The Art of Helen Allingham (1848-1926)

Modest Active Wear

The Hop Picker, by Charles Perugini

Summer's Fun, by George Sheriden Knowles,

1863-1931

Summer's Fun, by George Sheriden Knowles,

1863-1931

Spring Bouquet

by Ilya Efimovich Repin

The Croquet Match

by Sir John Lavery,

Picking Turnips, by Robert Crawford

The Reapers, by Jules Breton

Arriving Home, by Isaac Henzell

Hanging the Washing,

by Helen Allingham

 These paintings from the 1800 artists, show women in various activities outdoors. Apparently, the kitchen garden was maintained by women. If gardenning by hand was anything like it is now, I can truly say it was hard work and required a lot of physical movement. Yet, before the 20th century, women did everything  in dresses: they gardened,  they fished (see Hans Dahl paintings on this blog), they helped in harvest time (see the paintings and links of women pitching hay in these garments), and they took care of the house, wearing aprons to protect their clothing.  I have also included on this blog, paintings of women active in sports.  It is possible to be active and to achieve something without giving up modesty. My sewing series here is showing how to be inspired by these wonderful paintings of the past, and use the ideas of color and cover, for today.  I have tried to show gardenning clothes here, and have fabric picked out to make something similar, which I will show in future posts. Right now, the garden is calling, so I will see you all later.

Today's Garden

One of the most pleasant experiences of being at home, is the ability to watch the process of food in the garden. Whether or not you have a "real" garden, it might be possible to grow a few things in pots on a porch or  patio. Pumpkins can be cooked in

the oven and then mashed, to make a pie or used other ways. 

Yellow apples have a mild flavor and store well in a bucket or bag on a cool floor throughout the winter.

Berries for pies and jellies and flavorings are just so beautiful to look at, although you practically have to dress like a bee keeper to be protected from the stickery vines.

The purple plums are almost ready, too.

The grapes are coming along nicely...

The corn was perfect so far, with not a mark on it. There was no fertilizer of any kind or pesticides used in this garden.  I didn't have time to weed much of it and I suppose the bugs just couldnt get to the food very easily through the thorns and thistles.

The cabbage was very sweet, sauteed in olive oil in a frying pan.

One vine gave a full bucket of red potatoes, which made great fries last night. We will be saving some seeds from all this produce, to use in the next garden.

The tomatoes were sweet and there was an abundance to give away.

The onions are getting very large and there are still a lot of cucumbers and heads of lettuce. Green peppers and green beans, as well as hot chilies, are growing, and being used for daily salads, salsas and spaghetti sauce.

It is a lot different than going to the grocery store, when you shop in the garden.  One advantage is  the beautiful view of the sky through the aspens, whose leaves sound like jingling bells in the breeze.

This has been a very busy season for me, but I am still sewing, and just need to get pictures. I have made a dress to wear to a mountain wedding, and next week will be at a rose garden wedding, and following that, a beach wedding. I have made cotton dresses to match each of these locations, which can be worn anywhere, any time, and at home with aprons.  Sewing these kinds of garments is much more practical than buying formal dresses that cannot be used every day.  I hope to post about it soon.  Coming up, there will be an article about discouragement, for those looking for something to help keep their spirits high when there are obstacles to overcome.

Sunflowers seeds were planted along the edges of the garden. It looks like the bees have returned. If you remember, there was some concern in years past at the lower populaton of honey bees and pollinating insects. Planting a garden seems to have helped the increase of the beneficial insects.

Do Not Be Discouraged

Discouragement is a natural part of living, and special care should be made to teach people how to use it.

  There was a sermon delivered many years ago, called "Saved by One," which showed throughout the Old Testament, how the seedline of Christ looked like it would be destroyed.  Each time it looked like Christ would never be born, a remant of that family would be hidden, or saved.

One aspect of discouragement is that of feeling all alone. "I am all alone. I and only I am here to carry out this work," moaned Moses. 

Historical Myths

The Reading Lesson, by Evert Peters (available at Allposters)

One of the basis for understanding how to live, is a truthful knowledge of the past. Attempts have been made to alter history and create a disdain for our founding fathers, and the values of our forbearers.  If people can be taught to hate history, they will throw off the restraints of their parents and grandparents.  If they believe that the clothing or customs of the past were ridiculous, they will embrace the styles and habits that are presented to the world as normal, without questioning them. If the past has been re-written and vilified, people in the present will have not use it for a reference for good.

One blessing of the multi-generational family, including those members who have gone on before us, is the accumulation of knowledge and experience  that will help future generations stick with the time-worn paths of righteousness.  Told that history does not matter, and that everyone before them lived in a world of ignorance,  people will be lifted up conceit, thinking that they alone have risen beyond the ignorance of the past.  There can be nothing more ignorant than abortion, euthanasia, socialism, or communism. There can be nothing more ignorant than nakedness and immodesty, or serial dating and serial divorce. There is nothing more ignorant than the disregard of the aged.  Our century embraces all this ignorance, and yet calls the past ignorant."There is a generation: O how lofty are their eyes!" says the Proverbs.

