2023 Wrap-Up & 2024 Plans #2023HistoricalSewMonthly

Welcome to A Perfect Touch! I'm Jeanette.  The Historical Sew Monthly, originally The Historical Sew Fortnightly, created by Leimomi  Oakes of The Dreamstress (I'll share links) has been inspiration for my costuming passion since  2014. While Leimomi now focuses on her teaching and her business partnership in Scroop Patterns,  a group of volunteers has kept The Historical Sew Monthly moving forward with new monthly challenges  and helpful discussion. I adore this group! They provide inspiration

in all historical and vintage  fashion up to 1938. The members' contributions and knowledge are incredible! Since the 12 monthly  challenges may be completed and submitted at any time throughout the year and in any order, it  also works well for me to fit my projects for any events into the Challenges. A summary of the 2023  challenges and the detail required for submission into the monthly challenge albums is here for you.  January - Back to the Beginning. The Challenge: Re-make one of your fir

st projects or make  something that is the beginning of an entirely new outfit. What the item is: False rump. How it  fits the challenge: This false rump will create the full- bottomed and round-hipped shape  for the beginning of a new outfit. Material: Linen and cotton. Pattern: Free Frances  Rump Pattern by Scroop Patterns. Year: 1775 to 1795 this view being correct for 1775 to  1787. Notions: Waterfowl feathers and down, twill tape, and thread. How historically accurate is it?  The pattern an

d silhouette are very accurate. The fabrics and notions are accurate, but the false  rump is primarily machine sewn. Hours to complete: 4 hours. First worn: Halloween 2023. Total cost:  Fabric $8, twill tape $4, feathers recycled from a pillow. February-Reality is Unrealistic  The Challenge: Our modern media-influenced perceptions of the past are often quite limited or  inaccurate in comparison to the full picture that research reveals. Colorful peasant clothing? The  prevalence of day caps? Bra

-like garments in the Middle Ages? Make an accurate historical garment  that defies our modern expectations of what was possible or commonly done. What the item is: 1925  Fringe Dress. How it fits the challenge: The Jazz Age is 100 years past but our modern perception  of the clothing is heavily influenced by movies and the stereotype of the Flapper in the heavily  fringed dress. While fringe was certainly used, it was also used in styles other than Flapper  for both day and evening wear. Materi

al: Satin. Pattern: Decades of Style Pattern Company  1925 Fringe Front Dress. Year: 1925. Notions: 12-in fringe, sequin rope trim, thread. How  historically accurate is it? Uses an accurate pattern with the luscious fabrics and trims of  the era. Hours to complete: 8 hours. First worn: For a Gatsby fundraiser. Total cost: $37 March-Focus on the Fabric The Challenge: Make something in which the  fabric/color/texture/print/material etc. is the central feature of the design. What  the item is: 192

0s Poiret-style Cocoon Coat. How it fits the challenge: While the design of this  coat has survived these past 100 years, the fabric of this particular coat was not only important  for the impression I was recreating but is the absolute star of this garment. Material: Satin and  velvet-flocked net overlay. Pattern: Folkwear 503 Poiret Cocoon Coat. Year: 1920s. Notions: Faux fur  trim and thread. How historically accurate is it? The pattern is very accurate. The materials were  only to give the i

mpression for the recreation. Hours to complete: 14 hours. First worn: Voyage on  the Queen Mary 2 - a once in a-lifetime trip and dream come true! Total cost: $70. April-Opposites  Attract The Challenge: Challenge yourself to make something that uses two or more colors which you  would not normally use together or colors which clash to the modern eye. What the item is: Early  1930s combinations. How it fits the challenge: Using remaining fabric pieces from previous  sewing projects, the colors

are a warm and cool and directly opposite each other on the color  wheel. But only I will see them along with my very close friends and now all of you seeing this.  :) Material: China silk and silk Crepe de Chine. Pattern: Wearing History Early 1930s Combination  Underwear. Year: Early 1930s. Notions: Snaps, thread, and bias tape. How historically accurate  is it? Pattern is very accurate and use of bits of available materials and notions is also very  accurate. May - Hair Apparel Make something

worn in the hair or on the head. What the item is:  Regency Era turban. How it fits the challenge: Worn on the head. Materials: Satin,  metallic-embroidered organza, silk for lining, woven ribbon. Pattern: Wingeo  WN714 1795 to 1825 Regency Era Turban. Year: Late 18th and early 19th centuries. Notions:  Button blank, vintage feather, thread, buckram. How historically accurate is it? Unsure of the  accuracy of the pattern or method of construction but it did produce a very comfortable turban tha

