Saturday, January 16, 2016

Two Year Blog Anniversary

Bobbins used in spinning, weaving, sewing, tatting, embroidery, and lace-making.
Left to right: Boat shuttle with extra bobbin, tapestry bobbins, sewing
machine bobbins (in ring), tatting shuttle with removable bobbin, lace bobbin,
embroidery floss bobbins and winder.  Top: spinning wheel bobbins on a "lazy kate".
Well, this little experiment has taken on a life of its own.  Starting with a vague idea of making some picture tutorials for mid-century reproduction sewing, it's expanded to cover unanticipated topics (cooking, hairstyles), objectives (book and pattern reviews), and eras (medieval to modern).  Since starting up this blog, I've learned four-harness weaving, spinning on a wheel, and netting; I've also dabbled in hair work, card weaving, and bobbin lace. I haven't improved my tatting or crochet, but knitting, embroidery, and drop spindle have gotten a little easier.  I've made considerably more sewn garments than expected.  I've met and taken classes from my on-line heroes Liz Clark and Carolann Schmidt.  I've learned about children's and infants' clothing of my main era.  I've gained the confidence to start a second blog on civilian ACW living history.

Not-So-Secret Blog Name Origins
The cutesy alliterative title comes from my brain fixating on silly puns and/or alliterative phrases any time I try to brainstorm a title.  Bobbins were chosen as a common factor among many of my different crafts (shuttles being less common, and needles carrying unwanted implications).

Future Projects To Anticipate
The Historical Food Fortnightly has started up again in January 2016, so more period receipts are definitely in the near past, present and future. In the spring, I hope to complete my first pair of Victorian shoes, and plan to attend the Civilian Symposium at Harrisburg (formerly "Ladies and Gentlemen of the 1860s Conference").  Volunteering with the MoF's Living History program is opening up some new eras and specialties I've previously overlooked.  At some point, I need to stop procrastinating my late-19th century spoon busk corset, and make a meaningful start on 1870s-1900s living history.  I'd like to make some accurate garb and finally join a medieval living history group. In the far distant future, there's a large spinning/weaving/sewing project tied up with the latter...

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