George Washington in Williamsburg

The big news of the week is that George Washington is finally on his way to Colonial Williamsburg. While we were there in July, we gazed into the glass case in the foyer of the museum complex that George will eventually share with the work of other (folk) artists, including Susan Parris, who does gorgeous Queen Anne style dolls in meticulous period costumes (there's a link to her site at left). Here are some pictures of George as he looked on his way out of town.

In other news, the Halloween cats are finally finished. Oh, and I made the biggest score of antique lace you can imagine -- a whole bag full. A local antiques dealer had a whole stash of lace from an estate sale. She says much of it belonged to the daughter of Thomas Edison. The story goes that Edison went to France for a spell to install electricity in one of the castles there. His daughter came to visit and scored a bunch of lace. Some of the lace I acquired is supposedly hers. Whatever the source, it's all exquisite! The best part is that I got it all for 60% off -- and she says she's got more waiting to be priced!! Elvira Cauldron, the orange cat, has benefited from my find. I trimmed her gown and cap with some antique crocheted lace.

Beyond that, I had to rework my Alexander Hamilton figure. Guess I've been playing with him too much! Somehow, I broke the wire up his back! The new and improved Hamilton is a little beefier in the torso than the last -- so he required new wardrobe pieces. I decided to make him a banyan and cap, like intellectual gentlemen of the 18th-century wore at home with waistcoat and breeches. The banyan pattern I found online. The cap pattern I adapted from a book on costuming I picked up in Williamsburg this summer. Over the past two days, I created Mrs. Hamilton and spent a full day creating a petticoat and gown for her, using the same costuming book. The construction of the gown was interesting. The back of the bodice and skirt were created in one piece. The petticoat (undergown) and overgown were gathered with intricate cartridge pleats. It took me one try and a rip out to remember how to do them.

More later,

Nina