Burgundy Red Bee Lady Worsley silk muff - November 'Red' HSM Challenge

For November's 'Red' challenge I made a burgundy red embroidered bee silk muff with Lady Worsley fabric portrait and silk ribbon embellishment & silk ties!

Burgundy 'red' Bee Lady Worsley silk muff

I adore bee fabric, so this was a lot of fun to make and embellish and relatively quick to hand sew together! :). I was targeting 1798-1802 with this design, but really this is appropriate for anytime from 1775-1820, and could even go much later.

In progress burgundy bee muff - pleating the
silk ribbon along the two sides

            Historical Sew Monthly 
           NOVEMBER challenge:

http://thedreamstress.com/the-historical-sew-monthly-2016/

The Challenge: Red - Make something in any shade of red. 

Material: embroidered bee burgundy red silk dupioni designer fabric

Pattern: TheLadyDetalle muff pattern

Year: 1798-1802, really any late 18th to late 19th century+, but I was targeting those 4 years

Notions: fabric portrait of Lady Worsley (in a riding habit) & silk ribbon for embellishment

How historically accurate is it? It is an appropriate size, shape, style and embellishment for one of the time, and is all hand sewn.

Hours to complete: Approximately 5-6 hours of hand sewing and finishing.

First worn: Not worn yet - I had planned this for use in the new year and decided instead to sell it to my friend Judy ;). I also added a custom 'made to order' version in my Etsy shop.

Total cost: The fabric was designer and high price per yard and also silk ribbon for pleated trim around the portrait, along both sides and for the silk ties.

A few more pics!

The golden tones of the fabric and ribbon

'Lady Worsley' in a late 18th century riding habit

Side view of the silk, down-filled muff

Lady Worsley riding habit bee silk muff by TheLadyDetalle

Orange Silk Sari Regency gown - August Pattern HSM Challenge

For August's HSM PATTERN challenge I made a Regency silk sari (saree) gown!

My new Regency gown made from an orange silk sari!

The orange sari I used has an embroidered gold polka dot pattern, plus some fancy gold embroidery work in patterns done with gold thread all along the edges and the main fancy area (the pallu). I also created pattern by cutting up the sari pallu and the designed edges, and use them down the front (by combining three widths together to bring some interest to the front), across the bottom, across the bodice bottom, on the sleeves and neckline binding, along the bottom hem, and more! This created various patterns on the gown, using the sari fabric and bringing interest and detail overall to the gown. 

Historical Sew Monthly AUGUST challenge:

http://thedreamstress.com/the-historical-sew-monthly-2016/

The Challenge: Pattern - make something in pattern, the bolder and wilder the better.

Material: A sari/saree from India - orange silk embroidered with gold thread - About 6 yards and 40" wide.

Pattern: La Mode Bagatelle cross over gown (I made mine open at the back so faux cross over)

Year: early 19th century

Notions: None

How historically accurate is it? It's up there, pattern is good. Also Regency women made dresses with fabric from India, which is what mine is. I mainly did it by machine and hand finished though.

Hours to complete: A few days worth of sewing: I did a lot of piecing and figuring in order to use up all the embroidered gold work in the pallu and edges, and for the neckline and sleeve binding, the bodice sash, the front hem, down the skirt front and more. I did the majority of the sewing in August, but ended up putting it aside for two months, and then finally finishing it at the end of October/beginning of November.

First worn: Worn for the first time this past Friday night at the 10th Annual Regency Pumpkin Tea Candlelight Dinner I hosted! I also was wearing a orange berry gold tiara headband from my lovely mother Linda, jewelry from Dames a la Mode, and painted American Duchess 'Pemberlies'.

Total cost: $25.99 for the pure silk sari online.

Here are a few in-progress pictures!

Choosing bottom trim

Inside Out View - showing piecing together
 three rows of gold trim in the middle front

And almost done!

I used all of the sari in this project, and ended up with a few small pieces of gold work and a handful of orange silk scraps remaining, that was it. I definitely enjoyed making a Regency gown from a sari, and will do so again in future!

