13 Tuesday Nov 2012
Posted in Pattern Reviews, Patterns
Happy sewing EP friends! I have just posted two new pattern reviews for your consideration! If you should have any questions or comments regarding any of the pattern reviews that Tonia or I have featured here, please post a comment or shoot us an email at: EmeraldParloratgmail.com – 
We’d love to hear from you!
18 Tuesday Sep 2012
Posted in EP Outings, Events & Upcoming Events, Renaissance
Our 4th annual Regency picnic was on September 8th. All of us ladies had a very good time. We decided to change the location to Cowan Lake State Park this year, after our visit earlier this year during the Lavender Festival. And, the day may have started off a little rocky with some rain showers, but it couldn’t have been a more perfect day.
We set up near the beach. It was a bit windy, but we were treated to a sail boat race on the lake.
As usual, we had lots of good food and good conversation. The younger ladies had blast playing on the beach. The rest of us took frequent walks to burn off some of the good food we couldn’t help but to keep eating. lol. Please enjoy some more highlight photos from this year’s picnic. Be sure to keep checking our Events page to see where we will be next.
The younger ladies of The Emerald Parlor
Katie, napping with a copy of Mansfield Park
Miss Angie and Miss Elma
Miss PJ and myself
The younger ladies, making a river in the sand
A stroll on the beach
Watching the boat race
A lovely sunset on the way home
09 Sunday Sep 2012
Posted in Antebellum/Civil War, EP Outings
August 26, 2012 was the final day of the On the Home Front: Civil War Fashion & Domestic Life exhibit at the Kent State Museum of Fashion (KSMF) – we made it there on the 25th – lol! But we made it, and let me say the exhibit was fantastic. If you are ever in the Cleveland/Akron/Kent, Ohio area, please make a visit to KSMF. You will not be disappointed.
Now, for a few pictures!
Black lace wrap, sheer pinstriped cotton blouse, and tan taffeta silk skirt, circa 1860
Ivory cotton and leather boots with satin rosette, circa 1850-1860
Blue and black silk taffeta dress with golden warp printed leaves, circa 1860
Hair Art – wrist watch band with gold locket, circa 1860-1890
Blue silk taffeta dress with beaded trim and printed cotton paisley shawl, circa 1870
Hair Art – wreath, circa 1865-1895
Lavender taffeta day dress with warp printed flowers, circa 1865-1867
Quilt by Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, circa 1865 (some of the fabrics used may be from Mary Todd Lincoln’s dresses)
Linsey-woolsey striped day dress with black braid, circa 1862
As always, the KSMF gives an excellent presentation. More of the extant pieces from this exhibit will be featured in future posts, so watch for them!
01 Wednesday Aug 2012
Posted in EP Outings, Regency Era
On Saturday July 21st, we headed off to the Adena Mansion and Gardens (built 1806-1807) in Chillicothe, OH for the War of 1812 Encampment. It was a hot and sunny day, but we enjoyed the trip. We were able to take a quick tour of the mansion, and strolled through the museum and visitors center. We even packed a picnic lunch, and ate in the middle of the field where we parked.
Adena Mansion – as seen from the gardens
We enjoyed a stroll through the gardens that were a passion to the original owner, Thomas Worthington. With over 4,000 heirloom plants, it is a lovely sight to behold.
The gardens at Adena Mansion
After our tour, we wandered about to see the sutlery tents, and the out buildings on the property. It was interesting to see the laundry building, the smoke house, the spring house, the tenant house and the barn. It definitely gives a glimps of life in the early 19th century. We are planning to go back to see more, and enjoy the beautiful estate. Here are a few more photos that highlight our day out.
Inside the Tenant House – fellow blogger, Katie Jacobs, on the right
There’s a stranger – Tammi in the back hallway of the family quarters, inside the mansion
Inside the museum, from L to R – Angie, PJ, Annie, Me and Tammi
Camp tents, set up along the edge of the clearing
Extant garment from the Worthington family, inside the museum
Reenactors, explaining the fashions of the era
Inside the Tenant House, almost a scene out of life in the early 19th century
Until next time….. Happy Sewing!
10 Tuesday Jul 2012
Posted in Costume Planning, Hints & Tips
Over the last couple of weeks, Tonia and I have been taking inventory of our costume collections. We have determined we need to replace several of our well-loved, well-worn garments, make many new garments (according to era), and rethink how we are storing them. Bags and bins are convenient, but they will not do as a longterm preservation system in order to keep our costuming garments and accessories in top shape. So, what to do? Do what the museums do!
