I love the warm southerly wind, I love the trees misting over with green and I love the flurry of bird song and the twinkle of robins wings high in the branches. Such a busy time of year! The babies love spending every moment they can out-of-doors and letting the sun soak into their pale winter skin. Already they are getting roses in their cheeks. Little Rose curls her toes into the grass. Soon, she will take her first toddling steps upon this good, good earth and thus new horizons will open up to her. She is growing so fast.
The weeks are slipping by and next month is our first living history event. Crunch time! I still have two children to completely outfit and Anne's dress needs to be finished. The past few weeks I've been working on Judah's new clothes. His dad asked him to accompany him to a school demonstration and Judah was all too happy to oblige. He gets two days off of school out of the deal, new clothes, and the superiority of talking to children older than he is! How could he refuse? ;)
At 8 years old, during the 1860's he could have worn a skeleton suit or could have started to adopt menswear styles. We decided to go with the lower-class look of menswear attire but the style of coat is distinctly young boy. I was working with a limited amount of wool and this style coat was perfect for the yardage I had.
 |
| Judah's coat style was mostly inspired by this one. We changed the collar a bit, relocated the pocket to the waist (and made two of them) and omitted the trim. |
The shirt is the smallest size of the Laughing Moon Men's Victorian and Edwardian Shirts pattern and the trousers the smallest size of Past Patterns Light Summer Trousers. I had to shorten both the trouser pattern and the shirt pattern but otherwise they are man sized. . .I can't believe my little boy is so big! Everything is a little bit roomy but I hope they will fit him this year and perhaps next year, too.
He needs a little waistcoat but I didn't have time to sew one up for him this time. Once everyone else has their bare necessities I can go back and make additional garments as needed. It is a lot more work than I am used to to outfit six kids!
He wore his new outfit to church today. He was kind of uncomfortable with the unlined wool trousers at first but told me that he has become used to them.
Love,
Sarah
I recall the first time I outfitted a 16 year old with the wool trousers. He took them home, noted there would be some itchy factor to it and simply wore them to the museum the next day and appeared happy as a clam all day. I said to him, "I hope that wool isn't itching the daylights out of your poor legs!" He smiled and lifted his pant leg to expose his white cotton pinstripe pajama bottoms. Save me from having to make him full length drawers! Judah looks fantastic, and I hope to see him in full regalia with a waistcoat soon!
ReplyDeleteDear Sarah,
ReplyDeleteSpring home in the hills, water that chatters and rolls nearby, children outside, grass growing, and new projects. Delight. :}
Very best,
Natalie