Soldier, Soldier, Won't You Marry Me?

Alberquerque was a turkey...

2007-11-22T19:26:00.000-05:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!

I'll post sometime next week.

The ball was a success...

2007-10-30T13:49:00.000-04:00

I looked good in my silk gown (what else is new), although I can imagine how much it reeks of champagne and woodsmoke after this past weekend. I had fun at the ball with Josh and Rich and Dad, but I wish I had my girls there as well. It got really lonely during the day on Saturday.

As a side note, I'm almost done with the actual gown part on my red wool gown. And when I say "I", I really mean my mom. The back en fourreau pleating looks phenomenal. I am so excited for the camel petticoat to be done and then we shorten and hem everything. Phenomenal.

On a very Victorian note, I saw this gown online and practically had an orgasm:

It's a blue velvet bustle gown with gold lacings. I love it. Really, how can people go hysterical in things like that. I love it.

On a very dark (and post-Victorian) note, look at this beauty too:

Yep, that's a 1902 Mourning gown. It's gorgeous.

I also want to eventually (aka when I get the money) make a silk bonnet. I want it to be either a black (most common) with a royal purple lining or a green with a white lining. Silly Sisters sells a very nice one, but it'll set me back a pretty penny.

Alright, I'm off to the pub for coffee goods before class. Catch you all later.

I am a clothes horse

2007-10-22T14:00:00.000-04:00

So, I might have mentioned that the last time I am starting to sew a gown. It is a madder red midweight (between ultra-lightweight and coat-weight) wool. I also got a petticoat wool in camel to match.

I need to make a mask for the masquerade at New Windsor Cantonement. I think I am going to go to Bankesville fabrics to pick up some taffeta to make a mask, like Kirsten Dunst wears in Marie-Antoinette. It may not be totally period correct, but I highly doubt that anyone there will give a shit, and it is closed to the public anyways. My gown is pink and navy blue, so I might go with a lighter blue or maybe even a cream color. I figured I'll do the same for Rich and Josh, and have Rich in a red mask and Josh in a black mask. I'm not wearing my wig, either (seriously, the thing looks like a rat threw up and died), so I figure that I'll put it in pin-curls the night before (I'm not going to the 200 Nights Halloween Celebration, since getting to bed before 5 a.m. is impossible on those nights; instead I am hopefully going to Manhattan) and keep them in until that night. Then I'll throw my hair up. Oh, the joys of having fabulously thick hair.

In other notes, I'm thinking of buying some more fabric. The Farmer's Museum had a fabulous blue-and white striped cotton that would be nice for a caraco jacket. Rich always wanted a civilian coat, so I might get a nice houndstooth, like the one seen at the top of the page. What do you think?

I am also looking for a loom.

Anyways, I got to go to lunch. I'll write after New Windsor.

Sorry Guys...

2007-10-15T21:27:00.000-04:00

So here's an intensive of what has gone down lately. Sorry I haven't been updating, but this Pastry War project and books on Thomas Jefferson (two unrelated things) are weighing me down:

- Verplanck was a pseudo-success but in all goodness, it was beer and camping.
- I didn't go to Saratoga. I went to the Hamptons instead and had wine and a cheese platter. It was good. Apparently, Saratoga was a total farb fest. My dad (a Sgt.) only went for Saturday. I did get a shader, stockings, and a fan (all necessities) out of it. Rich got a new cotton shirt and stuff for his (new) Pedersoli bess.
- Hahaha I haven't started my wool gown and/or petticoats.
- I need to go to Banksville to get stuff for the masquerade.
- Ft. Montgomery blew huge chunks of suckiness all over the field. 1) It was a crappy field (they put us down by the visitor's center); 2) There were ZOUAVES. ZOUAVES. Ummm...I'm sorry, but this is a REVOLUTIONARY WAR reenactment. Not some crappy fez-and-pantaloons-wearing commemeration of some battle that the South still refuses to acknowledge that they LOST. Yeah, sorry, tangent. I did get to see Nicole as a fabulous galtroop dragoon and that was worth it. I love that child. Oh yeah, and the beer was shit, but that was beyond the point.
- I still haven't called Godwin to get a tape loom. Remind me to do that.
- I need to fix my stays. Trip to Michael's anyone?
- Speaking of Michael's, remind me to pick up some 100% organdy wedding veil so I can make an apron for my silk gown. It is actually totally period correct.
- I am almost done with the apron for my brown dress gown. It is a white striped (vintage...from the 1940's) cotton
- I kind of want to learn to ride so I can be a dragoon. ;-)
- I'm also considering either 1812 or WWII when I get the time/money.

Hahah Nicole and I came up with a great theory on women who reenact JUST for their husbands. Now I'm not saying this is bad (my mom was one of these), but some of these girls have no interest in clothes or history or anything and it is hysterical at times. That probably makes me a bitch for saying that, but I don't even care that much. Anyways, these girls are *drumroll*: the Ralph Wiggums of the hobby.

