Google Art Tour

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THIS IS A MUST SEE FOR ART TEACHERS.

Google has created an amazing program which allows you to tour many great museums: zoom in to see incredible details, interact, save favorite works, etc.

Thank you Google!

1820's Basic Cotton Day Dress

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October 22, 2009

Since finishing my corded stay (which ended up being not corded!) I decided to go into making a gown to wear over it right away rather than working on additional sets of undergarments. That way I can refine the fit and once I have a good basic bodice pattern to work from I can pretty much create limitless variations!

That being decided, I had a terribly hard time deciding what would be a good basic pattern to start with. There are so many styles in the 1820's that you can go with. Round high necklines, shallower necklines, wide scoop necklines, squared necklines, gathered necklines, V shaped necklines both steep and shallow. . .so it was difficult deciding on an overall representative style.

In the end, I chose this. The sketch is bad, but it was a quicky drawing after a whole morning of laborious thought for me to go off of and reference as I made my pattern and mock ups. It has a shallow scoop neckline because that is an oft seen style in the 20's and is also more flattering to me than other styles. It has a front opening because I need nursing access and I didn't want to make a seperate nursing panel. (Most dresses from this period I have seen pictures of open in the back). The lining will be darted to fit and the outer layer will be gathered over the fitted lining. It has moderate size gigot sleeves. (Is there a different name for moderate size gigot sleeves??) I don't need huge sleeves and besides taking more fabric I think the bigger sleeves look ridiculous! I am comfortable with this size but would not go any bigger. At least theoretically on paper. It will have a waistband which will open to a dogleg closure and the skirt will be 3 panels of fabric gathered or gauged to the waistband. The skirt hem is to end just above the ankle, a good "active style" length.

To start with, I tried on my 1820's style dress from last year over my stays to see if I would have to make adjustments to the pattern. I decided I wanted a slightly lower waistline (last years dress was made to go over short stays) and I needed a tad extra width across the bust. I also wanted curved back seams instead of the more straight diagonal seams I used last year. Curved seams are just prettier. :) I made the modifications to my paper pattern and traced it out new. I went through 3 mockups before getting the fit I wanted. I had to lengthen the waistline, try on the mock up, pleat the front excess at the waist, tie an elastic cord around my waist where I wanted the waistline to sit, mark it on the mock up (while it was on me. That was interesting.) I also had to refine the armscye curve and take some excess fabric out of the shoulder seam. I measured my arm and using the Sense and Sensibility Spencer pattern and Janet Arnold as a guide, made a draft for my sleeve. Once all that was done I ended up with these pieces: (my main pattern pieces are for a round high neckline. It is much easier for me to cut a new shallower neckline if desired than to raise a shallow neckline to a high one if I need to).

Then it was time to decide what fabric to use. I decided to use this pretty cream and pink cotton print that David gave me for Christmas last year. It is not exactly historically accurate but it is pretty. He will be pleased I am finally using it. I first tore 3 panels for the skirt, full width and 38" long. I then tore a strip full width and 2.5" wide for the waistband. I then folded the width in half lengthwise and positioned my bodice pieces on it and cut them out.

I ran into a snag with the sleeves. I didn't have quite enough yardage left to cut both sleeves on the fold. I at last decided to fold each selvedge edge in to the center line of the fabric width. Then I placed the sleeve on the fold. Part of the sleeve head did not fit, so I folded it out of the way and cut out what I could.

After I cut both sleeves, I cut off the little folded piece and added 1" allowance to the cut edge. I cut four of these pieces from scrap. They will be sewn to the sleeves to get the finished shape and I don't think the seams will be very noticeable. This method allowed me to get both sleeves from 31" of fabric - half of what it would have taken if I had folded the fabric lengthwise and cut both sleeves on the fold that way! Out of the remaining 1/3 yard of fabric I cut a multitude of bias strips for piping. I plan to pipe all the bodice seams, the waistband and the sleeve seams.

Then, I cut out lining pieces for the bodice from strong white cotton. I don't know if I will line the sleeves or not but I think not. . .they are so large anyway (compared to what I normally make) I think extra fabric would end up weighing them down. On the other hand, something light yet firm would help give the sleeves more shape, especially in the head. But I don't have anything light and firm like that so for now, I think I will leave the sleeves unlined.

