniszaW-ewq9o8aKw2z4GCSWEhS3R-BrLKSFo9iBCQ-mfusXG5qCXO/s2048/IMG_3494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="a group of dancers performing the two-hand turn figure" border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ820PzKa_8uiVKXVurnm7JIYl6GAwW0D9A7Yi9W8UvMTq7rYesQjbSIGSM2Nv1zWifaRLDJPv5ELB7Gc7LQn0fyIXxZf8NhD4QC_ItjHUpBBZpAoAmeIqgaE7YA1aMRYXW-PniszaW-ewq9o8aKw2z4GCSWEhS3R-BrLKSFo9iBCQ-mfusXG5qCXO/w640-h426/IMG_3494.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div>Another important term to know is <i>figure,</i> which is the term for the different parts of a dance. Figures appear across many dances, which is kind of nice--if you know the "ladies chain" figure, you can get through it even if the dance you're doing is totally new. Since most contra dances and quadrilles are many of the same figures in different orders, it's much easier to pick up new dances than you might expect once you're comfortable with the bits...and also sometimes a lot harder to keep them all straight in your head.<br />
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The photo above is a figure from the Prince Imperial Quadrille--notice the square? Here's an example of a contra dance, called Soldiers Joy:<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5ske-cVlNDE" width="560"></iframe><br />
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and a couple dance (this is a bit of polka from a choreography, which starts about 1:05 and ends at 1:30):<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nRnmxzLf9k4?start=65" width="560"></iframe><br />
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All of these styles would be on the same program during an evening, so you'd have a lot of options for different things to do. Here's an example dance list from Lincoln's inaugural ball in 1861, courtesy of <a href="https://recreating19cballroom.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">dance historian Barbara Pugliese</a>:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FUekdQgtdUrlRN8eL3q_zsR4NxVkugFsfkFuBiXAjJ2amGdOt3Z9PnSocrgJdMAl3U6cA94zsYeG8X2itW6d8S6mH2S6auowooK5jpZ9-PPwjipTI__yeSHExxEeCwlcV3oWAqFWw4Q/s640/Lincoln+1861b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">note: "lancers" is a particular genre of quadrille, with a really neat evolution...it's still done as a folk dance in several places today, including Denmark and the Caribbean. I actually attended a <a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2017/10/denmark-dance-week.html" target="_blank">week-long dance program</a> where the theme was lancers, just to give you a sense of the scope of stuff we could touch on. I'm only scratching the surface here!</td></tr>
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So a mid-19th century person would have learned a basic vocabulary of dance elements, including figures (patterns that make up a dance), steps (how you move your feet), and variations (specific patterns of steps used in turning dances). Then they would have a repertoire of dances they knew completely (so the figures in order, etc.) that might change over time depending on trends and preferences among their social circle. Like spoken language a dance vocabulary can be combined in many ways, but if you've got the basics you can usually pick the rest up as you go. And like language, dancing has evolved over time--so while a lot of the terms may sound familiar to modern ballroom or contra dancers, the <a href="https://recreating19cballroom.blogspot.com/2011/08/why-dont-we-do-courtesy-turns-and-what.html?view=mosaic" target="_blank">execution is different</a>.<br />
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<b>Some Other Notes</b><br />
(or the things that didn't get their own section, but are worth noting)<br />
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<ul>
<li>Like modern social activities, dancing was enjoyed by people regardless of gender. While parts in a dance are defined as the "gentleman's part" and the "lady's part", there are many recorded instances of women dancing with women and men dancing with men. I will use the terms gentlemen and ladies throughout these posts to discuss the parts of a dance, but I wanted to acknowledge up front that even in the 1860s, that wasn't a hard-and-fast rule.</li>
<li>On a similar note, partners typically changed every dance, so you would dance with many people in a single evening. Howe states it is good manners for married couples to only dance together once or twice.</li>
<li>Dance cards or dance programs were popular for larger events, and often had spots to write in the name of your partner for that dance. Howe notes that it is impolite to ask someone to dance too far in advance--so the mad rush we might imagine to fill a dance card with partners right at the beginning of a ball is somewhat counter to the actual likely pace of the evening. </li>
