This one will get this black fringe trim all over and some shiny black buttons down the front. I have a blue cameo to wear and black half mitts or black gloves. I have a dark blue cape for this to put on at night. I'm planning to wear a black bonnet with dark green trim and a black hair net. It's easy to pleat the plaid skirts because you can use the plaid lines to put the needle up and down.

This one is mostly done. I want to add some white scalloped crochet type cotton lace to each tier of the skirt and on the sleeve ruffles. I want to make a wide blue belt for contrast I'm going to wear a straw hat with this and white crochet gloves and I have a white battenburg parasol. If it's very hot, I may be living in this sheer dress. This one has two bodices so I can hand wash it and let it dry while I wear the other. This one is unlined and the others are lined with twill and have thin metal bones sewn in over the seams inside like the authentic ones from the 1860's had.

Some hoopskirt humor

Going out with the children

Those are beautiful! Your craftsmanship is exquisite, Kitty!

Exquisite, Kitty. That makes me want to get back to my sewing machine. It's been years due to long work hours.

These dresses are amazing----you are a very talented lady-----

Many years ago my mother and grandmother made dresses for my sister and I with hoop skirts--we were going to a wonderful halloween party---I loved my dress with the pantaloons--I was very young---the dress they made for my older sister was copied from the dress Scarlet wore with the big picture hat----Sadly there are no pictures----
Thanks for the wonderful pictures-
Florence

I love the dresses! They are just amazing. I adore sewing, would love to know what patterns you use and materials? Do you serge the seams?
I very much want to hear more!
Carlota

Thank you so much for posting those pictures of those fabulous dresses. Such talent. Absolutely beautiful! So, how many days is this event? Are you portraying a specific character? In addition to the styles, did you do research on the fabric itself as well? You are going to crochet in the car as well? WOW! I am in awe!

Wow those are quite beautiful Kitty. That's a lot of work. You've done an excellent job! I used to make all my own clothes and my kids. I hardly sew at all anymore.

I am in awe of your sewing abilities and the design talent it took to put together this exquisite wardrobe. I hope your trip to Gettysburg was a success. I am sure you were the finest dressed there! Please tell us about the reinactment. Anymore photos? What are your current sewing projects? I love your photos of the beautiful roses you grow, too--love Peach Silk, among many others. Thanks for sharing your dress photos. Diane

PS--I should have stayed in 4-H.

Also wanted to chime in and say how beautiful your work is !! And I bet you looked just lovely in them. Wonderful job!

..exquisite....wonderful to have that talent for something like this... they remind me of 'Little Women' or 'Gone With The Wind'... and I especially like the first one indeed...
...I realise this was a couple of years ago now, and for the 150th Anniversary re-enactments, but I'd love to hear how it all went.... I read that there were 2 re-enactments arranged and they expected something like 150,000 vehicles converging on the small town, and locals were going to hide away for a week, stocked up with groceries...
....couldn't blame them but I think I'd like to have joined in...

...I'm sure you must have stood out, and hope you caught the eye of 'General Buford'... or 'Lee' even...

How beautiful, just lovely. I could of course go on forever. Just saying that you deserve all the praises you receive and more.

I was surprised to see this back again after so long ago on the conversations forum. Yes this event was unlike anything I ever experienced. The camps went on and on for as far as you could see. It really was like being back in time. Fun to see everyone in Civil War era clothes walking the town of Gettysburg and out at the battlefields. I felt very sad there thinking of the men who died there. Also the horses who never had a choice. I wish there was a memorial for them among all the others. The union memorial statues are really beautiful. Many men had family who did fight there and so it was moving seeing them visit the battlefields in their uniforms. We looked out over the field where Pickets charge happened but it was the next day when I saw it reenactments by hundreds of men that I could really understand it. I was under a tree with some other ladies looking right down the fence line where the Confederate soldiers climbed over under Union fire. It seemed very sad and hopeless with all the cannons and guns lined up on the hill on the other side. Just after it ended, the men stood silently and looked out on it all. It was something I won't forget. Then as the soldiers began to leave, the rain started to fall. I was following the Confederates back to camp and got completely soaked. All those layers get really heavy when wet. I had to stop and wring the water out of my skirts and petticoat several times as I walked.

