With cooler weather reigning in most areas, you may be looking for those particular wardrobe additions that are both accurate, and designed to keep you warmer, safer, and happier at winter activities. Look no further than the glorious Winter Hood! Created separate from other winter wraps, your hood moves freely with your head, blocks drafts, and acts as a perfect platform for personal expression through the use of colorful fabrics, or even a touch of luxury in an otherwise working class wardrobe.

Here are some top-notch resources for accurately-made hoods, suited for all cool-weather living history endeavors:

• Overview article on observing correct historic shapes from the delightful Anna Worden Bauersmith
• Anna’s new hood pattern (which includes youth sizes!) (She also sells ready-made hoods through her Etsy shop…)
• Hood options from Lynette Miller at Miller’s Millinery.
• Discussions of hoods in The Sewing Academy @ Home Forum.

I was tickled to read this very concise look at how gentlemen can improve their mid-19th century impression… you’ll want to visit and read it, too! With the expansion of citizen living history, more and more men are exploring the wide range of mid-century clothing styles, but one thing they all have in common is the need to wear those trousers at the right height! This, as with so many physical details, is another spot where looking at images of The Original Cast is a huge help; you’ll enjoy some great images in the article. My thanks to Mr James Williams for making it available!

How important is historical accuracy in an interpretive plan?

Pardon me a moment while I hop up on this handy stump and share a few thoughts…

Patrons to any historic site (and extrapolating, to any history-focused event) have the very reasonable expectation that the site is “doing it right”–in other words, that the site is presenting them with historically-consistent information all the way through, from plants in the flower beds, to items in the gift shops, to household furnishings, to the details of material culture in clothing and accessories, and definitely including the information presented through entertainment.

Therefore, it is vital that any on-site entertainment be continually looking for ways to upgrade the historical content, becoming “edu-tainment”–something that patrons can enjoy, and also walk away having learned things that accurately reflect the historic record. The good news is, small changes can be free (or very nearly so), and change can happen over time.

Historic clothing plays a tremendous role in all of this. It’s a primary visual component of any historic interpretation, and deserves weighty consideration. The Original Cast did every single activity we might interpret while wearing a full complement of accurate clothing; there is no reason we should endeavor to do less. More after the jump… Read the rest of this entry »

If you like to research from original resources, a subscription to Accessible Archives may be the thing for you! Through a special arrangement, members of The Sewing Academy community can get a special subscription rate. If you’d like to be linked into Accessible Archives for a year, for only $30, you’ll want to email Mr Tom Nagy directly, and let him know you’re interested in becoming a subscriber through The Sewing Academy subscriber group offer. It’s a limited-time offer, so don’t wait, and be sure to let Mr Nagy know how much you, as a member of the Sewing Academy community, appreciate this opportunity!

I’m a big fan of dancing, and am so glad it’s such a prevalent form of entertainment at mid-century! If you’re interested in learning more about mid-19th century dancing, and even dancing for a good cause, you’ll want to check out The Victorian Dance Ensemble’s website.

Visit the Instruction section for some basic terminology, and a chance to request a completely free PDF historic dance manual.

And be sure to sign up for their email updates. I did, and because I did, I can now sit and writhe in a fit of green jealousy that those in the East have the chance to attend some really cool dancing events in the upcoming months. Not that I’m bitter. But the Rockies don’t have a lot of refined dancing going on!

Here are just three:

• February 26, George Washington Ball in Winchester, Va., to benefit the Old Court House Civil War Museum.

• March 19, 8th Annual Civil War Preservation Ball in Harrisburg, Pa., to benefit the Gettysburg Monuments Project Endowment Trust Fund.

They will also be offering totally free dance classes on 16 January, 13 February, and 6 March at the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, PA.

Dancing plus preservation fundraising, and free lessons: what could be better, really?

Sign up to participate in any or all of these great dancing efforts by contacting them through their website.

And please: do a polka for me!

If you’re wondering just what to do with your child’s outgrown clothing, or are looking for a quick piece or two to round out the wardrobe, here’s a good option!

Economy & Frugality

Organized by Jessica Craig, the list is a free-to-use service for those seeking or selling highly accurate children’s clothing and accessories on a private basis. Listings are requested for historically-accurate items only (or, in the case of shoes, historically-unobtrusive.)

(And, as a few people have asked, though we do not currently license our patterns for ready-to-wear sales, it is absolutely okay to sell off your used, outgrown items made from our patterns.)

This new list is a grand option for growing families all over the country!