Trousers! more Trousers!

Wish I had trousers liket his... I love the the look!

I have completely and totally fallen in love with the Charles Pattern from compagnie-M http://compagnie-m.com/ - they ARE SO EASY! And quick! And great! And with an elastic in the back for comfort and fit. I love details like that. And because I just couldn't get enough, I made some more. I also had to make some more, because I put the first Charles trouser in the regular Wash, and that lovely woolen fabric - felted... shrunk... and fits a doll now... you see the picture... those pants used to be the same size. Before mummy came...

More Charles - green Tweed woll and rusty red fine stretchy corduroy.

Charles - one size 98,and the shrunk Charles on the right. *sob*

And then to round a nice sewing weekend off, I made another of my favourites - The minikrea Ballonbuks http://minikrea.dk/baby/baby20301.html

my all time favourite - ballonbuks. with lining.

 And after that, I got a nasty cold... Well well well...
On the way to getting better now, so woopee, Christmas here we come, or so...

Love
Hertzwerk

Crema di fragola - strawberry yumyum!

So, my contribution to making the year 2014 end in delight was - a pizza and a dessert.
The dessert was an experiment and as it turned out nicely, i thought I'd share it with you. :)

It is called "crema di fragola" (strawberry cream) and i found it on the internet, here

In case the link doesn't work, here the German copy of it:


"Zutaten (für etwa 6-8 Gläschen):
250g Mascarpone
250g Sahne
2 Eigelb
4 Eiweiß
4 Päckchen Vanillezucker
70g Zucker
2 Blätter Gelatine
Erdbeeren nach Belieben (bei mir 400g)
Minze/Kakao nach Belieben

Sahne und Eiweiß getrennt voneinander steif schlagen und beiseite stellen. Eigelb mit Zucker und Vanillezucker verrühren und dann nach und nach die Mascarpone hinzugeben, bis eine halbwegs cremige Masse entsteht. Gelatine einweichen lassen und verflüssigen, danach zu der Masse hinzugeben und gut verrühren. Steife Sahne hinzugeben und unterrühren, danach den Eischnee hinzufügen und ebenfalls unterheben. Nun die Masse in den Kühlschrank stellen und in der Zwischenzeit die Erdbeeren waschen, gut abtropfen lassen und in Stücke schneiden (ich halbiere sie immer nur, man kann sie aber auch bspw. einfach vierteln, wenn man das lieber mag). Die Erdbeeren dann in die Gläschen füllen und mit der Masse übergießen. Anschließend kann man noch etwas Kakao drüberstreuen und das Ganze mit einem Minzblatt  verzieren. Danach wieder ab in den Kühlschrank und etwas durchziehen lassen. Fertig!" (von http://www.staenkerliese.com/2014/05/rezept-crema-di-fragola/ am 31.12.2014)


I have used raspberries instead of strawberries because I had some left in the freezer, worked as well. I also found I had used a little bit too much water to dissolve the leaf gelatine, but it didn't really matter in the end. the recipe is simple, you just need los of pots and pans. enjoy!

Charles Pants - autumn sun!!

Just in time for a bit of late summer (20 degrees!) I've finished the Charles pants in wool with herringbone pattern. :)

The Pattern is the Charles Pants Pattern by Compagnie-M (http://compagnie-m.com/)

Again, the pattern went well together, the size is correct and I really enjoyed working with it. I can really recommend it. What I LOVE about children's clothes is, how little fabric you need... just 70cms for these pants and a bit of scrap yellow cotton. Brilliant. :) (and again I am really jealous, I'd LOVE to have pants like these... maybe one day I manage to make them for myself...although given enough time I might shrink into them.... maybe...)

Here are some suboptimal pictures, but I think you get the gist. :)

 

Have a lovely Day and WOHOO; it's HALLOWEEN today!!! :)

- Hertzwerk

The Louisa Dress !

