A peep into my life

this morning is a pretty dull winterish day in New Zealand, there are clouds everywhere outside and the air is a mild 12 degrees.

I'm sitting here typing with the half sewn facing of my bodice on my lap and an empty coffee cup beside me. My hair isn't brushed and it's 12:30pm, I haven't been up for long but it's the weekend and there's nearly no one in the house.
I've been exploring the wondrous invention of instagram... yes I got it yesterday, I'm a little behind on these social media things, I've still haven't got twitter but oh well.
This week has been pretty interesting I've started back again with my studying, the eleven human body systems and the basic structure of an atom being the main topics to remember.
I've also been slowly sewing my 1860s bodice and it's nearly done, however handsewing can take a long time.

Everything's been pretty slow lately but I know that it won't last for long, but it's nice while it lasts.

I've been reading Triumph by Carolyn Jessop, it's a memoir of the raids on a polygamous Mormon cult in the US, it's pretty eye opening and sad, as most cults tend to be, but there is a lot of interesting truths to be learnt from it about human nature.

So there's a little peep into my life...

(P.S my hair is now brushed, I'm not a total ragga-muffin ;) )

My dress addiction

 Seww... I've hinted a few times on here, that I have a bit of a sewing craze. But it's only really be hinted and I've never said why I sew, probably because I didn't think I could explain it without confusing/boring you all. Well anyway here goes...

I love historical sewing. Why? I don't really know, I just want to create something fabulous, mending bores me and it's kinda hard to find the inspiration to make normal clothes -it just sounds too easy and plain. Victorian clothing is may favourite 'genre' of sewing and for some reason I just keep wanting to make a new dress.

How did this all start?
When I was younger and we had just started homeschooling I found out that a lot of Mum's friends had older daughters who would make amazing dresses. And these dresses were amazing, I was pretty sure one of them owned Cinderella's dress. Anyway these 'older daughters' would go down to Oamaru heritage week every year and go to balls and dress up in these beautiful gowns for a week. Me and my friend looked up to these girls and dreamed of having pretty gowns (we loved dress ups) and going around places in them. We couldn't wait till we were old enough to go Oamaru.
When we were about seven we started taking sewing lessons with one of the older daughters. My first project was a red tartan t-shirt and skirt, it was hardly princess material and I didn't wear it much but it was a start. After that I went on to make curtains, bags, skirt, a hoop skirt and other really basic stuff, but I just couldn't wait to start a 'real dress'. Naomi, my teacher was very patient and not hugely fussy which encouraged me to do better, and to take on bigger stuff, which eventually came.

My first Victorian dress, was a pale cream colour made out of old sheets and calico, and was made without a pattern. It was alright but not as good as I expected, the shoulders sat a bit funny but it was a start. I wore it to my first Oamaru back in 2010 (my friend and I had an amazing time) And I've worn it several times since, although I have adapted it a bit. It's not my favourite dress but I like it.

My second dress was a Regency dress (1800-1820) it was navy blue with a lace overlay, it was made for a friend's ball. Unfortunately I made the hem at the front too long (read tripping over half the time) and for some reason the dress didn't fit at the front. I've been meaning to fix it but it'll be a lot of work, maybe one day. But having said that I do like how it falls at the back.

The next year I made a blouse and skirt for Oamaru, the skirt being part of my third sewing expedition. This one was a lot more difficult than the last two, as I was undertaking it by myself without Naomi to guide me. It was two years in the making and I have posted a few pictures on here before, it is definitely my favourite, it still needs decorating, but I'm really happy with it (1870-1880)

And since then I've made lots of little sewing projects, and done a lot of research. Until these holidays when  I started on my next project, it is a late 1850s day dress in a dark burgundy colour, it might be a mourning dress, it might not. I'm hoping to get the bodice (top) done before the next semester.

And the most addicting thing about this is the piecing together, seeing the dress take shape not the sewing so much. Although I must admit I do geek-out a bit at the prettiness of the seams (yes, I know, I know my family doesn't understand me either) And the awkward thing is I just noticed that I make more often than I wear them, but I'm trying to change that.