The last event I went to was the birthday ball for the Belle of Louisville. She was 100 last year and other paddle wheel boats came over to celebrate. The ball was at the Henry Clay. All the ladies had worked very hard on their ball gowns and it looked like a movie set. Everyone dressed for all the events and there were some very impressive dinner dresses for the dinner cruise on the Belle of Cincinnati. Some of the people are acting a part as a real personality and they are convincing. With the entire deck dressed and acting as Victorians, it was lots of fun and easy to pretend you were back in time. I have to put a good word in for the Spirit of Peoria. That's a really fun boat and the crew is extra nice. I want to take one of their river cruises sometime. Belle's birthday was wonderful. They had fireworks on the river after dinner.

I loved Kentucky and I want to go back. I persuaded our small group to take a tour of Cave Hill and it was grand and beautiful. Very peaceful and I got to see the fall colors of the trees beginning. The old monuments and the mature trees are something we don't have in So. CA. I even saw some old rosebushes there. When we drove to Gettysburg I saw my first fireflies in Tennessee. The USA is a special place. I hope we never forget how lucky we are to have it. There was a Facebook page for the Belles group called Steamboats a comin' where all the pictures from the event were posted. I don't have Facebook but for those that do, it may well be there still.

Kitty...you are a talented lady! I am amazed at the beauty of your dresses. Thank you, also for your kind words about KY. I live close to Cave Hill and it is a treasure. I wish more people could enjoy it. I am so glad you shared your talent with us. Lesley

Kitty,
Thank you so much for your very descriptive information. You truly are a special person and from what I see, you are extremely talented. Lucky to know you, even if it is only on this forum.
Can't wait to see pictures of your gorgeous roses this spring.
Maybe you have other projects we could see.
Suebelle

I've been to Gettsyburg and there is something about it that makes you want to whisper like you're in a church. A feeling of reverence I guess. Thanks for the detailed descriptions!

Thank you for sharing your beautiful costumes & your experiences at the Gettysburg re-enactment. I would love to have seen that straw bonnet with the ivory roses & burgundy ribbons - it sounds gorgeous! I am in awe of your talent. I too am looking forward to seeing more photos of your roses, especially Peach Silk.

Oh how awesome!!!!

I have to show these to my daughter who is getting a degree in History. The Victorian period is her FAVORITE period. She's going to go ga ga over these dresses!!

You're amazing!!

Carol

This sounds like quite an adventure. I thought I was coming here frequently, but I guess not. I was not aware of this trip. Your dresses are absolutely beautiful, and your trip must have been quite an educational one. Thanks for sharing.

Sammy

I am in awe of how beautiful these are. Sewing is my second favorite hobby next to gardening, but I am only a novice, I cannot imagine the level of skill it must take to build such lovely creations, not to mention how much time you must have devoted to these. VERY impressive indeed!!! I also love the images of hoopskirt humor you've included, so cute! Thank you for sharing!

Isn't this the rose forum? I'm confused. I do admire your dresses.

Yes, :)

But I think this thread was revisited from an earlier Discussion thread. Discussion threads can be about anything.

Carol

There used to be a discussion/ chat forum for us rose folks on the old site but now all those got mixed in with the rose talk. People asked about patterns and I like the ones by truly Victorian. All the sizes are included so you can get a custom fit. However they are drawn from real antique clothes so it's not a modern fit and most of them are designed to go over a corset but you don't need to wear it uncomfortably tight, just snug. If you had heavy work to do then you wore a corded petticoat not a hoop to hold your skirts out. Women didn't have legs in those days and they didn't discuss them :) they were just supposed to glide along gracefully like swans as they walked.