Helldorado Days 2019

Image result for helldorado tombstone

It’s October and that means Helldorado Days in Tombstone! This year, Helldorado is scheduled on October 18 through October 20, 2019 and the high point of the event is the parade to he held on Sunday October 20. First started in 1928 to publicize the town, Helldorado is held on the third Sunday of October and commemorates the town’s early years and especially that 30-second gunfight that took place somewhere close by to the OK Corral. We’ll be meeting with clients and otherwise working on some projects and having a little fun. See you there! 🙂

 

The New No. 11…

It’s been awhile since we’ve been to No. 11- with all the renovations going on, it’s simply not been possible but the interior work has been completed so now is the time and with Helldorado weekend coming up, there even more of an incentive to go out. 🙂


First day in Tombstone is always a bit rough on me, with the altitude change… but here’s the newly restored rooms at No. 11 in natural light. I know the main room’s colors are brave, but remember there’s draperies to make, large pieces of furniture to be brought in, and pictures to be hung and it will balance it all out. I love the original chandeliers that our contractor reworked for us, that awful nasty ceiling fan is gone.  🙂

Recent Developments In Mantle Design

Finding optimal mantle designs requires the right combination of fit and style, something that’s not always easy to achieve. Below is a prototype of a mantle based on a pattern that was drafted from an original 1880s mantle. The original mantle was fairly small so we scaled it up for a size 44 bust, a process complicated by the fact that the sleeves are actually set into the side/front and side/read seams rather than simply attaching to the armscye like a conventional sleeve.

 

The back is fairly roomy and can accommodate smaller bustles.

The under sleeves form “wings” that extend from the side seams.

The lining- the sleeves are lines separately before installation into the outside fashion fabric shell. The remainder of the lining is formed into a shell that’s like the outer shell only it has no sleeves.

To give structure and shape to the lapels, there’s an underlayer of Hymo canvas interfacing and the roll lines are reinforced with twill tape. Here’s the original toille:

The front is fairly roomy, allowing enough room to create lapels. If lapels are not desired, the front can be trimmed back. Also, a wide variety of collar styles can also be added- it’s all a matter of personal preference.

The sleeve caps have some ease.

The winged sleeves. We’ll be posting some more pictures of the sleeve details in future posts.

The Future…

T this gown *is* my future! I’ve lifted a pattern, sourced the silk, now to make one inspired by C.F. Himself, hoping to find some secrets in this gown in our museum collection. Um, in my spare time. 🙂

Flossing The Corset…

Luscious blush and salmon vintage silk flosses from Elizabeth Emerson Designs, the packaging is beautiful and the threads are lovely to work with!