Some yardsale fun...

One of the things I find really fun in the summer is yardsales. I ended up at a couple this summer and scored some amazing things!

Candlestick, wind-up travel clock, mini teapot and pepper grind, from the sale in my laneway.

I really loved the painting on this candlestick, and I've got a beeswax candle that will look very nice on it in the wintertime. The clock too will come in very useful, I think. I like that it's small and folds up, and I've been looking for a windup clock for my room for a while. Yes, they're noisy and have to be wound every day, but it somehow seems easier than having to go out and buy replacement batteries after a year! As for the mini teapot and pepper grind, I thought they were really pretty! The kid gloves (in the picture below) I also picked up here. They seem to just fit, and although the embroidered pair is a little stained, they're both so beautiful.

Coral necklace, some really groovy clip-on earrings, an antique crochet hook, hair curler and glove stretcher,  from the Kensington Market street sale, and two sets of kid gloves from the laneway.

I also ended up going to the very first Kensington Market Pedestrian Sunday of the season. For anyone who doesn't know, this is where they close off the streets of the Kensington Market neighbourhood one Sunday of each month through the summer and fall, and there are often different things going on in the street, like buskers playing. On this particular Sunday, because it was the first, the residents had a whole bunch of yardsales on the street. From this sale I got jewellry (coral necklace and gold clip-on's in the photo above) and some really neat vintage textile/clothing-related bits!

19th century blue gown: HSM Challenge #2

I originally made this gown to wear when I volunteered as a docent at a small museum. I never fully finished some of the details on the gown (particularly those sleeves) and it has sat as a sad UFO in my closet for over a year now. Sit no longer, gown! Your time has come!


Challenge: Pleats and tucks. The tucks are on the bottom of the skirt, and the pleats at the top! I admit, this is far from the most creative way of incorporating either into a garment, but hey, it's got both, so why not?

Material: An old cotton duvet cover, cord for piping, hooks and bars, cotton thread, and some scrap canvas and other white cotton from my stash (I think this also started life as an item of bed-clothing... maybe I've got a pattern here).

Pattern: S&S Romantic Era Day Dress (with modifications)

Period: mid to late 19th century

How historically accurate is it?
The museum I volunteered at was originally a toll-keeper's cottage. It was located on the outskirts of the city of Toronto, on one of the many toll roads that led into the city. The cottage served as a home the toll-keepers and their families from the 1830's to the late 1890's.There isn't much information available on clothing worn by rural workers living on the outskirts of 1860's Toronto (in Upper Canada), and I'm still not sure if this is an accurate representation of something of the sort (maybe the info's out there somewhere, but if it is, I couldn't find it- if anyone could point me to anything, I'd be very grateful!).

As far as construction goes, it's reasonably accurate- I'd give it maybe an 75 % given that the the 19th century isn't really my strong suit (ha puns!) historical sewing-wise. It was an entirely new era for me. I sewed it entirely by hand, I fudged some inside details, like lining the inside of the bodice with the same blue fabric as the outside. I also didn't hang the skirt from the bodice (which would be probably more accurate), but enclosed it in the waistband instead. The sleeves aren't actually the classic 1860's two-piece sleeves- I drew the single pattern shape here and had to reset and piece it a million times to make it work. All I can say is that at least they actually fit me now!

Hours to complete: About three days straight of sewing over a year ago!! Plus a few hours this month to finally finish up the sleeves.

First worn complete: Yesterday while doing finishing touches, to see if it fits. I last wore it in its incomplete form on Canada day (July 1st) last year while doing a shift at the museum's promotional table in a local festival.

Total cost: For the materials, about $3.75- this was for the half a pack of skirt hooks and the piping cord. Everything else I had around already.