<li>Positions have changed over time, and the proper closed hold in the 1860s was low and rounded (different from modern ballroom form). </li>
<li>The goal was (and still is!) to be sociable--smiling and enjoying the evening was more important than getting everything perfectly right. I think that's especially true for evenings described by Louisa, with good friends and cozy parlors full of lively people.</li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhez9b5w-B50uJWXpRMg-Do4JZups7W5fjjoFstrLOFgI0EtJcPD4EVPE1wnmUcoWEkuvRCc59gXSJMIElJttdgVx0rp6w0xqy1Nk-QHmPo6CEIN7aT9xK3EYWri20t4ID0xtQINCSCXRo/s1600/Polka+illustration.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="733" height="579" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhez9b5w-B50uJWXpRMg-Do4JZups7W5fjjoFstrLOFgI0EtJcPD4EVPE1wnmUcoWEkuvRCc59gXSJMIElJttdgVx0rp6w0xqy1Nk-QHmPo6CEIN7aT9xK3EYWri20t4ID0xtQINCSCXRo/s640/Polka+illustration.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">illustration from Howe, 1858</td></tr>
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Alright, I think I'll leave it here. Do you feel prepared for the ballroom? Next time we're jumping in with the dances named in <i>Little Women,</i> so stay tuned!<br /><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*I'm keeping things pretty simple, so pardon the generalizations.</span></div><br />L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-83318622480562011362019-11-11T19:03:00.000-05:002019-11-11T19:03:02.705-05:00Construction Notes:IIf you're just tuning in, I recently completed a new 1860s ballgown, made out of silk tartan I recovered by disassembling my 2012 silk tartan ballgown. The new version is a lot better! And not just because it has trim <i>and</i> closures.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbFCYRxCxnfwmNqO-LOdVYTvu9rB8e68hEIiglIoZWjkqexHHz1iZBBxFkhBnK0Vd3pV4FYm027VxEnkAuLLqo_MFVi-3zW5kAKXvXDDQimJ1YmDXzB2QwBfxnlmDbZ8HPVmUuG7MGsU/s1600/IMG_6508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbFCYRxCxnfwmNqO-LOdVYTvu9rB8e68hEIiglIoZWjkqexHHz1iZBBxFkhBnK0Vd3pV4FYm027VxEnkAuLLqo_MFVi-3zW5kAKXvXDDQimJ1YmDXzB2QwBfxnlmDbZ8HPVmUuG7MGsU/s640/IMG_6508.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">look ma, no pins!</td></tr>
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When I originally decided to embark on this project, I spent a long time looking for inspiration. My original plan was based on this extant dress, worn to a ball at Balmoral by the Princess of Wales in 1863:<br />
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<tr><td><img alt="Dress worn by the Princess of Wales to a ball at Balmoral, 1863" height="640" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/20/f7/d4/20f7d4031447b62440f51fe14b40ec99.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="460" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Note that at some point in the 1930s it was re-fashioned for wear at a <i>different</i> ball at Balmoral (<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpGZf8qO3LOaBJ-ezwE4Tyi00bnW4o7mE5ahPin9nnbsu8IOmA4bajXGZTvT-pIzbyG06HqIjfr9dKbNcouO46O5yf1svoFi8-e1uGio-eIcg8MOrhtzAjKfL4CJVIMwHtj-Eji8Rj-Q/s1600/dateunknown-royalstuart%252Cwhiteruffleswithred%252Cpointed+bodice%252C+black+lace+trim+at+Balmoral.jpg" target="_blank">worn that time by Queen Alexandra</a>) so I am unsure how much of the skirt situation is original vs. from the re-make.</td></tr>
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But I've always hated that underskirt...tiny ruffles on 1860s dresses are just not my taste. So I set out to look for something more to my liking. This actually turned out to be tricky, because it turns out tiny ruffles/fussy details under overskirts were pretty popular (at least, on the fashion plates I could find). But then I found this teal and white dress and I loved it:</div>
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<tr><td><img alt="1862 civil war fashion" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/34/61/00/346100a1903a159014497dd6ccc11327.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">looking at it now, I realize I reversed the bodice sections...ooops. oh well, too late now!</td></tr>
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So that was my new target. As I was short on silk, I spent a lot of time fiddling before I actually cut anything out. The underskirt was a good place to start: I used a historical trick and made the bottom half silk, and the top half (hidden by the overskirt) cotton. I had to piece a small portion of the silk, but now it's in the back and not noticeable when I wear it.</div>