P.S. - I've got a surprise for you...just message me if you want to know

The Journey Back

2007-09-20T23:39:00.000-04:00

Hey guys, good news! This weekend, if you can make it, come to Verplanck's Point for the 225th anniversary: The Journey Back. It starts with a book talk by Dr. Robert Selig (an expert on Franco-American relations during the American Revolution) on Friday at 7:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public, just gimme a call, leave me a blog comment, or e-mail my dadsie at kingsferry@aol.com to make a reservation. The event kicks off on Saturday, opening to the public at 10:00 a.m. (registration for reenactors starts at 5:00 p.m. on Friday) at Steamboat Dock in Verplanck, New York. Free parking and admission is a plus. It kicks off with myself, Andy, and Gabrielle giving speeches on music, nursing, and midwifery in the 18th century, respectively. At 11:30 a.m, there will be an artillery demonstration. Throughout the day, there will be demonstrations on camp life, a parade through the town, and various skirmishes through the day. The highlight is the British Invasion from Stony Point on period bateaus. At around 2:00 there will be a Ladies' Tea where women will be socializing in an 18th century fashion. Around 5:00 p.m. the camp closes to the public. The reenactors will eat dinner at the Verplanck Firehouse (a short walk from the camp, and there are sidewalks this year) consisting of pulled pork, Korean chicken, ziti, potato salad, macaroni salad, green salad, and some form of cake. Camp reopens to the public around 7:00 p.m. with a performance by Jonathan Kruk, master storyteller sharing tales of the American Revolution. At 8:00 p.m, the night comes to a climax with a fireworks spectacular.
Breakfast will open to reenactors in the morning (location to be determined - it's either at the Firehouse or the Riverfront) and is free (of course). At around 9:30 a.m., buses will be provided to Van Cortlandville to St. Peter's Church where a Divine service will be held and memorials will be put on the graves of the French soldiers who perished 225 years ago. Buses wil be arriving back at the riverfront at 11:30 a.m for People of the Brigade (an 18th century fashion show), There will be tacticals throughout the day, concluding at about 5:00 p.m. It shall be fun for all.
Come out and support me if you can!!!!

My Trip to the Green Mountain State, Part I

2007-08-19T22:36:00.000-04:00

I am home from Vermont (and New York) after an amazing weekend. It was so much fun, and I kind of just loved making fun of the town of Hoosick, NY (you kind of have to coo on the "hoo" sound). The weather "held out", meaning that it was forty degrees and I still managed a sunburn, but I tried to make the best of my circumstances and have fun. I got a new orange wool shortgown with a tan and black striped stomacher (Yay! Stomachers!) All I need is some new woven tape (maybe in an orange/black or black/tan combo...*cough*Sarahhowmuchwoulditcostforayard?*cough*) to close it up. I got to spend a lot of time with Katie and I feel like I've learned a lot. I've determined that I want my super-sexy madder red wool gown to be a working gown, and that I want really short petticoats with it so it's correct. That mean's I'd need to make another wool under petticoat. The outer petticoat is going to be camel, so what should my under petticoat be? I'm thinking like a dark green, kind of like you see in some Brit coats, but I don't know where I would get that color wool. Do you think Kochan Phillips would be acceptable for a petticoat? I mean, it's a splurge, but it's oh so warm.
And Rich is the best ever. He fits into a regimental perfectly. And not one made for him either. I am jealous. I so wish I could fit into loaner clothes.
God, this sunburn hurts. Everything is seriously spinning at 10,000 miles an hour and I feel like vomiting.
Anywho, I do have pictures and I promise to post them as soon as I stop throwing up and this Tylenol PM wears off. Until then, you will have to stay in suspense.

Grrr...

2007-08-16T00:37:00.001-04:00

This is going to sound weird but I absolutely positively certainly DO NOT want to go to Bennington! I know....strange. I think I am just tired (I've been moving all week), and I really don't have it in me to go 4+ hours in a car, sit in the hot sun, and deal with any potential drama. I just can't do it any more. It's tiring me out. I'm really getting sick of this hobby. Why can't we just do dog-and-pony shows anymore? They were so much more fun.

