First Blog Post, and HSF #7 Accessorize

Finally, my first blog post!

It only took forever...

I first set up my Blogger account months ago, and couldn't find a template I liked, then couldn't find the camera for pics, and then.....well, let's just say, life happened.  One does get quite busy with three children, a home, and going to university full-time.

I am starting this now because I have (finally) completed my first entry for The Dreamstress's Historical Sewing Fortnightly.  I had wanted to do all of the challenges, but the (various excuses listed) above happened.  I hope that I can play catch-up and complete the other challenges that I missed, not for submission (because I wouldn't feel right about that) but so I can say to myself "I did it all."

Please note, these were finished on time, but I had exams (still not done :( ) and couldn't post immediately.

So, without further ado, may I present, for your viewing pleasure:

The Mostly Matching Caps

Taigan was reluctant to model her cap for pictures

That is Taigan's cap peeking out from under mine.

The best pic I could get of the tiny running stitches

The Challenge: Accessorize
Fabric: white cotton voile (brand-spankin' new for me, Taigan's is recycled from my old chemise)
Pattern: Kannik's Korner's Woman's and Girl's Caps, Cap A for me, eyeballed reduction of the same for Taigan's, with triple loop ribbon bows added.
Year: Pattern states Cap A covers from 1740 to 1810.  For our purposes, we will be using them for War of 1812 reenactments here in SW Ontario.  (No, being a couple years out of date doesn't bother me - parts of SW Ontario (Upper Canada) was sparsely populated at the time, and new fashions took a little while to make it there from Europe, America and the more developed parts of the Canadas. In addition, just because it wasn't high fashion doesn't mean that the old styles were dropped right away.)
Notions: thread, very crappy turquoise poly ribbon for mine, slightly less crappy pink poly ribbon for Taigan
How historically accurate is it?  I would call it 90%.  Fabric is accurate, pattern is accurate (with lots of source material), it is completely hand-sewn using appropriate methods.  The only non-accurate part is the ribbon (which I hope to replace with silk ribbons in the near future, when the funds allow).
Hours to complete: Mine: 6 (first time is always slow)  Taigan's: 4 hours (would have been 3, but the caul was too small, which I didn't find out til I put it on her for pictures.  Had to rip it out, cut and sewn in a new one - oops).  This is with distractions caused by children, etc.
First worn:  Monday April 8th for pictures, May 31st at the Battle of Stoney Creek will be the first real wearing. I hope to get pics of us wearing them in full costume - the weather has been horrible here lately - rain, rain, and more rain.
Total cost:  Materials for mine all came from the stash, but would have been maybe $1 for fabric, $2 for the ribbon.  Taigan's was even cheaper.  Her material was formerly my chemise that had ripped in several places (note to self: while cotton voile chemises make very comfortable nightgowns, the material is much too thin for constant use, unless reinforcements are added to key areas - which also explains the chemise in Costume Close-Up).  Even her ribbon was free - it was formerly the drawstring on a pair of pj's that pulled out in the wash and I never bothered to put back in the pants.