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And then came the bodice. As I mentioned, this was the most complex 1860s bodice I had ever attempted, as it required a careful assembly order to ensue that the right things overlapped with each other. My original plan was to construct the entire bodice out of a medium-weight cotton (that petticoat fabric I mentioned) and then apply all of the silk onto the cotton base. This...did not work. Like, not at all, it was a huge disaster. Luckily, plan B went a bit better!</div>
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Plan B was that I assembled the bodice in stages. Stage 1: I cut out the top third of my usual 1860s bodice pattern in red silk, and flat lined that to the cotton lining that I had taken apart from plan A. (All of the red silk was pinked, as I knew a lot of edges would be raw.) </div>
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Stage 2: I cut the bottom two-thirds of my usual 1860s bodice pattern in tartan silk, and then created a zig-zag edge by scaling down the triangle I used to cut the zig-zag edge on the tartan overskirt (which I had done first--I used the zags I cut out for the sleeves and shoulder points). I then bound the zig-zag top edge of the tartan bodice pieces with cotton. </div>
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Stage 3: I flat lined the tartan bodice pieces to the cotton bodice pieces over the silk, leaving the zig-zag edge loose.</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHKQmAB1aYkOrQB18J6E02a69hgo-R2rVDocKq5C7V1ToFmoDe3bL1RuG1A7BUqkKHNs_lr2huVMpa4tPGvmnntDI74sDSxzDAshoynRigd6Cjcdt5ylVDpeNYxttxTtbcF3U9X9hAho/s1600/2019-09-07+17.23.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHKQmAB1aYkOrQB18J6E02a69hgo-R2rVDocKq5C7V1ToFmoDe3bL1RuG1A7BUqkKHNs_lr2huVMpa4tPGvmnntDI74sDSxzDAshoynRigd6Cjcdt5ylVDpeNYxttxTtbcF3U9X9hAho/s640/2019-09-07+17.23.35.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">I pull my basting stitches after assembly, so I like to baste in crazy neon colors. This project got lime green!</td></tr>
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Stage 4: I assembled the bodice as usual.</div>
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Stage 5: I cut (and pieced where needed) wide bias strips of red silk, which I folded in half to create mock pleats. I pinned these in place on my dress form, then took them off and replaced and stitched down each level 1 at a time so that the edges are all hidden in the overlaps. The final row of pleating mostly ends inside the tartan layer, which hides the ends (and is why I left the zig-zags loose earlier on).</div>
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That was the majority of the weird bodice construction. The little points around the armscye and the larger ones on the sleeve are just bag lined with cotton to create finished edges, since you can't see much under the ribbon (well, you can't <i>now</i>. I hadn't gotten sleeve trim on by the ball). The bodice is boned along the back, seams, and darts, and closes in back with hooks and bars.</div>
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The one true moment of panic came when I realized that 6 days before the ball I had not begun to attach trim. There are about 15 yards of pleated velvet ribbon on this thing...next time I try to finish planning a wedding and sew a new ballgown at the same time, someone hit me upside the head so I can't. But minus the sleeve trim, which went on afterwards, I got it pretty much done!</div>
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There are a couple of bodice things I'd like to fix, and I really need a bigger hoop, but really--I'm so happy with this project. Which is good, because that metre of tartan silk I bought to boost my scraps? It was the end of the factory's supply. There's just not much demand for it anymore, which is sad...and also means next time I'd need to have it custom woven, and that is way outside my budget. So this will have to be my one, well-loved tartan dress.</div>
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L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-47728190069614597072019-11-03T16:11:00.000-05:002019-11-03T16:11:07.891-05:00In which an old dress returns, much improvedMy deep love of tartan fashion history began in college, when I spent a year at the University of Edinburgh (purportedly to do science, but in the end there was a lot of dancing, baking, tea, and tartan in there too). While I was there I picked up shifts as a nursery temp, and at the end of the year I was able to use some of my pence on a few metres of dress Stuart, the white-backed Stuart tartan colorway that I had fallen in love with while learning about Queen Victoria's own highland adventures.<br />
