Victorian Encampment Expansion on a Budget

Our military group 'Adelaide Regiment of Volunteer Rifles' has been steadily growing over the last two years. While it is amazing to add to the ranks at events, it can also cause difficulties. Every year we attend multiple encampments. When we started it was just Nic and myself. This made things very easy for me to set up camp. We then had Danee join us. Two years later we had my father also join us. This year we now have 3 plus further members joining us. We also have friends staying in the modern encampment area. This will make it one of the best camps ever *fingers crossed*. 

Unfortunately, everything in life has a catch. We have been working hard over the last 5 years to be progressive and improve our encampment. With high numbers of new members who have never been on encampment before and are not sure if they will again, it creates work for me. I will need to preserve and prepare enough food for double the number of people. Thankfully, I was able to buy a huge boiler last year. This is something I am looking forward to. 

Keeping the camp free of obviously modern furniture is harder. We have had to make some compromises. The encampment is often wet and seating is required, so on top of my period folding chairs I have had to source 4 more chairs. Nic picked up canvas folding stools from the op shop for only a few dollars each. I removed the covers, linseed oiled the wood and then covered over the canvas. They are not perfect, but are a far nicer compromise than modern plastic folding chairs.

Next, I plan to sew some mattresses that they can stuff with straw.

Covering the canvas.

The finished chairs.

Bygone Millinery

For a while now I have been thinking about my millinery projects. Many of my hats, bonnets and caps have not ended up in posts due to my being time poor. In the past I have made some of these as gifts for friends. Last year, however, I sold an old bonnet that never suited my skin colouring. I had a lot of interest and received a lot of positive feedback regarding my bonnet design and construction. I also had requests for making items as trade deals and as purchased items. As a result I started my new hobby business 'Bygone Millinery'.

At the moment I am working on a few custom orders. Once they are completed I hope to make other items purely for sale as completed items. Below are a bonnet and cap that I have for sale currently, as well as a few items that I have made and not had time to post about this year. I also hope to post more how to posts in the coming months.

 Currently for Sale - Contact Me on the Facebook Link

Currently for Sale - Contact Me on the Facebook Link

 Custom Made Order

 My New Straw Sun Hat

 

Custom Ordered

Custom Ordered

Busy Busy

This year has been very busy for me. I was blessed enough to gain a full time contract. It is a lot more work teaching full time and being responsible for the well-being and education of 20 amazing individuals. This leaves very little time for myself. I was also blessed enough to be granted permission to take leave from my work to attend the Anniversaries of the Battles of Ligny and Waterloo in Belgium. It was a very rushed trip as I only had 13 days in Europe.

I was privileged to be allowed onto the battlefield on the Saturday. Being a part of such a large scale reenactment was amazing. Its hard to describe the feeling of seeing that many men in the French lines. I was also lucky enough to get copies of these photos showing me taking care of the troops.

I am currently in the process of tailoring a new Brunswick Lieb Battalion private's jacket to send to Pakistan to have mass produced at a far smaller price than they currently cost to have custom made. This has been an opportunity to improve on the jacket's current design as there is a lot of inconsistency. I am currently held up though with trying to source the braid for the front of the jacket. Once I have the braid I will post research and projects photos.

Its Been a While

I have had a crazy year and have not got around to posting in ages. I have just started sewing again after a hiatus of 3 months. Since the middle of last year I have been working full time. On top of my other commitments, this has left me with very little spare time and energy. Before I took a break from sewing I had completed a few projects.

Firstly, I have finally completed my 1840s fan front dress. It was made using a woven striped cotton. The front is gathered into a point and the skirt was attached using cartridge pleating. I think it turned out very beautiful.

 

I also semi completed my wrapper. It was made using a green plaid cotton and plain green cotton inserts. I used the Laughing Moon Pattern and was very impressed at how few adjustments were required to get a great fit. I do not have many photos of it as of yet, but I will get more uploaded when I have made a few adjustments. I plan to adjust the length and close the front with buttons. This was a bit rushed in construction as I wanted to have it completed for the anniversary of the Eureka Stockade. The stockade was stormed in the early hours of the morning and there were records of women in their undress running to save their husbands and offer medical aid.

Recent Musings on a Perplexing Situtation

While at an event the other day, I was surprised by some reactions that I received from other members of the group we were participating with when we announced that we would leave the event directly at its completion to go shopping in the centre of town during late night shopping. The questions, responses (verbally and facially of horror and fear) and answers did sit in my mind and perplex me a lot and yes I know I think far too much (its a bad habit).

This has lead me to finally come to a new understanding and put into words who I am and why I undertake this 'strange' hobby.

