Readying for Winter

At this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere, the weather can be changeable, with 'Indian Summer' - warm days and cold nights, hot one day and cold the next, snow, rain, or humidity all in one week in some areas. However, this is a perfect time to get one's house and wardrobe - and that of the family - ready for winter.

Mrs. Beeton, in her Book of Household Management says, 'In September and October it will be necessary to prepare for the cold weather, and get ready the winter clothing for the various members of the family. The white summer curtains will now be carefully put away, the fire-places, grates, and chimneys looked to, and the house put in a thorough state of repair.'

For our purposes, this is the time to rotate the linens, from summer cottons and coverlets to winter flannels and quilts. The former will want a wash, and the latter an airing, before being laid away in herbs to protect the beautiful starching from vermin, or to be laid upon the beds. Carefully examine the household linen, with a view to its being repaired, if necessary, before cleaning or airing.

Woolens likewise can be freshened, being well shaken and brushed, after being taken out of their pinning upon paper or linen, and camphor (to keep them from moths.) This is true for knitwear as well as cloth.

If your find that you are in need of knitwear or fashionable winter Artistic dress  now is the time to make them, or seeing to having items made, so to be ready for the first really cold days.

Sprucing up a pair of boots:

A lovely quilted winter bonnet:

Stylish Knitwear:

Patterns and Pattern-Making

We have spent the day here at the exciting task of downloading a design programme, which allows us to share our new designs with you, showing various fabrics available, as well as making patterns for various sizes, cutting down on pattern drafting.

This is a very new thing for us, being used to the old method of sizing up patterns by the pivot and slide method, which is used in the pattern industry, and in which we were trained.

It may seem odd to be embracing new technology for such work, but even our dear Topsy had a jaquard loom for his designs, which enabled one man to do work which would have taken weeks in days; the loom was manually operated, thus did not violate the ethic of individual work.

Aside from enabling us to get to the fun work of making garments sooner, it also means that we can offer our lovely items as a line of sewing patterns for those interested in creating their own versions, with their own handmade embellishments.

Look in future for our patterns here and on Etsy!

Handkerchiefs

One of our projects for the Harvest Fair is  broderie perse handkerchiefs, with nice antique hemstitched edges and Venetian crochet lace.

Hemstitching in this manner is an old technique, using either pulled work or drawn thread work. It can be plain or fancy.

Broderie perse as a decorative technique arose with the importation in the 17th Cenutry of expensive India cottons to Europe and the American Colonies. It  is a style of appliqué embroidery which uses printed elements to create a scene on the background fabric. Originally, it was worked with Chintz which has clearly defined, separated motifs, and was cut out and invisibly applied onto the ground fabric. The typical intention was to create a scene from the motifs, but the decoration could also be random. The resulting fabric was often made into bedspreads, either unlined for summer or quilted for winter. They were often used for special occasions, such as guest beds.

Handkerchiefs as tokens of affection and regard became very popular in the 16th Century, both on the Continent and in England. Italy was the center from which the highest quality embroideries and laces were sought, it also became the center from which the best handkerchiefs were sought. In the sixteenth century Venice needle lace became one of the most popular and sought-after trims, from across the Continent. Our handkerchiefs have crocheted Venetian lace trim.

A custom began in England where girls gave small handkerchiefs with tassels as a token of their love. These handkerchiefs were often only three or four inches in diameter, and decorated with tassels at the corners, in the French fashion. They cost anywhere from six to sixteen pence, and the girls who bought them would often embroider them with love knots and name; men who were given these tokens would wear them on their person, often tucked into their hatband.

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Harvest Fairs

 

We at Brother Rabbit are going the the San Mateo Harvest Arts & Crafts Fair  in November, selling such small items as pincushions and handkerchieves, watch fobs, ribbon garters and hair jewellery, such as would have been purveyed at a traditional Hiring Fair in old days, when it was expected that one would bring a small oddment home for the children or one's sweetheart.

Hiring fairs were held twice a year,  as the term of contracts ran six months; in the spring and in the autumn. Any sort of labour could be hired for: house servants, farm labourers, ostlers, drivers, even ladies' maids, if one was in need of such.

As today with Harvest festivals - in lieu of Samhain (Hallowe'en) - in addition to games and sweeties for the children, there was often a raucous party atmosphere at these gatherings, with free flowing drink, flirting and dancing, wrestling and contests of strength. Sometimes the outcomes were happy and sometimes a mixed blessing, as  in the songs below:

I went down to the hiring fair for to sell my labour,

And I noticed a maid in the very next row and I hoped

She'd be my neighbour.

Imagine then my delight when the farmer picked us both.

I spoke not a word in the cart to the farm, but my

Heart beat in my throat.

- The Hiring Fair, Trad.

