04.30.07
I’m my Grandmother
For those of you who knew my Grandma Stoops, I’m sure you’ll recognize her face in mine.
This is the finished costume I’ll be wearing when we vend at shows. I represent a 1900’s era woman named Rosailina Worth. She was born in 1857 and would have been my Great Great Grandmother. I choose her because she lived on a farm, would have known how to knit and make her own clothes. She had 5 kids and would have been my age in the early 1900’s.
What do I have on? Let’s start at the bottom….1 pair crotchless pantaloons (vintage) , 1 petticoat (vintage) , the skirt I made because you cannot find anything original to fit a woman in today’s world. Finally an original apron with hand crochet lace.
The shawl I knit last fall, the shirt is a Wal Mart (gasp!) cotton shirt I re-worked to fit the era. The gloves I purchased from an antique mall and the Hat is an original and compliments of a vendor on ETSY. Finally the shoes are new but are reproductions and actually fit fairly well.
I can now say I know why these 1900’s women, especially the working class which is what I represent, wore those crotchless pantaloons and always had their sleeves rolled up. They were HOT with all those layers on; and to think it was only 65 degrees in our front yard.