Finally, I cut out the new, shallower neckline on all the bodice front and back pieces. I threaded the machine and laid everything out so whenever I get the chance I can start sewing the bodice pieces together!

Love,

Sarah

October 23, 2009

Yesterday afternoon I was able to start sewing the bodice together and was able to get all the main pieces put together and the piping added around the neckline for a finish. I piped each seam on the bodice; the back to side back seams, the side to front seams, and the shoulder seams. I use Peaches n' Cream cotton cord for my piping. For some reason the piping on my last years 1820's dress looks huge to me now. My goal is to get as teeny a pipe as I can. On the few original garments I've actually seen in person, the piping was so small as to be astonishing. It looked almost like a teeny bitty fold of fabric, so much different than the modern day clunky chunky piping you can buy pre made at the fabric store!

So anyway, I piped the bodice. I piped down the center front openings because it gives added strength to that area and on some original gowns with 2 piece fronts (even though they open in the back) the center seam is piped. I like piping; it gives such a neat clean finish and is so quick to do. I turned the raw edges of the piping under and slip stitched them to the dress lining to finish everything off.

This morning I tried the bodice on inside out and pinned it shut down the front. I took up darts in the lining fabric only and pinned them in place. Most original gowns I've seen have only one dart on each side of the front but I had so much extra fabric at the waist, I really had to make two darts on each side to get the right contour to the bust and for everything to lay nicely. *Note: It is usually not recommended that you pin in darts with your inside out bodice on you. This is because when you turn your bodice right sides out, the side you fitted to, for example, your left bust, will now be on your right bust, and vice versa. If your body is noticeably different on either side, it is highly recommened that you make all darts in a muslin and transfer the muslin to paper, clearly marking "left" and "right" so your final product will fit correctly. I hate bothering with this so I never do it. But for those of you who want to take the time to fit something perfectly, this is what is suggested to do.Once the darts were pinned I sewed them in place. Then I gathered the outer fabric down over the darts, and sewed on the waistband. I left 1/2" extending on either edge - the cut edge of the waistband is not flush with the finished bodice edge. This is so later I can turn it to the inside and cover it with the inner waistband.

I then turned my attention to the sleeves. I was pretty excited about them since last year I tried to make this sleeve style and it failed since I did not give myself enough length in the sleeve head. This time, I made sure to add plenty of length! :) Since the sleeve is fitted at the wrist I wanted a short placket so I could easily get my hand through. I sewed piping to the sleeve down the seam on one side, across the bottom and up a few inches on the other side, tapering the piping out to the raw edge. Then, when I sewed the sleeve seam I stopped the stitch line just below where I stopped the piping. The sleeves were turned inside out and the raw edges of the piping turned under and pinned to the lining along the bottom of the sleeve and up the sides of the short placket. A tidy way to do a placket and hem, all at once, and very fast and easy. I will sew a hook and eye to the wrists when I finish the dress.

I was getting a little tired of working on the dress by this time but thought I should at least pipe the armscyes on the bodice, so I did. I then ran gathering stitches across the tops of the sleeves and drew them up. And that was all I cared to do at the time. Next up is sewing the sleeves into the bodice and then turning my thoughts to the skirt. . .
Love,

Sarah ~ who is starting to have a most terrible and untimely fascination with 1810's fashions instead of the 1820's. . .

October 25, 2009

Yesterday I had a little time in the morning to work on the dress so I sewed in the sleeves, trimmed the allowance and considered it good. On historical dresses, many times the sleeve seam does not match the side seam like modern garments. The sleeve seam often is meant to run down the inside of the arm so it is matched to a place on the front bodice, usually at or just below the bust line. I don't have a set, mathematical method for positioning the sleeve seam. What I do is put on the sleeveless bodice, pin it shut, and pull up the sleeve on my arm. I adjust it til I like how it looks and where the seam lies and then I mark the position of the sleeve seam with a pin, on the front bodice. Then when I go to sew the sleeve in I just match the seam to the pin-point.