As Halloween is approaching and I had always searched for an excuse to get the Louisa Dress Pattern by Compagnie-M (http://compagnie-m.com/) I finally got it and made this dress for Lucy. :) It is also the first time I made experiences with piping. I DO love the outcome. Maybe I should make a similar dress for myself? ;) Sorry the pictures are slightly overexposed. :)

Add caption

The dress is made from black cotton twill that was hanging around here, doing nothing. ;)
The dress is fully lined with thin curry coloured cotton/PE mix. I've followed the assembly intruction about 70%, but I altered the back (instructions were for a zipper, but i REALLY didn't feel like inserting an invisible zipper...) and set the lining a little different than in the instuctions. Not a big deal really. The pattern went together nicely. Compagnie M has a few really nice instant-download patterns on their homepage, I really like the designs, they are simple and practical and with that special "je ne sais quoi", a twist. The prices are about 7 Euros, but she gives discount if you order several patterns in one go.


Have a lovely halloween!

Hertzwerk.


Picture Update:

The Child with the dress. :) she's a real UFO - unbelievablely fast object!

Oh help! Oh no! It's A Calash!

I am reading the Gruffalo a lot with our little daughter and when I came to writing this post about my latest project, I couldn't help thinking in those words.

Anyway. It was a rather spontaneous project which had the purpose of keeping my mind busy (for various reasons) and being inexpensive. So, I've been thinking about a calash for some time and had looked at some pictures, and now the time was ripe.
I've still had plenty of reed and some silks left over.
Calash (or Calèche) is a horse carriage, really. (read more here at Wikipeda e.g. )

First a quick analyses of the calashes I used as examples. They can be found on the metmuseum.org homepage. Also refer to my pinterest board for more examples or this homepage, that has plenty of links to museums

http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/116612?=&imgNo=0&tabName=related-objects

http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/157763?img=1&imgNo=0&tabName=related-objects


If you follow the links you will find a few more photographs. The MetMuseum has some other Calashes from the 18th and early 19th century and also Pinterest is a good source for finding more pictures.

From those (and a few more, but let's not get overly into this) I have deducted the following things for my project:

1. The calash itself is based on a rectangle. The size of the rectangle is determined by the height and depth you want ot achieve. I noticed that in the above examples the boning seems to be "riding" on top of the calash. I assume, that first the lining is mounted to the outside fabric and then the tunnels are sewn through all layers. The reed probably has a distance of 2 inches. And in between there seems to be either a gathering stitch or an actual seem to allow that accordeon-like folding.

2. The back is either just the rest of the rectangle gathered and cut to fit into that sort of horse-shape OR it is a neatly cut flat extra piece of fabric and lining. Most calashes seem to have a ribbon in the back.

3. A ruffle (at least, could also extend to a "nearly-cape" length) was attached to the bottom of the calash and a ribbon in front to secure it and keep it in shape. Also seems to be a simple rectangle mostly.

4. Some calashes have (like the green one above) extra decoration (I love that extra bow on the green one!).

5. Although you don't see them on the pictures, I would think they had a small ribbon somewhere to pull them up agains the wind and over the head.

6. Both calashes have a sort of brim in the front, the green one has a rather straight one that might be padded with an extra layer of stiffer fabric, the violet one has some sort of double ruffle. Anyway, neither of them ends with a bone but with something decorative.

Personally I like the shape of the green one best, not very bulky and ruffly. So that's the shape I was trying to achieve.

13 boning chanels, 2 thereof in the back so slightly shorter. aprox. 2 inches apart?
in between fold to the inside, w/o boning.
2 bows.
supposedly flat back.
simple straight brim in front, possibly stiffened.
simple self fabric ties.

I've had particular fun with the reed I've used. It came in a round bundle and gave the whole thing the shape of an orange. But I wanted horse-shoe. My mock-up wasn't promising. So after doing some research into reed (which led me to most informative sited about basket making...) I've learned a lot of new stuff. Did it help the calash? Who knows.

So here we are, this is my version of a calash. Sorry, no big hair day... :) 

Also not a big smiley face day. Could be worse, though. 

my favourite view.

And for everyone who's made it this far: Here's an experimental pattern. It's not complete and will still take a bit of fiddling I'm afraid, but then I'm not a professional pattern person and it's free. ;) The pattern is in English. Sort of.

Calash Pattern.pdf

Enjoy your day!
(PS: No, it's not entirely handsewn, I've used the machine a fair bit, because I wasn't convinced it would turn out okay... shame on me... I would recommend sewing the boning channels on the outside by hand, though... if you want to do it half-properly... but well... next time...)

