Exciting developments, my friends!

Firstly and most importantly, APortfolio will be done by the end of the month!  Huzzah!  Not to say that I haven't loved the journey, but lordy lordy it's been quite a slog.
Another thing: I finished the corded corset!  Yay!  And I got pictures taken of most of my things! Double yay!
And most importantly, I MET STEPHEN DOUGLAS!  TRIPLE YAY! (and Lincoln but you know you can meet Lincoln practically at every street corner in Illi)

First off, the corded corset.  I'll try to get some better pictures of the finished thing, but here are some in medeas res shots.

all hand done... *twitches*

I did all of the cording using a straight stitch, and once I sewed all of the pieces together I whipped on the lining as proscribed by Koshka the Cat.  The pattern is loosely based on Corsets and Crinoline's 30s stays, made out of three layers of strongly woven cotton.  This better last me a frickin' lifetime is all that I have to say.

The Doom Bolero, as I call it, is done.  But I won't post any pictures because I am so thoroughly Bed Bath and Beyond done with it.  It's far, far far to small at the bust for anybody that I know, except for C when she wears the Bosom Wrangler corset, which is a shame because it's actually pretty cool looking when it's on.  It's bright red wool gaberdine with pom-poms in all the seams and trimming it all over.  And it took me such, such a long time to make.  Oh well.
On the upside I got legit photos of the white organdy ballgown!  (all pictures credited to Olivia and the OPRF photo studio c: )

As everyone seems to be fixated on cartridge pleats who doesn't do historical sewing..

Mary Todd Lincolning it

It gets a bit chaotic in the photo studio.

And the very very VERY best thing that's happened.... DOUGLAS DAY!  C and I drove up to Grayslake IL to see an excllent presentation of the Lincoln-Douglas debates with Buss and Connors as the men themselves.  If you didn't know, Douglas is possibly my favorite historical figure at the moment, and as nobody interprets Clay or Fillmore he's the most accessible.  And... and we made him a heart shaped cake with his initials... and we gave Lincoln an apple turnover (wouldn't want to be preferential, ey?) and Douglas called me 'dear' and they made sex jokes and I GOT A PICTURE WITH HIM AHHHH

I found a picture of a Douglas campaign ribbon online and cleaned it up on photoshop, made it on spoonflower, ordered it, cut it out, hemmed it and viola! Douglas campaign ribbons!  In a becoming shade of pink!  I only got enough pink ones for two to be made, but..

there were plenty enough little crepe de chine ones to go around!  We even foisted a couple on Senator Douglas, though he was very accomodating.

I hold that I wasn't this terrified looking the whole time.  LET ME BE YOUR ADELE!

Post-debate burgers

The curator said that we really added to the ambiance, and we had loads of fun educating the people there about women's agency during the 1858 and 1860 campaign.  And they invited us to next month's 1860 baseball game, which promises to be most diverting.  And we also made the newspaper!  Go us!  They failed to mention how I called Andrew Jackson a hot hot tater tot, though.

In sewing news, uh, I started a new dress.  I took out my italian fabric and discovered, to my horror, that it's dupioni.  For sentimental and cost reasons I'm still using it; after all, I can probably sell it once this all is done.  That's coming along swimmingly, anyways, I'm mostly done with the bodice and need to hem the skirt.  Also, I need to make ties and bavolet for my yellow bonnet, and finish a fancy silk apron I started on the college tour.
PS: If anybody wants a little Douglas pin, send me your address and one will be in your hands prontissimo!