Half of them, anyhow. Still trying to find a host for my own  100+ pictures. Flickr won't let me put all those up for free, so the search continues. They're all up on my Facebook though; you're welcome to add me and look at them there!

These pictures were taken by my host family and contain all of the pictures taken of me at the ball, since there was no way for me to hold my camera then.
picasaweb.google.com/iam2036/Antebellum#


Enjoy!

Well... in my wildest dreams I couldn't have imagined that going to the Athenaeum would be as incredible and life changing as it was. I feel like I have returned a different person. I have returned a lady. I can now count myself among the hundreds of Athenaeum belles who came before me, in a sort of sorority like no other.  We truly are like sisters.

I have to figure out a way to let all of you see the hundreds and hundreds of photos that were taken! I suppose I need to make myself a photobucket account or something. I'll post a few teaser pictures here; one from each activity.

I'm really excited to get into sewing again. First up is finishing my red silk dress, and then the Regency silk dress. Yay!

Pictures to come, I promise!

First official day of the Athenaeum is tomorrow! Everyone I've met today is incredibly sweet and welcoming, and I'm so happy to be here!

I finished my drawers on the plane, but didn't get a chance to cut out the pieces for the belt, so no belt. Oh well. The fichu got finished, as well as the ball gown hem. I still have to move the eyes on the gold silk bodice. Going to do that after my shower, which will happen after I do a bit of cardio/strengthening exercises. I needs them... NOW.

Okay, bye!!! :D

Whipped up a summer bow for the gold silk dress. It goes quite well, even with the black velvet trim already on the dress. There's plenty of ribbon left to make a few bows that can be pinned into my hair. All these accessories make me excited for when the reenacting season starts. I'm going to feel fresh and pretty!

So... gold silk dress today. It needs the most work, second to the green sheer, but I did the green sheer in a day so I'm not worried. I almost got an entire drawer leg done yesterday during rehearsal! BTW, if anyone is in the OC area, come see the show! My friend wrote it and we're all helping him out by being in it. Should be very good, we just need and audience!

The only thing that's really bothering me is the green plaid wool dress. The bodice was too small. So I have to make an entirely new bodice for it, minus the sleeves. I actually think I can use the back and just recut the front, but we'll see. At least I don't have to worry about this dress until at least September, and maybe even November depending on the weather.

Today I'll be buying the Regency silk. Yay!

I'll be in Tennessee Friday evening! Eep! :-D

Sherbet dress is done! Luckily I kept the guimpe, so I didn't have to make a new one. Now I have to finish pleating the gold silk skirt and take the bodice in a little bit. I have a couple more bows I want to make too, that go specifically with the gold dress to make it look more summery, as per Nona's suggestion.  I also cut out my new drawers and will be taking them to rehearsal with me today. The fichu is officially half way done; it just needs ruching on the last half. It's so cute and pretty! Not as wide as I had hoped, but that's what you get for not taking the time to make a mock-up and cutting right into fashion fabric. Oh well! Then it's onto the black silk belt. That might end up being an airplane project. We'll see!

I finished fixing both sheers (this includes practically remaking the green and white sheer), and I'm feeling much better about my situation. It only took me a day of focused sewing to get those done. Here's what's left to fix:

*ball gown: re-hemmed in front only
*sherbet dress: guimpe to be made and attached, eyes attached, dog leg skirt closure redone
*gold silk dress: finish repleating skirt, take in bodice

To make:
*sheer fichu
*black silk belt
*pair of drawers

I can do it...

I pulled out all my things for the Athenaeum and then almost sat down crying. Here's what I discovered:

*The pink and green sheer needs undersleeves and hooks and eyes.
*The green and white sheer is HUGE.
*The green plaid wool bodice is too small.
*My Swiss waist is too big.
*The sleeves on my sheer waist are too short.
*My ball gown needs to be re-hemmed.
*The sherbet dress is too big and needs undersleeves and a chemisette.

And I have a week to get all that done, if I want to do it.

They suggest bringing 2 day dresses minimum, but why would I do that?? I'm a reenactor with a giant 1860s wardrobe. Problem is, they have a ton of silly rules and it's going to be very hot and humid. I'm not even sure I should think about bringing the green plaid wool dress. But if I don't, everything else I could wear needs major work.

At this point, I'm only really happy with wearing the pink and green sheer. The sherbet dress bothers me because it's a silk/linen blend that ends up looking like cotton. It just bugs me, and I don't know why! The green and white sheer dress would require practically remaking it: taking in the bodice means repleating the skirt to fit. The sheer white waist is an easy fix, but I don't want to wear it without the Swiss waist, and I'm not even sure where to begin to fix that, since all the edges are meticulously finished...

Okay... I just looked through my event pictures to get reinspired... Even though I don't like it all that much, I can take the gold silk dress with me. I'm going to fix up the sherbet dress, and go ahead and remake the green and white sheer because it's just too pretty a dress to go to waste.

So here's what we have:

*green and pink sheer
*green and white sheer
*gold silk dress
*sherbet dress
*mourning dress (can also be used for daywear with white accessories)
*white ball gown

Alright... I think I can do this AND finish my new set of undergarments!

Just got home. Wore the ball gown tonight.

Bad idea.

It didn't rip. It's still lovely.

Except the hem. It's dirty. And has some grass stains.

Of course, it's only right in the front!!!

So... the dress is essentially pristine except for about half of the hem.

Do I:

a) remake the entire skirt
b) cut off the hem, and sew essentially a new hem onto it, like a strip of fabric all the way around.

OR!!! *epiphany*

Since I thought the skirt was too long for dancing anyway, maybe I can just take it up!!!


Problem solved. :]

Yes, I have bangs now. And yes, I can still do period hairstyles with them! They just need to be rolled back/under or curled. The best of both worlds!!

     

You can just barely see the buttons I made on the postillion. I'm going to make a black collar and undersleeves for the Athenaeum, but for now I want it to be a "normal" dress.

The ball gown now has better bows, and paper flowers ($1.50/bunch at Papersource. They had velvet flowers I wanted... but $20/bunch?? I think not!).

     

Still needs a bertha, but I'm pleased with it enough for this weekend!

The skit has about two more feet that need hemming, but I cleverly turned the other way for pictures. :]

I'm tacking down the ends of the bows, I've decided. I don't want them sticking in odd directions during the night.

I don't know... It seems kind of... not nice looking to me... I wish I had had enough fabric for a bertha. It REALLY needs a bertha. :[

I think I'm going to go to Papersource and get some velvet flowers to add to it. Because it really feels plain... :-/