t  was wearable for the entire evening and stayed in place without any pins. I wanted to recreate the  brow band in the inspiration illustration and this pattern made that possible. Hours to complete:  10 hours. First worn: The Lafayette Birthday Ball in September 2023. Total cost: The satin was  gifted but if I had to purchase all materials I would estimate $50. June - Jack of All Trades The  Challenge: Make something that uses two or more different production techniques; sewing, knitting,  emb

roidery, quilting, tatting etc. What the item is: Escoffion How it fits the challenge:  This headpiece used sewing, ribbon weaving, and beading techniques. Material: Metallic  ribbon. Pattern: Elizabethan Escoffion Cloth of Gold Lynn McMasters Out of a Portrait. Year: 16th  century. Notions: Several sizes of pearls, black seed beads, trim for the edge, satin ribbon for  the back ties, thread. How historically accurate is it? As this was a learning piece, I followed  the instructions but not the

suggested ribbon. Hours to complete: 12 hours. First worn: For a  1930s Black and White evening. Total cost: $25. July - Once Upon a Time. The Challenge: Make  something inspired by a fairy tale or folk tale. Whatt the item is: Regency gown. How  it fits the challenge: This is a story of two present-day Cinderellas. The first is me. I had  attended my last costumed event in October 2019. In September 2023 an event was scheduled just  3 hours from my home which is an extraordinary occurrence and

it would be the first costumed  event I would travel to in almost four years. The event was the Lafayette Birthday Ball hosted  by Beepoke Vintage with 2024 and 2025 being the bicentennial of the Marquis de Lafayette's return  visit to the United States and events also being held near me this was the perfect time for me to  learn this beautiful and not often recreated era of mid 1820s fashion. One day I happened upon a  January 1825 Ackermann's Repository illustration and I fell in love. I had b

een gifted a satin  in the perfect color I recreated the gown and attended the ball in true Cinderella style.  Having been gifted this fabric and saving funds, I decided to sponsor another Cinderella to  attend the ball. She has since published on social media sharing her and my name so I  became a Fairy Godmother as well! Material: Satin, embroidered organza, cotton. Pattern:  Laughing Moon 138 Regency Gown and Hamilton Spencer for sleeve detail. Year: 1825.  Notions: Woven buttons, woven ribbo

n, velvet ribbon and seed beads for hem  embellishment, costume pin for belt, cotton lace for sleeve details. How historically  accurate is it? A very detailed pattern and closely following the 1825 illustration made this  as accurate as I could for impression. Machine sewn where possible. First worn: The Lafayette  Birthday Ball in September 2023. Total cost: The satin was gifted but if I had to  purchase all materials I would estimate $140. August - All Tied Up The Challenge: Make something  t

hat closes with ties or something that uses knots/bows as a decorative feature. What the  item is: Evening Wrap. How it fits the challenge: The collar of this wrap extends to ties that when  knotted hold the wrap closed. Material: Velvet and faux satin. Pattern: Depew Patterns 1931 5  Evening Wraps. Year: 1931. Notions: Thread. How historically accurate is it? Sewn using a vintage  page with only measurements for cutting the fabric and slight instructions. Hours to complete: 2  hours. First worn

: Enjoying the casino on the Queen Mary 2 during the Red and Gold Gala evening.  Total cost: The wrap is slightly shorter than the instructions called for as I used a velvet piece  purchased in a costumers' destash group for $5. The gold faux satin lining was $4. September - The  State of Fashion. The Challenge: Make something for which the fashion was influenced by political  situations happening at that time in history, example: sumptuary laws, imports and tariffs,  protests, conflicts or soci

al movements. What the item is: 18th century gown. How it fits the  challenge: Britain had its silk industry located in Spitalfields ,London. Beautiful fabrics  brocaded in silver and gold were produced. To protect the local industry the British  government established high taxes on imported textiles. Between 1765 and 1768 riots occurred  during a downturn in the silk weaving industry. The Spitalfields weavers organized to attempt to  ensure that the rates of pay for their piece work was not cut

beneath the level at which they could  feed themselves and their families. Destruction, violence, and a hanging were all attributed to the  Spitalfields riots. I've chosen a pattern close to that period, 1775 to 1790 which has detailed  and historically accurate sewing instructions greatly helping me learn period construction.  I'll be making a mockup from a non-silk fabric for a fun costume allowing for mistakes and  learning, but will create the final gown for a future event in a beautiful si

