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Shoes for Jamestown, and Williamsburg, and Whoopi Goldberg

Shoes for Jamestown, and Williamsburg, and Whoopi Goldberg

I have some exciting news to share with you all! While I was in Williamsburg, I had a couple meetings with the costume departments of Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown, both...
American Duchess
Colonial Williamsburg 2014 - Highlight Reel

Colonial Williamsburg 2014 - Highlight Reel

I've been away for *ages,* so sorry! Some things happened - some good, some bad - and of course I've been in Colonial Williamsburg for the past week and without...
American Duchess
1740s Riding Habit Waistcoat and Shirt

1740s Riding Habit Waistcoat and Shirt

It's been a flurry of sewing madness here, getting ready for Colonial Williamsburg next week. I've ripped into a lot of garments, and made some pretty big changes to many...
American Duchess
Re-Fit ALL the Things!

Re-Fit ALL the Things!

The Met, 1774-93 - Evidence of a gown let out to accommodate wide shoulders. As you all know, in our sewing journeys, no matter the years that have passed, things...
American Duchess
Behind the Scenes at the Antoinette/Highbury Photoshoot

Behind the Scenes at the Antoinette/Highbury Photoshoot

Last week Chris and I worked on a new shoot for Antoinettes and Highbury. We wanted to create a ladies' boudoir space, similar to the interiors in these paintings: Francois...
American Duchess
LACMA Sacque - Done! And I Love It!

LACMA Sacque - Done! And I Love It!

Sometimes it's really does pay off to just press through the rough patches and finish a costume, even if you hate every stitch along the way. I'm glad I finished...
American Duchess
LACMA Sacque - The Home Stretch (Maybe?)

LACMA Sacque - The Home Stretch (Maybe?)

I have been working on this gown on-and-off for, gosh, a year? I'm ready for it to be done, but not willing to put in the effort to get it...
American Duchess
18th Century Riding Habit Waistcoats for Women

18th Century Riding Habit Waistcoats for Women

Lately I've been working on a waistcoat to go under my Snowshill riding habit. I really love the look of this menswear inspired style, but before jumping in, I needed...
American Duchess
Accessorizing for Williamsburg: The Do-It-Again-George Cape-Mantle-Thing

Accessorizing for Williamsburg: The Do-It-Again-George Cape-Mantle-Thing

Of course, my cape looks nothing like this... I'm off and running on my Williamsburg accessories. Feeling good about the muff, I jumped into making a cloak...something simple, easy, quick,...
American Duchess
Accessorizing for Williamsburg: An 18th Century Fur Muff

Accessorizing for Williamsburg: An 18th Century Fur Muff

On my list of things to make for our March trip to Williamsburg was a fur muff to keep the hands warm, in case of chilly weather. Mrs. Wilbraham Bootle,...
American Duchess

Accessorizing for Williamsburg, 2014

For once I have a decent number of gowns to wear to a big event, but what I *don't* have is a selection of accessories to help with what might...
American Duchess
Returning to Williamsburg in March 2014

Returning to Williamsburg in March 2014

Colonial Williamsburg, here we come! I'll spare you the "squee" (but know that it's happening) - my dear friend Maggie and I will be attending the Millinery Through Time conference...
American Duchess