Last-minute Idea + Infant = Bad Plan

So, I forgot that everything takes longer with Baby. I really wanted to make a whole outfit for my son but ended up making him and myself absolutely crazy trying to get it done. I had to keep chanting to myself, "If I don't make this, it's okay. If I don't make this, it's okay. If I don't make this, it's okay." I WAS able to make a little hood for him, the following morning. That turned out well enough, and it was super adorable. We got lots of compliments. Since then, I have been working on completing the infant outfit so he can wear it to whatever the next event is.

I finished the white cotton under shirt the day after Christmas and held it up for my mother-in-law to see and she (rightly) said, "There's no way his head is going to fit through that!" DRAT! So, I'll need to extend the "keyhole" neckline down probably to his navel in order to get it around his big baby head. I guess, since it will be an UNDERSHIRT, that it won't much matter if it doesn't tie all the way closed - one tie at the neckline should be okay. It's just a bummer I've got to rip off the very nice (home-made!) bias-tape collar that I sewed on by hand. Backstitched by hand.

So, I'm back to working on the Tudor undergarments for my friends' wedding. I had a bit of a scare last week because I couldn't find my notebook that had everybody's measurements in it. Turns out my husband got bit by the, "We're having company and I want this room to be spotless" bug and didn't even take notice of what he was randomly stashing places. Fortunately for me, he was able to find WHERE he stashed things and my notebook was there. Phew!

Since the corsets are already cut out (see previous post) I have started cutting out the farthingales for both bridesmaids. I would start sewing boning channels on the corsets, but my sewing machine is in dire need of a tune-up (as I discovered when trying to sew a tiny outfit for my son - I couldn't get through a whole seam without the thread breaking or getting wound up funny or somesuch frustrating nonesense) so I aim to get all the cutting done in the meantime.

I am using Drea Leed's Making A Period Farthingale using the same 45" canvas used for the sturdy corset fabric.

I'll get photos up of the Little Bud's outfit pieces, cuz this post is kind of boring without any pictures. :p

My son has nothing to wear!

Okay, so I'm involved with the Ann Arbor, MI chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism, called the Barony of Cynnabar. It's the association from which I know my friends Aaron and Monique, mentioned in my previous post about how I'm making all these fancy-schmancy wedding clothes. Typically I sing, dance or play my flute so other people can dance. Anyway, at the next event we're having, called Wassail (it's the Cynnabar holiday party, more or less), I've been summoned to the Baronial Court, which means I'm called up in front of the Baron and Baronessa, who are kind of like our chapter presidents. Typically, a summons of this nature implies receipt of an award. Although I have confirmation that an award is forthcoming, I still have no idea what KIND of award it is. I don't feel particularly meritorious. Well, whatever.

Anyway, my husband and son (and possibly my sister-in-law!) will be joining me for this. While my husband has (somewhat unimpressive) garb to wear so he won't be in street-clothes, my 7-month-old son, Lucius (whose SCA name - I've just decided - will be his full Hebrew name: Lior Moshe ben Benjamin), has NOTHING! While he could be the talk of the town in a baby playgroup wearing his ballin' outfit from the Baby Gap (courtesy of his Auntie Bica, who is pretty ballin' herself), I feel kind of weird bringing a completely modernized baby into a portion of an anachronism that is conducted with such pomp when I will be fully outfitted as will my husband, more-or-less.

So, I have decided to make an outfit for Lior Moshe to wear to Baronial Court which happens on Saturday. That's right: I have a day and a half to get this crap together. (I work best under pressure. :p) So, I'm putting the wedding garb on hold in a mad attempt to get something appropriate for my "youngest retainer" to wear.

I will be making something along the lines of this, without the swaddling. Since Lucius is now 7 months old he resists swaddling with the fury of a thousand drenched cats. So, he'll have a lightweight undershirt, a heavier-weight overgown and an adorable little hat. I'll probably put him in some baby trousers that he already has, as he's got some that are brown and made of a sort of homespun-looking knit.

To start with, I had a full-size bedskirt from a Croscill bed-in-a-bag set that I gave away through Freecycle around this time last year. The part that goes under the bed is a lightweight white cotton. The skirt itself is a brownish-red (which used to be a much more vibrant burgundy) cotton velveteen. I have already ripped the skirt from the, uh... under-the-bed-thingy and am currently running everything through the wash machine, to exact the maximum amount of shrinkage before I do anything to it.

Wish me luck!