The Great Tea Party Project

Okay I think I have finally drug all the pertinent posts from livejournal over to this new blog.  It has been a long time since I have posted anything online.  2011 was a blur and I decided to take a long, very needed break from sewing.  Then 2012 came along and it was a difficult year, but on my birthday I recieved a wonderful 9 lb 2 oz baby girl and things have been going great..  For Christmas my husband had my sewing machine FINALLY put in the shop.  It is now home and in good working order and the sewing bug has bit, but I have gotten so out of the habit of sewing that I am struggling to find direction/motivation so i thought I would return to the internet communities for inspiration and focus.  I have lurked the past few years enjoying everyone's lovely creations so maybe posting my projects will keep me focused.  When I have a definite plan in mind I tend to follow through.  So here is my plan if you are interested in following along.....

A few years ago when my husband and I first moved I had a costume tea party to get to know people and have fun playing dress-up.  My mom and I made 35 dresses, nothing very historical, just fun girly dresses for everyone to wear.  Everyone had a wonderful time wearing them and after the party I sold them to help with a little remodeling on our house, which was and still is a major fixer upper.  While a party of that size isn't feasible anymore I would love to have another costume tea party, but this time have nicer, more historical costumes and a smaller guest list.  After the party I would probably sell the dresses and use the money to restart our remodeling which like my sewing has been on the back burner for the past two years.  My tentative date for this "party" is May 2014.  I have a guest list of 10 not including myself, so I need to make 12-14 dresses.  I know everyone on my guest list very well so I can guess their sizes pretty close.  That leaves me a little over a year to sew them, but in the mean time I have other sewing projects, my family and gardening.  I might be setting myself up to fail at my initial goal, but I want to try!!  So here goes nothing. 

One of the first dresses i will be working on is the one worn by the lady seated in the following fashion plate.  I found almost an exact match for the fabric!

The second dress is inspired by the brown dress in the following fashion plate.  Only I will be making it up in white and the elaborate bias trim will be in emerald green.

Well here goes nothing!!!!