I don't know what kind of seam finishes were commonly used for dresses of the 1820's. It seems in pictures of original dresses the seams of sturdy fabric are left raw. Since my fabric is pretty sturdy, I just left the seams raw as well. For my 1860's style dresses I know seams were often not finished and if they were, a largish overcast stitch was used or, for underwear, the seams could be run and fell. Sometimes seam binding was used. I like ease, so I just left the seams raw. Later, if I notice them fraying a lot (on past dresses I've made this way the seams just soften up with washing) I can overcast them by hand.

Once the sleeves were in I decided to work on the skirt. I seamed the 3 panels of fabric together, using the selvedge edge in the skirt seams as a natural seam finish. One of the seams I left open for a few inches at the top. I turned under, pressed and handstitched the allowances on each side to finish off the placket.

Then, to make the dogleg closure, I sewed an extended waistband onto one side of the waistband. This band extends 5.5" from the bodice front edge. On the opposite bodice front edge, I marked 5" from the center front.

I gathered the skirt panels by machine (2 rows of the biggest stitch my machine makes) and drew up the panels. I started pinning the skirt to the bodice along the extended waistband, making sure the waistband extended 1/2" from the finished placket edge of the skirt. I pinned the skirt all around, stopping at the point 5" from the edge of the opposite bodice front. This is how it looked once it was sewn to the bodice:

To close, the skirt is first fastened and the bodice then lapped and fastened. This is how it will look when it is shut: I then tore a scrap of white cotton into a strip 2.5" wide and about 34" long to use as the waistband facing. I pressed under 1/2" on all raw edges and laid it wrong side down over the waistband on the inside of the dress. I pinned it to the seam lines, enclosing the seam allowances. Here, it is just pinned but since this time I have slip stitched most of the waistband facing to the waistband. Then to get an idea of what the dress will look like when it is finished, I put it on my homemade dressform (who is in urgent need of re-shaping and re-stuffing) and pinned it shut. I'm happy with how it looks so far! The skirt is gathered in the front just under the bust gathers per an original dress I've seen photos of (I have pics of the original dress on my Sangamon Settler blog, if anyone wants to see it - it is lovely!) The sides of the skirt are ungathered for a few inches on each side and the back is very tightly gathered. Now I must finish attaching the waistband facing and make the hem and the dress is ready for fasteners! :)

Love,

Sarah

October 28, 2009

It's been a few days since I've posted, but a few days ago I finished the hem. The hem was done in this manner:

3 strips of white cotton about 4" wide were torn full width and sewn together into a tube, equaling the circumference of the skirt. The white cotton facing was sewn to the skirt, right sides together, all along the bottom edge of the skirt. The seam was pressed towards the facing and 1/4" was turned under along the raw facing edge, towards the inside:

Then, the facing was pressed up inside the skirt and pinned in place. A teeny bit of skirt fabric was turned under as well, just so there is no danger of the white facing showing from the outside! :) I used a running stitch with small stitches on the outside and larger ones on the inside to attach the facing by hand. This is a quick and easy way to do a hem and can be done on any rectangular skirt. The hem facing will also take the abuse of wear and can be replaced once it gets dingy and dirty (I have done this before!) thus protecting the dress fabric from getting tatty at the hem prematurely.

I still have to sew hooks to the bodice (I already sewed them to the dogleg closure) but I need 10 and only have 5 on hand so I need to pick up some more packages of them. I won't be going to town until tomorrow, but perhaps I can take some hooks off an old dress so I can finally wear this one.

Love,

Sarah

December 4, 2009

I have had this dress finished for over a month but have procrastinated posting pictures of it here until now. These were taken at the beginning of November outside of our house; the last warm days of fall! Now that it is finished I think it looks more late 1820's/early 1830's due to the height of the waist, the full skirts and the size of the sleeves. It's still an 1820's dress, just not as early a style as I had originally been going for. :) But I really like it anyway, I think it is my new favorite gown.

War Geology

In the year 1915 the Great War reached the, at the time, Austrian Dolomites as the neutral Italy declared war to the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. The military high commando feared that bypassing the Alps the Italian army could reach the city of Vienna in just one week, so it was decided to secure the most important routes and mountain passes at the national borders.

The Falzarego pass, connecting the city of Cortina d´Ampezzo with the western valleys, was of strategic significance - this pass is situated at 2.105m a.s.l. and is dominated in the north by the nearly vertical cliff of the small Lagazuoi, a 2.700m high mountain.