I see myself as a progressive living historian. I am not a costumer, I call my garments clothing or attire. Personally, I believe that calling them costumes devalues them and changes the mindset I have when wearing them. I normally dress hours before an event. I drive to events in my garments, drop in the shops on the way and will often go shopping or out for dinner or drinks after events. Even now when typing this (at 8pm), I am still dressed in my 1850s attire that I put on this morning for a non event day at the black powder range. When I got home I went garden shopping and then came home to play with my chickens and plant seeds. If I did not have to worry about image and employment at work, I would probably dress in period attire every day (and I often do during holidays) and I do sleep in my chemises (they are the most comfortable sleepwear, I also plan to start work on some nightgowns very soon). When dressed in period attire I feel at my most beautiful. As little girls often say 'look a princess!'.

Most of my friends are horrified that I happily catch the bus to events, that I can walk through the city centre and not care about what others think and that I am happy to be dressed in period attire without being around other people. Almost everyone else I know only dresses at the last possible moment before an event. Most dress at events and cart around piles of containers and often forget or misplace items. They rush back to the change room or their home to strip their clothing off as fast as they can. Finally, they worry that friends or acquaintances might see them.

Please do not think that I am making any negative connotations here. There is nothing wrong with either my or their actions. Everyone is entitled to do as they wish with their lives (within respect and legal limitations). What perplexed me most was trying to understand spending the time and money that is required to participate in this type of hobby to then avoid wearing and enjoying the fruits of our labour. I have never though of this as being a hobby for people that are worried about their image or impression. I have always seen it as being similar to any other alternative life style. For example my husband used to be a punk (bondage pants, leather, patches, tartan) and I used to be a kinder goth as a teen and then a mix of rock, vintage and rockabilly. In a way, I am also used to being different from when I was a 6ft tall white woman living in China. Cameras and people staring do not bother me.

I hope that this new understanding and musings will help me to be more considerate and understanding when with others who are not as comfortable. I also find that I have a sense of sympathy for them. It makes me feel sad to imagine feeling in loving historical clothing while also being scared and embarrassed of my hobby. This has made me even more grateful that I am able to live my life, dreams and desires to a large extent without any negative feelings or connotations. I am also grateful that when I do go out in period attire I have only ever had positive feedback from the people that I have met and that I have the opportunity to use my hobby to meet lots of wonderful new people.

Ps. I am hoping to start some cooking experiments soon using period recipes from publications including the local Adelaide newspapers. I am very excited to be expanding my historical experiences and undertakings.

1830s Frock Coat Finally Finished

In what feels like a life time ago, but was in reality only 2012.... I began work on a frock coat for my husband. This coat was his dream coat. He wanted a full blown 1830s blood red coat with a rich black velvet collar. Thankfully, this is my third and final post as the coat is now finished.

Post One - Total Frustration with the pattern
http://daniellescostumingdiary.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/1830s-frock-coat-frustration-and-lining.html

Post Two - Progress
http://daniellescostumingdiary.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/1830s-frock-coat-frustration-and-lining.html

One big change was that we decided to remove the fullness from the sleeves and make them fitted to be more late 1830s.

He wore it first for the Business SA 175th Gala Dinner, where we were asked to promenade, meet and greet the guests in the entrance to the Entertainment Centre. Afterwards we headed into town to purchase fabric, have drinks and dinner. Nic received a lot of comments from women who found his attire very dashing and handsome.

 Business SA Gala. Sorry about the photo, but my small camera is not very good in bad lighting. Nic and myself are on the back left.

 Drink time at La Boheme. We met some tourists from Canberra and had a great time and a few amazing drinks.  

 

On Sunday, he put the jacket to its original purpose and filled his dream of wearing it while shot gunning. Sorry, but I took a lot of photos and the following are only a few. The jacket looks amazing in the wind and with his movements while shooting.

 

 

 Time for a quick selfie while waiting for Nic's next shot.... I love how I have colour matched my glasses and earmuffs. Very traditional as well.....

 

 

While we were in the clubhouse, we also noticed that someone had put a copy of a newspaper article advertising the Adelaide Regiment on the bulletin board. It was a very nice article with really nice photos of the group.

New Waistcoats

I have recently been cross dressing and acting as the Ensign and Flag Bearer for the Adelaide Regiment 1862. A few things are not included in the standard issue uniform. One of these items is a waistcoat. Dad has started sewing recently, so I held a few sewing sessions with him to help him sew a waistcoat. He ended up with a really nice grey woolen waistcoat and I made a lovely waistcoat using a wool that came labeled as Highland Light Infantry. To make it less military, I put the plaid on the cross as I have seen done with some originals.

I am very happy with my new waistcoat. It is a little longer in the waist, but that is because my trousers sit lower than the men's due to my leg curves and I needed the waistcoat to cover waist padding and sit over the trouser waistband.

 

 

While the waistcoat is not visible, I was wearing it at our 150 yard standing shooting practice day at Monarto Rifle Range. This was a great way to spend the afternoon, even if I spent the day as official and scorer, instead of shooting. The men did an amazing job at that range, especially as two members had not shot before.