1) Since storing corsets, stays, waist cinchers and other bodys around a form is impracticable (top), the next best alternative is to store them open and flat so that creasing the garment material is avoided. (Photo courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
2). Because gloves and gauntlets have many angles and creases, those made of natural materials (cotton, linen, leather) should be stored side-by-side and loosely stuffed with cotton or acid-free tissue paper (note that a cotton covered foam insert has been used for the gloves featured in the museum picture below). This keeps sharp creases in the glove from forming. (Photo courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
3). Handbags, purses, and ridicules are laid flat (with their straps untangled and arranged neatly) in an acid-free box. This protects from damaging items made of fine fabrics (velveteens, silks, satins) or metals, rhinestones, etc. (Photo courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
4). Hats and hand muffs are to be stored on forms or in well-structured, sturdy, acid free boxes. (Photos courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
5). Umbrellas and parasols are to be kept in the closed position, laying flat, and wrapped in a natural fabric or acid-free tissue paper for safe keeping. (Photo courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
6). Footwear does not necessarily need to be stored in a box, but this is the best way to preserve a shoe, slipper, boot, etc. If boxes are not an option, then a sturdy shoe stand is another alternative. However, footwear should be be stuffed with acid-free tissue paper, cotton, or another natural material to insure that it keeps its form (creases can crack and split leather and other footwear constructed of natural materials). (Photo courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
7). Fans are to be stored in the open position (the creases in the fan will not slack) and flat on a cushioned surface in a box. This is not done as form of display, but as a way to keep paper and silk fans from splitting when opened after an extended period of being folded. (Photo courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
8). For garments, three methods are available for storage: the garment can be stored on a molded form (While this is the preferred method of storing a garment, it’s not cost or space efficient – besides, who has hundreds of dress forms just hanging around and a place to store them?); flat storage (in an acid-free box with the garment folded as little as possible and loosely stuffed with cotton batting or tissue paper); and hanging (on a well-padded hanger – to avoid creasing and stretching the garment – and covered with a garment bag made of acid-free tissue paper or cotton). (Photo credits: Black silk lady’s jacket, courtesy of the Texas Fashion Collection; ivory silk lady’s ensemble and hanging vests, courtesy of photographer Melanie Pitkin and the Powerhouse Museum; museum garment storage library courtesy of Mode Fashion Museum in Antwerp)
For more storage suggestions and preservation tips, the Missouri Historical Society has an informative PDF, which may be accessed here. Also, the Minnesota Historical Society has a wonderful six-part series on YouTube on the storage of heirloom textiles (the whole series is worth a bookmark):
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Tonia and I sure have our work cut out for us – lol! Cheers and happy sewing!
26 Tuesday Jun 2012
Posted in Pattern Reviews
Tags
Good evening! Just a quick post to let everyone know that we have three new pattern reviews up. Be sure to check them out. They are:
M5135 – Sassy Girl
M5574 – Girls Sun Dress
M6557 – Ladies Sun Dress
21 Thursday Jun 2012
Posted in Top 5 Favorite Tuesday
The 1920s experienced the greatest design shift in feminine fashion in the history of modern costume. Women literately shed pounds of garments and layers of clothing. While some might argue that this same costume phenomenon happened with feminine fashion during the late-Georgian and Regency eras, in contrast, the lightweight and corset-free dress of the 1920′s remained, where the former era segwayed into metal boned and busked corsets, hoops and bustles, and the neck to ankle modesty of the Victorian era costume – far from the light and airy dress of The Naked Era! Women’s costume of the 1920′s signified the newly liberated woman – the corset, petticoat, and bustle free dame who now had a political voice!
Now, for a few of my favorite pieces from the era:
5). Pink silk and cotton traveling suit, circa 1926 (Brooklyn Costume Collection): Because it’s a pink silk suit!
4). Navy and lime silk crepe embroidered day dress, circa 1928 (Metropolitan Museum of Art): I love the colors, the embroidery art, and the sheerness of this dress – I bet it moves great on the body!
3). Navy, yellow, and red silk and cotton sailor’s suit, circa 1923 (Metropolitan Museum of Art): I love the geometric pattern of this suit, the balance of the color elements, and the lightness of the garment – it looks crisp and professional.
2). Peach silk headdress by Jeanne Lanvin, circa 1925 (Brooklyn Costume Collection): At this time, the Art Deco movement had newly emerged, and what I appreciate about the design elements of this art movement is the geometric, otherworldly, sci-fi look – the 1920s is the era where so much of our post-modern fashion is borrowed. This headdress is a radical and inspiring piece of art and one of many superb examples of the era.