18th century garter MFA

While I was waiting for material for the 1790s Imatex jacket, I started this project which in the end I finished after the jacket, for various reasons. I have taken the liberty to change some details, but no worries, they essentially stayed garters. :) I've used scrap silk taffeta and cotton thread and I changed the motive in the middle, because I didn't quite understand what it is supposed to be... and I wasn't that motivated to stitch lots of strange birds.

http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/garter-one-of-a-pair-46760

It's been a quick and easy project that was just the thing to do. :) Plus you can never have enough small accessoires. :)

Have a lovely day!

1790s jacket from IMATEX

My latest project is this 1790s jacket inspired by a 1790s jacket from the Imatex (Centre de Documentació i Museu tèxtil) here:
you can access lots of stuff there, if you want to look at the 1790s jacket, go to advanced search, then search for Register number 11551, then go to "full record" and voilà you can see pictures and read a despription in Catalan. I don't really understand catalan, but I think it's a children's jacket (they say) and the pictures do explain the rest. I call it the "Imatex jacket" (for obvious reasons).
What threw me a bit was, that I couldn't find many fashion plates depicting similar jackets. The ones that could be called similar were from fashion plates in the 1780s, but I suppose that doesn't mean much.
The following 3 pictures show the original jacket from the IMATEX collection.

original Imatex 1790s jacket

original Imatex 1790s jacket

original Imatex 1790s jacket.

This is the view of my pattern:
I've used the JPR Anglaise pattern as a start and then worked away on it. The sleeves are from Wingeo 207, but again, altered quite a bit (as I am NOT a giant). 

and these are the fabrics

silk repp in light cream with dots, silk damask in light blue/beige, ivory silk taffeta (for lining). Soutache apricot (not pictured) :)

I've used peach coloures soutache (2,5mm wide), about 12 metres. At first I was really sceptic about it, but I've used a colour scheme thingy on the internet called Paletton and determined the complementary colour to my blue-grey-brown silk was, in fact, peach. Wow, they did know what they were doing abck then. :)
So I dived in head first and attached the soutache. I am NOT a peach person... really. But I like the result. ;)
My biggest problem (apart from sleeves, right and left, buttonsholes patience and stuff like that) was to get fabric for the sleeve buttons matching the soutache - apricot  IS A NIGHTMARE! I did manage after months of repetitive visits to the fabric store (selfless...). :)

 And here are  pictures of the result:

 I am planning to make a matching hat like this for it, but have not got the materials for it yet (apart from the feathers and the black ribbon...)

modern bears and meditative handicraft skills

This is Bina the Bear. I can't explain WHY i had the urge to learn how to crochet a bear, but while I was waiting for the buttons for the 1790s IMATEX jacket to arrive from China, I stumbled over this lovely little page http://www.lalylala.com/ and just HAD to make Bina the Bear.

I have never ever before done any crocheting before. And it is also not really connected to any historical period I've so far been entangled with... (apparently the first description of crocheting stuff appeared around the 1830s...says wikipedia...). But I wanted to make this bear, badly. And so I did.

Here's the result. I've learned how to crochet. I've learned how meditative it can be. I still have trouble with counting. Also my quality of crocheting varies heavily from day to day... resulting in the ears and arms being of different sizes... ah well... it's unique. :)
The pattern is 5.50 Euros, direct download. Instructions are available in many languages and they are very clear and easy with a slight sense of humour. I've immensely enjoyed this project and if you visit her homepage, look at Kira the kangaroo. SO sweet!!
I've used the yarns recommended in the pattern.

"Garthwaite Anglaise" - 1770s Anglaise en fourreau

I've finished my "Garthwaite Anglaise"!!! yay!

the only picture of me in the dress I could find...

