Just because I had a “few’ troubles getting my curved peplum to look right with “squares” fabric, doesn’t mean you should give up on it yourself… it was just one of those things that I should have allowed for before I started cutting out. When I look back on this latest Civil War dress, I probably should have made my peplum more like a slightly gathered waist ruffle and then it could have been cut on the squares and not caused any problems… but it’s too late for that now. It is what it is and I’m happy with it now… If you missed it in my comments Saturday, Eden is going to be a schoolmarm in Gettysburg and she’s pretty excited. I found a few “schoolish” things but didn’t have a chance to “play” with them, so I can’t show you right now… but I love them… I hope to share them tomorrow…
Meanwhile, I was wondering if I could remember any other “square” Civil War dresses giving me fits… I don’t think so, but none of these have peplums so it was probably pretty easy sewing for them. I hope you enjoy these few dresses from the archives and hope you’ll see there’s nothing to be scared of when you sew “square” fabric!
Clearly my lighting wasn’t the greatest when I took these pictures of Addy…You might not think of this fabric as squares but you had to treat it the same way… keeping it straight and symmetrical on each side of the center front…
This next dress was one of my Civil War favorites… I loved how this one looked on Addy… and I remember making it like it was yesterday! I think I may have had a “thing” for aqua colored fabrics on Addy! :o)
Addy’s showing how pretty she can look in aqua again…this time mixed with brown corduroy and rick rack… you might think this isn’t a square fabric…it’s circles, but once again, it had to be treated like squares… making sure the rows were even and the corners were matched…
Rebecca is showing off this “square” dress in the prettiest greens and rose tones…
Saige even modeled a Civil War dress for me one time made from a “square” fabric…
Here’s one last dress made from fabric that had squares in it… I loved how this one turned out and it’s always been one of my favorites…
I hope the next time you look at fabrics and see a “square” one, you won’t shy away from it…but give it a try… *hint hint*ā¦ maybe just stay away from those curved peplums… :o)
Thanks everyone,
Hope you enjoyed seeing these past dresses…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Dear Jeanne, all of the dresses are beautiful. My favorite is the third one that Addy is wearing. You really do know how to dress her so she looks stunning.
I can’t remember if you told us or not but are you planning to make any dresses that reflect what the Suffragettes (or Suffragists) wore? As you know, we will be celebrating the 19th Amendment next year.
HI Dorothy,
Thank you for picking out your favorite dress! I like that one too… but then again, I like them all! (most of the time!) :o)
Your idea about the Suffragette dresses sound like a great idea… thanks for keeping informed!
Blessings, Jeanne
I do think aqua just might be Addy’s “color”–she looks so good in all three of those dresses! My favorite of them is, I think, the 2nd one.
The others are lovely, too, though. I can certainly see why that last one is one of your favorites, though! The laces are especially lovely on that fabric. Am I seeing things or is that brooch the same as the one on Rebecca’s dress?
I’ll be looking forward to seeing how you accessorize this latest Civil War dress!
Thank you Charlotte,
Addy does look good in aqua and I guess that’s why she keeps getting dresses made from it!
Good eye on the brooch… yes, it’s the same on both dresses. It works for lots of different colors and total changes with each different dress.
I’m hoping to get in my sewing room a little earlier today…
Blessings, Jeanne
I was at Hobby Lobby today, Jeanne, and they had a lot of beautiful buttons that would make gorgeous brooches!! Eye candy for sure!!
I’m melting after seeing these stunning “squares” dresses! Jeanne, your work amazes me…the variety, the preciseness, the details, the pressing!, EVERYTHING about them says CARE, CREATIVE, CONSISTENCY….Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful archived work with us today.
Blessings.
Aww…thank you again Becky, for your very kind compliments on my dresses. I really do enjoy making the Civil War styles and maybe it shows just a little bit more! :o)
Thank you for noticing all the details and work put into them. You are too kind!
Blessings, Jeanne
Your Civil War dresses are just beautiful! The detail, the patterns, the choice of material and your tweaks are sensational. I have a few of yours and they are my absolute favorite I Dream Of Jeanne outfits. This dress on Addy is so lovely. The aqua looks great on Addy and Iād imagine on any of your Civil War models.
The detail is wonderful. I love the decorative pins you put on many of Your dresses. Love them all!!
Thank you Paula,
I’m glad you are enjoying your dresses from me. I DO love a pretty Civil War dress!! I think I could be totally happy sewing JUST Civil War dresses…with maybe a few for Navi and the Little Darlings mixed in occasionally.
Thank you for all your sweet compliments!
Blessings, Jeanne
I like Addy wearing that first aqua dress a lot. Seems softer and looks so nice with the black lace detail. All of the other prints seem to jump out at me this morning. Guess I’m into the less busy right now. However, that lovely brown ribbon tied at the neck and the simple hairstyle on the last dress is wonderful. I love the brown tones on all of the girls.
Can’t wait to see the finished schoolmarm dress.
Our new bed is arriving today, so it means a lot of moving things around. Hope we like it. š
HI Joy,
Oh a new bed… nothing is quite so exciting! UNLESS it’s perhaps a new doll, but then you BOTH can’t share that, can you? I hope you love your new bed!
I still have a piece of that fabric that the last dress is made out of and might have to make another one from it one of these days.
I’m hoping to get something done on Eden’s dress this morning. A man just called my hubby and is coming over to look at the “birds” so they’ll be in the coop/shed for a while… Now’s my time to sew and be creative!
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Joy, which bed did you end up getting?
After much deliberation, we decided on the Botanical Bliss by Plush Beds. 100% natural latex and all organic. Almost ready to get it out of the box which weighs 120 lbs. Nothing like dragging, pushing, shoving a box through the house that is after we pulled our very heavy Tempurpedic mattress out of the bedroom and parked it in the living room. Has to stay there until I can move everything out of the way in “the doll” room. Crazy.
I love the last one. The fabric is wonderful and I especially like the eyelet on the skirt. But I’ve been trying to figure out how you put it on. I enlarged it and I still can’t see.
All the dresses are beautiful, but the last one intrigues me.
Thank you Barbara,
Thst eyelet is about 5 inches wide and I just stitched along the points at the top and bottom…pivoting around them… I’m glad you liked it!
Blessings, Jeanne
I love them all, I would like to see Addy in your latest creation! Hope you have been having
nice weather as we have been having in NH.
Hi Sylvia,
I took Addy’s hair down from her braid so I need to get it fixed again and maybe I will try this dress set on her.
It’s been warm and supposed to get warmer…more like HOT until Saturday.
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne