With the Spring comes...

...Gardening! Here are a few photos of Alice (left) and Emaline (right).

Here Emaline and Alice are working in their Mother's shared flower garden. They both love to garden and when they get a chance to visit with each other at the same time it makes it so much more enjoyable.
Although they are not wearing their finest... they believe you can look fashionable even when gardening.

Alice loves to garden in her bare feet. There's nothing better than sinking your feet in the rich, damp earth in the Spring.

Pulling weeds...

Trimming off last years dry bits...

Getting the soil ready for planting...

This is Alice's "everyday dress". She loves plaid (which is a highly fashionable thing in the 1860's) and she is usually seen wearing more than one print at a time. It is made out of a cotton plaid, has a fitted bodice that buttons up the back, bishop sleeves with no cuffs, and a gathered skirt. Her apron is a gathered half apron made from cotton calico.

This is Emaline's "everyday dress". It is cotton calico with a fitted bodice that fastens up the front with hidden hooks and eyes, drop shoulders, bishop sleeves with cuffs, gathered skirt and a little stand up collar. All very fashionable things in the 1860's.Her apron is a full apron made out of cotton with box pleats on the skirt to show off the pin tucks and embroidery all down the front. The straps criss-cross in the back and there are long ties connected to the waistband to make into a lovely bow.

This is a petticoat that I made by hand out of a cream colored muslin. It is gathered into the waistband and has three "growth tucks" at the bottom. Growth tucks were used a lot in the 1860's mostly on children's clothes so that when they got taller they could let the growth tucks out to make the skirt longer. However, they were also used for decoration. So, I suppose that is the case here. =]

Well, that is all for today. Summer is coming so fast, I can hardly believe it!
I am so excited about the upcoming festivities of Summer!
Have a lovely day everyone!
Love, Miss Emaline