Ergh.  It’s only three months into the Historical Sew Monthly 2015, and already I’m two months behind in favourite’s posts!

On the bright side, that’s partly because there are so many people participating, and so many fabulous entries, that going through them and whittling it down to just a few takes forever!

Because there were so many amazing things for Challenge #1: Foundations, I’ve picked five favourites, instead of the three I did for each challenge last year!  (I hope this keeps up all year long!)

So, without further ado, five things that I thought were beautifully made, well thought out and researched, interesting takes on the challenge theme, and best represented the goals of the HSM: to push our boundaries as creators and as historians.

1. Wicked Stepmother’s 3rd quarter of the 19th c corded corset.  Not only is her corset awesome, but it’s based on a period original from the museum she works with, and she took the pattern from the original, made it available to other seamstresses and led a sew-along to make it just in time for the challenge (meaning there were more than one of these in the challenge – so cool!) – a HSF hero in ever sense!
2. Rachelle’s handspun yarn (to be used for 18th c stockings).  The materials we make things from really are the foundations of anything we make, so turning raw material into more processed material, so it can become a garment, is the perfect illustration of foundations!

   

3. Pauline’s 1860s cage crinoline.  As she acknowledges, it isn’t period perfect, but I really empathise with the struggle to be a historical costumer from the ends of the earth.  In some ways though, our attempts to get as close as possible  to the fashionable look, with the constraints of budget and limited supplies available, exactly mirror what seamstresses in far-flung places experienced in-period.  Also, her crinoline is actually pretty darn good I think!
4. Cate’s 1870s corded bustle.  I have always wondered how well those ruffled, un-boned bustles work at providing the bustle silhouette, and Cate has answered the question.  It looks gorgeous on its own, or under a skirt.

   

5. Anneliese’s mid-19th c undergarments.  Anneliese showed us all up by making a more-than-complete set of mid-19th c undergarments, with a chemise, drawers, two bum-rolls, and FOUR  petticoats.  All beautifully made!  What an inspiration!

As always, there were dozens more I could have featured, because there was so many  fantastic submissions.  I’m so excited about all the participants and the phenomenal  things they are making!  Go check out the rest of the entries for this challenge through the comments on the Challenge Page, and through the FB challenge album  (which you have to be a member to see – watch out for a message from a moderator with some questions if you ask to join).

And see you in a couple of weeks for the round-up of my favourites from the Blue challenge!