Dresses and trancription

My life has been so incredibly busy this past year but none the less I have found time for some really good transcription. Today though we helped at the OGS Library sorting through the reference books. After that we decided to go out for lunch and on the way we went to the fabric shop so that I could look at dress patterns. I found the exact pattern that I liked and debated between satin and velvet for the dress. I believe that velvet has won out because it is a winter wedding. I think that I will have a burgundy velvet and I would be able to wear the dress again because velvet is so versatile. Satin would always have the problem of not being overly friendly as a material although it looks fantastic. Now that the really tough part is done - deciding on the pattern I can purchase the material and get the dress sewn up. Then I will let my daughter decide if it suits her to have me wear that for her wedding and if not I will go and buy one of those beaded dresses that I really loathe but they do look like wedding fare.

I am not sure if I will have any trimming on it as I really do not care for trimming and I do not think I will make the puffed sleeve in chiffon although that would look very nice. I think I will stick with all velvet and it will be floor length. If we really take to dancing then we can occasionally perhaps go and dance and the dress will be suitable for that. I have low heeled pumps to wear with the dress already (black) and I will use makeup and my hair will be done in some sort of a style that will suit. I will not colour my hair as I like it the way that it is - salt and pepper it is called for the moment although becoming more salt than pepper these days.

I need to decide on the lining material and I rather think I will use a fine cotton rather than a nylon lining. The fine cotton will be quite nice and they have lots of colour. I will shrink the cotton first though I think just to be on the safe side. These days velvet is quite washable but some times the preshrunk cotton are best shrunk at home as well. I will have to get my steamer going to do the best job on the seams. I will be nice and warm in velvet as well and can wear one of my shawls to keep me quite warm.

This morning I had an interesting email from one of the Routledge researchers:

Carlisle Record Office Will of Archibald FORRESTER of Cleughside, Bewcastle [Bc] 1767, pg 63.

Grace Forrester, deceased poss. The mother of John Routledge

John Forrester, Wit

Adam Routledge s o Mary, Wid

George Routledge, of Oakshaw , Bc , father of 2 children

Grace Routledge, daughter of [d o ] Mary Routledge, Wid

Henry Routledge, s o Mary R*

Henry Routledge of Borderrigg, dec., father of 3 children

John Routledge s o Mary R*, Wid

John Routledge, my “sister’s son, s o Grace Forrester (sister of testator?)

Leondard Routledge of Oakshaw

Mary Routledge of Crossgreens or Strandsheads, Wid, mother of Grace, Mary, Adam, John & Henry

Mary Routledge, d o Mary, Wid

William Routledge of Oakshaw, deceased, father of William R*

William Routledge of Oakshaw s o late William Routledge

Francis Armstrong, Wit

Catherine Dowglass of Ash w o Thomas Douglas

Thomas Dowglass [sic Douglas ] of Ash husband of Catherine

Catherine Henderson d o Robert & Helenor Henderson

Helenor Henderson wife of Robert and mother of Catherine

Robert Henderson husband of Helenor & father of Catherine

Alexander Kennedie of Cleughside, Friend husband of Sibella

Catherine Kennedie of Cleughside, d o Alexander

Elizabeth Kennedie of Cleughside

John Kennedie of Cleughside s o Alexander

Sibella Kennedie of Cleughside w o Alexander

William Kennedie of Cleughside s o Alexander

The bolded items make this will abstract especially interesting as George and Grace, and Henry (of Broderrigg) are my 4x great grandparents. Finding that Mary Routledge (widow, husband was Thomas Routledge of Hill) of Kirkbeckstown was Grace's mother was a real surprise as I tentatively had her as the daughter of Thomas Routledge and Elizabeth Storye (this Thomas being of Oakshaw and brother to Henry of Broderrigg). The Kennedy family included may also prove to be interesting as Grace Routledge (daughter of my 3x great grandparents Thomas Routledge (son of Henry above) and Elizabeth Routledge (daughter of George and Grace above)) married George Arthur Kennedy in 1810 at Bewcastle. I was a little led astray as my mother remembered there were a number of close cousin marriages in her Routledge ancestry. Mind you Thomas Routledge of Hill could be related; I still need to work on that. I also do not know the relationship between the Routledge family of Oakshaw and the Routledge family of Kirkbeckstown. Henry at Broderrigg was born at Oakshaw.

Tomorrow I want to look at material - my daughter suggested an embossed velvet so will have a look at that. I want to purchase the material right away and get the dress finished so no rush at the end.