Guest Post: Victoria's Dresser

Hi,

I am Jennifer of The Creviston Nest.

I have been lucky enough to be able to meet some of the best people in the world doing what I love; faux finishing furniture!

I was able to meet Victoria though her wonderful Mom, Sallie. I have faux finished several pieces for Sallie. Recently while she was dropping off a dresser, I was able to meet Victoria!

Victoria is just one of the most amazing people I have ever met. It has really been a blessing getting to know her and her wonderful family.

Victoria asked me some advice on refinishing a dresser she had purchased. While giving her advice on what seemed may be a difficult refinish, we came up with a plan. Victoria would do some sewing I needed done (yes, I can sew but not much more then a line it may not even be straight) in exchange for me faux finishing her dresser!

Before

This is the dresser Victoria brought over, a very CUTE solid wood antique dresser. It had a lot of potential, hiding under that terrible, TERRIBLE paint job. White, with a dry brush of green... and the infamous red knobs.

Victoria sent me several inspiration pictures of what she was looking for. After my process of sanding, primer, paint (Benjamin Moore), glaze and sealing it... here is the finished product.

Before and After

Thank you for reading my blog post and thank you Victoria for allowing me to do my very first guest post!

-- Jennifer Creviston

Up-cycled Napkins

In June I did a tutorial on up-cycling a vintage/antique linen into the pincushion on a Mason Jar sewing kit... but I never said what I did with the beautiful lace cornered scraps from the linen.

 

Well, I turned them into pretty little napkins! When I made the sewing kit, all I did was cut the "P" out of an antique monogrammed linen. When I was finished, I had a near-perfect condition linen - with a 4x4 square cut out of its center - left over... and beautiful lace trim on it's corners!

To make the napkins, all I had to do now was to cut off the excess center strip (an act I didn't feel bad about because it was slightly damaged with moth holes anyways), roll and pin the hem...

... and stitch them on just ONE side. It only took me about 30 minutes to trim, pin, and hem both scraps.

It was SOOOOOOOOOOOO simple, and I got beautiful napkins without wasting a thing!

What have you up-cycled lately?

-- A Victorian Cowgirl <3

A not so Wordless Wednesday

Back in January I made and embroidered a corset to go with an Edwardian drawers and camisole set I had made just weeks before... all undergarments for a Ballgown I was in the process of making for the Patriots Ball. I had only a month to finish everything!! I have been so busy since the completion of all of my garments that I have hardly had the time to both take, and post, new photo's. (I was also trying to find a way to wear my corset that was both modest and pretty.)

I was inspired by my blog-world friend Aurora to take pics OUTside, so while I dig around for one of those pics to photoshop into glory... I hope this one will suffice :)

-- A Victorian Cowgirl

Mr. Bingley, how do you like my flowers for your Ball?

I liked this updo better than the previous  photo I had posted but I still wasn't satisfied with this style either.

I played around with my hair a few more times before the Patriot's Ball and finally decided on a few simple braids brought up and pinned to my head. I really liked the simplicity of the look AND I knew it would look even cuter with some flowers looped in at the back. I was very happy with the way the whole look came together :)

I did all of the work on the over-dress, the under-dress, the stomacher, the underthings, and the corset by myself with the exception of the hem on the overdress. I couldn't seem to get it to cut straight because of the silkiness of the fabric. I took it to the tailor who was altering my brothers suits/tuxedos and she zipped it out very nicely!

The dress held up well for dancing. I lost a few straight pins that were holding the stomacher in place so I was thankful I used multiple pins with each tab! The only real issue I faced was with the back of my underdress continuing to slip out of the top of my overdress. I had pretty much created the dress pattern on my own and had forgotten to take into account how high the back of the underdress was compared to the back of the overdress. If you view the video posted on my facebook page from a week ago you will see what I mean :)

Our family had a wonderful time in Bristol. We made many new friends and already have plans to visit with several of them over the summer. Plans are to make the Patriot's Conference and Ball and annual event and I am already excited to hear more about the plans for next year!

-- A Victorian Cowgirl

Fixing something old to fit...