lk. Materials: Faux  silk taffeta and cotton. Pattern: Angelica Gown by Scroop Patterns. Year: 1775 to 1790. Notions:  Metal eyelets, yarn, lace, and the fun appliques. How historically accurate is it? I learned a lot  of historical techniques from this pattern. I did machine sew where possible, and of course, the  complete impression is non-historical, but it was fun and completely stress-free. So 10% , maybe?  Hours to complete: With the appliques this took almost 40 hours. First worn: Hallowe

en 2023. Total  cost: $35. October - HSM Lookbook. The Challenge: We have so many talented costumers in the HSM  community. Make something inspired by someone else's HSM project from an earlier month or year.  What the item is: Regency reticule. How it fits the challenge: I've always loved the tasseled  reticules such as Leimomi Oakes and Alyssa Nunley created for the November 2018 Challenge. This  reticule was perfect to follow their inspiration. Material: Satin, silk lining, metallic embroider

ed  net. Pattern: La Mode Bagatelle Regency Wardrobe. Year: Regency Era. Notions: Silk tassels, thread,  satin ribbon. How historically accurate is it? As depicted in many Regency illustrations but machine  sewn. Hours to complete: 1 hour. First worn: The Lafayette Birthday Ball in September 2023.  Total cost: The satin was gifted but if I had to purchase all items I would estimate $10.  November - Style Starts at Home The Challenge: Make something which would generally be seen only  within the

household, example, informal at home wear, nightwear, undergarments. What the item is:  Corset garter belt. How it fits the challenge: An undergarment to create the period silhouette  and hold stockings. Material: Coutil. Pattern: Mrs. Depew 1930s Corset Garter Belt. Year: 1930s.  Notions: Busk, spiral metal boning, elastic, twill tape, garters, embroidery floss. How  historically accurate is it? Pattern, materials, and techniques all accurate. Hours to complete:  8 hours. First worn: 1930s even

ing on the Queen Mary 2. Total cost: $55. December - Paired to  Perfection. The Challenge: Make something that comes in a pair: mittens, stockings, garters,  braces etc. or make something in which the trim or construction prominently features sets of two.  What the item is: Bra and garter belt. How it fits the challenge: Designed for both upper and lower  body parts that appear in sets of two. Material: Satin, embroidered net. Pattern: The Underpinnings  Museum 1930s Kestos Style Bra and 1930s K

estos 'Zoma' Suspender Belt. Year: 1930s. Notions:  Elastic, satin ribbon, garters, hooks and eyes, buttons and thread. How historically accurate is  it? Patterns developed from a museum collection and materials accurate. Hours to complete: 15  hours. First worn: Casual wear 1930's day on the Queen Mary 2. Total cost $20. Completing  these 12 projects earned me a Certificate of Awesomeness! from the Historical Sew Monthly  community. 126 projects were completed by 33 participants in the group. I

'm very thankful to  be part of that welcoming and inclusive community! It was wonderful to find that Beespoke  Vintage, headquartered just 3 hours from me in Fayetteville, North Carolina, was organizing  costume-related events prior to the National Celebration of the Bicentennial of Lafayette's  Farewell Tour in 2024 and 2025. Rebecca planned a series of lectures and workshops beginning June  for foundations, day dress, and evening dress, all leading up to the Lafayette Grand birthday  Ball and

Soiree in September. Corsets and Cravets 2023 was to be held in Raleigh, North Carolina  in August. I submitted a teaching proposal for the event. I then learned that the event was  focused on a specific historical period 1830 to 1880. My class proposal for ribbon flowers  was considered out of that period and rejected. I've created costumes in the 1870s period but  those costumes and underthings have been sold and I didn't have any resources available to  create more. In the end I decided to r

evisit that event another year. I had purchased a ticket  for the 18th Century Ball that was to be held in St Louis in October but family commitments  meant making the difficult choice to forego that event as well. Again, the gown made for  Versailles in 2020 remains unworn. Some day,  I hope! But a change of plans did not mean  staying home. I attended the first Beepoke Vintage foundations lecture and workshop in  Fayetteville. There I received from Rebecca a swag bag full of information from t

he American  Friends of Lafayette and the Lafayette Society regarding the upcoming Bicentennial Farewell  Tour. The class was so informative for me for an era I'm very unfamiliar with and the  town of Fayetteville is an historic treasure. Harper House in Hickory, North Carolina  was hosting a Gatsby-themed fundraiser and a perfectly jazzy evening was had by all! Lafayette's Grand Birthday Ball and Soiree  hosted by Beespoke Vintage. The event was a weekend full of costuming fun! Rebecca  was the