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Long story short, I wasn't a very good seamstress in college...and sewing in a dorm room didn't improve matters very much. It was a high-pressure project, what with it being a barely-enough-to-make-the-thing amount of very expensive silk. I was happy enough with it at the time, but it's always had issues and was never really a dress I <i>loved</i> the way I had wanted to when I was imagining it in my Edinburgh student flat. (If you're curious, I wore it in 2012 a <a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2012/03/returning-heroes-ball.html" target="_blank">few</a> <a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2012/08/newport-part-4-1860s-ball-at-ochre-court.html" target="_blank">times</a> that I blogged about.) So when my dance company started discussing the possibility of a Victoria and Albert 1860s dance weekend, I knew I wanted to re-make the dress into what I had originally hoped it would be.<br />
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While there is more trim to add (and some skirt trim to re-apply...a chair bit me at the ball!), I am <i>finally</i> in love with my tartan ballgown. This was the most complex bodice I have ever put together, but I'm really proud of where I've gotten in the last few years.<br />
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I am also immensely pleased with the re-make, re-use spirit of this dress. I would say in the end about 75% of the material I used was taken apart from a previous project: the silk tartan was of course my 2012 ballgown, and all of the cotton bits (lining, the top section and waistband of the underskirt) were once a petticoat I made, mis-pleated, and then never wore because it sat in a pile to someday be fixed. I did add 1 metre of new silk tartan (added as a panel to the skirt and also became the new bodice-the old bodice was cut up to make piping) and 2 yards (I think? I don't remember because I bought it several years ago...) of red silk for the underskirt and under-bodice.<br />
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To celebrate, here are some photos!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">evidence that I do in fact dance in my ballgowns! this is from our performance of the Prince Imperial quadrille.</td></tr>
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This ended up getting quite long, so...a whole lot of construction notes are coming up next. Stay tuned!L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-82640456979364622592019-05-03T04:00:00.000-04:002019-05-03T04:00:16.832-04:00A Dress in Motion: Paine's First Set, Figure 5I reference dancing a lot on this blog, both because I love it and because moving in period patterns in period clothes really changes your understanding of what it means to wear these ensembles. I really enjoy getting to do that! It informs my clothing scholarship and my dance scholarship, as they are so informed by one another.<br />
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When I first made my 1817 ball dress, I wrote a post sharing lots of <a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-nathaniel-gow-bicentennial-ball.html" target="_blank">dance history details</a> based on the ball I attended in Scotland. In that post I referenced quadrilles, a style of dance popular in the period (and one that remains popular in various forms throughout the 19th century), and Paine's First Set, a quadrille written by dancing master James Paine. Recently we performed Figure 5 of this quadrille at our Jane Austen Ball, and I wore the 1817 ball dress. I thought this would be a good opportunity to share a little bit of clothing in motion, as it was meant to be worn!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FCommonwealth.Vintage.Dancers%2Fvideos%2F693558757770503%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Quadrilles are particularly tricky dances, because they consist of several parts, called figures, that are each set to their own short piece of music. Regency quadrilles are a special kind of endurance test, because you do them with energetic steps, as we do in the video above. Can you see how out of breath I am? And this was only one figure!<br />
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The author of Paine's First Set was James Paine, an orchestra leader at Almack's Assembly Rooms from sometime before 1816 through about 1821. As a band leader and dance publisher, he was an influential part of the London social landscape through his quadrilles and musical accompaniment at Almack's and aristocratic parties. In <i>London Society, an Illustrated Magazine of Light and Amusing Literature</i> vol 4 (published 1863), an article called "Recollections of Almack's by a Chaperon" (sic) recalls the introduction of Paine's quadrilles to the ballroom:<br />
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"Quadrilles came —— Paine’s first
set, I remember they were called.