 It all started with this fabric:

lovely fabric I got from www.silkresource.com

Apart from the fact that the fabric just begged me to buy it... I didn't have a real idea what to make of it. (roughly rococo was clear, though...). It's a silk lampas I ordered from www.silkresource.com. The design is called "carnation", the colour is a very light beige, "eggshell" called thing. Not what I would usually go for, but i LIKE it. Both sides of the fabric are equally appealing, it was hard to make a decision.
I also liked the fact that carnations have been flowers "with a meaning" for quite long.. -> wikipedia CARNATION
I first intended to make a 1740s Robe a la Francaise from it. BUT there were only 8yards available. Of course with a bit of tweaking that would be possible (remember, I AM petite...). BUT I also had just finished the green striped Chardin Francaise, which means I've got 2 Robes a la Francaise already that work for the 1740s/50s. And as much as I like that style, I didn't get the right feel for it. So I just put it aside for some time (remember: fabrics mature while you own them). and then I stumbled across these pictures:

Met Museum

Met Museum

Colonial Williamsburg

I love this dress: the colours are great (I wish I could have found a red like this!)

Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, NY

MFA Boston

With 8 yards I've had plenty of fabric to make a gown and have some more fabric left to mature. :) I had done the Anglaise en fourreau before, so no major issues here, just a few minor changes (back view).I was very torn between making an open gown or a round gown, but went for the open gown, because I like the contrasting white skirt a lot.

So, why a 1740s/50s fabric design for a 1770s Robe a l'Anglaise?
Several reasons:
It's different.
I've had quite enough of the Francaise pleating.
I like the "easy to wear" Anglaise-style. 
There are lovely extant garments with this mix. (The reason for this has been brought to my attention by the lovely Mme du Jard: Many people got fabrics for their christening and then would use them for a special dress, possibly even the wedding dress, in their 20s. tadaaa, a bit of calculating and you've got it! So not only though processing and altering garments but also through hording (!) fabrics you could get this result)
And last but not least: the fabric spoke to me. Ever had that feeling? ;)


So this is my "Garthwaite Anglaise". :) Sorry, I haven't got pictures with me inside, but it's 36 degrees Celsius (about 95 degrees Fahrenheit...) here and I just can't force myself into the stays.
Oh, and why is it called the "Garthwaite Anglaise"? Because the fabric design really reminds me of this wonderful designer, Anna Maria Garthwaite, see my blogpost about her -> HERE

yes, wrong pins, use your IMAGINATION!

edit 7/2015:
After making a Manteau de Lit from the leftovers I still had a bit of fabric left to make a skirt. I had to piece the back, but I don't think thats a problem. :)

Tell me a forest fairy tale!

I've stumbled across this fabric and just couldn't resist to make a skirt from it - apart from small struggles like "why didn't I order enough of this in the first place, now I haven't got enough fabric to cut the back panel and have to order it again and find out it is out of stock and now i have to WAIT!" and "how do I insert this "invisible" zipper thingy?" and "why didn't I cut the panels just a tad straighter?" - but I LOVE the outcome.

The pattern is taken from 2 skirts that I've already had. It's really simple, just an a-shaped skirt with a saddle thingy. There are 2 back panels to give space for the zipper. The white underskirt is a shaped too and has a ruffle attached and a little lace. Both skirt and underskirt are attached to the saddle. That's it.

The pattern is also very useful to tell stories to 2-year-olds. :)

Have a lovely day!

Devonshire Apple Scones

I LOVE Scones! And every time after enjoying a 2-scones-with-lots-of-clotted-cream-and-jam-cream-tea I am convinced I can NEVER EVER eat again. This state usually lasts about 48 hours. :)

Here in Germany I don't get cream teas. *sob*
But the wonderful Mr. B. has given me a recipe book - "Favourite English tea time recipes" - and today I've made scones. In June you'd expect sunny dry warm to hot weather in these parts of Germany but today the weather has been particularly English. Overcast in the morning. A sort of indecisive drizzle around noon and a neverending soft rain all afternoon. It was crying out loud for some english cream tea!!
 I am really really sorry I've not taken pictures... suddenly all of the scones were gone, honestly!

So here's the recipe, I've converted all the imperial stuff. ;)

230 grams self raising flour (I've used "instant mehl" and an extra dollop of baking bowder...)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
115 grams butter
60 grams brown sugar
2 medium sized apples (peeled and cored and finely diced)
1 medium egg

1. preaheat oven to 190 degrees
2. mix flour, cinnamon and baking powder
3. rub in butter, stir in sugar, then apples.
4. stir in egg
5. now fine-tune the consistency - maybe add a little more flour - the dough has to be firm enough to "stand" in heaps but not too dry and "floury"
6. mould into heaps - depending on you taste 6-12 heaps, they sort of look like little rock cakes on floured baking sheet.
7. bake for 20-25mins.
8. let them sit on the tray a few minutes after taking the tray out of the oven, then transfer them to a wire rack.
9. serve warm, split in half. depending on your taste with rasperry or strawberry or whatever jam, and with butter or clotted cream. (I couldn't lay my hands on clotted cream so I used plenty of "creme double" instead). Make sure you eat enough to feel so full you are absolutely sure you can NEVER EVER eat (scones) again. ;) An'

'ave a cuppa!

