A few quick notes on the "Mercy Bradford" cloak.

I put "Mercy Bradford" in quotations for a very good reason: I don't think it's Mercy Bradford's cloak, nor does whoever wrote the accession card!

There's much more to come on this subject, including photos (which I have express permission to post, it's really good to be friends with a curator!), but I couldn't let you all hang in suspense while I prepare the big post. Especially while it's fresh in my mind!

A few notes on the cloak, that are of interest to me, and I'm assuming you all, too:

• The scarlet red cloak is not stitched with scarlet red thread! The seams are sewn with yellow thread; however you don't see the yellow for the most part.
• The black velvet trim is only on the right side of the fabric and is stitched with black thread.
• This cloak has both a hood and a collar.
• There are two strange, non-working "pockets," for lack of a better term, up by the shoulders. They are stitched down on three sides.

I found a few surprises that no one, not even the curator, noticed. But I'll save those for the big post!

It's the weekend: Fly-by post.

Since I'm examining an extant cloak this afternoon, and with the impending winter-weather-in-fall coming, I thought it would be appropriate to feature another beautiful extant cloak that also has provenance in Massachusetts.

Woman's hooded cloak. Last quarter, 18thc. Red wool
broadcloth trimmed in black silk. MFA Boston, 99.664.16.

From the MFA Boston's website:

"Red wool broadclothhooded cloak trimmed in black silk, hood gathered at back, cloak gathered at shoulders and pieced at bottom.

Provenance: Worn by Abigail Robbins (1759-1850); inherited by Ellen A. Stone; gift to MFA, 1899."

Hood is gathered at the back, cloak is gathered at the shoulders
and pieced together at the bottom.

The wool was manufactured in England, and the cloak was made in Massachusetts. It was worn in Lexington. Click on either photo to be taken to its catalog page on the MFA's website.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post.

18thc. pockets, 1796. Linen. American.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1979.346.200.

Looks very similar to my pocket pattern! Click the photo to go to the Met's pocket page.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post.

18thc. pockets. Cotton, linen; printed cotton. American.
Museum of Fine Arts Boston, 48.1218a

From the MFA Boston's site:

Pair of pockets, pockets attached with coarse cotton tape tie, edges of slits bound with white linen tape, face of pockets of blue on white floral printed cotton, backs of pockets of hevy white linen; a number of small yellow stains. Dimensions: 43 x 37.5 cm (16 15/16 x 14 3/4 in.).

Click on the photo to go to the MFA Boston's pocket page.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post.

I don't usually mention men's things in the blog, so how about a lovely man's at-home cap?

Man's At-Home Cap. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Silk plain weave with supplementary warp-float patterning, and silk and metallic-thread embroidery. M.61.6.

A man would wear this with a wrapping gown or banyan while at home instead of a wig.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post

Another beautiful extant from Meg Andrews, this time a straw or chip hat. I'm wearing my simple, completed straw hat today to a big fancy horse show, so it's very appropriate! This is a great example, though a bit later at c.1780, and it is also Dutch.

c.1780 Bergere straw hat.

Check out the underside of the hat on the website, click the picture to be taken there.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post.

Since I'm on a petticoat making mission, here's an interesting petticoat for sale through Meg Andrews. I've never seen fabric like this, it is so amazing!

1760s Norwich fabric petticoat. Remade into
a 19th century skirt.

Click on the image to be taken to the website.

Many thanks to Sew18thCentury for posting the Meg Andrews website on Facebook! I wish my checking account had unlimited funds ...

What's Under Things? Hidden Colonial Clothing, Part II

As Tropical Storm Irene rages on (our power has flickered and gone out twice, but thankfully came back on!), now is the perfect time to showcase the crème de la crème of What's Under Things? I hope my readers along the eastern seaboard are safe and dry!

What's Under Things? Hidden Colonial Clothing, Part I

My apologies, dear readers, for my absence! The procedure on Wednesday went smoothly, and I slept quite a bit. I had to stay off of my feet and when reclining, sleep just happened to come quite easily. Since I had a couple of days off, I'm going to change up the format just a little bit and instead of fly-by posts, talk to you about the exhibit I worked on and am so proud of! Part I begins beneath the jump.

A little teaser

I've been meaning to write up a blog post on What's Under Things? but the editing of the photos took much longer then I thought it would--it is quite difficult to photograph in a dark museum when you can't take off the plexiglass bonnets or have lights set up! It was also a reminder to not trust what's looking back at you on your LCD screen, I didn't realize just how dark the photos came out! It's a good thing I shot in RAW and use Adobe Lightroom.

By the time this is posted to the masses on Twitter and Facebook I'll be having a minor surgery, so I plan on working on the big post about it when I get home, to post tomorrow. I haven't shaped the blank straw/chip hat yet, either, so that's another thing on my list to do! But, this weekend is all about the printed cotton gown, which is exciting, and I'll be debuting it earlier then I thought, huzzah!

Enjoy these lovely 18th century shoes Pilgrim Hall has in its collection:

This photograph is mine. Please do not take it or use it without permission.

Some links for your enjoyment

It may be August, but it's never too early to think about capes in New England: http://bit.ly/ooHu0n

Why yes, you can place that elaborate, ornate gold box on my dresser any time: http://bit.ly/ns1N0U

Costumers and reenactors aren't the only people bringing the 18th century to life: http://bit.ly/o03zAy

A collection of stars on the stomacher, and all over the gown? Yes, please! http://bit.ly/lv7aEv

Mitts for keeping the sun off your forearms (and covering up your tattoos): http://bit.ly/pe44ix

Mind = blown: Stay-lacing cord with a built-in bodkin! *Angels singing*: http://bit.ly/nXrSCg

It's the weekend: Fly-by post

Recently, I bought a reproduction fan from The Village Green Clothier. It's purple, and gorgeous, with two different colorways of flowers painted on either side. It's technically a double-sided fan! So, have a peek at a stunning 18th century ivory fan from the MFA Boston.

Ivory fan. French, 18th century. MFA Boston, accession no. 25.551.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post

Since I'm on an accessories kick, let's take a look at something most New England women in the 18th century would have worn: a quilted petticoat!

Pink silk satin quilted petticoat; glazed wool lining,
cotton waistband, linen ties. English, about 1780.
MFA Boston, accession no. 28.528b.

It's the weekend: Fly-by post

Something that's been in my bookmarks for a long, long, long time (and I still swoon every time I look at it).

Riding coat, silk and goat hair. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accession No.: 1976.147.1

It's the weekend: Fly-by post

How about a lovely gown from Colonial Williamsburg to drool over?

Gown, pale blue-green silk damask. Accession No. 1960-714,1