Reenacting Dress: Part IV: Definite Game Change

Reality sets in.

Even though I know (mostly) what I want, I also know I can't do accomplish it to my satisfaction in the amount of time I have.  However, my old brown brushed-cotton dress is also not going to make it to another dulcimer play.

This is where all my noble and historically-accurate intentions go right out the window.

The plan now is to make a dress I can tolerate--and machine-wash--out of fabric I don't hate, and that at least won't be too conspicuous.  

I got this last night at Joann.  I have a love-hate relationship with Joann.  I love their Denyse Schmidt series, which is frighteningly expensive, and a few of the Keepsake Calicoes but, mostly, I don't quite find what I want.  This doesn't light my fire but I like the color and the print doesn't scream Laura Ashley, 1982!

Well, OK--it kind of does, but at least it's dark.

 . . . and this is the dress.

I am so sorry.


I know, I know--it's awful.  I mean, it might be acceptable in the right context, such as at an Eighties theme party, worn with big hair and white ankle boots, but . . . no.

I told you, though--we're going for easy.  I'm insisting that this approximates the Folkwear Prairie Dress.  That's still not the right decade, but . . . well, it's not jeans, OK?  And its a tent, so it won't require any fitting.  I don't have time to get started on another fitting project a la Simplicity 4727 right now.

So the plan is to make it, wear it until I can get the good dress made, and then donate it to the park as a costume or sell it on Etsy or cut it up for scrap or whatever. 

Hmm . . . now that I see it again, I sort of wish I'd gone with blue.  Joann didn't have any blues I liked, though, that weren't even less convincingly "pioneer" era than the brown print I chose.  Not that it matters since the dress is so desperately not-"pioneer" era, anyway, and I'm just a musician, not a reenactor.

I'm lengthening it so I won't get arrested by the 1850 sheriff on suspicion of being a loose woman.

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