And there are...Broadfalls

Four pairs broadfalls
custom-made in July 2011
by Rachels' Seamstress Services



In the mid 1800's, broadfall trousers came into use and have a fall that is from hip to hip...thus the name broadfall.

Broadfall trousers were worn by the general population (of men) during the late 1700's through the mid 1800's.

Before the invention of the zipper, the buttoned fly front had been used in the early 1700's, by the later part of the century all breeches, pantaloons, trousers and overalls used the narrow fall closure...the first broadfall option in trousers. Narrow fall broadfalls are now made mostly for historical period re-enactments.

Later on, after pantaloons were invented, the fly front came about. The broadfall remained as a sporting attire option, and is now not worn by the general population, only seen uniformly in the Amish, some Mennonite, Conservative Quaker and other Anabaptist groups.




Small Boys' Broadfall Trousers with
added 'front flaps'.
Can be purchased in Rachels' 'Etsy Shop'.

 Suspenders

Presently, most trousers are held up with the use of a belt which is passed through the belt loops on the waistband of trousers. However, this was traditionally a style acceptable only for casual trousers and work trousers; suit trousers and formal trousers were suspended by the use of braces (called suspenders in American English) attached to buttons located on the interior or exterior of the waistband. Today, this remains the preferred method of trouser support amongst classical British tailoring and those who wear broadfall trousers. Many men claim this method is more effective and more comfortable because there is no cinching of the waist or periodic adjustment.



Custom Sewing Projects



Letha Fulton's School of Dance
"Annie" Production, June 2011

I would like to share with you all several custom sewing projects I have worked on.

Most recently, in June 2011, I was contacted by Letha Fulton's School of Dance to make seventeen young girls aprons for an 'Annie' Production.

I was thrilled to have the opportunity, as productions of many kinds, esp. historical, interest me very much. The sizes of the aprons and the girls' names soon arrived in the mail, and I set to work.

I was pleasantly surprised when the photograph arrived, with 14 of the girls, in their 'Annie' attire. 

The above photograph will sit on my desk as a beautiful reminder to always persevere and...

"Whatever you are...Be a good one" ~Abraham Lincoln

Additionally, in 2009-2010, I was contracted to make ten Jig and Lilt Scottish Highland Dresses, in addition to underskirts and aprons for Bonnie Toes. Again, I was thrilled to have the opportunity. Not knowing too much about this particular attire, several design inquiries were made and I learned a great deal not only about the attire, but also, designing the attire for 'ease of movement' with the dancing.

In between, other custom sewing projects have been completed, such as:

• Period correct men's attire for a 'Lewis & Clark' expedition re-enactment.
• 'Scrub Tops' in a particular fabric and design for a nurse.
• Custom-made attire for a young boy with a disability.
• Custom-made head coverings. 

I appreciate each and every opportunity to use my skills to 'make a difference' in other lives, in a very happy way too! And I am so thankful to be able to use these skills as my vocation...a true blessing.

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.

~St. Augustine's Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Making a Difference

I love books...that inspire, inform, and improve our lives. Many times, I have fallen asleep with a book in my hands. Here is a short story that changed a cloudy day into a sunny one...

Once upon a time, there was a young boy who lived just near a beach. Every afternoon the boy would walk along the beach.

One day as he was walking, he noticed that as the tide had gone out it had left many starfish stranded on the beach. He realized that if the starfish were left there, they would die before the water returned. So as he walked along the beach, one by one he picked up the starfish and threw them back into the water. He couldn't pick them all up because there were too many, but the ones he could pick up he did.

From that day on, the boy would spend his afternoons walking along the beach throwing the starfish back into the water. Then one day as the boy was walking, an old man came walking in the other direction. The old man saw what the young boy was doing and cried out, "What are you doing, boy? You'll never make a difference. Why don't you just enjoy your walk?" The boy ignored the old man and continued to pick up the starfish, one by one, and to throw them back into the water. But as the old man got closer, he came right up to the boy and said, "What are you doing? What are you doing, boy? You'll never make a difference. Why don't you just enjoy your walk?"

The boy just stood there and said nothing. Then the old man grabbed the young boy by the arm, turned him around, and made him face down the beach. As the young boy and the old man looked down the beach, they could see that there were many, many starfish. The old man said, "Look, boy, there's hundreds of them, there's thousands of them. Look how many you have missed. You'll never make a difference. Forget about them. Just enjoy your walk."

Just then, the young boy bent down and reached into the sand one more time and picked up one more starfish. And standing up, he threw the starfish as far as he could into the ocean. Then, looking deep into the old man's eyes, he said, "I made a difference for that one."

Taken from the book The Rhythm of Life, by Matthew Kelly

Stay With Me, Lord

Stay with me, Lord, for it is nec­es­sary to have You present so that I do not for­get You.You know how  eas­ily I aban­don You.

Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need Your strength,that I may not fall so often.

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life, and with­out You, I am with­out fervor.

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light, and with­out You, I am in darkness.

Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.

Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice and fol­low You.

Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much, and always be in Your company.

Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faith­ful to You.

Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is, I want it to be a place of con­so­la­tion for You, a nest of love.

Stay with me, Jesus, for it is get­ting late and the day is com­ing to a close, and life passes; death, judg­ment, eter­nity approaches. It is nec­es­sary to renew my strength, so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need You. It is get­ting late and death approaches, I fear the dark­ness, the temp­ta­tions, the dry­ness, the cross, the sor­rows. O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile!

Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all it’s dan­gers. I need You. Let me rec­og­nize You as Your dis­ci­ples did at the break­ing of the bread, so that the Eucharis­tic Com­mu­nion be the Light which dis­perses the dark­ness, the force which sus­tains me, the unique joy of my heart.

Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to You, if not by com­mu­nion, at least by grace and love.

Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine con­so­la­tion, because I do not merit it, but the gift of Your Pres­ence, oh yes, I ask this of You!

Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for, Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love You and ask no other reward but to love You more and more.
With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth and con­tinue to love You per­fectly dur­ing all eter­nity. Amen

~Prayer of St. Pio of Pietrel­cina after Holy Communion