In the Valley of the Shadows - the most abridged version possible

2007-07-30T22:17:00.000-04:00

So, I went to the spot where the ill-fated Battle of Oriskany was fought on Saturday morning. It took a lot longer than expected (about an hour and a half from where I was staying). I got to see Sarah and Allison, although I must admit that I was sad that Kelly couldn't join us. :( So, I got there, paid attention to some people and got ignored by others (I don't want to talk about it, I did my part and that's all) and then plopped myself down at the laundry. I did some hemming on a towel made out of this really really soft blue cotton with white linen thread while Andy gave a lecture on nursing in the 18th century. I'm really not big into blood and guts and nasty things, but this was pretty interesting. I also saw the three cutest reenacting kids ever. The field wasn't really that creepy, but I did have a moth that kept harrassing me. It was a lot of laughing, and a lot of drama (there were some things that came up), so we packed up early and went home. A glass of wine (very good white wine that drinks like a red and came from Cooperstown) and a long soak in the hot tub with the one you love can really really fix any problem.
Sunday we got up early (woohoo...early) and drove the same ride to pack up camp and move over to the Steuben memorial. Now that was a creepy forest. All the pine trees were on a grid. Allison, Sarah, Richard, and I sat around and joked for a small part of the morning. We decided that Steuben was a pimp and we were going to start a group called Steubey Steube and his Steubettes. Richard was to be Steubey Steube and we were to be the Steubettes. Then Richard got called off to war (to the Harry Potter song...which really was Norah, Dear Norah) and the morning tactical began. There were two fabulous parts in this:

#1 - The Continentals ran through a big field, with Heard's Brigade (militia) following behind them. The Continentals stepped on a hornet's nest. Guess who got stung?
#2 - So the Continental line splits into a left and right flank. I don't see this coming, so I just see four New Yorkers. I gasp and am like "my own father let my boyfriend go down!" and I'm throwing a riot and what not when one of the women in my unit goes, "hey Miranda, isn't that your boyfriend over there?" So yeah, I felt like an idiot.

The rest of the day consisted of screwing around (figuratively). There's this guy Steve in the hobby and he looks like a pirate. So I got him this book Pirates Don't Change Diapers. He loved it, and read the whole thing outloud. It was a riot.
There was no public.
Then there was goodbye saying and packing and everything. Fun fun.
And now, even though I was awake for 22 hours straight, I am still here typing to you. Feel blessed.

Off off and away!

2007-07-27T00:30:00.000-04:00

I love bloody battles: Anteitam, Bull Run, Normandy, etc. Oriskany is no different. Considered to be one of the bloodiest battles in American history, and it is probably one of the most unknown.
As Benjamin Martin notes in The Patriot, "we sent the rest: the ears, eyes, fingers, and tongues and sent them in baskets up the river", he is paraphrasing diaries of Oriskany (rennamed Fort Wilderness in the movie). As a Seargeant said, "the rivers ran red after the battle".
Basically what happened was that Herkimer and his 800+ men (Tryon militia and members of the Oneidas) were led out of Stanwix into a ravine. Inside the Ravine, Butler and his 450 men (including Iriquois) were waiting for them. 465 rebels died, wheras only 150 Crown forces were injured or killed. It was a a massacre.
So here I am going up to Oriskany tomorrow with my parents and The General to go to this event. It's kind of creepy to an extent because they are calling for thunderstorms and during the acutal battle, a major thunderstorm happened (glad there were no Hessian forces...let's remember what happened to them at Verplanck's Point). It's going to be fun though. Sarah's coming. And today I got a text from Allison saying that she was coming. The shedule isn't that fabulous, but very few BAR schedules are that interesting nowanddays. Le sigh.
So now I am geting everything ready to head up there tomorrow! See you on Monday night (I'm staying over in Oneonta until Monday afternoon)!

Wishing I had taken the King's Shilling

2007-07-24T12:25:00.000-04:00

This week is going to be incredibly busy for me reenacting-wise. My mother (and seamstress) is frantic that Richard is in Milwaukee and not here to try on his grey waistcoat (cut and pinned but not sewn) and keeps going "Richard's in Milwaukee and there are only three days to do this!" like I don't know that fact. I've kind of realized this.
Anyway, I got my new stays Thursday and I was a little pissed about it. The company (which will remain unnamed since I will be murdered if I utter those words...these are interim stays at the best possible price/authenticity range) promised me that they did their sizing based on the acutal measurements (31 inch bust, 25 inch waist) and not sizes like every other place. I get the package and it says "1 Pair of Stays, Small". And that kind of sucked because I needed to take them in and: a) they are fully boned, and b) they lied to me! But I found a few gaps, and mum took them in accordingly. They now fit, although they hurt like Hell. I've worn stays for years now (half-boned ones from Smiling Fox) and I wasn't expecting full-boned ones to be any different.
Earlier this week, I went and ordered Richard some stuff that I think he'll like. Hopefully he'll like. I might cry if he doesn't like.
Jack from the 2ny Gansevoort's Coy. (my unit) has a regimental or two that Richard can wear for the time being. I mean, he is pretty well equipped as of now (and nothing is polyester or baggy!), but a regimental would really help it move along.
And so I have to do all of this and pack and see Richard (which is my top priority) and head up to Oriskany by Friday night. I plan on being one tired puppy come Sunday night.