So much to share!

Wow, I have a lot to write about.  Trying to decide whether to break it down into smaller posts or just spill it all out here.  Well, one at least will need it's own post, so for now I'll stick to the updates about my French Revolution outfit.

The petticoat is assembled, it just needs a hem and closure (I attached it to a waistband instead of ties, I find it's less bulky).  I'm still trying to decide what length I want it to be.  I could keep it longer if I wanted, so that may be what happens, all the fashion plates I've been looking at are longer.

I also colored my shoes black this weekend!  I ended up using acrylic paint instead of buying dye.  We had colored bridesmaid shoes for my sisters wedding this way and so I knew it would work, plus, I use this technique at work all the time to match cloth for repairs all the time.  It also has the added benefit of being waterproof!  If they get wet, they won't bleed, compared to dying them, and as I'm planning on wearing these outside, I figured that was a good idea.  I wouldn't try this with lighter colors though, you need a few coats to cover the brush marks and so with the black it was perfect.  I just kept adding layers until it was uniform and dark!

I also made cute little ribbon bows with my new buckles for the front.  Since I ripped off the old decoration on the front, I'll always need something there because I couldn't get all the glue off.  This hides it nicely and looks cute to boot! :)  I didn't have any black ribbon, so I used green, which actually was a symbolic color as well during the revolution.

I finished my fichu as well.  Well, I finished embroidering it on my machine, and then spent a couple of nights picking off all the tear away stabilizer from the back, ugh.  And of course I find out now that there's a soluble stabilizer that's thicker and stiffer.  I could only find a saran-wrap weight at Jo-Ann's so I used that on the front and the tear away on the back.  It's not perfect, but I'm pleased with how it's turned out so far.  This one will not be able to wrap around, but that's ok.  Now I just need to cut it into shape and hem the front edge.  The back will be left raw as I'll follow the satin stitch scallops on the bottom.

The other thing I worked on was trying to figure out a hat.  I have yet another straw hat from Michael's that I think I'll decorate.  And I thought I might use the vintage millinery supplies I got in the LA Garment District last year.  They are a pinkish red ribbon and a lot of yellow ribbons, flowers and trimmings.  I didn't know if it would look good with my outfit though over all.  To change it up, instead of having another straw hat, I covered the crown.  I pleated a length of starched white cotton and wrapped it around the brim, as it seems I've seen things like this a lot in fashion plates.  But what I'm realizing is that most of the outrageous hats I like are from 1787, not 89.  So I may change my mind.   Right now everything is just pinned on, litterally, I just threw it on there.  What do you think?  The red ribbon matches the red stripe ribbon I'll use on my jacket pretty well.  And the yellow ribbon around the brim will be completely sewn down, not puffed like that.  I just wasn't sure of the yellow and black.  Oh yeah, I'm thinking of putting some black feathers on it too.  In one of the books I was reading about the French Revolution, yellow and black actually had some meaning for the opposition.  The way the information was worded in the book I couldn't tell if they meant the revolutionists or the opposition to the revolution.  But most of the royalists used white as their color, or black.  The revolutionists used red, white, blue, green and apparently also yellow and black.  Anyway, do you think it will go?  Is the hat too much?

You really can't even see the straw anymore.

I also haven't decided what's the front and what's the back.

I found this great fashion plate that is actually very close to what my jacket looks like (in the back at least).  So now I'm thinking I might turn the front into a zone with the red stripe ribbons going across a gathered white stomacher.  What do you think?  I was already planning to do elbow length sleeves with white ruffled cuffs at the bottom.  And now I'm thinking I need a simpler hat.  Maybe just some bows and the feathers?

So this week it's finishing the jacket, hemming the skirt and putting together a hat!  I think it's doable!