1). Ivory fur and silk evening coat, trimmed in rhinestones, circa 1925 (Metropolitan Museum of Art): I am fascinated with coats. It amazes me that a garment so utilitarian can be transformed into a garment far more extravagant and woefully expensive than the garments it’s meant to protect! lol! This fur coat is constructed in the most amazing way – the fur being sewn to the silk in a dagged designed, then outlined with thousands of rhinestones. How sumptuous!
*Note that the details of the garments that I feature here can be viewed in a larger format just by clicking on the photograph.
Blessing and happy sewing!
13 Wednesday Jun 2012
Posted in Top 5 Favorite Tuesday
*Sorry for the late post. I posted this yesterday, June 12th, but for some reason it never posted, it bacame a draft.
Happy Tuesday, everyone! Sorry for the empty parlor the past couple of weeks. Life seems to have stepped in with the end of the school year, graduations, and the beginning of the summer vacation for the younger kiddies.
For the next round of Tuesday Top 5 Favorites, we have picked to showcase the 1920′s. With the premiere of The Great Gatsby coming up later this year, we have decided to celebrate in grand style. We will be attending the movie in reproduction 1920′s attire, and going to dinner afterward. So, to help get our 1920′s mojo going, let’s have a look at some of the extant fashion from the Roaring 20′s.
Disclaimer: Now, I am not too familiar with the 1920′s. This will be my first adventure in Roaring 20′s costuming. I do know that it was a very liberating era for womens fashion, the silhouette changed dramatically from the Victorian and Edwardian hourglass, to the boyish straight figure with a dropped waist and flatter bust. So, for my favorite extant photos below, I will let them speak for themselves. Trust me, they can speak better on the era than I can. 
Enjoy!
5.) Late 1920′s. Dress and image found on Vintage Textiles
4.) 1922 Robe de Style by Jeanne Lanvin – image found at The Met
3.) 1919-1920 Evening Dress – image found at The FIDM Museum
2.) 1923-1926 Dress by Paul Poiret – image found at The V&A
1.) 1925 Bathing suit – image found at Abiti Antichi
23 Wednesday May 2012
Posted in Pattern Reviews
We have added a new category to our pattern review pages – the Vintage and Antique Pattern Reviews! Here is the first in this category of many reviews to come – Butterick 7206 – Evening Gown (1957). Also, check out the new Vogue pattern review here!
Keep your eyes on us – Tonia has a few new reviews of her own to share, coming soon –
22 Tuesday May 2012
Posted in Events & Upcoming Events
Happy Tuesday! This round of Top 5 Tuesday will be postponed, so that we can bring you the highlights from the 3rd Annual Tipsy Tea.
This past Saturday, we celebrated our 3rd Tipsy Tea. We did it in grand 1950′s style. We donned our crinolines, red lipstick, hat and gloves. We started with a photo shoot by the very talented Ms. Fleming at Cox Arboretum. After having fun, taking many photos, and turning lots of heads, we headed out to start our tea party.
From left to right: Elma, Tonia, PJ, Angie, Katie and Marie
This year, we went back to The Dublin Pub. We had tons of great conversation mixed in with great appetizers (like deep fried pickles, Blarney Stones and giant stuffed mushrooms) and yummy cocktails (such as Appletinis and Emerald Lemonades).
Emerald Lemonade
After a pleasant time in the pub, we headed across the street to wander through a great vintage shop. It was packed with everything from Victorian ankle boots to great furniture to lovely vintage jewelry. Katie ended up with at least two pairs of clip on earrings. After browsing for great vintage finds, we packed up and headed back to Angie’s, where we had some great food and cocktails waiting for us.
A great assortment of finger sandwiches and appetizers.
We spent the rest of the afternoon eating, chatting, drinking cocktails and tea. We even had a deliciously rich chocolate cake made by Katie for Miss Elma’s birthday, which was the same day as the Tipsy Tea.
Elma, the lovely birthday girl
This was, by far, my favorite Tipsy Tea. And no one even spilled anything! Maybe we didn’t get tipsy enough. So, I will leave you with one last photo, and next week Angie will post some of the photos she took. In the mean time, we will be looking forward to next year’s Tipsy Tea, planning costumes for our 1940′s theme. Until later….. Happy Sewing!
Miss PJ, holding on her lovely sun hat
