Czech Costumes

THE Dress - Conclusion

2012-01-19T17:16:00.000-08:00

Well, as you might have guessed by now. We finished THE dress. The bride and groom were radiant and I was beaming with pride. As the doors of the church sanctuary opened, I turned to look at Kevin. The look on his face was priceless. As Sarah, escorted by her brother Eddie, started down the aisle I could not help but think how proud her father would be. But then I remembered I had a part to do. As Eddie and Sarah stopped beside my pew, Sarah took my arm as Eddie stepped up to the pulpit. Eddie, a licensed Minister since 2005, had 3 years earlier officiated at Katy's wedding and now readied himself to perform the ceremony for Sarah and Kevin.

Eddie escorted Sarah in to the sanctuary to non-traditional music for a bride's entrance. Sarah and her Dad had a favorite song that they often listened to together. "When We Say Nothing at All" by Allison Krause. It is a beautiful song and just another special way she could have her Dad with her.

Kevin stepped down the steps to meet Sarah and I and waited until Eddie asked “who gives this bride.” The week before, I pondered how I could answer that question. I know if Ed were with us, he would be giving Sarah away. He would be so proud of her choice in Kevin. He would have loved to be here and say “her mother and I do.” So, after giving it much thought, my only response could be, “for her father and I, I do.”

Sarah took Kevin's arm and I sat down. They stepped up the steps to where Eddie was waiting. The ceremony was lovely. A friend of Kevin, Mark Marksteller, delivered a special message to the bride and groom. Words of wisdom for them to live by. It was perfect. My Dad, Joe Hill, performed a solo as he had done in every family wedding since 1977. A very special moment for our family. Also, performing a solo was Sarah's 9-year-old cousin, Audrey Holloman. She did a beautiful job and we are so proud of her.

Something old: her great-grandmother's handkerchief tucked in her bouquet. Something new: jewelry and a charm that Sarah's sister-in-law, Amanda, made her with a photo of her Dad. Something borrowed: veil from Sarah's sister, Katy, and I loaned her a sapphire ring that every bride in the family has worn for more than 30 years. Something blue: a very special heart inside her dress with her Dad's photo.

And a new one, something unforgettable: THE dress.

Wedding photos by Freeze Frame Time Photography.

THE Dress (part 5)

2012-01-19T16:42:00.000-08:00

Maggie said bring the dress over, we will see what we can do. I had not put the zipper in yet; I was afraid to. I had put in lots of zippers but the dress was so big at this point. So cumbersome and hard to work with. Maggie said she would put the zipper in, yea! Sarah put the dress on and Maggie took a look at it. In her sweet, calm, confident manner, she said there was nothing wrong. As Sarah turned to the mirror, Maggie pinched the back seam together and said she will move the zipper in just a little and...voila!

Maggie put the zipper in and we picked it up the next day. As Sarah stepped out of the dressing room, I held my breath. We were out of time. Pictures would have to be taken the next weekend or we would not have them in time for the wedding. I still had more bead work to finish and it had to go to the cleaners before the wedding. If it didn't fit-we were out of options.

Sarah faced the mirror as Maggie zipped it up. Perfect! Sarah and I looked at each other and could not quit smiling. We just kept saying. It's a dress...it's a real dress. It's a dress!

We got home and Sarah put the dress on again. She wanted to see what it looked like with the veil. If we had more time, I would have loved to make a veil but Sarah decided to borrow her sister's veil. Katy's veil was a traditional veil edged with beads and clear tear drop beads hanging from the edge. It fit with with the dress perfectly and provided her “something borrowed” for the wedding. I was standing behind her and she turned to face me. “Thanks Mom.” It was at this point, I saw the look. You know...the look of a bride who puts on the dress. The perfect one. It wasn't “the dress” anymore. It was THE dress.

That night I finished the bead work on the bodice. The beads from Alaska had, by this time, arrived and were perfect. As I sewed on these very small beads, I fought back tears. Not that I'm afraid to cry (I've cried buckets of tears the last three years) but I didn't want to get any spots on the beautiful satin. To anyone looking at the dress, they might not have noticed the tiny beads but Sarah and I knew they were there and each one reminded us of a very special trip to Alaska with Sarah's father who had passed away the year before.

