—Lancaster Farming, Saturday. March 27, 1976 42 Mrs. Kent brought a wide array of visuals to demonstrate some of the techniques in making an authentic colonial dress. Mrs. Lambertson shows the wateau back on her gown as Mrs. Kent discusses how to construct it. Two speckled pigs and many memories By MELISSA PIPER While growing up I saw many animals, especially pigs, come to and leave our farm. Interestingly enough each individual animal had its own disposition and personality which made it unique and easily remembered. There were two animals that I will always remember with clarity and a smile - Emily and Elmer the pigs. Emily and Elmer were a pair of littermate crossbred pigs - their origin without pedigree - and their black speckled bodies and almost smiling grin set them apart from their colleagues on the farm. The two pigs were quite different from many others that shared their pen, for they had a gentle nature and almost lazy indifference that made them easy to work with and very likeable. And in no time the two speckled pigs became family pets instead of strictly my 4-H project for the summer! authentic 18th Pannier, stomacher, and fichu are probably not words used in your everyday vocabulary even if you are a seamstress or a fashion expert. But they could become important words to you if you are planning to make a bicentennial dress and want it to be an authentic 18th century reproduction. If you delve into the past and study the kinds of clothing our pioneer ancestors wore, you may find yourself becoming familiar with a wide range of words which have a very foreign sound. In a two-part program conducted by the York County Extension Service, Mrs. Joan Lamberson, extension home economist, and Mrs. Virginia Kent taught homemakers some of the finer points of constructing authentic garments. Mrs. Kent is the former manager of the Gates House and Plough Tavern in York and has done extensive research into 18th century clothing, designing and sewing the costumes worn at the restored homes. The first consideration in making your garment will probably be the fabric to be used. According to Mrs. Kent there was very little “middle class” in that period, so women were either “ladies of fashion” or pioneer women. Station in life, therefore, determined the type of garment one would wear and the fabric used. . - Mrs. Lamberson said a lady of fashion would have worn floral prints or solids in imported fabrics of damask, taffeta, chintz, silk, woolen or fine muslin. She said, “The colors' would have been delicate and lively, but not bright.’’ Rural, pioneer women would have had very functional clothing. The fabric might have been either handwoven by herself or by a weaver, and it would have been made from flax which she planted or from wool from the family sheep. So fabric would have been linen or wool, or homespun fabrics “such as hopsacking with nubs and slubs in the weave.’’ The colors might have been yellows, greens, browns or blues, and Mrs. Lamberson said, “stripes or floral prints might have been'used on special occasions.” But the question, of course, is what would one choose today? Chances are you’ll be visiting the local fabric store instead of importing fine fabric or weaving your own. In any case, Mrs. Lambertson said acceptable fabrics would include your own. In any case, Mrs. Lamberson said acceptable fabrics would include kettlecloth, calico, lightweight linen, floral or striped chintz, polished cotton, combination stripes and floral motifs, broadcloth and others, especially those which might be 100 percent cot ton. For a more elegant formal gown, brocade, taffeta, velvet, damask, or moire might be used. Slightly dull colors are best, for most of the fabrics would have been dyed with vegetable dyes. Aprons were often a part of the costume in those days, even dressy ones, but Mrs. Kent told the women never to use sharp whites, only off-white. She suggested that if you have white fabric you’re considering using for an ac cessory of some sort, it should be tinted in tea or coffee. Unbleached muslin, which is readily available now, is very appropriate, especially for “pioneer” clothing. Homespun in natural colors is also very good, according to Mrs. Kent. Naturally you won’t get far in your planning without choosing a pattern. Commercial patterns are available in many colonial styles. Mrs. Kent, however, advises adapting these patterns to make them more authentic in detail. She said, “I used four or five patterns in making my dress.”„ Country Comer Elmer and Emily received a lot of attention from all the members of our family which included a friendly back-scratching, a basket of grass clipping for dessert and often an extra measure of corn at feeding time. When the 4-H showtime rolled around 1 became a little less anxious to participate as I knew that each animal shown had to be sold later in the day. But encouragement from my family to experience the show atmosphere finally persuaded me to do so. it was not an easy decision but Dad wanted to keep Emily for breeding purposes and so Elmer was selected to be primped for the 4-H show. I wonder if more attention was ever lavished on a pig - except Arnold of course - but Elmer got the full treatment of several baths, a tail clipping, ear clipping and even glossed feet! Homestead Notes York seamstress fashions By Sally Bair Feature Writer century dresses She said zippers should be eliminated completely, agj invisible closings should be substituted. She using hooks and eyes or snaps, which were available then, but she also admitted to having used a Velcro closing m one bodice she sewed. Button closings can be adapted for some patterns, but buttons were not common in those days. They may havt been made of wood or bone, and for the very well off pewter buttons were available. There were also cloth covered buttons. Mrs. Lamberson suggested that patterns could be cut down the center front and 2 inches of fabric added to be used as a facing. The facing can be folded back and but tons and button dosings added in this way. Mrs. Kent said that necklines in the 18th century were square in the back, and skirts were usually pleated, n/; gathered. Also, she said, elastic should not be used a£ ’ neckline or elbow. Drawstrings were appropriate, and 1 would have been woven tape or ribbon. One detail which is omitted on most commercial pat terns is extra seaming in the back bodice. There may have been as many as six seams, Mrs. Kent said, radiating from a point in the center of the bodice. Again, Mrs Lamberson said a pattern could be altered to indude thu seaming. Her only caution in doing this is to make sure that correct seam allowances are added. Fashionable gowns were frequently of two pieces, or more. The bodice and skirt were separate and often an overskirt was worn over one or more petticoats. The front bodice was fashioned to come to a point somewhere just below the natural waistline, and the bodice was very flat The center, triangular part of the bodice was referred to as the “stomacher” and Mrs. Kent said if was often stiffened with whalebone, flexible steel rods, boards (!) or willow rods. Today, Mrs. Kent said, stays may be added to achieve that effect, or the entire stomacher .could be backed with a stiffening of some type. The “layered look” is nothing new. The 18th century lady of fashion also bad a layered look to some degree Her undergarments were often*! chemise and a corset The overdress was referred'to as a “robe” and, mentioned before, .often the- overskirt revealed a 'Jf ticoat. ■ Another interesting part of her costume was a “pan-1 nier” - this was a side hoop or rump bun which added I fullness to the hips, giving a bell shape to the full skirts. I This added fullness, according to Mrs. Kent, helped to I make the waist appear tiny and slim. I Frequently, 18th century dresses showed a prodigious I use of lace. Mrs. Kent advised real caution in choosing I laces for your garment. She used old lace for her clothing ■ and she said, “Never use white nylon lace - it looks awf» and ruins your outfit.” Also she said lace should IxH matched to the fabric type. “Don’t use delicate lace wittH plain fabric.” She recommended tinting lace with tea oiH coffee to achieve an older look. H The pioneer woman’s dress was really much simpler JH was often a simple chemise, belted at the waist, or drawH in by the apron. A drawstring would have been used at (!»■ neckline and sleeves. Often a “mobcap” completed tixH simple dress. ■ If you want to make a really authentic costume, yo