While every era has its error, the Bible is inerrant. If you are a follow of the Lord, your life is rooted in history.  Your beliefs come from the past, and are lived in the present. You learn the doctrines of the Bible so that you can teach them to your children and your children can teach them to their children. You live in such a way as to influence generations ahead of you. If you have no children, your life still salts and lights those in your sphere.    If your children learn to dispise history, they will despise you and your teachings, because you will be history to them.

To make  people scoff at the past, the modernists-progressives (a polite name for socialist-communist-marxist), need to create rumors and myths that, just by their own repetitiveness, will be believed, without the victims even knowing it.

Reading, By Jerry Barret

How many times, for example, have you heard someone say that women could not read, before feminism?  This is simply not true.  There were female authors and poets, even servants and indentured servants, who learned to read.  Mothers taught their children the word of God straight out of the Bible, long before the feminist movement. Remember the Dame Schools in colonial America?  Jane Austen, wrote her stories before anyone "liberated" her.  Female poets published their works long before feminists came on the scene.   I have published works of women in early America, here, including Lydia Sigourney, who wrote books, as well as others, here on this blog.

Art and Literature by Loren Entz

Paintings from earliest times illustrate  women reading or teaching others to read. There is good evidence that before girls and young women were forced into public education in the 20th century, they were quite knowlegeable about reading and writing, and capable of teaching their own children the same skills. John Adams, the 2nd president of the United States,

http://www.myriahsbazaar.com/VICTORIA-JONES-POLYNESIAN-SEWING-PATTERNS-s/80.htm

Hawaiian Dresses

  I would like to show some Hawaiian dresses from this site http://hawaiianfashionplace.com/SFNT.html       The prices are $75 to $99. If you dont sew and want a cotton dress that can be worn daily and will withstand the wear and tear of the home, it is well worth the price. An apron worn at home can protect it. When you go out, just remove the apron. I love these dresses, and as a sewer, would certainly feel justified in charging these prices, for my time and effort. This cotton appears to be a higher quality than the kinds I am currently using for my home sewing, so if you do have to buy your clothes, this would be a very pretty, modest dress to have. 

Hawaiian Fashion Place has matching shirts and clothes for your husband and children, too.Little girls dresses are here http://hawaiianfashionplace.com/girls-hawaiian-dresses.html

Before I found this site, I had cut out a dress similar to one of these, and bought piping for the neckline. I used that New Look pattern that has no zipper.  

Notice the hem line. This is thread drawn up to make gathers every few inches around the dress. A quilters fabric, 100% cotton, it is very soft, and does not need ironing .

For want of a photographer, I can't post a picture of me in the dress, yet.

 I certainly would have no hesitation in buying one of these gorgeous Hawaiian dresses. The fabrics are available here http://hawaiianfashionplace.com/hawaiian-fabric.html  and are $12.00 a yard. You need an average of 4 yards to make a dress, more or less. If you left off the ruffle it would eliminate a yard or more. 

For Hawaiian style sewing patterns, go here : http://www.myriahsbazaar.com/VICTORIA-JONES-POLYNESIAN-SEWING-PATTERNS-s/80.htm   You could immitate the style with one of the 99c patterns that you can buy at the fabric store when they are on sale.

Sewing Simple Clothing

 

Allbert Lynch, 1851-1912  Peru, South America

Women Taking Tea

Giclee Print

Lynch, Albert


Buy at AllPosters.com





A slideshow of Albert Lynch paintings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp-xdCk0nE8


More art from this artist http://www.askart.com/AskART/artists/search/Search_Repeat.aspx?searchtype=IMAGES&artist=11141550

I have just attended a sewing day.  Women brought their unfinished sewing projects, sewing machines and iron boards, and helped each other complete their garments. One young woman had never used a pattern, and needed clothing right away. She took big squares of fabric and draped them around her, and then sewed them together at the shoulders and sides.  She then cut triangles of fabric from a burgundy curtain,  and inserted them in all the skirt. She made a wonderful dress that did not look at all unusual and yet was very long and elegant, and modest.  She is an active young woman who raises sheep and yet she wears these beautiful long dresses that she makes.. 

The dresses in the above painting, from the 1800's, look very simple, yet womanly and modest. Here again is an artists depiction of women's clothing, which shows the shorter length on the young girl, and the longer length on the older women.  Girls at that time wore short dresses and wore their hair down.  I have heard stories from my older relatives about girls begging their mothers to let them put their hair "up" and  let their hems down.  If mothers didn't want their girls to look too grown up too soon, they kept them in the girls clothing.  I think that is interesting, in contrast to the styles imposed on women today.



American women at home need clothing that does not catch on things. Pockets have to be placed so that they do not snag on the drawer handles in the kitchen or the door handles, as they walk past. Sleeves have to be roomy, but not too billowing that they snag on things in the home.  They work in the kitchen a lot, and cannot have ruffled cuffs that would get in the way.  Aprons over the dresses are a must.  American homemakers are hard workers. They do almost every thing themselves, and so their clothing has to be simple. Because embellishments and jewelry, scarves and accessories get in the way and cut down on efficiency, clothing worn for homemaking has to be beautiful in a different way. That is why the cottons in the fabric stores are so appealing. They come in endless colors and patterns. You can use a pattern that is very very plain, but use a wonderful color or print.