perfect organizer and host and every detail was exact and beautiful! You  can be sure I will attend future events. The original Queen Mary 2 voyage was scheduled for  May 2020 and cancelled during the world lockdown. I had made several attempts to reschedule that  voyage but magically this was to be the year. The 1930s wardrobe I had been creating could finally  be worn over a 12 night Eastern Caribbean holiday. An incredible dream come true  and a costumer's dream as well! One of the first thi

ngs I would like to do this  year is get caught up on the diaries of the makes for the 1930s wardrobe, the 1825 gown turban and  reticule for the Lafayette Grand Birthday Ball and the memories of those events as well. There  are also a few other makes awaiting diaries like the Bridgerton ball gown and of course there are  12 new challenges for the Historical Sew Monthly 2024. The Ojibwe beadwork for my 1862 coat is  still in progress. I'm learning some beautiful techniques. But the learning has

taken quite  a while and the coat will probably take several more years. My Native American ancestors would  be smiling on me, I'm sure. Once in a while in my blog post and videos I will share some behind  the scenes info and photos about myself, my past, my sewing process and thoughts. I will share  photos of my very tiny sewing cubbyhole and the desk where my sewing machine or hand  stitching happens near the window. You've seen the bedroom where I have to set up my  dressform and ironing boar

d. You've seen the living room and kitchen spaces where I have to  cut fabric. And then the final reveal photos in my yard or a temporary photo backdrop in the  same living room space where I've cut fabric. What I would like to do in 2024 is share a more  personal side of me so that you know the what, where, and why of my costuming passion. That  means talking to the camera. Yikes!! Give me a boardroom and a multi-million dollar engineering  proposal and I'm fine. But talk to the camera? *faint*

In December 2022 I created an online  group of costumers who had attended previous events I've organized and hosted, costumers  whose events I've traveled to to attend, and a few others whom I only knew online. During  the next 6 months I shared my dream of Almost Heaven - A Costumer's Retreat at The Greenbrier  in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia. The history of The Greenbrier is documented to 1778  and the range of our 4-day retreat was a Time Traveler's dream. Early arrival day was Draper

  Day 1940s and 1950s in honor of Dorothy Draper, grandmother of Reese Witherspoon, and decorator  of immense properties worldwide. The Greenbrier is colorful and a breath of fresh peaceful air  thanks to Dorothy Draper. A 1920s and 1930s day was planned with our luncheon in the original  Spring Room, a tour of the bunker which had been a nuclear fallout shelter for portions of the United  States government, and an evening in the casino celebrating the end of Prohibition. The next  day, themed 1

910s and 1900s, included a trip to the Cass Scenic Railroad where we would be taken  from Cass to Durbin by a Shay steam locomotive riding in a plush original 1917 Pullman car. The  last day was Costumer's Choice with activities voted on by the group including croquet on the  lawn reserved specifically for that activity, carriage rides, falconry and mountaineering  which included archery. And a very necessary grand photo-taking tour throughout The Greenbrier  . A site visit to The Greenbrier and

Cass Scenic Railroad in June solidified all details including  meals, photographer, activities, and negotiation for block room rates. I took the info back to  the group and a deposit of one night's room would have to be made to secure our negotiated  rate. Through the previous months some group members had left the group knowing they could  not attend the event and sadly as the deposit was now due enough other members left the group  resulting in us losing our negotiated room rate. I can honest

ly tell you that I was heartbroken  for the dream and the work that I had done and lost. The only other option was for me to pay the  room deposits out of personal funds and hope to fill them later. I decided not to do that and let  the Almost Heaven event dream fade. I still don't have the heart to try to plan another event but  as there were still some group members who wanted to spend time together we are discussing some  options. A plan is in the works, part of it confirmed and reservations

made. It will be  on the west coast where my teaching proposal has been accepted for another event. Yay!! But that's  all I'm saying for now and wish me luck with this one! In October 2023 I became aware of the Mount  Dora Jane Austen Fest in Florida scheduled for February 2024. The event is located within driving  distance of family and friends and I jumped on the chance to combine visits and learning more  about the Regency era. As of this writing I have already attended and I can recommend th

e  Fest in this wonderful historic community. The Fest was sponsored by Hallmark for their Loveuary  Austen series and the swag bag was wonderful! The dates have already been announced for 2025 and  it is already my hope to attend again. In June 2024 Beespoke Vintage will host another event in  Fayetteville, North Carolina. Since Rebecca did such an amazing event with the Lafayette Grand  Birthday Ball and Soiree in September 2023, I think this is worth putting on the 2024 planned  events calend

ar. 1940s sewing is in the planning! Wishing you a 2024 filled with good sewing, good crafting, and good friends! Thank  you for sharing this journey with me!!