Family Regency Attire (Fall/Winter 2004):

Insanity and excitement filled our house when our friends from church told us they were going to put on a Fezziwig Christmas Ball. The ball would be based on the one that takes place in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and we were to dress in period costume (duh!:).

So we were soon whipping around, making new outfits, remaking old outfits, and borrowing things from anyone who could spare.

For more pictures of us wearing our Regency ensembles, view the Fezziwig Christmas Ball Pictures!

My Mom and Sisters' Civil War Apparel (Summer 2004):

Our dear friends host a ladies tea every year (which is a great excuse for making new costumes :) and for 2004 they decided to do a First Ladies (Wives of U.S. Presidents) themed tea. We all decided to to be women who lived during the Civil War, and portray them during the 1860s. Mom chose Jane Pierce (actually, this was forced upon her because we had to find someone who lived in the right era), I was Lucy Hayes (see more pics and info on my dress here), Rebekah chose Varina Davis (First Lady of The Confederacy - the family who hosts the tea has southern sympathies and agreed :), Lydia was Harriet Lane (James Buchanan's niece, who served as hostess), Anna chose Julia Grant, and Katherine chose Lou Hoover (she was the only one who wasn't the exact same era).

So I made them each a dress. Mom's dress was a disaster, but we managed to make it look OK, if not authentic (we used a dreadful Butterick pattern). Rebekah and I both worked on her (Rebekah's) dress and used the same pattern that I used for mine. We found a nice blouse for Lydia, so I made her a skirt and Swiss waist to go with it. I made Anna a basic skirt and then I lengthened Sense and Sensibility's Girl's Regency Gown Pattern to make a basic bodice. Kate's dress was from a Butterick pioneer dress pattern.

The dresses all worked out nicely, even though they weren't as authentic as I would like. Oh, well :) .

For more pictures of us wearing our Civil War ensembles, view the First Ladies Tea Pictures!

Anna's Skirts (Summer 2004):

Anna was in sore need of clothes. Mom bought some fabric and I made these skirts. I didn't use a pattern, except for the pocket. They came out very nice (only I put the pockets in backwards on the first one :) and Anna likes them a lot. I've only got a picture of this one, but you get the general idea.

Susannah and Shannon's Regency Dresses (Spring 2004):

I made these regency dresses for the twins for Easter using Sense & Sensibility's pattern. They're a little big but the twins love them. And they look so cute (if I do say so myself! :). Note: Susannah is in white and Shannon is in pink.

For more pictures of the twins wearing their Regency dresses (at an older age), view the Fezziwig Christmas Ball Pictures!

Pa's Colonial Breeches and Vest (Summer 2003):

I whipped up these breeches ( made out of a pair of old pants) and this vest for Pa to wear on the 4th of July. I made the vest a little large, but it was altogether fine. We did a performance on the 4th of how the Irish saved America. Pa is an old Irish grandfather, that's why he's wearing a wig!

For more pictures of Pa wearing his colonial vest, view the Faith of Our Fathers 4th of July Celebration Pictures!

Victorian Dresses (Summer-Fall 2002):

These dresses I made for all my sisters for when we attended a gilded age tea. It certainly was something to make four but was well worth it. Isn't Anna cute? She and Lydia were so sweet with their curls! The house we are standing in front of is my Grandparents'. It was built in 1886 which is funny because we could have worn these dresses and lived the house about a hundred year ago!

Aidan's Colonial Breeches (Summer 2002):

Rebekah and I made these breeches for Aidan out of a pair of old pants. Aidan loves them and he looks too adorable to be true while wearing them!