Hands....

Definition of hands
hands hands n.
1. a person's power or discretionary action; as, my fate is in your hands. Syn: custody.[WordNet 1.5]
2. The force of workers available; as, all hands on deck. Syn: work force, manpower, men. [WordNet 1.5]
A dictionary containing a natural history requires too many hands, as well as too much time, ever tobe hoped for. --Locke. ; -- From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
hands
n 1: (with `in') guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child; "my fate is in your hands"; "too much power in the president's hands"; "your guests are now in my custody"; "the mother was awarded custody of the children" [syn: custody]
2: the force of workers available [syn: work force, manpower, men] -- From WordNet (r) 2.0
41 Moby Thesaurus words for "hands":
administration, authority, claws, clutches, command, control, disposition, domination, dominion, empery, empire, fighting force,  firepower, forces, governance, government, grasp, grip, gripe, hand, helm, hold, iron hand, jurisdiction, mastership, mastery,men, personnel, power, raj, regnancy, reign, reins of government, rule, sovereignty, sway, talons, the big battalions, troops, units,work force -- From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

Now that you have read all this you are probably wondering why I have looked up the meaning for hands.  For me the word means in general the plural of hand which equals hand made or made by hand.  Well as of late I have had some issues with doing the hand made it has been coming on for about 1 1/2 to 2 years.  But when the season started to go cold the last little bit it went crazy so I went to the doctor and my concerns have been confirmed Osteoarthritis.  Not sure what this means will happen in the future and I am working on strengthening my muscles  and such in the hopes of staying this back a little but we will see how that goes.  I know lots of people have this but that doesn't make it any easier mentally or physically for me.  I was told this was an old woman's disease that woman don't usually get it till after 55.  Well I am not even 40 and I have it. There are very specific reasons for this in my life to many to go into in detail in short past sports injuries, Von Willenbrands Disease and some modern medicine induced medical reasons that have happened in the last year that I prefer not to go into detail on.  All of which contributed to this. I plan on doing handwork  till I return to my maker I hope I get the chance too.

Back to school...

We had our first day of school this week.  That is why you have not see me in a little bit.  Trying to get all the last detail things done and soccer also started.  Which keeps us a little busy as well with three daughters on three different teams and coaching them and the games.  There are other things that have pulled me away from the blog for a little bit too maybe I will explain at a later date on that.  Bear with me I will be back at this soon.  Thanks for your patients and understanding I have a few more heirloom tutorials photographed and just need to prepare the text part of the post hopefully soon.

Free embroidery pattern

While on vacation I took some photos of some of linens Grandma Ernst had they are not in my possession these linens I just took photos because I liked them.  this piece was not finished so I thought others would like a copy of the embroidery for their own use.  If she seems a little tilted well that is because she is meant to be placed in a corner the linen in question had her I think in either 3 or 4 corners I can't remember which.

Here is my original photo it was dark and hard to see it well

Here is one cleaned up a little for your use

If you do make one please post a comment with a link so I can see your finished piece thanks. Right click on image and select view image to see just the image to save and print.

Bolero progress while on vacation

Here is the progress I made at granddaddy's house and in the four hour drive home from there.  You can also see a little bit of the progress I have made on the heirloom blouse.  I am thinking about putting a battenberg yoke on it (that use to be a collar) to make it a little fancier in the yoke area still thinking on that part of things and you can see the type of collar I am putting on the blouse.  Also you may have noticed I have added lace around the hem of the blouse.  Just so it is clear these two items would not be worn together on me they are just both on the mannequin at the same time to test things out.

To place the bolero on the dress-form easily it is actually inside out because it is still attached to the pattern.  The pink fabric you see is a pattern that is over 100 years old.  You can see where it is still attached to the pattern which is where I am still working on it.  This has close to two hundred hours of time in it already.  That of course is the cord making too.  This is why I don't mind giving my children the supplies to make one well because the expense isn't in the thread it took to make it  but in the time involved and the skill needed to make the filling stitches and cord and baste to the pattern.  In their case I would do the tracing of the pattern too as I wouldn't let them use the original it wouldn't survive the abuse of children working on it.  But a new copy on muslin would.  I just don't think they have that type of patients yet.

