Day 9: BIG Project

            So, every now and then you see something, whether it’s in a store, on the screen, or in a book, and your first thought is, “Well, that’s just ridiculous”, followed up immediately by, “I must have it.” That was the story of me with the calash. I saw it in the Milliner’s Shop in CW when I was young, and after the half second required to make a face at how ridiculous it was, I decided I needed to sew one someday.

Some period depictions of different calashes

            Last summer, I sincerely thought about starting one, but I didn’t have any fabric suitable for it. I wanted to make one that was green silk, with a pink or red lining, since I had plenty of documentation for 18^th century calash bonnets fitting that description. (There are so many shapes, sizes, and colors of calash bonnets though, check out the MET's collection!) I found a bargain on green silk and ordered it last August, and then in March of this year I found some pink linen that I loved at the Fort Frederick Market Fair. One of my friends had some reed she was giving away, and with that, my calash was born.

            I started by analyzing the calash from Fitting and Proper, and replicating the measurements at their full scale. From there it was simple straight sewing to make the rectangle with all of its boning channels and gathers, and then add some ruffled edges and insert the boning.

My half-gathered silk in one of my favorite break rooms/sewing spots at work

            The biggest challenge was probably trying to keep my stitches invisible – no matter what color thread I used, it would show through on one of my layers. I experimented with different stitches, keeping them discreet, and eventually found something I was happy with. If I was to do this project again, I might consider using tapes to make the channels on the linen lining, and then pick-stitching the green silk over top. However, this method was certain cheaper and faster! I am also contemplating making another with just the green silk, and folding the silk around the reed to sew the channels that way. It would be lighter, and would also solve the problem of visible stitches.

Sewing gathers after boning channels

            One of the things that really excited me about this project was how much I would get to learn. In addition to the basic research one does when they undertake a historical sewing project, I also realized that I would be learning more about how an 18^th century lady carried herself. As I sewed, I interpreted the project, and found guests asking the same questions I had been asking myself: Would it really balance on my shoulders with just the small ruffle and tie? Would it actually stay up like I wanted it to? What if my arm got tired from holding the ribbon? (I especially love questions like that last one, asked by a very young girl. The smallest visitors usually have the most insightful questions regarding the practicalities of everyday life that would otherwise be overlooked.)

At this point, most visitors who saw me working remarked that it looked like an accordion or a caterpillar! You can also see some of the reed I used in the lower right corner.

All of the cane cut to length and inserted into the channels - it was quite the monstrosity at this point! (And I can't wait to make an even bigger one!)

            However, once I finished the calash, I had answers! I still haven’t added the ribbon, but if your arm does get tired, it’s okay – the calash stays up on its own! I don’t know if I could run in it, or if it would stay put in gale force winds, but I am certainly able to walk around and go about my business at work with it on.

            So, for a project I spent a month affectionately referring to as my ‘starburst watermelon hat’, I’m pretty pleased with my fancy outcome!


*This post should have been published on Wednesday, August 9th. However, I was on vacation and was not able to photograph everything before leaving