My daughter, Katy, (yes the one who is about to have a baby) took Sarah's bridal portraits on Sunday, December 4. We had planned to go to Waco and take the pictures on the Baylor University campus but, wouldn't you know it, the weather had taken a very chilly turn. It was so cold and the wind was blowing so hard that Sarah said there was no way she could take pictures outside.

Well, as you now realize, time was growing short. I had to take the dress to the cleaners the next morning or there was no way we would get it back in time for the wedding. So, we improvised. I called the Associate Pastor of our church and we arranged to take the bridal portraits there. Katy took countless photos of Sarah in the beautiful sanctuary. But just as we were about to leave, Katy talked Sarah in to taking just a couple outside. It was still extremely cold. They stepped just outside the door and Katy snapped a few quick shots on a bench by the door. Then they stepped around the corner and Sarah twirled in her new wedding dress. You know the kind of twirl every little girl likes to do. This was no different. Sarah twirled and the smile on her face says it all. When I saw the picture, I saw my little six year old playing dress up again. Out of all of the photos taken that day, this was my favorite. My little girl was all grown up and I would soon see her marry her knight in shining armor. (Kevin Armor)

When we got the dress back from the cleaners, I put it on the dress form. Sarah wanted the folds of the skirt to stay in place. She wanted double folds on each panel. The wedding day would be a long day with lots of pictures with dancing. So, I took each panel, pinned it in to place and then lightly basted the folds from the underside. So, (hopefully) it would appear to just be draped in to place (with nobody seeing that it was actually stitched).

For the reception, we needed the dress to be just a little shorter so that Sarah would not trip on it and so it would not get stepped on. Maggie had showed us how to do a bustle in the back so Sarah got a beautiful vintage-looking brooch to cover the pins that we would need to pin the dress up. I sewed snaps on the underside of each skirt panel to raise the dress about 4” off the floor for dancing. We decided we would just have to pin the underskirt up, because we really did not have time for anything else. We were not sure this was all going to work so I said a little prayer and kept my fingers crossed.

On the inside of Sarah's dress, I put a small sapphire-colored heart with a photo charm of her father. Sarah and Kevin chose sapphire as the wedding color because it was her father's, Ed's, birthstone. Nobody else would see the heart and charm but we knew it was there. I sewed it on the inside of the dress in the middle of her back. I know that is where Ed's hand would have been. Offering love and support as she was waiting for the ceremony to begin. And at the reception, you can be sure that is where Ed's hand would be as he showed off his baby girl.

Tomorrow, the conclusion.

"The Dress"- The Incredible Shrinking Bride (part 4)

2012-01-18T18:58:00.000-08:00

Well, I took Maggie's advice and was able to finish the bodice and had to admit it looked pretty good. So, I turned my attention to finishing the panels of the skirt. Each panel was very time-consuming. I have never worked with bridal satin before, so getting each panel to lay just like I wanted, was a real challenge.

As I turned the panels right side out, I noticed that since I was unable to press the seams open as I usually do, they would not drape like Sarah wanted. I went to bed that night trying to find the words to tell Sarah that it just wasn't going to happen. I could not do it.

At 2:33 am I woke up and thought of an idea. I got up and went back to the sewing room. I proceeded to turn the panel right side out and then very carefully, while pinching the seam, baste it together to allow me to press it. Much to my surprise (shock), this worked. When I hung the first finished panel on the dress form and turned the folds out, I could have sat down right there and cried happy tears. Or, possibly could have been tears of exhaustion. I realized I had been up all night.

The skirt has 7 panels so you can imagine how much precious time this took. I would wake up at 5 am each morning, quickly get ready for work, and then work on the dress until it was time to leave for work. After work, I would get home and make a salad for supper and then right back at it, working until I just could not see anymore.

As I was nearing completion on the skirt, I asked Sarah what she wanted the underskirt (we never knew what to call this) to be made of? Since the skirt of the dress had the panels that fold open, it needed an underskirt. The Princess' dress that inspired Sarah had antique lace but Sarah wasn't sold on the idea of lace. She was thinking of a brocade but we tried a few and they just did not look right. We didn't have antique lace so I found a couple of laces that I thought would work. Sarah chose a beautiful vintage-looking Chantilly lace. A very delicate, all-over pattern. The underskirt was made of taffeta because the dress was getting very heavy. The taffeta was light weight and the lace was sewn to it. This worked pretty well. For the most part, the lace would not be seen very much...except when she was dancing! And then under the very heavy, draped skirt you would see a feminine lace skirt.