It was ages before country gentle
men could learn them..It was
necessary, when the balls at Almack’s
began, to go through the whole set,
and learn a code of steps consistent
with each. And there was a long
preparatory training, with great loss
of temper, and loss of fiddle-strings
on the part of the teacher."</div>
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I love the description of quadrilles as "a code of steps"! It does feel like we're speaking in code sometimes, when we shout (or more often, gesture wildly) at each other to recall what is coming next.<br />
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If you're interested, the whole piece is available for free on <a href="https://books.googleusercontent.com/books/content?req=AKW5Qac6VWMh3NQLyno90tF5CZXWEfoKuQqcS7thvD56_8WUgO1ZrTCz47xVDL2GARkRFVoXXMsOLnR1_pwQpv_VthpbV3gp7IeWVHZ34E0pcmgA89bay2uTgyOZ6gPENlLbQo2z7MJk0W4ysDvc-hcdNswxZ46hENxLLcVrs5WV1fuZNacNPaJeyo3RVgMoXeJrDsAAiaDgxTrwkKElWaBcM3tHTBxxgGtmin7qo-rKlSz-8Rw3D0vssQ-Xn_FFGThkhl_xYRCU" target="_blank">Google Books</a>. The Almack's article begins on page 150.L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-91967757083193932532019-04-20T22:20:00.001-04:002019-04-20T22:38:35.997-04:00Twice Sewn, Once Worn; or, A Spangled Regency BallgownThere is a local fabric store that gets leftover bolts from warehouses of designers, upholsterers, and quilters, and thus sells everything at pretty good prices...but you never know what they'll have. This past winter I popped into their larger location on my way home from sewing with a friend to pick up a bit of fleece, and walked out with materials for a new Regency ballgown. It happens.<br />
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The lovely purple silk and embellished gold net burned a hole in my sewing stash for weeks while I worked on other things. I'm trying really hard to finish projects before starting the next thing (because I am notoriously bad at going back to the UFO pile), and I wanted to be good. And then I also had another Regency project on the list, and I waffled about which to do first. With some help from my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/loveandcrinolines/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> followers (thank you for responding to my poll and ending the waffles!), I settled on starting the ballgown...and then realized I had just about a month until the ball.<br />
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And that actually seemed like enough time! I had a pattern ready to go from <a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2017/03/dressed-for-ball-1817.html" target="_blank">my last foray</a> into Regency sewing in 2017. Cutting took no time at all, because the pieces are <i>tiny</i> compared to my recent projects. I was going to make it, no trouble at all. I fantasized about spending a luxurious few weeks appliqueing bits of embellished net onto the dress by hand on the couch. It was going to be glorious.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a closeup of some of the gold net on the bodice, and an appropriately skeptical face because this did not go as planned!</td></tr>
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Except it turns out that Regency <a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2017/02/i-hate-regency-or-ball-gown-progress.html" target="_blank">is still</a> very much my Achilles heel of historical sewing. The geometry just doesn't naturally make sense in my head, and my body is so not shaped like a Roman column that I can't try anything on without stays, which I can't lace up myself...I just struggle with it. But I love Regency dancing so much! I'll never give the period up, so carry on I shall (although keep calm I did not, I will admit).<br />
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Not to mention work has been kind of brutal recently, which didn't help. In the end, that's where the name of this post comes from: I am pretty sure there is not a single part of this dress that I did not have to rip out and start again. (Sometimes twice, when I sewed something, looked at it and thought "oh no! that's wrong/upside down/inside out!", ripped it out and did it again...and then realized it had been right the first time. Sigh.)<br />
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But there is a happy ending to this! Not only did the dress get finished (<i>with closures!</i>), but it was a lovely reminder that I really have the best friends in the world.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(not everyone is pictured, but I still love this shot!)</td></tr>