Love!

Embroidered Stomacher 1770s Jacket

JPRyan Jacket with embroidered stomacher

Although really I've been planning to do some other sewing (a modern skirt, unfortunately I discovered half way through, that I didn't have enough fabric in stock to finish it (half of the back pannel ....oops!) so I had to postpone the project and do something else. I've had this stomacher, that I had embroidered about 1,5 years ago, sitting around. I originally wanted to fit it to the Walpole Francaise, but it didn't quite work together so it... matured. Then after making Mr. B's 1750s suit there was JUST enough fabric left to make a little jacket with stomacher front for myself (coincidence?). The green of the jacket is nearly exactly the same as in the embroiderey. So I got my beloved JP Ryan Jacket pattern out again and just did it. Out of reasons I don't understand, the front sleeve/shoulder bit is a bit tight, but the wool and the linen lining will give in quite a bit, I think. I (again!) had most trouble setting the sleeves, my main problem here being the difference between left and right. Oh joy and fun, especially if you've cut away the seam allowance already... it did work out in the end and I am really happy with the result. The pictures show the jacket worn with a hooped petticoat  because i just CAN'T find my bum pad. Just use a bit of imagination. And while you're at it: imagine the multiplug away... ;)
As to authenticity. I don't know. Honestly. I've seen a lot of stomachers with the most beautiful embroidery you can image, but I think they were all dated a few decades before. Personally I think it works for the 1770s though. Maybe a little old fashioned or a "revamped" jacket, sort of. I've omitted the lacing of the jackets (that the pattern suggests) because I think it would be a bit much - busy embroidery AND lacing. So it is closed with pins.

the simple back view

Have a lovely week!

Hertzwerk

Der Mai ist da!

Maiglöckchen und die Blümelein

Maiglöckchen läutet in dem Tal,
das klingt so hell und fein,
so kommt zum Reigen allzumal,
ihr lieben Blümelein!

Die Blümchen, blau und gelb und weiß
Sie kommen all herbei,
Vergißmeinnicht und Ehrenpreis
und Veilchen sind dabei.

Maiglöckchen spielt zum Tanz im Nu
und alle tanzen dann.
Der Mond sieht ihnen freundlich zu,
hat seine Freude dran.

Den Junker Reif verdroß das sehr,
Er kommt ins Tal hinein;
Maiglöckchen spielt zum Tanz nicht mehr.
Fort sind die Blümelein.

Doch kaum der Rief das Tal verläßt,
da rufet wieder schnell
Maiglöckchen auf zum Frühlingsfest
und leuchtet doppelt hell.

Nun hält's auch mich nicht mehr zu Haus
Maiglöckchen ruft auch mich.
Die Blümchen gehn zum Tanze aus,
zum Tanzen geh auch ich!

Hoffmann von Fallersleben

Ich finde Mai ist einer der schönsten Monate, und es ist Lucys Geburtstag und Maiglöckchen gehören eigentlich auch mit zu meinen liebsten Blumen. :) Vielleicht ist mir aber auch einfach nur so frühlingshaft zumute!! :) Ich wünsche Euch allen jedenfalls einen wunderschönen Monat Mai und einen herrlichen Sommer! :) 

Zeilitzheim 1749 - l'auberge et les salons

Another journey in time, again to the lovely little place called Zeilitzheim. The year - 1749 - the participants - some of the usual suspects and a few new faces - wonderful!! :)


You will also find two blogposts about the event here at Munich Rococo and here at Cour de Kassel 

So here are mainly pictures of the weekend, that I have TREMENDOUSLY enjoyed, thank you everybody who was there and that made it magical! Special thanks to Eduard and the Scotsman! ;)

Please respect the copyright of all pictures!