Bolero Romanian Point progress

I went on vacation for a d few days and took this as my work on the in the car project.  It is now about 90 percent done and looks like it may fit me.  Although my middle daughter is still claiming it to be hers.  I was happy to let her learn to make the cord with my help, which she did for about 5 inches of cord.  I was going to copy the pattern for her use.  But after the 5 inches of cord she decided she didn't want to make yards and yards of cord.  She decided she would just have mine.  I have explained that isn't an option but well she is a kid and thinks she knows best.  My oldest wants to give the cord a try to so she can have one.  I don't think she will get much farther either but she is welcome to try.  I offered both all the supplies they need and my help but I don't they have the patients yet.  I can't remember if I told you tat the thread that made the cord is vintage/antique and the threads making the filling stitches are discontinued if not now I have.  The cord is made out of bedspread weight thread and the filing stitches are size 30 thread.  while on vacation I showed this to my almost 96 years old grandmother she said I was crazy to make so many little knots, there are not actually knots in it just filling stitches but she calls them knots.  But on the same vain it is quiet beautiful to her.  She loves teasing me always says I am crazy but that the items are worth the effort.

the photos are oldest to newest.

While visiting my sister this was my progress

While I was at my grandmother's home this was my progress

I worked on it more at my husbands grandfather's house but didn't take photos of where I am now. I have finished all the pink, green, and brown areas. I have a few cream scrolls to finish then I am done with it.

HS1010: Some patterns I want to keep track of

#9395: Ladies' Tucked Waist: Circa 1915

http://www.pastpatterns.com/9395.html

#405 Two Tucked Waists.

http://www.pastpatterns.com/405.html

404 Edwardian Gibson Tuck Blouse.

http://www.pastpatterns.com/404.html

#4830: Ladies' One-Piece Kitchen Apron: Circa 1910

http://www.pastpatterns.com/4830.html

#5462: Skirts: 1910 - 1913

http://www.pastpatterns.com/5462.html

http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/freepatterns/w1889ochemise.html

http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/freepatterns/w1896bolbodice.html

http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/articles/w1895skirt.html

http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/freepatterns/w1905slessblouse.html

http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/freepatterns/w1907shirtwaist.html

http://www.pastpatterns.com/1900.html

 http://www.pastpatterns.com/1900.html

http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/articles/1912frocksxmas.html#EveningDress

http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/articles/1910blouses.html

http://www.venacavadesign.co.uk/Products/Simple_Edwardian_Blouse.html

http://www.vintageconnection.net/EdwardianShirtWaistPattern.htm

Heirloom Sewing blouse in progress

I wanted an under blouse to wear under shirts that are too low in the neck line.  I give this a high collar toonot sure yet.  This is the shirt that I mentioned in the Irish crochet top post.  I printed out the patterns and for me it was my size sort of.  Meaning if I didn't need seams it would fit.

So I cut it to the exact size as the pattern then added entredeux to the seams to add some to the wide and I split open the front and added swiss embroidery insertion and machine made tatting to make the front a little wider and I added two bands of swiss embroideries to the back.   I am debating if I want to add ribbon to the entredeux beading at the shoulder and sides and if I want to add it to the tatted beading in the front too.

Still need to add the neck and the button bands to the back and swiss edging to the arm holes.  Since this is to be worn under other clothes I am not putting sleeves on it also the pattern didn't have sleeves for the same reasons to why I don't need them.  that is why I will use a swiss edging to finish the sleeve areas.

I am still debating if I want some pin tucks near the center back and front at the waist line to bring that part in as this is a Gibson girl style blouse which means it has a lot of fullness around the waist that was supposed to be gathered and let be puffy.   Which may be annoying to me to wear it under something else if I do it that way.  that is also why the shirt is longer in the front to accommodate the puffeyness meant to be there.  The back is way shorter than the front.