An American homemaker might plant a vegetable garden, water it by hand, weed it, and  pick the fruits of her labors to make a salad for lunch or a pie for dessert. These things take a lot of time and work, and the clothing has to be protective, as well as pretty. She does her own cleaning and often sews for the home. The American homemaker is trying to take care of her family and make a comfortable and peaceful home for them. Her clothing has to be something she really likes and enjoys wearing daily. If it is too fancy, she wont wear it every day at home. If it is too shoddy, she will not feel she can wear it outside the home. In this Painting-Inspired series, I have tried to show how a woman can work at home in a cotton dress and then go to the store or post office without changing. It looks good anywhere.

Clothing for the American homemaker has to be dignified and modest, yet a pleasure to wear. Beautiful dresses affect the mood.  If the day is cold and gloomy, the color of the clothes can make a difference.  If some jobs are difficult repetitive, having a variety of dresses to wear, can give her a lift. If there are great responsibilities, and monumental events in the family, the homemakers clothing can make every single day significant.  

That is one reason I am showing some of these beautiful paintings of the past centuries. Historically speaking, this clothing was not just an after- thought. The clothing was sewn by hand, with great care. One woman recently told me that stitches on the seams were done in a special way so that you could not see the seams on the outside of the garment.  That would require a lot of time.

The dresses in the paintings look like something that could be worn today. The garments in the painting would be good autumn dresses. The vivid leaves and the produce--pumpkins and squash in golds and browns and off-whites, and the burgundy colors, plus the darker greens, are good choices for autumn fabrics.

Women Taking Tea

Giclee Print

Lynch, Albert


Buy at AllPosters.com

Keeping the Light On

Women Taking Tea, by Albert Lynch





Women Taking Tea



Giclee Print

Lynch, Albert



Buy at AllPosters.com

Sew Pink

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.

Irish Artists of the Mid-1800's

The Tennis Party, by Sir John Lavery, 1856-1941

The Croquet Match by Sir John Lavery, 1856-1941

The Sonnet, by William Mulready, 1786-1863

Spring, by Sir John Lavery, 1856-1941

The Pride of Dijon, by William John Hennessy, 1839-1917

Posters of these paintings are available at allposters, online. These Irish paintings are so colorful and interesting. The art of the era reveals something about the women's clothing worn at different occasions, from recreation to relaxation. Nearly all these paintings have outdoor themes, and yet the women's clothing is long and soft looking.

"The Sonnet", above, by William Mulready, captures the pose of a young man, looking over his shoulder to see the reaction of the young lady as she reads what he has written for her.

In "The Pride of Dijon,"it looks as though the man is intensely interested in the opinion of the woman.

In the Victorian era, sports clothing was designed for women to be able to move and yet be modest. In general, people of that time believed in covering themselves so that they would not be offensive to anyone. Summer clothing was actually thinner fabrics, and although the styles had a defined waistline, where the garments were held to the body, many of the skirts and blouses were loose, yet very stylish. Not all of it was the same, either, as you can see by the paintings of the time, which I have posted throughout this series. There was a great deal of variety and freedom of design, at the time. I do not see the modern manufactured designs as "freedom" because they all look the same and are limited to what designs are promoted that year. When you sew, you dont have to be peer dependent anymore. The pretty fabrics bring out what is close to a woman's heart. The beauty of the flowers, sky and sea, on the sentimental little prints of fabrics, say something about how you view life.

Fabric is still as interesting today, if not more so. A trip to the fabric store or quilt store reveals a world of beauty that imitates nature. If you have a budding seamstress in your home, it is worth going to these stores just to browse and get an idea what fabric is available. If you find it too expensive, you can always get a small piece to take home and look at.

I am using up my buttons, and these matched the shape of the little white floral print on this fabric. The neckline is trimmed with white piping, a nice contrast on this fabric. Piping has to be sewn on the seam line before the facing or lining is attached.

This is all cotton, part of the Quilters Showcase collection. I added a piece on the hem and covered the seam with white bias tape.

This is another dress made from the pattern with no zipper. It ties in back, and can be loosened for comfort. The sleeves are puffed, and not easy to iron, so I just leave them looking wrinkled, which ends up looking more gathered. This pattern has two main pieces: front and back, and is very easy. It took only a little white to sew and it is so comfortable.

Copyright, Lydia Sherman. All Rights Reserved.

I wore this dress to a back yard wedding ceremony. The bride made her own cake and supplied a tea menu with cucumber sandwiches, strawberries, and savory foods. The couple kept their wedding simple. We were the only guests.

Coyright, Lydia Sherman. All Rights Reserved.

The stairs in the bride's 1940's house. This dress will eventually be worn as an every day dress. These are short sleeves which I made a little larger at the cuff, for the hot weather. Most sleeves are too tight, and sewing your own clothes gives you the option of making things looser.