Update on To-Do List

At the end of 2008 I posted my to-do list for stuff that needed to get done for 2009. I thought now would be as good a time as any to check in, see how I’m doing on my list.

Here is the original list, with my updated comments below each line:

· Sew a hunting frock for Kris
This never happened, I started one, got bored of it and ended up buying Kris one from Townsend. At least he has one now!

· Sew 2 new shirts for Kris, one with white linen and the other with green check fabric
Ummm yeah …. not so much on this one, guess it will be on my 2010 list.

· Change the ties on my red skirt to Dutch Linen Tape
Yay! One down! I did complete this one!

· Sew a new skirt with Green fabric
I am not going to do this one, I ended up not liking the fabric, so I am removing it from my to-do list.

· Sew a new skirt for myself with some beautiful wool I found
Yup, still need to do this …. hmmm good in-camp project ….

· Sew a new apron with Green fabric
Not going to do this one either, it was the same green fabric as the skirt, and I’m just not feeling it. Though I do need a new apron, so I will do this, just with a different fabric choice.

· Sew another new skirt with Silk fabric I found on sale
This has been put on the back burner, I have no need for a fancy dress right now, so I probably won’t get to this until after next year’s season.

· Buy a Robe D’Anglais Pattern
I ended up taking a gown making class, so I have no need for this anymore.

· Sew a Robe D’Anglais with a simple linen fabric (need to buy)
This is done from the class I took, well I need to finish a few things on it, but it’s pretty much complete.

· Sew a Robe D’Anglais with Green silk fabric (need to buy)
This is the same as the silk skirt, I will do this after next year, though I missed out on the green silk, so I will need to find something new.

· Finish decorating straw hat
Done!! Yay!

· Sew a special camera bag for Kris
Ooops, Kris is still asking for this.

· Attach the buttons to Kris’ long Gaiters
Probably not going to happen ….. sorry Kris …..

· Sew 3 new shirts for Kolby
I ended up having enough shirts, so no need to do this this year, but most likely I will need to next year.

· Sew a wool shirt for Kolby
The old one still fit this year, so I didn’t have to do a new one.

· Sew (or have made, cause I’m not sure I can sew them) 3 pants for Kolby
Again, I ended up with enough, so no need to do this, I probably won’t have to do this next year either, it looks like I will still have enough.

Well it looks like I get a big huge fail for RevWar housewife of the year!! I only completed 2.5 things on my list. Oh well, there’s always next year right??

More Runaway Ads

Here are a few more excerpts on clothing from some 18th Century runaway ads!

From the Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg, February 4, 1775

Direct Link to Full Ad

had on, when he went away, a Kendal Cotton Jacket and Breeches died with Maple Bark, and has flat Metal Buttons on it, Cuffs to his Jacket Sleeves, a Collar of gray Cloth, and a Felt Hat, with a Tinsey worked Button

From the Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg, January 5, 1775

Direct Link to Full Ad

had on and took with him, an old blue Surtout Coat which has been turned, faced, and trimmed with the same Colour; a green Cloth Jacket with yellow Metal Buttons, a Pair of red Plush Breetches; fine mixed blue Country Stockings, a mixed blue Cloth Coat and Jacket lined, and trimmed with black; a stripped [sic] VIRGINIA Cloth Jacket, one Shirt of brown Sheeting with several others of fine Linen, Nankeen Breeches; and many other Cloaths that cannot be particularised. The other is an Englishman named CHARLES BOOTH, and by Trade a Joiner, about 20 or 21 Years of Age, 5 Feet 8 or 10 Inches high, slender made and of a fair Complexion, has white short curled Hair; had on and took with him, a violet or purple Coloured Coat and Vest, a Pair of new Buckskin Breetches, a Pair of old ditto much worn and very dirty, an old blue Coat lined with white Shalloon, a new green Cotton Vest lin’d with Oznabrigs and Plaid Sleeves, a Pair of dark ribb’d Stockings, and several others of different Colours, a brown sheeting Shirt, one fine Irish Linen ditto much patched and several others; also a Silver Watch

From the Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg, December 2, 1775

Direct Link to Full Ad

he had on a fine white Broadcloth Coat, which has been turned, a lapelled green Sagathy Waistcoat laced behind, with Breeches of the same, an old Beaver Hat, Thread Stockings, and Country shoes

From the Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg, February 24, 1775

Direct Link to Full Ad

had on, or took with him, a suit of blue clothes with a red velvet cape … had on a red waistcoat and trousers … a watch in his pocket, a baker by trade, and will endeavour to pass for a freeman; had on a pepper and salt coloured cloth coat, and leather breeches

From the Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg, June 6, 1777

Direct Link to Full Ad

when he went off, a blue Coat and Waistcoat, white Breeches, a grey great Coat, and a black Velvet Cap

Also check out my other post on this here.

Runaway Ads

A lot of the information that we know about the lower class in the 18th Century comes from ads placed for runaways. Since most of the paintings that exist were done of people that had some kind of money, it can sometimes be hard to derive the clothing of an everyday person from those.

The Virginia Center for Digital History has put together a searchable database for ads placed from 1736 to 1777. This database can be of great help when trying to place certain clothing items. It states that you can “search the ads by gender, age, skill, and intent, among other things.” Of course since these are out of Virginia, not all of them would apply to New England, but it still a very useful resource for placing everyday items in the 18th Century.

