How to make inexpensive 18th century shoes for kids

Well, not make, exactly, but how to make "acceptable" ones on a budget.

The hobby standard is to use black oxfords with black tights or knee socks. Not cotton Mary Jane canvas flats, but lace-up shoes. They sort of disappear, or at least become neutral instead saying "LOOK AT MY PURPLE CROCS UNDER MY GOWN!"

Black oxfords can be picked up at Goodwill for a couple of dollars. If you look closely ...

... you can see the padded ankle and the huge clunky heel and the laces, but it general, it doesn't detract from the overall outfit.

When I made the white cross-barred muslin gown for Sweet Daughter, I knew I'd have to step things up a bit. She was going to need white stockings and the shoes were going to be noticeable. I found these shoes,

and thought "What the heck? The price isn't awful, and they have a round toe with no seam, and sort of a buckle ..." The tongues turned out to be absolutely ridiculous, and so I trimmed them back. But not enough ...

 

And they scuffed terribly after only being worn two days.

 

 

They were absolutely "\costume" quality.

 

So I decided to spray paint them red with Fusion paint designed for plastics. I cut the tongues down some more, masked the heels and soles, and sprayed them red. I figured when they get scuffed up again, I''lljust give them another squirt of red paint.

 

 

I ordered some inexpensive oval brass buckles (well inexpensive compared to real shoe buckles) and substituted them for the cheap rectangular pot-metal ones. The shoes are till scuffed, but they look a LOT better.

 

 

 

 

 

An easier way to make more passable shoes is to take a pair of  thrift store oxfords and cut them down. See the lower profile? Cut down past the first row of grommets. You can touch up the cut edge with a black Sharpie.

 

 

Then cut away under the second row of grommets. Cut away so that you have finger-shaped tabs and tie with a silk ribbon.

 

 

Same pair of shoes ... after being cut down and before. Quite the difference, eh?

The next project will be thrift store shoes cut down and painted red!

Once in a while, you hit the jackpot

I started researching images for Sweet Daughter's "turban" to go with her muslin gown, and hit the mother lode. Reinette had already compiled an amazing collection of images.

"Turquerie-the fashion for all things Turkish started in e late sixteenth century and lasted well into the nineteenth.It wasn't concerned with the realities of life in the east but it was rather a product of European fantasies about the luxuries of the Orient."

Here are a few images (all shamelessly stolen from the above site) to whet your whistle.

Because ...

Because work got interesting late on Friday, and I've done nothing of note all weekend (except move furniture, work on organizing the sewing room, spray paint some shoes, start turning old wine into vinegar ... you know ... the usual weekend), and because MSgt B posted this, and just because EVERYBODY needs to be humming "fleas on rats" to themselves, not just me, I present today's history lesson:

So much for sleeping in

Yesterday morning, I was still in bed while preparing myself to get up and go into the office for a few hours (“The deadline is when?). I hadn’t slept well for a few nights as the new ice maker sounds like the Tin Man vomiting shrapnel into a galvanized bucket whenever it dumps a load of ice. I’m still finding this … startling.

 

Anyhow, I was running through my mental list of Stuff to Do, when I felt a like I’d been jabbed with a Glover's needle. Nope, a wasp got me. IN MY OWN BED. It got me on the arm, above the elbow - it could have been much worse. And while a highly effective way to wake the hell up, I do not recommend it.

I probably didn’t need the coffee on top of the adrenaline, either. At least I was the only one in the office, so nobody could hear me singing.

 

New Fridge

I ventured into town this afternoon to see what I could turn up. Apparently, 32" is a very narrow space for refrigerators these days, so options were limited.

When Joey the sales guy heard what I had to spend, he gave me the card of a local guy who sells refurbished appliances with a 30 day warranty. We looked at what was on the floor anyway, to see if any fit my criteria; reasonable price, would fit in the space inhabited by the previous fridge, and could make ice. Low and behold, one appeared. After subtracting markdowns, sales, and discounts, then adding back tax and a three year bumper-to-bumper warranty, it came to $43 under sticker price. And that included delivery of the new fridge and hauling away of the old carcass. He said he'd give me a written estimate which would be good until the close of business.

At this point the heavens opened up and just let loose. I've sat through hurricanes with less wind and rain. I couldn't see 5 feet past the glass in the doors, much less where I'd parked my car. I figured this was the Almighty telling me to stay put, and just take the deal, already. So I did.

Half an hour after business was concluded, there was enough of a let-up that I could find my car. This will be interesting. I haven't had a new refrigerator since 1988.

Assumed Room Temperature

My refrigerator has been ailing, and apparently died while I was at work today.

Face Book friends came to the rescue and the first obvious thing to check were the coils. After getting the blasted thing moved out of the depression it had made in the floor, I realized that there were no coils on the back of this thing, they are underneath. And after being unplugged for a couple of hours, cranking the thermostat down didn't cause anything to kick back on. The conclusion was that the compressor was shot.

Years of loud music and then artillery means that I can't hear over things like room fans roaring quietly in the background. This means I failed to hear the compressor come on. Or, in this case, NOT come on. The turned milk should have been a clue. As should the ground beef that went off a little sooner than expected.

All the frozen stuff is downstairs in the chest freezer, and the rest is packed into coolers with ice. I found the perfect replacement fridge on Craigslist at a great price, but am not getting a response from the sellers. A coworker generously volunteered his services and those of his van and trailer. Tomorrow after work we'll drive into town and see what the Big Box Stores have in the scratch and dent section. Here's hoping I get lucky.

The worst part ...

... about a massive sewing project with a deadline and then a weekend away, is that I come back to a house that looks like it threw up on itself. I'm starting to get things sorted and put away, but the sewing room is going to be a weekend project in and of itself anyway. For now, I'll settle for "grouping like things together in the same heap".

Sweet Daughter is looking forward to helping me organize the sewing room. She's good a sorting things into boxes, and if nothing else, she'll see how to tackle a project of this size. This may inspire her to work on her bedroom. I'll make a deal with her ... if she helps me with the sewing room, I'll help her with her bedroom.

Hopefully we'll uncover enough area in the sewing room to put out the cheapo sewing machine I got in trade for doing some sewing for a guy at work. There was a Commodore 64 at a yard sale that he wanted, but they wouldn't let him have it unless he took the sewing machine as well. It will be a good one for SD to learn on and if it gets hosed, no great loss.

Tonight, I'm staring at a few uncluttered surfaces (too few), and also at a glass of wine that has to be the worst stuff I've ever had. Research has begun on making vinegar at home. We'll see how that goes.