As I went out by Huntley town one evening for to fee
With Bogie O' Cairnie and with him I did agree
To mind his two best horses or cart or harrow or plow
Or anything about farmwork that I very well should know

Old Bogie had a daughter, her name was Isabelle
She's the lily of the valley and the primrose of the dell
And when she went out walking she took me for her guide
Down by the burn of Cairnie for to watch the small fish glide

- Bogie's Bonny Belle, Trad.

We shall merely be  sitting a pretty booth with our gentle wares, and not engaging in any wresting or caber-tossing; 'twould spoil my frock....

Compendium and classes!

For those of you who make your own items, you will be delighted as I was to find The Sharpe Compendium Shops - which lists shops that cater to the re-enactor, LARP, or cosplay communties. There are some familiar names among them, Wm. Booth, Draper, Nehelenia Patterns,  Smoke and Fire Company, Alter Years, Jas. Townsend and Son, Inc., The Staymaker ... It's a feast for the bluestocking in one!

For those of you who do not yet make your own items, but would wish to do so, we are offering courses in Historical Fine Hand-Sewing and Embroidery. The Handsewing Course is $150; the Embroidery Course is $300.

The Handsewing Course consists of Three PDF Lesson packages with materials (muslin, needles, thread) and instructions. The First Lesson consists of basic stitches (running, backstitch, whip, pin stitch) and seams (plain, felled, and whipped) and seam finishes, as well as historical commentary on the use of such methods

The Second Lesson involves the construction of pleats, ruffles, gauging and cartridge pleating, and tucks, as well as working with and finishing curved seams, French seams, and plain hemming. It concludes with historical commentary on the use of such methods, and study resources.

The Third Lesson progresses to fancy hems, faggoted seams, buttonholes of various sorts and the making of buttons. Period techniques such as simple needlelace, Dorset buttons, covered buttons and round buttons are included. Methods of attaching linings, piping and cording are an optional bonus.
Historical commentary on the use of such methods, and study resources accompany this final section.

Self tests are enclosed with the packets, and I am available to answer questions via email or the Workshops Page here.
At the end of the course, you can expect to have an artisan-level skill that, with practise, you can use for pleasure and profit.

By comparison, to get such a course from the Embroiderers' Guild, one would have to
      * Be a Member - $60
      * Pay for each Lesson - $150
      * Purchase the materials  - $20

The Embroidery Course consists of five PDF Lessons with materials (linen, hoop, needles, embroidery cotton, wool, beads and spangles) and instructions. The First Lesson consists of basic stitches (cross stitches, double running, algerian eye, Queen stitch, Irish stitch) as well as historical commentary on the use of such methods. It results in a working band sampler of the 17th Century mode for your future reference.

The Second Lesson progresses to surface stitches for both silk (or cotton) and wool (crewel). It includes advice on choosing colourways and methods of shading. It concludes with historical commentary on the use of such methods, and study resources. It results in a working spot sampler of the 17th Century mode for your future reference.

The Third Lesson encompasses whitework, including cutwork (reticella, broderie anglaise), drawn work, pulled work, Ayshire sprigging, casalguidi, and needlelace. It concludes with historical commentary on the use of such methods, and study resources. It results in working spot samplers of the 17th Century mode for your future reference.

The Fourth Lesson consists of quilting methods; flat quilting, patchwork, cording, trapunto, whole cloth and subdued crazy patch.  Included is historical commentary on the use of such methods, and study resources. It results in quilt samples of the 18th and 19th Century modes for your future reference.

The Fifth Lesson has two options:
1) padded work ('stumpwork') and the use of gold, beads, and spangles. This was the piece de resistance of a young lady's 17th Century needlework education. Stitches used are surface embroidery, trapunto, needlelace, cutwork and pulled work. Historical commentary on the use of such methods and study resources are included. It results in a decorative piece which may be used in the traditional manner to cover a box lid, or framed.

2) painted surface embroidery picture. This was the pride of an early 19th Century young lady's needlework education. It consists of a memorial or sentimental scene, drawn with painted elements - such as the sky, with the details of the picture needle-painted with finely detailed and shaded surface stitching. Historical commentary on the use of such methods and study resources are included. It results in a decorative piece which may be framed and given as a gift, in the traditional manner.

Self tests are enclosed with the packets, and I am available to answer questions via email or the Workshops Page here.
At the end of the course, you can expect to have an artisan-level skill that, with practise, you can use for pleasure and profit.

By comparison, to get such a course from the Embroiderers' Guild, one would have to
      * Be a Member - $60
      * Pay for each Lesson - $250
      * Purchase the materials  - $100











 

Lace

Making lace lengths today for dress trimmings, neckline and sleeves. Matching sets in ecru and tan.
Like these

Welcome to the New Blog!

Dear Friends,
This missive heralds the commencement of my revived enterprise of making English Arts & Crafts inspired items for men, women, children and the home. Please visit us on Pinterest and on Facebook and look for us on Etsy !!

