A few weeks ago Karen asked about having a lacemakers’ forum connected to the blog, and Sandy suggested how that might be accomplished. I forwarded the notes to Rich, both because he’d have to set it up, but also (and mostly) because I hadn’t the slightest idea what was wanted. As so often happens, Rich was already working on something that would answer the need. He usually is two steps ahead. So, he’s working on it, and when he’s got it ready, he’ll let us know. And before he’s got it ready, I’ll figure out what it is we’re going to be getting….

I thought of an example of a compromise we make with the historical record in order to teach more history. In 1627 Plymouth Colony there was no grist mill. All the flour and even coarse meal had to be ground by hand with mortar & pestles. This must have taken an immense amount of time, really every spare moment, even if you had child labor to take advantage of. In our recreated 1627 Village grinding meal and flour by hand is talked about and demonstrated, but instead of spending as much time on it as the early colonists may have and likely did, the interpreters do plenty of other things, including sewing.

Another example: probably the vast majority of sewing done was mending. The interpreters do plenty of mending on site, but they also sew new items, like smocks and shirts, aprons, coifs, and household textiles. That way visitors to the museum see some people grinding meal, and some sewing; some of those sewing are mending and some are making new. Probably not exactly what happened in 1627, but more opportunity to teach about all the activities of the period.

I don’t like looking at a pile of text with no photos, so I threw in one of the laundry drying back in December. That’s an ironing board with no cover, up on a desk. It’s a pretty ingenious contraption Penny and Shaina rigged up in order to hang loads and loads of laundry to dry over the weekend. Piled on the floor are shoes sorted into boxes as to what repairs they needed. Hiding in back is Norah, mending on the couch.

Emily’s gone back to Bennington, and we miss her. But, by working very hard and very fast, she finished the pair of stays for Norah before she had to go. I missed the very end of her stay, including the final fitting, due to yet more germs. It’s been the worst winter for illness around my house; I hope yours has been much healthier. Thanks to Penny and Shaina for taking these pictures and helping Emily with the last bits of finishing.

Notice Norah’s jeans in the first picture; they add to the outfit, don’t you think? The second shows more how they’ll be worn, with a petticoat over. Nearly all the time she’ll also wear a jacket or waistcoat over top; only within the house she may sometimes work in either just the smock-sleeves and stays, or with a loose house-jacket over that.

Plimoth Plantation’s living history exhibits re-open to the public four weeks from Saturday. We’ve got a lot to do.

Lace sample arrived from Jill H.

We’ve got a lot to accomplish this winter, but fortunately we’ve also got help. Joining Shaina and Penny in the Colonial Wardrobe workroom are Kelley, Alex and Emily.

Kelley is a Colonial Interpreter who during our open season works in both the 1627 English Village and aboard Mayflower II. This winter she’s been doing yeoman work mending the piles of period clothing and textiles that came to us in December. Kelley’s also working on handsewing a pair of stays (corset in modern parlance) for herself. Stays aren’t a large piece of clothing, but stitching all the channels for the “bones” takes a long time.

Alex is a student at Massachusetts College of Art and has been interning with us one or two days a week for the whole school year. Here’s a picture of Alex with one of the two smocks she’s made. Alex has also made a woman’s jacket (out of plain pink wool, but the same shape as the embroidered one) and is now working on a man’s doublet (upper body garment) made of sturdy canvas. Alex is also working on the embroidery stitches under Wendy’s direction. Hopefully we’ll be able to have her work on the jacket some before the end of her time with us. Here’s a photo of Alex with her latest smock.

Emily is a sophomore at Bennington College and is doing her Field Work Term with us (FWT is Jan 2 - Feb 15, and the students have to work in their field basically full time for those 6 weeks). So far Emily’s made a smock, a shirt, and done a pile of mending. She’s also been practicing the detached buttonhole stitch in hopes of being able to work on the jacket. Emily is currently working on a pair of hand sewn stays for Norah. Here are photos of the stays with the bone channels partially stitched, and one of Emily doing a second (or third?) fitting with Norah. They looked very good on, and now it’s just a race to see if she can finish all the work before she has to go back to school.

*”lackey” is for Emily’s mom. I don’t really think she’s a lackey.