Fig.1. The Lagazuoi overlooking the Falzarego pass situated at the left corner of the photography. The Austrian front line followed the crest of the mountain.

There was no experience with war in such an extreme and alpine environment, it was nearly impossible to attack directly the enemy when he hid behind inaccessible rocks or in steep cliffs and soon a position warfare between the Austrian and Italian troops developed.
The strategists of the military tried to resolve this problem with a war technology successfully adopted in the soft shale, cretaceous sediments and quaternary deposits of the low plains of France, Netherlands or Russia: the mine war. Long tunnels were dig until approaching hidden in the underground the enemy front line, then the end of the tunnel is filled with explosives or mines and the enemy simply blasted away.
In mountains by undermining the enemy position or by causing rock-fall on the enemy it was possible to misuse the geology as tactical weapon of mass destruction. However the Triassic rocks of the Dolomites were much harder to excavate than expected and only with great effort in material and men it was possible to extend the military tunnels by 10m every day in the dolostone.

In the years 1915 to 1917, when the war in the Dolomites was finally abandoned, at the entire front line of Tyrol 34 blasting operations were attempted, 20 by the Italian army and the remaining by the Austrian army.
The Austrian army realized the importance to know the geology of the battle fiels and instituted a special division formed by war-geologists - the "Kriegsgeologen". These geologists recorded the geology in the front line and studied the best solutions for engineering problems to construct defensive positions, artificial tunnels and other military infrastructures. Apart their military duties they however enjoyed great liberties and were allowed to move free at the front line and to continue their scientific work by collecting samples, rocks and fossils. Also in the Italian army many professional geologists were engaged, even if the Italians never possessed an own military geologists-division.

Fig.2. A romantic view of the war in the Dolomites as seen by the Austrian artist and alpinist Gustav Jahn (1879-1919), who fought in the first world war. Soon the soldiers realized that this war would last much longer than expected and that the beautiful landscape hid a harsh mountain environment that would cost more lifes than the battle operations.

The Lagazuoi is composed of the Cassian Dolomite-formation, dolostone of a former Triassic reef complex with the massif reef core at its centre and the clinostratification of reef debris interfingering with marls of a sea basin to the east. The dolostone of this formation is hard but brittle and also tectonically weakened, so driving small tunnels into the mountain is still possible, even if a tedious quest.
In 1915, to reach the Italian position situated in middle of the southern rock wall of the Lagazuoi, the Austrian army begun to excavate from the northern slope a tunnel trough the mountain. Adopting a similar strategy the Italian soldiers tried to undermine the peak of the Lagazuoi, where the Austrian soldiers were stationed, so the Italian excavated in five months a more than 1.000m long tunnel to reach a position below the mountain peak.

The Austrian Kaiserjäger Hanz Berger remembers the work in the tunnels:

"In the tunnels I'm afraid to be blasted into the air from below or to become entrapped, the pointers of my clock seem to slow down in this place, a second lasts for two, a minute for 20 minutes, a night can last forever and it seems that the sun is gone forever."

Fig.3. The Austrian front line follows a rock wall on the summit of the Lagazoui - today the huts and the tunnels used by the soldiers are a memorial place.

Fig.4. A simple hut constructed by the soldiers.

Fig.5. Inside the hut, the soldiers lived for months, often the entire winter, in such primitive shelters.

Fig.6. View outside one of the tunnels through a loophole into the valley.

At the Lagazuoi many tunnels were constructed and 5 mines were detonated by the two armies during the war:

Shortly after midnight of the new-year day of 1916 the Austrian army initiated the mine wars at the Dolomites front with the detonation of 300kg of explosives inside of the Lagazoui. A large boulder was blasted off but it caused only minor damage on the huts of the Italian position.

On 11.07.1916 the Italian army blasts off the "Castelletto", a rock ledge on the steep cliff of the Tofana di Roces, a mountain situated in the east to the Lagazuoi, using 35.000kg of explosives hidden in a 400m long gallery inside the mountain. They hope to bury and destroy the underlying Austrian front line, 13 soldiers were killed.