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Let's rewind a minute. After making out with a wonderful bounty of fabric, I decided I wanted to applique the net onto the silk as faux embroidery rather than using it as an outer layer of dress. I had a few extant dresses in mind as inspiration:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Creeeo que esto será de 1815-1820 bc no tiene mangas anchas pero ya es más corto, vestido de fiesta" height="640" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f2/7f/b8/f27fb8283b2b683f3724528089a12bc6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="451" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">beaded and spangled silk evening dress, <a href="https://www.photo.rmn.fr/archive/09-505160-2C6NU090A1OS.html" target="_blank">Italy</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Dress worn to the wedding of Napoleon Bonaparte and Marie-Louise, 1810 France, Musée dâEckmühl" height="640" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/2f/86/62/2f8662bf1a525dd3872699c322bda2a5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="426" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">court dress worn to the wedding of Napoleon Bonaparte and Marie-Louise, <a href="https://www.napoleon.org/en/magazine/napoleonic-pleasures/ceremonial-dress-and-train-belonging-to-the-wife-of-marechal-davout/" target="_blank">1810</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Gold embroidery on a court dress and train | Kent State University Museum" height="640" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/65/17/90/651790e9e8f402211f4ad5cb21bf8db4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="427" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">moire silk and gold evening dress, <a href="https://kentstateuniversitymuseum.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/gold-embroidery-on-a-court-dress-and-train/#jp-carousel-1165" target="_blank">1815</a></td></tr>
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And then I found this dress:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Dress worn by Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales, 1817 England" height="640" src="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/c4/48/7a/c4487a8bcf213cd2fa843da8ceb08058.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="415" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">evening dress belonging to Princess Charlotte, 1817 (<a href="http://armoire-magique.blogspot.com/2011/11/princess-charlottes-pearl-dress-1817.html" target="_blank">via <i>In Royal Fashion</i> by Kay Staniland</a>)</td></tr>
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I loved the jumper-y look of it, and the embroidery layout emphasizing the bottom of the skirt. At the time I only had the one image above to go on, and I decided that it was reasonable to make a sheer underdress and a sleeveless silk overdress rather than sewing sheer sleeves, hem ruffle, and neck ruffle directly to the silk. I thought it would be good to have the cotton bits be easy to wash, and it made sense to me historically to layer that way. While more detail images I've found for this dress lead me to think that's not what's going on here, I still stand by the approach as potentially historical, and it's definitely easier for me given how much I sweat in this dress the first time I wore it!</div>
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I started with the same darted bodice pattern I used on my 1817 ball dress, but finished the sleeve straps rather than attaching sleeves and bound the underarms with silk to finish them. For the underdress I traced the outline of my chemise onto sheer cotton left over from my <a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2017/04/embracing-romantic-mameluke-sleeves.html" target="_blank">mameluke-sleeved day dress</a>. My initial plan was to put a drawstring at the neck and bust, but with the time I had I ended up only putting in the neck drawstring. You couldn't see the rest anyways, so it was ok!</div>
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Then, once both dresses were finished but plain, I started carefully cutting up the embellished net and pinning it in place on the silk overdress. I had initially planned to use the border on the hem and the medallions on the bodice and up the front of the skirt...but I discovered I liked the scale of the border much better for the bodice. So I ended up piecing bits of the floral embroidery to form the neckline and top of the back, and using two of the pointy bits from the border as the main back pieces.</div>