The Artisan's Way

There has been a lot of talk lately about Fair Trade commodities in emerging market countries; coffee, chocolate, handmade crafts. While it is estimable to grant a living wage to those in emerging markets, I would suggest that we grant the same courtesy to artisans here in the US as well; namely, myself and every other artisan I know.

According to the  Fair Wage Guide, the fair wage per hour in US dollars for artisans is $10.75, based on the Canadian calculation, as the US isn't actually on the list. This number is almost identical to the San Francisco minimum wage of $10.74, a 'large' number because it is expensive to live here. (I would in fact venture to say that no one who does not live in community cannot survive on it in or around San Francisco.) However, according to Wealth Artisan, this number is also close to the actual income of  one who earns $20 per hour, or the salaried equivalent, once transportation, commute time, food and taxes are taken out of the equation. In other words, the actual earning power of the salary. If one lives in a small community outside of metropolitan areas and does not commute, that $10.75 might actually approach a living wage, so long as one figures in taxes and business license fees.

Based on this, if I make one of my stunning Brother Rabbit garments for a lady, which takes about 20 hours, the cost, without profit margin or cost of materials or shipping, works out to $215. This might seem high to a public used to dirt-cheap togs from Target or even Macy's, but it is actually in line with the 1915 price of such a dress, according to so prosaic a vendor as Sears, Roebuck & Co., basing it on one of their median-priced ($10) dresses - which would cost $231.23 in today's money. This is Sears, whose items were made in the US, at a moderate profit margin. (What they lost in per-item profit, they made up for in volume of sales).

When I go to department stores, even 'expensive' ones such as Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom's or Saks, I always look at the construction of garments (between the lining and the garment) and find that they are made ... just like things at Target, with serged seams  and other cheap 'finishings' - with slightly better fabrics, at about 300 times the price. And they are made in... China. 'You get what you pay for' is not true anymore.

Except from artisans.

A hand-made item from an artisan, be it clothing, jewellery, furniture, decorative arts, pottery, wine or bread, represents years, often decades, of study, training, and countless hours of highly skilled labour. This is not something knocked together in a sweatshop by a low-paid pieceworker. This is an item that was designed, constructed and finished by the person standing in front of you, with imagination, skill and loving time. (If it is not a highly skilled item, that is another matter.) You are paying for that craftsmanship, knowing that the item will last a lifetime, and will not break on the first use, fall apart in the wash, or have parts that fail. These items, as Morris wrote, are designed to be beautiful and useful, and to last.

That is what you are paying for. Quality.
It is unfair in the extreme to expect such quality at sweatshop prices.
(It is also unfair to pay quality prices for sweatshop-grade goods).

So patronising your local artisan becomes a choice: Do you want something fine and beautiful made in your own community which will last a lifetime and which you will only have to buy once, or cheap gimcrack that will not last a year or two and requires endless re-purchase, meanwhile supporting slave labour in far foreign fields?

Thank you for reading.

Doublet

The pine green velveteen has now arrived for Percival's doublet. The pattern was cut - for interlining - on Boxing Day, and I have been working since on the trimmings - a flying geese pattern of ruched grosgrain ribbon in tobacco brown. There is an extra set of sleeves in cocoa brown with black trimming.

This doublet is much more subdued than last year's red and gold brocade, which attracted censorious attention from The Management, though the materials are no less rich, as are suitable for the son of a minor noble.

Scottish bonnet

So, Percival asked for a Scottish bonnet for his Ren Faire persona, so I got out my wool and needles, looked up an 'authentic' pattern and began. It was meant to be fulled (felted) and was to be at least two inches larger than wanted; I used old sock wool in a forest green from Percival's great grandmother, which I inherited, and size 10 US needles.

Well, I am convinced that the person who wrote the pattern as well as the peeps on websites who talk about stove-top fulling have never actually done it because I had very little shrinkage and a lot of colour loss with the addition of castile soap - which several recommended to 'aid in fulling'. Not a problem - it's a nice sea green colour and the pattern calls for a drawstring in the ribbing anyhow - but I have had to boil the yarn to stitch the ribbing into a binding, so it matches.

The old way to full things was to dampen them (with old urine, but I figure an ammonia solution would work) and 'waulk ' them across a big table with about ten or twelve others - push pull. No heat. Adding soap or alkali of any kind really takes down the colour, which is great if that's what you want, but a nasty surprise if you paid $25 a hank (or two) for Jameson's wool, as the pattern recommended.


Certainly it was not worth throwing this one small item into the washer, even on extra small, as the pattern recommended. Very wasteful of resources, and unScottish. I am glad the bonnet is floppy, as it would have been at the time, not the tight little thing they became. Next time I will know if I want to make a classic blue one to simply make it the size I want.