A Ray of Sunlight, by Thomas Faed (Scotland) 1826-1900
Thomas Faed painted rural scenes of Scottish folk life in simple moments. It was said of him that "his works were always noble." The artist Robert Herdman was one of his students.
Weekend Games, by Consuelo Gamboa
Something More Than a Diversion, by Harrison Fisher (1875-1934)During his painting career, Mr. Fisher popularized the look of the American girl, in pretty dresses, engaged in many different activities, with a look of good health and vitality.
The Bride, by John Faed (1859-1904)John Faed was from Scotland. Some of his works can be viewed at the Glasgow Art Gallery.
The clothing of the 1800's shown in these paintings, was probably hand sewn, with a needle and thread. Shown here is a collection of paintings with women dressed in pink colored fabric. What I find most interesting is the length of a woman's dress. These paintings represent artists of several different countries, yet the women's clothing was long and beautiful.
Painting by Charles Soulacroix , French, 1825-1900
Charles Soulacroix was able to show the fine textures of silks and satins in his paintings. Some of his works are on display at the Lord Mayor's Collection in The Mansion House, London, England.
Pattern from Burda, 2009 costume selection.
18 comments:
I've always loved the Harrison Fisher illustrations! My great aunt gave me a set of 6 post cards when I was born, very nicely framed. It's a series that starts with a couple courting, then marriage and then starting a family. You see, my great aunt, married my great uncle after being pen pals. My great aunt's brother worked at building the rail road and the workers were mostly single men that were lonely. So, he dared her to pick a name and start writing him. She went through the list and wrote down her name with their last names and the one that she liked the best, she wrote to. They wrote for several months and then decided to get married. They were married until they both died. So these Harrison Fisher post cards were some given to them at the time of their marriage and she passed them along to me. I've always loved looking at them.
I will try to find that set and post the pictures here. I had it in greeting cards in the 80's. At the time, I did not know they were valuable and that they would not be issued again in a card series, so I mailed them all away. I did save a couple of them to frame. I think I can get them online.
My inlaws had correspondent and then married, without meeting each other first. They were married over 60 years.
The Burda Pattern looks like fun. These are European patterns, and I never know which size to choose, plus, they do not ever go on sale as low as other patterns. This pattern looks like fun, and the pink is pure happiness!
Just an observation about the paintings of the Victorian era and earlier, that you have been showing here: the women wore ankle length skirts and had long hair, and it was their glory to do so. It was so womanly and feminine and they did not mind being different than men. I do not think it was a religious thing. It seemed to be a common practice world wide. You have shown paintings by artists across the globe of the period, and the women were all in long dresses, with their hair coiled in back, yet they were each unique.These days if you attempt to dress like that, someone accuses you of being in a cult of some kind. What has happened?
http://hawaiianfashionplace.com/hawaiian-fabric.html
The above link is where you can buy traditionally Hawaiian floral printed fabric for about $12 per yard. Beautiful feminine colors and prints. Also, click around on their site for long dresses and wedding dresses.
You beat me to it! I had discovered this site a few weeks ago and was going to make a Hawaiian dress similar, and post a link. The long dresses are just beautiful on this site, and I think the fabrics are probably cotton. Click "long dresses" on the side.
Look at "Nadina," "Vintage Plumeria"--two of the prettiest. They use the piping on the neckline and matching bias trim on the sleeves. I like the shaped ruffle. I have something similar cut out but didnt get it sewn.
Pink--Yay!! Pink can suit any complexion, depending on the shade or hue. Some pinks have more yellow in them, and other pinks more white, or blue. I love how pinks were used in the artists renditions of these women in their times.
Since most of your posts are about sewing. I'd thought I'd tell you a big sewing help for me. *THE Thread Catcher* is a wonderful sewing tool. I found them on ebay and I've posted a link to get to them. The basket is a great place to put scraps and cut threads. The sand filled top is handy for holding the thread catcher on your working surface and it also doubles as a pincushion. I have one and I would highly recommend it to any Beginner-Advanced Seamstress.
http://crafts.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=The+thread+Catcher&_sacat=4836&_trksid=m270&_dmd=1&_odkw=&_osacat=4836
I love the Burda Dress. It's one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. And people think the 50's were the greatest! Mrs. Lydia how do you think people sewed their entire wardrobe before sewing machines and patterns?