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I got it all placed the night before I left for our annual Regency Weekend, and planned to sew it down when I could. And that's where the friends come in...because I was exhausted, and stressed, and shouldn't have been trying to pull sewing all-nighters. But while we gossiped after the ball on Saturday night, a friend worked on pinning the hem while I sewed down all the trim on the bodice. And then on Sunday morning before breakfast, I worked on stitching the hem while another friend sewed closures onto the now-trimmed bodice. And then at tea on Sunday another friend and I both worked on stitching the last bit of hem. So I got to wear the dress to the ball, and I still got to sleep!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">stitching the hem at tea (photo courtesy of Bonnie Britz)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sewing is always better with friends! (photo courtesy of Bonnie Britz)</td></tr>
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And then of course, another friend took photos of the finished article while I wore it :)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">evidence that I did in fact dance!</td></tr>
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I'm immensely pleased with the overdress. The beaded and spangled embroidery on the net shimmers in the ballroom, and the weight it adds to the hem feels so satisfying when I dance. I'm already looking forward to wearing it next year with a lot more trim (which I'm enjoying sewing on leisurely this week!), and an improved, ruffled underdress.</div>
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I also wore new earrings by <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/damesalamode?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=191047411" target="_blank">Dames a la Mode</a>--I was super excited, because often large period-looking earrings are pretty heavy, and I can't dance in them without the weight hurting my ears. But these were so light I did fine! It definitely helped complete the look to bring the bling all the way to my head.</div>
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L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3501080443784996618.post-49550780350148664362019-03-10T16:02:00.001-04:002019-03-10T16:10:03.468-04:00Completed Project: 1870s Winter EnsembleI could really use a time turner right now.<br />
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As the winter wore on but the ice skating ponds closed, my desire to abandon my Slytherin-inspired 1870s winter ensemble grew stronger. But I was <i>so close</i>, and I knew if I moved on to something else I wouldn't ever finish, or I'd take a shortcut after being so good and doing all the things (it has closures!).<br />
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Friday night I finally put in the finishing stitch...just in time for <strike>the weather to warm up </strike>everything to turn to freezing slush and there to be no good outings planned until next winter. I really wanted to wear the darn thing at least once though, and so The Boy and I took a stroll through our urban neighborhood while he did his best to get some decent photos.<br />
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Real photos will follow next winter, but for now: evidence of a completed project I am quite proud of!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrgo8crJqXzQKPX7Gtf_ouuOBDAVVnc8ugCFRp5gN9PTFyr6XIRe3tjkOwLofaLRqcjmp9R7Rrejcrz6CQOYMvptibiTaGVOpo5FaeTtucJoXCNOZP3QrtSSZjNkzX1Gdmu_Y-GahFxM/s1600/2019-03-09+13.01.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrgo8crJqXzQKPX7Gtf_ouuOBDAVVnc8ugCFRp5gN9PTFyr6XIRe3tjkOwLofaLRqcjmp9R7Rrejcrz6CQOYMvptibiTaGVOpo5FaeTtucJoXCNOZP3QrtSSZjNkzX1Gdmu_Y-GahFxM/s640/2019-03-09+13.01.48.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_U9es-qr8BIUQRerKui0zfgbb6-QPT-9DWcPdgXyOspM4kXTqDkSv6hfZL9EqT3Kd-eoSOL50xHaY6IykNPEweAjnP4dpgzD2aenO0K8ieAeMaL9OcL4oUGh4vOWF96zJdumTwIqucM/s1600/2019-03-09+13.05.07-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_U9es-qr8BIUQRerKui0zfgbb6-QPT-9DWcPdgXyOspM4kXTqDkSv6hfZL9EqT3Kd-eoSOL50xHaY6IykNPEweAjnP4dpgzD2aenO0K8ieAeMaL9OcL4oUGh4vOWF96zJdumTwIqucM/s640/2019-03-09+13.05.07-1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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The underskirt is unlined and faced with green upholstery velvet (it's quite stiff and I had it in the stash...I have a limited color range it appears). Most importantly, it has a pocket! The overskirt is partially lined with the same silk I used inside the bodice to keep it from sticking to the other layers. The bodice, <a href="http://plaidpetticoats.blogspot.com/2019/02/witch-winter.html" target="_blank">which I previously showed in progress</a>, now has closures and a collar in addition to sleeves (which I drafted using the <a href="https://www.trulyvictorian.net/tv402-1872-carriage-bodice.html" target="_blank">TV402 pattern</a> as a guide--I decided I didn't want giant trumpet sleeves for this particular outfit).