Fig.7. The Tofane di Roces today.

On 14.01.1917 using 16.000kg of explosives a 37m in diameter and 45 deep crater was blasted into the mountain, still today the debris of the explosion is recognizable at the base of the cliff of the Lagazuoi (left debris cone).

22.05.1917 the third Austrian blast operation with 30.400kg explosives tries to destroy the Italian position, 200.000 cubic meters debris fell off from the mountain producing a 200 high and 140m broad scar, 4 Italian soldiers were killed.

In the morning of the 20, June 1917, after the construction of a complex gallery trough the mountain, 33.000kg of explosives deposited under the peak of the Lagazuoi explode, tearing apart the mountain and producing the right debris cone at the base of the Lagazuoi.

Fig.8. The scar in the rock wall and the debris cone produced from the explosion in 1917 is still well visible. The Italian front line was situated in the middle of the rock wall, on the large step visible in the photography, formed by the contact of two stages of the reef-growth during the Triassic.

The Italian soldier Luigi Panicalli recalls this day:

"I realize that in few moments the results of all this months, in which we worked and suffered, will be shown. I'm like petrified. In this last moments my thoughts are by the enemy - poor guys - do they feel that death is approaching, do they anticipate that their enemy is inside the mountain and will hurl them from the summit of the mountain into the grave ?"

In the end the various attempts and operations in all these years didn't change the front line or the progress of the war - and still today the scars of the mountain are visible like silent reminders of the madness of war.



Bibliography:

AVANZINI, M. & ZAMBOTTO, P. (2009): Paleontologi in Guerra. PaleoItalia 20: 17-20
PIERO, G.; AVANZINI, M.; BREDA, A.; KUSTATSCHER, E.; PRETO, N.; ROGHI, G.; FURIN, S.; MASSARI, F. PICOTTI, V. & STEFANI, M. (2010): Dolomites 7th international Triassic Field Workshop Pan-European correlation of the Triassic. Field trip to the world heritage site of the Tethyan Triassic September 5-10, 2010 Dolomites, Southern Alps, Italy: 122

Online Resources:

KNOPP, G. (2009): Der Kampf um Südtirol. (Accessed 11.05.2011)
STRIFFLER, R. (): Die 34 Minensprengungen an der Tiroler Gebirgsfront 1916-1918. (Accessed 11.05.2011)

10 Usability Principles to guide you through the Web Design Maze

1. Motivate: Design your site to meet specific user needs and goals. Use motivators to draw different user "personae" into specific parts of your site.

2. User task flow: Who are your users? What are their tasks and online environment? For a site to be usable, page flow must match workflow.

3. Architecture – it's 80% of usability, Build an efficient navigational structure. Remember – if they can't find it in 3 clicks, they're gone.

4. Affordance means obvious: Make controls understandable. Avoid confusion between emblems, banners, and buttons.

5. Replicate: Why reinvent the wheel? Use ergonomically designed templates for the most common 8-12 pages.

6. Usability test along the way: Test early in design using low-fidelity prototypes. Don't wait until the end when it's too late. Know the technology limitations Identify and optimize for target browsers and user hardware. Test HTML, JavaScript, etc. for compatibility.

7. Know the technology limitations: Identify and optimize for target browsers and user hardware.Test HTML, JavaScript, etc for compatibility.

8. Know user tolerances: Users are impatient. Design for a 2-10 second maximum download. Reuse header graphics so they can load from cache. Avoid excessive scrolling.

9. Multimedia – be discriminating: Good animation attracts attention to specific information, then stops. Too much movement distracts, slowing reading and comprehension.

10. Use a stats package: Monitor traffic through your site. Which pages pique user interest? Which pages make users leave? Adjust your site accordingly.

Bregner / Ferns.

type='html'>I hagen vår har vi mange bregner. Bregner er, utfra det jeg har forstått, omstridt som hageplante, og mange ser på de som ugress. Bregner er opprinnelig skogsplanter. Eiendommen vår grenser til en skog, og kanskje det er derfor det er så mange av dem her.