At this point, I started feeling like maybe Sarah will have “the dress” she SO wanted. But, we faced another challenge...the incredible shrinking bride. Sarah, as most brides, was watching her diet, working out and she began losing weight. Between me and you she was under a lot of stress, too. She was finishing up her Bachelor's degree. Her graduation was the same day as the wedding. Needless to say, she chose to go to the wedding. Working as a bank teller. Planning a wedding and every time she came home, there was yet ANOTHER problem with “the dress.”

Now the dress was too big! It was the last weekend in November. I was almost out of time. “Maggie...help.”

To be continued tomorrow...

"The Dress" - Tears! ...but it's just not me, Mom (part 3)

2012-01-17T16:54:00.000-08:00

SO, now I have to cut the dress out! I started with the small pieces, the bodice. With basting stitches I outlined the bodice piece and then I cut around the bodice piece leaving enough fabric for the embroidery hoop. I traced the embroidery design on to tissue paper and then positioned it on to the bodice piece. I carefully basted around the designs with white thread and then tore the tissue away leaving the basting stitches as a guide for the embroidery.

I would send ideas, suggestions and choices to Sarah at each step. (She was away at college in Denton, Texas, which is about 1 ¾ hour drive away.) We had different ideas of how the finished design should look. I wanted to mainly use the Swarovski crystals, beads and pearls with very little embroidery but Sarah wanted more of my embroidery with very small embellishments. So after much discussion I chose to do satin stitches for the leaves and the larger balls (flowers?) and a simple outline stitch for the vines. This is the embroidery. Simple, elegant, classic. Just what Sarah wanted.

The next step was to pick the beads and crystals. Again, I sent Sarah some suggestions and she picked what she liked best. It was at this point that I was discussing “the dress” with a co-worker. As it turned out she and her mother like to do bead work. She suggested very teeny-tiny beads like she uses. Since they were so tiny, it would only add texture and sparkle without taking away from the embroidery. Perfect! She suggested an online store she used...in Alaska. This may not mean anything to anyone else but Sarah and I have very fond memories of a trip we took to Alaska with my late husband, Sarah's very dear father in 2007. I ordered the beads from Alaska and continued putting the embellishments on the bodice.

After I finished the embroidery on the bodice (note, the design in the photo is unfinished), I turned my attention to the skirt. I took each pattern piece with the extensions/wings and cut out one panel at a time.

I sewed each panel (right sides together) stopping at the line-marker on the pattern to determine where shortening or lengthening would be. Since the pattern I was using as a base called for an empire waist, (not straight across) I could not measure from the top to stop the seam. Since this was ALL trial and error I really had no way of knowing if this would work.

The Vogue pattern I was using as a base had a pattern for a small cap sleeve. Sarah liked that so I put in the sleeves and had several of the skirt panels for Sarah to see when she came home one weekend in late October. I have to admit the dress looked pretty good pieced together on the dress form so I felt pretty good about Sarah coming home from college to try it on. The sleeves looked great BUT when she put it on she could not move her arm. I could not imagine what I had done wrong but really did not have the time to re-do it. So Sarah and I went to see Maggie to see what I could possibly do. Maggie suggested trimming the armhole a bit and using bias tape made from the bridal satin and finish it off to make a sleeveless dress. We thought that might work. Sarah did not really want a strapless dress but she liked the way the dress looked without the sleeves. So, ok.

At this point, we had to go to the local bridal shop to pick up the bridesmaids dresses. As we walked through the store I could not help notice the way Sarah looked at the girls trying on the beautiful wedding dresses...finished, fitted wedding dress. At this point, I was ready to scrap the whole wacky notion of me, somehow, being able to make Sarah's dress. This would be her wedding day...it should be perfect. At my urging, Sarah tried on a few dresses. Her eyes would light up when she put them on. I talked her in to letting me buy her a dress. A beautiful, beaded dress that needed only a few tucks and would fit her perfectly. A lady came out of the back, pins in hand, to pin the dress for alterations.