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApLkTdI19t0C5IGJ9IuSH_A_rJvX-hv4mtPj1aztq6XnuYJobEoXADhZmESisHr-BmtulXrHVmwfPi1JKUJReSv1bchjpwLq_DaSjlxwn14YI0lBVhZO4f8edbM7lCKYBKdupZexpmkE/s1600/2019-03-09+13.30.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApLkTdI19t0C5IGJ9IuSH_A_rJvX-hv4mtPj1aztq6XnuYJobEoXADhZmESisHr-BmtulXrHVmwfPi1JKUJReSv1bchjpwLq_DaSjlxwn14YI0lBVhZO4f8edbM7lCKYBKdupZexpmkE/s640/2019-03-09+13.30.06.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the inside of the overskirt: the front apron is entirely lined in silk, the back is only lined on the sides.</td></tr>
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Both the overskirt and bodice are trimmed with faux fur. I had a really hard time finding fur I liked for this project, which ended up eating a week and half in February. I wanted gray, and something that looked and felt like real fur (rather than soft, baby blanket "fur" that doesn't look remotely like a natural thing). Getting that combination turned out to be really tricky, as most furs that had the right feel were brown or black, and pretty much everything I found in gray wasn't what I was looking for.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiceujgq1FiOS9m48-H7-vG1IZ70RqKzLtbZZJ4h6AcvRlQHAMh_P0QcUlE7eTmH3bK_i-rvsJwl9Hu0Qd_hoyIpuYURh2cbOkf3qYNwezQKGPv0-RDIPL7msdy37ul3NKG1VSA7ejPuIA/s1600/2019-03-10+15.47.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiceujgq1FiOS9m48-H7-vG1IZ70RqKzLtbZZJ4h6AcvRlQHAMh_P0QcUlE7eTmH3bK_i-rvsJwl9Hu0Qd_hoyIpuYURh2cbOkf3qYNwezQKGPv0-RDIPL7msdy37ul3NKG1VSA7ejPuIA/s640/2019-03-10+15.47.20.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the three faux furs I ended up with while trying to find the right stuff: my final choice (left), my first online order which reminds me of c.1990s shag rugs (center), and my second online order-which I like in this photo but think looks super fake in person (right).</td></tr>
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I tried ordering online, which went terribly as you might expect. In the end I took an early-morning trip to a store near my office and spent a long time waffling in the fur aisle. I ended up with a dense, long-piled option that is white with gray tips. I worried it read as too white, but I liked it so much better than any of the "gray" furs I found that I decided I would rather be fluffy...and in the end I think the mix of colors looks more natural than anything solidly gray anyways. I do want to give a shoutout to <a href="http://cosplayblog.mccall.com/2018/01/15/how-to-sew-with-faux-fur/" target="_blank">the McCall's blog</a>, which had some really handy tips for working with faux fur without causing it to shed everywhere or clog my machine. That was really helpful!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTd9TeJuyjKytpxviMtJpCQe9lD86cyZ9OjkX2V7zZVAxTezajBM23_I4ZizphZc7706bEBKqYB6IIPB5MuEhE8Manyzzcglf8CDl4RKmChYWRa-aOTzHCD1dALKibb0hj8BpQoxaXHys/s1600/2019-03-10+15.46.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTd9TeJuyjKytpxviMtJpCQe9lD86cyZ9OjkX2V7zZVAxTezajBM23_I4ZizphZc7706bEBKqYB6IIPB5MuEhE8Manyzzcglf8CDl4RKmChYWRa-aOTzHCD1dALKibb0hj8BpQoxaXHys/s640/2019-03-10+15.46.27.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a bit of cut fur from the side, so you can see how ridiculously fluffy it is</td></tr>
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In the end it fits well, it is entirely finished, and it was a lot of fun to wear (even if this time that wearing was just a hike through the very modern urban jungle). Now I can say goodbye for the season, knowing that whenever I have the opportunity to bustle it up next year I can pull this out and throw it on, no assembly required.<br />
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That might not really be magic, but it feels like it to me!<br />
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L. R. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340969761566276994noreply@blogger.com0