In the meantime (lol) I also have a fifth dress in the making, it will be a mourning bustle dress (1870-1880) and it's inspired by this painting by Anders Zorn

pinterest

I know it's just a picture of a face, but that's just another start. It might be done in time for next years Oamaru -it might not. And for some reason I don't think this'll be my last dress cause yeah...dress addiction.

Changes

Hi everyone

In case you haven't noticed I haven't really been in the blogging world lately. Unfortunately life picks up and I don't really get time to sit down and write. I am currently doing a pre-health course and working as a cook (catering at a camp) as well as being a kitchen hand on the weekends. But now that it's end of semester and winter over here in New Zealand I'm going to try and post some more.
So that brings me to the next thing... what do you guys want me to write about? I realize that I have done a whole heap of inspirational/rants here in the past and I can't really keep writing them without repeating myself, which is a good thing I guess. So I was thinking of doing mostly sewing/writing/food posts as those are the ones I know the most but if there was anything else you can think of I'm open to suggestions.

Sewing patternless

Yup I'm doing it! I'm trying my hand at designing a jacket for the winter. A little scary, but awesome  -I can make whatever I like, with in the constraints of the material of course.
The jacket isn't completely patternless, I did start off with a 'base', remember this?

Well I'm basing it off this, because I want it to have some flair, not like an ordinary jacket. Plus it's the only jacket pattern we have (last I checked) So after lots of researching to decide just exactly what style I wanted, and lots of astronaut looking sketches

 I decided just to start, so I cut out the pattern in a large size (to leave room for draping etc) joined some of the pattern pieces together, as I didn't want the white biby thing that is in the above picture. I sewed a mock up in calico and spent ages in the mirror trying to pin it to fit. Then I decided to cut it in half so that I could add more length, cause as you can just see it didn't come down over my hips. So last night I added a strip and sewed it in between, like this (excuse the phone pictures)

(The right side is the top half by the way)

from the outside it looks more like this:

As you can see it's only half of it, and the bottom picture has the top on the left side instead.

Now I am starting to unpick the vertical seam so that I can cut it out on in the material (hence the lifeless half pictures) 

The material

And that's as far as I've gotten, I'm hoping to have finished unpicking today and get onto the real thing, and eventually the decorating (really looking forward to that part :D )

But I still have to design the hood, collar, and sleeves yet so hopefully it all goes smoothly :)
It'll probably be dystopian/post apocalyptic in style, using lots of zippers and old buttons for character :) This blog is definitely turning into a sewing/writing one.

-Tiffany 

Updating the last update

Oh wow! Excuse my terrible blog posting - the last real post was a new years one!! Oh dear, so much for wanting to post more :/

So what have I done lately? Got my licence, school work and contemplated sewing again :) My favourite place to haunt at the moment is the dreamstress (she runs a challenge to make a historical costume once a fortnight ) dreaming about getting some costume done in a fortnight so that I can make something. Well it's only been dreaming as I haven't got the patterns or material to pretend to start :/
Although I have started fixing a bodice of on my Regency dress that I made years ago -the bodice length is way too short, and on a Regency dress that looks hideous. Got so far but don't know if I have any material left -lol.
But even if I had a costume I don't know where I would wear it -Costumer problem #1. So I was thinking of making some undergarments, something that would go underneath the stuff I have. But corsets are kinda out of the question as I don't have half the material, although I have drafted a elizabethan pattern :P
Today we went through the linen cupboards and Mum gave me a few sheets, so now I have lots of ideas buzzing round my head, mostly including part silk table cloths. Ah oh well.

Anyway I have to have lunch, hopefully I get round to posting again soon :/

Happy New Year etc etc etc

I'm not much for writing cheesy cliche posts about Christmas -I'm sure your dashboard is already full of them. But I will mention that we had heaps of fun with our German friends; trying lots of different flavours and sweets. We had a good time, but as I said I won't bore you.

