In February I plan to attend a winter activities event in Vermont. Activities will include skating, sledding and sleigh rides. In my many years of living history sewing I have managed to do without heavy winter pieces. But now I think I will need to delve into winter sewing. My list includes a quilted hood, wool petticoat, Balmoral petticoat, canton flannel drawers, wool stockings, mittens, and a muff. Very ambitious, I know. I started with the quilted hood.
I used Timely Tresses Dorothea Katherine pattern. The pattern is based on an original and has a long and short curtain option; I chose the shorter curtain option. The pattern is fairly easy to follow; although I think the directions could be clearer in some steps. 
I chose to use silk for the outside and lining fabric and a wool batting. The outside fabric is from a repurposed silk skirt with a red design woven into the fabric. While part of the lining is a silver-grey silk, the back of the crown is a brown polished cotton.
The first step is to cut out the crown and brim from the outside and lining fabric, and the wool batting. The fabrics are basted together with the batting sandwiches between the fabrics. Before the pieces are sewn together they must be quilted. I quilted a diamond pattern similar to the original.
Small piping is included on the seam attaching the brim and crown.
The
crown in gathered to fit the brim. The raw edges of the seam are then overcast.
The raw outside edges are bound; I chose to bind my hood in black silk velvet. 
To achieve the appearance of a curtain in the back, the crown is gathered just above where the silk lining joins the polished cotton lining.
The chin ties on my hood are made from a silk fabric scrape. The back decoration sits on the back gathering.
I really enjoyed working on this piece. I haven’t had a chance yet to see how warm it is; perhaps during Remembrance Day in Gettysburg.
Categories: Civil War