5 yr old daughter advice needed

[Wild Rover]

All,

My daughter Elizabeth is now 5, and we are thinking aobut getting her a dress and so forth. Not for events, though my wife Laura ( I think most of you know of her) does some events, we do not wish to take Elizabeth with us, as the manner in which we both reenact is not condusive for children.

However events like Rem Day in Gettysburg, parades or so forth, and most importantly a period image warrant getting her a "kit"

Laura was going to do the research herself, but she is a RN and works 60-70 hours a week now, and time is serverly lacking.

We have the usual "library", but I was looking for a book or articles just for children, and also any vendors you all might suggest.

Thanks,

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

Re: 5 yr old daughter advice needed

I highly reccomend Elizabeth Stewart Clark for patterns and information regarding all manner of children's dress. Her site is: www.elizabethstewartclark.com.

[ElizabethClark]

Re: 5 yr old daughter advice needed

Mr. Anders, for a whole slew of articles and some free patterns, we'll have my site back up this weekend--my whole area of research tends to rotate around families. The free articles and patterns are found in the Great Auntie Maude's Curious Compendium of 19th Century Knowledge section. There's a full article on the layers of clothing for girls.

Glenna Jo Christen carries the Karen Crocker children's patterns, which are also good ones. http://home.earthlink.net/~gchristen/ The patterns are in the Curiosity Shop area.


Basic rundown of what she'll need:

Chemises
Drawers (hemmed mid-calf)
Petticoat (I'd suggest wool flannel for cold weather events)
Skirt Support (either a very small cage, or more petticoats, full-gathered and starched)
Dress (dozens of style options, wool would be good for cool weather, or cotton for summer)
Pinafores
Bonnets (sunbonnet, warm hood, and fashion, depending on impression needs)
White or black stockings
Leather shoes or boots, minimal sole, short to minimal stacked heel, squarish toe box
Coats, shawls, and other warm wraps for winter wear

Do you have a specific impression you need to create for her? Economic level you'd like to replicate? Will you be doing the sewing at home, or do you need to find a sewist to help? (Just warning you--using professional sewists should take the cost of dressing out a small girl from the $80 range, into the $400 range, easily... Sewing at home will really make it more affordable. There are a very few folks who do ready-made children's things in excellent qualities... Jenny D'Onofrio of Mason-Dixon Sewing has some very nice things, reasonably priced for the high level of accuracy if you need ready-mades. Kay Gnagey usually has a few children's things ready-made. I'd have to say that most "event merchants", however, do *not* carry accurately constructed children's things--the few who do are the exception! But, many private sewists can do an excellent job on custom work for children.)

I'd encourage you to dress her as accurately as humanly possible. The good news is, if the clothing is constructed accurately, it can be remade several times to larger sizes, so you can really stretch the investment.

One word of advice: don't skimp on petticoats. Droopy skirts are perhaps one of the biggest mistakes made with children's clothing. Little girls need petticoats!!

[Spinster]

Re: 5 yr old daughter advice needed

Down for the moment, but up again within the new few weeks, everything you need for the growing child, from patterns to hairstyle to commentary, all in one neat bundle:

http://elizabethstewartclark.com/

Okay, she'll say 'neat' is not right word for a woman with several young children at home , but still, you get my drift

[Emily Burns]

Re: 5 yr old daughter advice needed

Do you or does someone in your family sew? Making sure that the little miss has all the appropriate layers is going to be a pretty heavy investment considering that she will grow quickly.

Another less expensive alternative would be to find a pard who has an older girl who could pass some things along. . .

Good luck,
Emily Burns

[pambryda]

Re: 5 yr old daughter advice needed

And here's another endorsement for Elizabeth! Her dress patterns are lovely, come in a range of sizes for the growing child, and include a wonderful booklet (including advice about stretching the dresses for multiple seasons). Plus, she's great about answering questions as you go.

Plus, free information on making pinafores! Very, very nice to cover up that pretty dress if we're actively playing. (Mine is very ladylike, and still gets in the mud on a regular basis.) :p

And you probably already know about Jen and Michael Mescher for toys and games.

Worst problem will be shoes. No one makes good ones. Start talking to friends with reenacting children and see about hand-me-downs.

Spend a couple of hours wandering Liz' site (once it's back up) and let us know if you have any more questions... but it's almost one-stop shopping!

Pam Kingsley-Bryda
(mom to Nora, age 3)

[Wild Rover]

Re: 5 yr old daughter advice needed

Thanks everyone...now about shoes...

Thoughts?

[toptimlrd]

Re: 5 yr old daughter advice needed

Sent you a PM about the clothing

[ElizabethClark]

Re: 5 yr old daughter advice needed

Shoes are harder--here's a thread from '04, and nothing has changed on the supply side.

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5874&highlight=children+shoes

The basic problem is this: it's just as much (or very nearly so as to make no difference) as much labor to make a pair of little kid boots or shoes as it is to make a grownup shoe, and no one will spend $150 on shoes for kids who will likely outgrow them after three events. You can sometimes talk a cordwainer into making bitty kid shoes, but it's going to be a fairly costly undertaking, and they may or may not be able to locate lasts; a custom cordwainer who makes his own lasts (say, with plaster castings of the foot in question) may be able to handle it, but children have a disconcerting habit of growing, and what fit perfectly at the casting may not by the time the shoes are finished.

SO, look at "best alternatives" if you aren't able to do 100% repro. The thread above has some alternatives listed.