Why Bother?
It's hard to say which came first - my love affair with textiles or my descent into doll costuming mania. It's all a little bit blurry around the edges. However. What is...
Outside the Lines
The posts in this category are just what its label says, i.e., every single thing ever written without categorization. If you want to read straight through from the very beginning, go to the last page and work your way through backwards. The most recent posts are always added at the top of the first page.
Fabric Stabilization 101
As I frequently need to remind the girls, we are NOT a museum. In many circumstances we have to "make do" with fabrics or trims which are appropriate, if not perfect, for...
Textile Conservation
Handling and preserving antique textiles isn't overwhelming if you know what you're doing. This wonderful website has oodles of information on storing, displaying, rescuing, and stabilizing all sorts of fragile things. It's...
Sticking Points
Sometimes a project gets set aside because I can't find my way to making a key decision. This is such a project. And yet, with the time for wearing short sleeved cotton...
Mon Dieu!
The suspense is over. The news is not good. Bernadette's instrument will be cymbals. CYMBALS!!! Clang, clang, clang! Zing, zing zing! Bang, bang, bang! She hasn't blessed us with a peformance yet,...
MTBF
The letters "MTBF" are an acronym for a statistic. As in many things, the larger this number is the happier a person will be. I learned the term recently in a conversation...
La Rentrée
When school in France ends for the year, life slows down for everyone. Many children are sent to visit cousins or grandparents in the country (there are special trains just for this...
Scallops, How I Loathe Thee!
How do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways. . . Seriously. First there's the design transfer, then you have to outline the top and bottom of each scallop, and add...
Surprise! The Old Ways Still Work
When I decided to make Bernadette the LSDS 1912 Music Carrier, I knew I wanted to use leather. What I didn't know was how to transfer the complex design. This is what...
Bernadette’s Accoutrements
When Bernadette arrived in California, she brought a small wardrobe with her. This included the slip she's wearing in the photo above, as well as a corset and shoes with crocheted socks....