New Years was so much fun, partying at a friends place, watching despicable me 2 with lots of friends, good food, sparklers and fire-works at midnight. Getting to bed at 1:30am ;)
Excuse me for a moment, I'm just about to tuck into a '9:30 breakfast' Haselnuss-hazelnut german chocolate, it has four little pieces in each packet and tastes delicious!!!

Apart from that we haven't been doing much lately, only recovering from the hectic sewing we did for the wedding (28th December last year ;) But we did go swimming today in the waterhole -cold. The weather hasn't been very summery lately :/

As for my writing, I haven't officially done anything. Although I've started on a new story: heehee naughty me! It's far more paranormal than anything I've ever written (which isn't very paranormal at all) I'm a little afraid of it as the beginning is a little spooky. Oh well I've got at least 2 more books to write before I seriously start looking at it. Yeah. At least two more, I've decided my fate as an author is going to be writing more than one book, because I just can't not write.

Oh and by the way I've dyed my hair red... not very red, more red velvet because of my dark hair but anyway I like the subtlety. I decided to go with commercial dye as it was cheaper (henna costs $30.00!) and a friend was able to do it on me. I've finally got used to looking in the mirror ;)

We've also been feasting on berries; cranberries, gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries, boysenberries and cherries. Very good, Especially when you get to have yoghurt, cream and raspberries on your cornflakes (best breakfast ever!!)

So as you can see we've had quite a lot of fun, how about you? what have you been doing these holidays?

sewing again

Yes already! You'd think I'd had enough after Oamaru's flurries. Well no, today from 10am to 5pm I was hard out sewing. (With some professional photography in-between ;) ) I was helping with the flower girl dresses for a friends wedding. Well there was actually five of us all set along the extended table working all five machines. It made quite a sight, blue, and lots of purple satin strewn across it, mingled with threads, ribbons, pins and at least three quick-unpicks. Our goal was to have seven dresses done before the end of the day. It was intense I tell you, Samara managed to finish two dresses, the rest of us completing only one, my excuse? Ahh strange shoulders and confusing fabric -mostly my fault :) Oh well, it was quite a lot of fun, and I got some of the material to make a dress for myself - so I guess I'm not nearly finished with sewing...*

Tiffany

*I wrote this yesterday but only just managed to get publish

Oamaru Heritage week

The train (er van) arrived back at my house last night
sooo I'm back!!!!!

And was it fun! True I did absolutely no writing, but I don't really mind anymore, I might get 10k done this year but that doesn't matter. Although I had two radical ideas that will greatly change my book - oh well, I'm not sure if I'll use them, we'll see.  One of them is changing the setting to some place down south instead of Waipara North Canterbury, but that will include heaps of research.

I got my jacket done in plenty of time, I was sooo glad I wasn't sewing last minute. Although strictly speaking its not finished according to the pattern, but I didn't want to put lace on the cuffs as it looked fine without, so that's all good.

here's a couple of pictures from the trip

this is the tiny little house that we stayed in,  it was sooo cute the front part there is the lounge/kitchen, the house had a double bed, a loft with a single bed, a bathroom, and tiny laundry in the hall way. It's meant for three people at the most. We had 9 people there one time, for getting ready and for meals (which we had on the deck) and 6 sleeping over night -and I tell you it was a squish!

the view of Oamaru from the deck

my jacket all finished

eating ice cream in Oamaru, all dressed up in one of Mum's bridesmaid dresses (adapted of course)

I got badly sunburnt that day

So that is a little snippet of what happened, now I'm off to have lunch 

Write... Sew.... Sleep...

As I said in the last post this is pretty much my life this November..

Well not so much the writing, I've decided to make my goal to plan something rather than to write myself into a hole. I'm doing the same story that I did last year, and although I haven't done much,its quite fascinating seeing how much my characters have changed.

 I'm focusing more on my sewing as I've only got till Thursday to finish my jacket, but it isn't too bad as I've only got to pop on the buttons, ten to be exact, which I'll probably end up doing tomorrow - hopefully I'll have some pictures to show you later

And well sleep, lets just say not much -after all a writer needs to tank up by reading ;)

I'm looking forward to having the next two weeks almost free (Ikr almost) so hopefully I'll be able to stick my head into writing, and try a few sprints because hey I'll  still want to try to get to 30k, oh well, we'll see.