Noen av bregnene er gamle og storvokste og fantes i hagen da vi flyttet hit, noen har dukket opp av seg selv, men jeg har også plantet noen få selv. Jeg liker at bregnene er en del av hagen, og kommer ikke til å gjøre noe forsøk på å fjerne dem. Jeg synes de er vakre, og gir et frodig uttrykk. De forskjellige bregnesortene er ikke helt lett å skille fra hverandre, men jeg tror de fleste her på tomta er ormetelg, samt noen få skogburkne og strutseving.

In my garden there are growing lots of ferns. Ferns are, as far as I have read, disputed as a garden plant, and many people see them as weeds. Ferns originally belong to the wood. Our garden is next to a wood, and maybe that is why so many ferns grow here.

We have some old and large ferns, growing in the garden since long before we moved here, there are some ferns that have appeared out of the blue, as well as a few ferns I have planted. I like that the ferns are a part of my garden, and I will not remove them. I find ferns beautiful, and they make the garden look lush. The different fern varieties are not always easy to tell apart, but I believe most ferns in my garden are common male ferns, in addition to a few ostrich ferns and common ladyferns.

Bregner kalles ofte ormegress. Noen sier at det bor ormer der det er ormegress, andre sier at det er helt trygt å gå blandt ormegress, fordi det beskytter mot orm.

I gamle dager var det vanlig å hente bregner i skogen og plante på hver side av inngangsdøra til pynt, og som beskyttelse mot hekser og djevler.

Bregneskudd som ruller seg ut blir ofte kalt bispestaver.

In my country ferns are often called "worm grass". Some people say that worms live under the ferns, while other people say that it is totally safe to walk among ferns because they give protection against worms.

Earlier it was common to take home ferns from the wood and plant them on each side of the entrance door to the house, for decorations and for protection against witches and devils.

Fern shoots rolling out are somtimes called "episcopal sticks".

Ormetelg er en gammel medisinplante, tradisjonelt brukt mot innvollsorm. Ormetelg er giftig og må ikke spises.

Common Male Fern was a common medicine herb in older times, traditionally used against intestinal worms. Common Male Fern is poisonous, and should not be consumated.

Skuddene av strutseving og fjellburkne er spiselig, og ble brukt som mat bl.a av vikingene. Bregneskuddene inneholder viktige amminosyrer og er fulle av proteiner.

Ellers kan man koke bregner i vann, fjerne bladene og bruke vannet som næring til hageplanter. Roser som sprøytes med bregnevann beskyttes mot rustsopp.

Shoots of ostrich fern and alpine ladyfern are safe to eat, and were used as food by the vikings. The shoots are rich in amino acids and proteins.

Fern leaves can be boiled in water, then removed, and the water can be used as fertilizer for garden plants. Or sprinkle fern water on the rose bushes to protect the leaves from fungus.

Bregner passer på skyggefulle, fuktige steder, f.eks i woodland, ved dammen og i naturlige deler av hagen. Bregner kan beskjæres hvis de blir for store.

Hva tenker dere om bregner i hagen?

Ferns are suitable for shady and moist places, like in woodlands, by the pond and in natural gardens. Ferns can be pruned if they grow too big.

What do you think about ferns in the garden?

Elephant Beuty and Elephant Walk Policy

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Ramesh Menon

Elephants - Temple elephants are an integral part in the life of Keralites. Especially, if you are from Trichur area. The attachment towards the animal and interaction are very emotional and sensitive that they even address them by names and from ancient times there are several stories propagating the love and affection between man and elephant.

An Elephant's walk is a beauty to watch. However, imagine a situation if it get's wild. You just have to do a small search on youtube, you will see several videos of attacks by wild and angry elephant's killing it's mahout or others who come across.

Out of love and passion for the animal, I too have developed a very important Management Principle based on Elephant, closely following it's gentle and beautiful walking style which is a beauty to watch and it's actions terrorising all when it is wild. I have termed it as ELEPHANT WALK POLICY. It is somewhat related to our Gandhian and Hitler's philosphies and principles. Ist part of this principle follows Gandhi. Be mild - as mild as you can till you cannot tolerate any more when you may change over and follow Hitler and be wild and aggressive - as aggressive as you can. Create a wild impact and then let this impact force the results. It may be harmful, but till you shift the gear to Hitler, be a Gandhian.

Photos: PN Subramanian

at Mulakunnathakavu