About


Historic fashion has always fascinated me. When I was a very small child I wanted to be just like Laura Ingalls and I idolized Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura on the Little House on the Prairie reruns. I longed for a calico dress and a sunbonnet. Later, I met a wonderful couple who mentored me through my early teens in the world of Civil War reenacting. With their guidance I researched and purchased my first patterns and fabric and sewed a complete outfit, from the undergarments out. I was hooked.


Over the last decade and a half my interest in historic attire and, as a consequence, the cultures, lifestyles and societal fluctuations of the past, has been a constant. I have been so privileged to meet, work with and reenact with so many wonderful people from all over the country who share these interests. Although my focus right now is almost exclusively on American Civil War living history/reenactmening, I have enjoyed time in the SCA and the early American living history community.

While real life with six kids is always full and busy I still enjoy researching and creating historic attire in whatever spare time I can find. These days my children accompany me on my historic adventures and I am so proud to see their own progress in this wonderful hobby and their excitement as they bring their own talents to this unique community.


2 comments:

  1. I've just discovered your blog and I am in awe!!! I used to costume all the time and dreamed of reenacting but I never wanted to do it solo (I've attended a couple as a guest/tourist and wore incredibly fake and very inaccurate costumes, but hey i was like 13, but it really made me fall in love with reenacting and made me want to learn to do it properly, but I also had no one to do it with :/). I've recently rekindled my love for historical garments and really want to try making things for my 2 sons as well. Your blog has been incredibly inspiring to me! I feel like I have a million questions for you!!
    Where did you find most of the patterns for your children's clothes? Or did you just draft your own? And the linen baby layette, it's sooo dreamy! I want to make historical inspired layette for whenever we have a third.
    How did you diaper your children when at camp and doing reenactment? did you hide disposables or cloth diaper? If you did cloth, did you find period ways of keeping everything from getting soaked? Sorry, I'm just incredibly curious! You are truly a powerhouse woman, I just love your whole blog! Amazing!

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  2. Hello Ellei! Thank you so much for commenting! It's exciting to hear that you are wanting to get into reenacting with your 2 boys. It's SUCH a great hobby with so many different avenues of interest and research; there is truly something for everyone! Have you found a local reenacting group? I'd really encourage you to get out to events as soon as you can and make those social connections before you worry too much about outfits and things. A supportive and warm reenacting community is such a wonderful family to be part of and they can help guide you as you research what impression you want to do and what kind of clothing is best suited for that impression.

    Anyway, yes, I do make most of my kids patterns. There are some good commercial patterns available too. For the 1860's era Historic Moments by Elizabeth Stewart Clark are highly recommended!

    When at events with kids in diapers I used disposables. It just seemed more sanitary, though it necessitated bringing along modern items. I kept all the diapering supplies in a period style cloth bag that I kept stashed in the tent, or, if daytripping, I kept the big bag of diaper supplies in our vehicle and carried an extra diaper or two and a slim pack of wipes in a roomy pocket or a carrying bag. When camping, I kept a supply of plastic grocery sacks in my diaper supply bag and any dirty diaper was tied up in a plastic bag and disposed of as soon as possible and as discreetly as possible. If someone saw me carrying a plastic bag to a trash can, hey, no big deal. ;)

    I have heard of others cloth diapering successfully at events. However, I have not had great experience with the woolen soakers keeping moisture off the outer clothes. Unless you are used to using historically appropriate diapering methods at home I wouldn't try it, personally, when at events because it creates more work than necessary. If cloth diapers and wool soakers work for you at home, great! But for me soakers still felt wet. When I cloth diapered at home I ended up using PUL snap diaper covers but it was far easier to just use disposables when out and about.

    I'm so glad my kids are out of diapers now! haha. It is so work-with-able though and do what is right for you and gives you the easiest time and keeps baby most comfortable.

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Thank you for your lovely thoughts!