To view the website go here:

http://people.uvawise.edu/runaways/

Happy searching!!

A Pretty Hefty To-Do List

So my second season of reenacting has come to a close. It was an incredible year, yet it was not without it’s ups (the awesome view of the Hubbardton Battlefield from our camp) and downs (gas prices … need I say more?). Overall it was an exciting summer and we had some really great events that we attended. I am pumped for the coming season, but also a little overwhelmed with the projects I have lined up. I think I would give just about anything to be the wife of a businessman in the 18th century (I’m thinking my husband would print and bind books, did they make a lot of money?) and all I had to do all day was chat with friends, and work on projects. But then again, if that were really me, that would mean I would be forced to live without running water as we know it today. And really who wants to carry water around the house in buckets? Not me. Of course if we were rich, maybe I could have a maid to do that for me … ah a girl can dream.

As it stands, my husband is not a wealthy merchant and I cannot stay home all day and work on projects. I guess that’s what I get for wanting my running water. So I am going to make a list of all the projects I have in mind here. And as I work on them, I will put up a post marking my progress. Hopefully this will force me to become accountable for all the things I have to do!

These will be completed in no particular order:

· Sew a hunting frock for Kris
· Sew 2 new shirts for Kris, one with white linen and the other with green check fabric
· Change the ties on my red skirt to Dutch Linen Tape
· Sew a new skirt with Green fabric
· Sew a new skirt for myself with some beautiful wool I found
· Sew a new apron with Green fabric
· Sew another new skirt with Silk fabric I found on sale
· Buy a Robe D’Anglais Pattern
· Sew a Robe D’Anglais with a simple linen fabric (need to buy)
· Sew a Robe D’Anglais with Green silk fabric (need to buy)
· Finish decorating straw hat
· Sew a special camera bag for Kris
· Attach the buttons to Kris’ long Gaiters
· Sew 3 new shirts for Kolby
· Sew a wool shirt for Kolby
· Sew (or have made, cause I’m not sure I can sew them) 3 pants for Kolby

Whew that’s a lot of projects!! I guess I have my work cut out for me! Most likely I won’t get through all of these before next year, but some of them, like Kolby’s clothes need to be done or else I may need to change his persona to a wild Indian child we found and adopted on our travels. Then I could just stick him in a loin cloth and call it a day … hmmm … that may not be such a bad idea!

In addition to the things I need to make. I also have a few things I need to buy. Luckily this list is not nearly as long.

· New shoes for Kolby
· New socks for me and Kolby
· New shoes for me
· Linen for Robe D’Anglais
· Green silk for Robe D’Anglais
· Dutch Linen Tape

Wow! That list is really short! That’s a very good thing. Well I better not stick around here too long; I have some projects calling my name!! I am already almost done with Kris’ hunting frock, so I will get that post and some pictures up for you shortly (ya know, in my spare time).

Flamestitched Wallet

Some time ago I stumbled across some information on how to make a flame stitched Wallet. I guess these were a pretty common way for people of the 18th century to carry money. This wallet consists of a needle worked panel on the outside that is stitched using the Irish Stitch design.

This panel is backed with linen and sewn up to form a wallet. Someone shared a link to some really great instructions for making a wallet from Interweave Press.

Wallet Instructions

They also have a chart you can print to achieve the Irish Stitch pattern the author used for her wallet.

Irish Stitch Chart

And here are some more detailed instructions on making the Irish Stitch (also called Bargello).

Irish Stitch How-To

This is a project that I would love to get around to doing, but of course finding time for all these things may require that I create a machine that can double the hours in a day. But if any of you are inclined to try this project before I do, please share with me how it turned out!

Authentic Cartridge Pouch

The U.S. Army Center of Military History website has a monthly artifact of the month. For July the artifact was a Revolutionary War cartridge pouch that they have in their collection.

Contrary to popular belief, American soldiers in the Revolutionary War generally carried cartridge boxes, rather than powder horns and shot pouches. The cartridge box held fixed cartridges of paper for faster loading, even in damp weather. This Pattern 1777 cartridge box represents one of the Army’s first attempts at standardizing military equipment.

Even more on Canes!

I got a great comment today on my canes post. This all started with this post, where I questioned a cane in a picture as to whether it would only be the wealthy that carried one of these. Well the gentleman (Ed St. Germain) that originally posted the pictures on his site, emailed me back about it all, which I posted here. Then just today I got a great comment on that post from Rick Randall, and I wanted to pull it out of the comments and share it with all of you, cause you know I’m all about sharing here. And I want to encourage more of you to leave me comments teaching me something new, cause I have a deep need and willingness to learn. Anyway, here is his great comment:

The reason that a cane became a mark of a physician is simple.

Rick Randall
Surgeon and Dentist
British Detatched Hospital

Very interesting and it makes perfect sense! I have heard somewhere in the past (8th grade history? Was I fully awake in that class?), that disease was thought to be spread by bad odors (which I would guess there were a lot of them back then) and they carried these good smelling things to help ward off disease. I never realized they put it right in their canes! Very interesting.

Here are 2 websites that Rick left. I want to point you to them for him, since he was kind enough to share his information with me, I’ll share his with you. Thanks Rick!

http://detachedhospital.com/index.html

http://www.brigade.org/barmem/british/hos.html

Believe me yours faithfully,
Rachel