I'd set to fixing up an old gown of mine before our trip to Va, and turned it into a gown for one of my daughters... one of these days, many years hence, they'll find it in a box in some quiet corner of our family's attic, I'm sure. Hopefully they will enjoy it more than I ever had time to...

Though I completely changed the bodice from what it was before, I do have a picture saved  to my compy of the fabric.

I somehow managed to save the lace from the neckline in front, and used it again on the new front bodice.. which was a blessing, so I wouldn't have to rip the lace from the back of the gown just to make it look right/even. One simple new gown for daytime that I hope they will enjoy :)

Do you ever think of taking your old gowns and altering them down for future (or present) children, or buy sweet little things you happen to see while passing a shop window and pack them away for sometime in the future? I find myself doing this often... oops! Then again, I always have felt I would be a wife and mom. Just waiting on God to bring around the almost perfect man... who wants perfect after all? Where is the fun in that?! 

Fun, laughter, heart, feeling, and soul is much to be preferred. 

-- A Victorian Cowgirl

A Georgian Gown for the Ball..

Since I am still waiting on boning to finish off my corset, and reading far too many books, I have decided to go ahead and start on a new gown for the Ball. It's next month, and Georgian/Regency costumes are encouraged :D Since I already know what my inspiration is, and have a photo ready to share with you here, I shall... 

Isn't it B-E-A-utiful?!? The floral that you see is actually Brocaded silk, and the gown really is from the 18th Century. I think it the perfect mix of Georgian and Regency and just right for a young woman who would've been around just as the fashions were changing. Even as you sit and watch Pride and Prejudice (2005, sorry dears) you will realize that Mrs. Bennet (and other such women of her caliber or more, for example Lady Catherine deBourgh) were still wearing the Georgian gowns they grew up with; while Jane, Elizabeth, and Georgianna where wearing modest and comely gowns in the new style - which suited their personalities just fine and seemed so sweet amongst their characters. And, even still the younger girls (such as was found in the characters of Kitty and Lydia) were extravagant with their "it's all the rage in London" 's. 

Since I am noticing the lack of hoops in the photo above, I am relieved of another fear... I have neither the time nor the funds sufficient enough to include a set of hoops into my grand ordeal of a costume. * whew *

It sounds so lovely, I can only hope it works! Pray for me friends, and hope I don't mess up my stitching! At least I have some assurance of hope in the fact that I can use a new machine that works and not have to go at it by hand, which  would be sure to be a disaster in the making... Oy vey! 

-- A Victorian Cowgirl

A Tid-bit of Stitchery...

I said in my last blogpost that I would put up a photo of the embroidery I've done on my corset when I had the chance... I finally had time to get around to it yesterday evening. Not only did I get a few of the embroidery, but I decided to take a few of my work so far as well. As you can see, it is just a simple Vine pattern w/ French Knot berries, and a few leaves...

Though the photo's probably aren't the best, here they are :)

-- A Victorian Cowgirl

Hand Sewing & Weekend Plans

Folkwear Sewing Patterns, Edwardian Underthings

I have been wanting to practice my hand sewing for a while. I found this pattern in a box in my closet along with a huge stash of patterns that a friend from church had given me. I had completely forgotten that I had them :) I thought the Edwardian underthings pattern was the perfect thing to practice with because the fabric is lightweight and the stitching is delicate.

My first day of sewing did not go so well, even though I sewed for about 9 hours straight. I am OK at keeping my stitches small, but I have a problem with keeping them straight. And, to top it all off, I discovered at the end of the evening that I had actually sewed the lace insets into two right sides instead of a left and a right. I have to very carefully detach the lace from the second piece because I do not have enough of it to make two sets! 

I am spending the next few days with my mom at a démodé fashion weekend sponsored by one of our favorite local historic sites, Tryon Palace. The weekend will be full of 18th century fashion!! I met the young lady, Laura Poppe, who is the seamstress for the Palace, this past weekend at another event. She is very sweet and knowledgeable, plus I learned she is a fellow homeschool graduate! I can't wait to take part in all the activities this weekend and learn more! I hope to take lots of pictures to share with you next week.

J'espère que vous avez un bon week-end!

-- A Victorian Cowgirl