A Special Find

On the same day I took Wanda to visit Harney & Sons in Millerton, New York, we took time before lunch to visit a multi-dealer antique shop, also in Millerton.

Of course, sometimes you leave these places with nothing and other times you find something. This was one of those times. I found something. I don't know what you would call them, as I have never seen anything like them before (and I am always looking at linens and embroidered pieces). So I bought them-someone had to.

They are embroidered labels, with slots for the ribbons, which I presume you would have tied around a bundle of each of the items on the label: Night Gowns; Slips; Chemises.

Look at the ribbon-double sided pale apricot and pale green silk.

Now whether you would use these labels in your linen closet at home or to tie your intimate items for packing and travel I don't know. I do know that they are exquisitely embroidered with fine stitches.

I wonder who they were made for and where she took them?

Makes me think of Downton Abbey and one of the ladies of the family whose maid would have packed the case carefully tying the labels around each bundle of intimate items that had been carefully laundered and pressed for the trip.

Each label embroidered with a different motif , but featuring the same hem stitching and ribbon slot.

  The tiny eyelets and granitos that decorate the sides and edges.

What a find!

Biltmore Estate Meet-Up "Dressing Downton" April 24, 2015

Please join us at Biltmore Estate for a day of fun and touring !

We plan on meeting in the morning at 9:30 for the first tour of the mansion of the Vanderbilts, who were contemporaries to the Crawleys in the Downton Abbey PBS Masterpiece series.  There are 45 dresses and suits from the TV Show displayed throughout the three floors of the estate.

After the tour, we will be having lunch at the Stables Cafe right by the estate.  The afternoon will be free to roam the gardens or winery.  The flowers should be in full bloom by the end of April.

Please purchase your tickets online at http:www.Biltmore.com before April 17, 2015 for the best pricing.  There are senior rates and possibly a AAA discount that may apply.  Region III Representative, Lori Popelka highly recommends the audio tour, especially if you have never been before.  It will be an add on once you select your ticket date, as part of the checkout process.  A second day may be purchased for a deeply discounted rate on the day of the visit, if you plan on making a weekend of it.  Hotels are plentiful in the area.  The Biltmore website has a link for local hotels.

The day of the event you will need your ticket to enter the parking lot area.  The bus will take you from the parking lot to the house.  It takes a little over 2 hours to tour the home with the audio tour and plenty of time to see the garments.  The dresses are set back from the tour line by about 8-10 feet.  If you would like to REALLY see details of the garments, you may want to bring opera glasses or small binoculars.  The garments are truly works of art.

Please rsvp to regionthree@smocking.org with your name and contact information.  Lori will have some local recommendations for other things to do in the area that she will send seperately.

The Meet Up is open to all SAGA members and friends from all regions. Come join the fun!

Downton Abbey

Now that I have grabbed your attention with that title, let me continue by sharing a few photos from my recent visit to the costumes of Downton Abbey exhibition at the Winterthur museum in Delaware.

The costumes covered everyone from the maids to the duchess; the footman to the duke. The display took you from morning through to evening, showing the changes of clothes  for those 'upstairs' throughout the day.

 

 

This is what a maid wears to a garden party.

This is what a Lady wears to the same garden party.

 

Lady Edith's wedding dress

-who noticed all that beading on the train when she was being left at the alter?

 

 

 

The Dowager Countess of Grantham

-who else?

The dress was very complex with heavy beading, tulle , lace and silk combined together.

 

 

That Battenberg jacket......

 

The top of this dress is an original vintage piece. The skirt created to go with it. From a distance a good match-close up the embroidery on the skirt was no match for the finer version on the top!

 

The infamous harem pants. The band around the chest and the sleeves are vintage silk fabrics, the bottom added to create the pants. The top has now started to show signs of damage.

 Lady Sybil did one twirl to many with the chauffeur maybe?

 

The neckline on this dress is shell stitched and beaded-now there's thought.....

 

The costumes are on display at Winterthur, the home of the du Pont family until January 4, 2015.

 

The next season of Downton Abbey starts that evening- talk about timing!

 

 

Merry Christmas!

Feather dusters top the tree!

Beaded ornaments and gold bells.

Chains of pearls and tiaras

 

Diamante studded black lace.

 

 

Where could this tree be and what inspired it?

 

 

The tree is on display at Winterthur Museum, Delaware.
 

The inspiration was Downton Abbey.

Smocking and Downton Abbey...

Now I have your attention having mentioned smocking and Downton Abbey in the title, let me explain why!

Interweave Press have issued a one time only magazine called  'Unofficial Downton Abbey Sews'. It features some patterns for some Downton Abbey style clothing and accessories. Where does the smocking come in? Well there is a clutch bag that has a smocked and beaded peacock feather on the front and another bag that uses honeycomb smocking.

There is also an advert for SAGA which features a purse reticule designed for sewing by Susie Gay!

 

 

You can take the class to make this purse at the SAGA Sewcation in Orlando, Florida. Visit the SAGA website to download the convention brochure www.smocking.org .



SAGA and SAGANews are not affiliated with Interweave Press but we are always happy to see smocking promoted and used somewhere!