10th Annual Regency Pumpkin Tea and Dinner

Friday - The 10th Annual Regency Pumpkin Tea Candlelight Dinner

This weekend was the 10th anniversary of my annual Regency Pumpkin Tea, a private Regency event that I host. As this was the 10th year I have hosted this, I wanted to do something special, and so I planned a Regency candlelight dinner on Friday night, and the Regency Pumpkin Tea on Saturday lunch. It was great fun!

I cooked all the dinner food Friday, with a bit of help from a friend on the vegetables and pear desert (thanks Ali!). We had punch, port, champagne, and more, eating, drinking and laughing, and some games of cards with betting "diamonds" and entire collections of tiaras (LOL).

Friday's dinner repast of Regency fare

Friends making new friends!

The Regency dinner table and candles

The table lit by candlelight

Ali and I having a great time!

Lovely Regency ladies enjoying the evening!

My new gown - orange silk sari Regency

This was my first time hosting a Regency dinner (not a sit down 13 course meal I'm afraid, lol), but I did try to choose all period appropriate fare, and had fun pulling it all together. I have some tweaks and improvements in mind for next year (the cream sherry was too sweet, the port great, the vegetables yummy (but will cook fewer and longer next time), the pear/orange/raisin/brown sugar desert YUM, the Cornish hens came out great, but the brisket I can improve upon, and Trader Joe's, as always, came through with some wonderful delights! :).

I picked up candles from World Market, and they burned great, so more of those for next time. And the two 5-candle candlelabra's plus another 7 few single candles around provided lots of great light, so that was great. We also had a fire in our fireplace in the front room for the first ever since we bought the house, and that added to the ambiance.

Saturday - The 10th Annual Regency Pumpkin Tea

10th Annual Regency Pumpkin Tea (photo courtesy Gloria)

Saturday's food was catered from a local catering company (plus some extra scones I baked and some leftovers from Friday) and was definitely worth the catering expense (I hope I can budget it again in future) because we had a leisurely morning on Saturday, prepared the tables/room (thank you ladies for all your help!) and then everyone arrived and the tea began!

About ready to begin the tea!

A bit of sun on some lovely ladies!

Ali and the meandering after the tea

Fire pit shoe shot!!

Vanessa's lovely blue gown!

My friend Judy helping me with my tiny spencer buttons

Regency group wedgie shot! (photo courtesy Gloria)

My friend Ali and I at the tea

My autumn ensemble - my 'strawberry picking'
gown, Regency apron, black sash, mustard
silk fichu, brown velvet spencer, and stovepipe
bonnet from Amanda's etsy shop

A bit of shenanigans

Tree climbing shenanigans!

Judy in my favorite maple tree

Kat, Judy and myself - what a fun weekend!

Saturday included tea, then meanderings around the yard, photos, an impromptu and delightful repast outdoors sipping champagne, then fabric exchange, more tea and food, before a large fire in the fire pit out back (just because, and yes, Guy Fawkes day), more drinking and a viewing of 'Austenland'...a long and glorious day! Some of my favorite pictures:

Toasting the company with champagne

We planted the Fabulousity Club flag and I christened my land with champagne!

We planted the Fabulousity Club flag in the yard!

My friend Ali (whom I met at work many years ago), came to her first ever costume events this weekend in borrowed wear, and looked great! :)

We did a fire pit that evening -
Guy Fawkes day appropriate ;)

Planting the flag! (Photo courtesy Gloria)

10th Annual Regency Pumpkin Tea group shot (courtesy Gloria)

Friends came from near and far, and it was so lovely to have all my closest friends together to have a fun costuming weekend together! Those of you who couldn't come were missed, but many shenanigans took place and lots of fun was had! Some ladies stayed over Friday night and a few more on Saturday: the weekend went by so fast, but I think I can safely say it was a success! THANK YOU so much to everyone for coming and being lovely guests, I had a wonderful time!!

I didn't get a lot of pictures of the dinner, but all of my pictures are here (Friday) and here (Saturday) ;).

And I can hardly believe that 10 years have gone by!