A spot of millinery

Late last year, I received a custom commission for a very special project - a reproduction 18th century lady's hat for a guest at the Williamsburg Christmas Ball.  The gown on the left, below, was my colorway inspiration.  This was such a fun project!

My lovely customer was unfortunately not able to attend the Christmas Ball, but she did wear her custom gown and hat to Williamsburg during Christmastide.

Then, to my utter delight, she asked me to match another dress!  Below right is the colorway this time, and the the remnant from my TARDIS skirt material was the perfect match.  

 

I enjoyed creating these hats so much - it was an enormous amount of work, but so much fun.

Doesn't Joan look wonderful?

      

Spring Canvas

A very special photoshoot, taken late last summer, featuring some of the most treasured antiques of my mother and I.

This is my second wall tent, which has proven invaluable already for photoshoots, a storefront, and much more.  Methinks camping should be added to the list this year!

The treadle sewing machine is a Singer Red Eye Special, prized for it's lavish scrollwork and vibrant colors.  It's such a joy to use this machine, and part of the new Spring collection are these muslin petticoats, ruffled on the treadle.

The Sewing manuals are from the Women's Institute for Domestic Sciences, c. 1920, and though extremely rare and collectible, are in the public domain.  I will hopefully be able to offer these as eBooks this Spring or summer, as the wealth of knowledge in their pages is too wonderful to hide away!

As we prepare for the new Kellie Falconer Design, I'm terribly excited to see the Wall Tent Studio take shape as my workroom.  It's been my dream from the beginning to see this happen.

Thank you, thank you to everyone who has taken part in the sale and giveaway so far!  I'm so encouraged by your support as together we empty the shop and it's treasures into your homes and lives.
So, so excited to begin filling it again.
You all are the best.

Armistice blouse | made by me

wool skirt | thrifted

muslin petticoats | Coming Soon!

♥

In the Extreme

Directly after the wedding, my siblings and I stopped by the County Fair for the afternoon.  I took the girls to see the ribbons their 4-H sewing projects received (which were amazing - more on that soon!)  while Aubrey strolled around.  He came over to me shortly after.  "Is it just me, or are there people in full armor walking around on the front lawn?"  

I practically dragged them all through the main exhibit building, past the fast wilting cabbages and sunflowers, magnificent quilts, and pasteboard dragons.  And there, through the front entrance, we could see a pavilion erected on the front lawn.  Sumptuous costumes and props from the medieval era were on display, but the crowning glory were a handful of men dressed in the full body armor of Medieval Knights.

We sidled over, taking in the scene, when one of their number clad in tartan came up and invited my lord and ladies to enter.  We stepped in to the inviting shade of the canopy, and received a hands-on introduction to the wonderful world of the SCA.

I'd heard of the Society for Creative Anachronism before in passing, but didn't realize that an active group was located in our area... Shire, I should say.

We examined a suit of chain mail, handcrafted by a local artisan - I utilised my oft-neglected medieval vocabulary to my heart's content.  Our host discussed various aspects of the activities the group took part in, which include feast days and tourneys, as well as life skills training such as wild herb identification, spinning, costuming, ironworking, minstrelsy, and cooking.

At this point I had to ask if modern civilians were invited to try on the armor.  The good fellow looked at me askance.  "Weell... I suppose..." I smiled and gestured to Aubrey.  

Within moments, I was witnessing the fair sight on my brother being transformed into a veritable Henty Lad.

The Cuisse, covering the knee and thigh.  The heart-shaped plate is for protection against being hamstrung, as I observed to our host with good effect.

Buckling on a leather Gorget.

Donning breast and back plates, and guardbraces.

 

 

 

 

He said it was fun.

In the extreme, I might add.