-Tiffany

An Interview

Question 1: Give us your name (not last name for safety reasons), age (optional), location, hobbies, interests, etc. Basically, introduce yourself! :)
 Hello I'm Tiffany.I am a born Kiwi, no not a bird ;) I love reading, writing, dancing, historical reenacting,  sewing well a whole lot of stuff. I am homeschooled teenager.   

Question 2: How did you become born again?

Well that is a question.I was born into a Christian family so I've know about the Lord all my life.I gave my life to the Lord at the age of five, but nothing really "happened"  it seemed to me anyway. Well when I was 12 I fully realised the extent of my sin. I got baptized in Feburary the soonest possible.

Question 3: What is your current walk with the Lord like?

Like nothing I ever expected.Strange and wonderful high and low.

At the moment I am mostly just learning how really wise He is and beginning to grasp just how big.

Question 4: How do you help and serve your family?

Cooking, things like that, I'm sure I could do a lot more.

Question 5: How do you serve others?

Well the biggest thing would be writing with the organizer of this great interview- Esther, we do a girls magazine JoJ [The latest issue is on Esther's blog, have a peek !]

Question 6: What are some of your favourite things?

Writing -which has actually been since I've become a Christian, strange huh?

Dancing, Reading a good [morally] book that starts with a bang and keeps the attention held all the way through.Hash browns.

Question 7: What are some of your struggles?

Temper. Words. Thoughts.

Question 8: What encouragement do you have to give?

God made you as you are, and He loves you for that, why if He made the autumn leaves beautiful, do you think because of your sin, He missed you out? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

This doesn't mean you shouldn't exercise, every one should.

And also be very careful in what you say of other's physical apperance. I have a very special friend who is teased because of her "width" some don't mean to hurt her, but she really does feel it.To me she is a really lovely girl but she won't see this if people do not tell her. And that is really sad, but it mustn't be left 'til the moment when she has heard it soo many times she believes she's ugly and will laugh at you if you say otherwise.So be extra careful.

Sewing in the 1900s

When I went to the library last I found a book and I've gone slightly mad about it.
It's a sewing book about remaking vintage clothes from as far back as 1920s, the idea is to make them "modern" while still keeping their vintage charm [I can't really stand straight modern clothes, just not my style]While she has some nice ideas some of them are a bit, strange, she's into retro.

1900s classification
2nd hand - dates from now to 1990s
Retro -1980 to 1960
Vintage - 1950 to 1920
Anitque - 1920 and earlier

Retro is mainly, hippie and synthetic, how horrid!!
Vintage is a whole lot more, refined, swirly calf-length dresses
Anitque is Edwardian, then before the great war, or after they had these ugly dresses that hung off the shoulders like rectangles [the idea a short man's body in a girly coloured dress] don't forget the skull cap
hats uuggghhh.

One other thing I learned was how to tell a garments age whether it had a lable or not
before the 1940s, zips were only used on uniforms. They used elastic and domes for tailored fitting instead. 10 years later metal  zips came in on dresses and skirts but fitted in the side seams or under the arm.1950 had them running down the front.The nylon zip came out in the 60s but look closely as it might of had a repair job done long after it was made. The overlocker came in the 70s so if you find anything over-locked it will be from the 70s onwards.It is easy to confuse 50s dresses with 80s dresses as they copied 50s designs.If the item has overlocking and a nylon zip it was made after 1980.
also in the 50s they had scalloped necklines which were, of course, copied in 1980.
So after reading most of the book I remembered that I had a dress with a scalloped neck so I hauled it out to see if it was 50s or 80s the bold white,blue,black pattern said 80s all over, sure enough it was overlocked.I am wearing it now but this vintage make-over thing got to me, it is now a skirt just below knee length and took awhile to make, well, shortening the hem was the worst.But you don't need to know exactly what happened:D.This was a bit of a random post I must admit, I hope it was kinda interesting.

-Tiffany