Most of my posts are on other subjects. This is the first time I have done a series on sewing, started about a month or more ago. I do appreciate the link, though.
As I am in the middle of a very abundant and busy harvest (berries, fruit, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, corn, onions, cabbage, lettuce, green beans) my series is going to be delayed a little. However, I will continue to complete some projects from spring and then summer, and maybe will move into fall and winter sewing. It might be late, but at least I will get it all done. As you can see, there are about 8 to 12 outfits, representing 4 a year being sewn. The first 4 are now in the first stages of re-purposing (being made into aprons or night dresses or other things) and the 2nd 4 are getting a little more wear. You will not see my hand made clothes in a second hand shop or garage sale, because I will first of all, wear them to a frazzle, then made something else from them, and if there is any wear left, crochet a rug or use it for something else. Then I will enjoy making a brand new outfit, as long as I have the energy and the fabric left. I am getting down to large pieces and it will be interesting to see what can be done with different colors sewn together.
There is a painting on this page called "The Long white Seam". It is of some women sewing a wedding dress. Seams were sewn by hand, and yet even the poorest peasant women had beautiful swaths of cloth to wear as skirts and blouses and sashes and shawls.
We are the riches nation in the world, and the women look like they have just emerged from an explosion at a junk yard, wearing whatever did not get blown off. In the 60's , feminist propaganda convinced women that it was vain and trivial and lacking in brains to be concerned with dressing. Anything will do, they told them. Anything. Just wear your jeans and flip flops to a wedding. Anything better is conceit, they said. That is why we have come to this. Please, God, help us.
Your garden produce sounds delicious! You might find some time to snap a few photos of the nutritious treats and how you deal/cook/freeze/eat them? Thanks for all you do!
I put that new Burda design on, because the fabric was pink. It might be adapted to the needs of today's woman, in that it could be made with a simplified style,using the principles of the pattern, rather than the details, if you know what I mean.
I met a girl in the fabric store that asked me about the dress I was wearing. She was trying to pull her jeans up from the back, and was most irritated about it."They fit me when I bought them," she told me. Then she said she had been to an Elizabethan drama in another city and had admired the women's dresses so much. "I would SO wear those dresses!" she exclaimed. The young girls are longing for something beautiful, yet the designers claim they design these kinds of things because, quote "That is what people want." How often have we heard this in regards to the kind of news the media pours out or the new liquor stores or the latest merchandise. I do not believe it is what people want. It is what they are presented with and they feel they have no choice.
Dear Lydia,
I read your blog often. Since you always post lovely pictures, I thought you might enjoy illustrations by Marcel Marlier. He has illustrated children's books since the 1950s, and he is still doing it! I just discovered this amazing artist from Belgium, and it made me think of you and your pleasant pictures.
Just do a google images search "Marcel Marlier", and you will see what I mean. (example here: http://poemes-provence.fr/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/petits_chanteurs_marlier_cd.jpg)
Take care, and thank you for the inspiration.
Here are some nice pics
http://thrifterscompendium.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-spend-lot-of-time-at-thrift-store.html
I just browsed the Sunday ads for several national chain stores. I no longer have school age children, but was very dismayed at what I saw. Even when school uniforms were featured, the children models are sloppily featured with what appear to be bad attitudes. Everybody now wants to show "attitude" and not a good attitude. To me that says as much as the horrible fashions. Another good reason for home sewing and home schooling.
Jules
Yes true and with so many areas as you say, not just our clothing. "It is what they are presented with and they feel they have no choice."
I wonder what things you do to care and bless your husband other than looking feminine and gorgeous.:)(Even though that's probably enough in his sight!)
Many thanks!
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