Then it happened...tears! Again Sarah said it...”these dresses are beautiful, Mom, but it's just not me.” She said all of the dresses we looked at were "cookie-cutter" dresses and just not her.

So we thanked them for their time and went home to see if there was any way I could save “the dress.”
To be continued tomorrow...

"The Dress" (part 2)

2012-01-17T03:38:00.000-08:00

After looking at the local fabric store and seeing their limited selection, I decided I would need to order the fabric online. I have a full time job and the weekends were full so I was unable to go to Dallas, Austin or Houston to the larger fabric stores. Maggie Grmela recommended http://www.fabric.com/. Great suggestion!

I found the satin I wanted. Medium weight duchess white satin. I was not sure that medium weight was correct. But light weight would not have worked with the dress Sarah wanted. Since the skirt had folds that would need to keep their place, light weight just would not do. Same thing with heavy weight. I was afraid that the heavy weight fabric would not drape the way we needed it to.

Now this is where it gets scary. How much do I order??? The fabric was reasonably priced but I did not want to order too much and I certainly would not want to run out. Luckily, the fabric I chose was a fabric that the website said that much was available and is always on hand. The Vogue pattern called for 10 yards of fabric with a different lining fabric. But I knew that I would have to line it with the same fabric since the folds of the skirt would be turned out. Also, because the panels of the skirts would be much larger to allow for the folds, I guessed 20 yards at least. Then, if time allowed, I wanted to make a detachable train. Another 10 yards? What if I made a mistake cutting the fabric? After considering all of this, I ordered 35 yards on October 5, 2011.

With the fabric ordered, I turned my attention to the embroidery and bead design. Sarah wanted the design just along the neckline. Thank goodness! I would never have been able to do any more before mid-November. Like most brides, Sarah did not want Kevin to see “the dress” but she did want his input. Keep in mind that Kevin knows that all I made lately are Czech costumes. So, I think he was getting a little worried about what kind of dress I would make. Understandably so! In Nebraska, Sarah wore all of her kroje. So he saw first hand how really pretty they are, but let's get real, that kind of a dress would be a bit out there for a wedding. No worries!

We assured Kevin that, though Sarah's dress was shaping up to be original and very unique, it would not look like her Czech costumes. So, as I looked for embroidery designs I wanted something that I would be able to do in a short amount of time, did NOT look like embroidery from a costume and something that was more in keeping with the design. The only way I can describe the dress is classically elegant. I gave Sarah several choices for a design but the one she chose (not surprisingly) came from a vintage embroidery book I had ordered a year or so ago. The design was for a simple summer dress but when Swarovski crystals, pearls and beads were added it would be perfect! See the photos for the design but the photo was taken on a practice dress and is not the fabric I used.

The only other suggestion Kevin had was that he did not want it so “bunchy” that they could not dance. No problem. Sarah and I secretly knew that if we could, somehow, make the dress she wanted, it would be perfect for dancing...especially for the Grand March and polkas!

I made a practice dress (not fully put together) to see if I could get the folds of the skirt correctly. I took the pattern pieces for each panel and added, what I can only refer to as, 'wings”. Making the practice dress really helped. Even though I did not have time to finish it like I should have, at least I could get the skirt panels correct.

When the fabric arrived, I could not wait to get home from work to open it. It was absolutely perfect. I rolled it out on the table and thought...”now what?”
To be continued tomorrow...

Blessings and "The Dress"

2012-01-16T19:20:00.000-08:00

Shortly after our trip to Nebraska in August for Czech Days, our life took a very hectic turn. All the very best blessings. First of all, both my daughter Katy and my daughter-in-law Amanda are expecting baby girls. They are due in the next few weeks! I have one grandchild, Katie, who is 20 months old. I will have three granddaughters, all under the age of 2 years. How very exciting!!

And another very exciting blessing! A new son-in-law. Just a few weeks after our trip to Nebraska, Kevin Armor, asked for my daughter, Sarah's, hand in marriage. When Kevin and Sarah came home for our annual Czech festival, Westfest, he took me aside and asked for her hand and I gladly approved. They got engaged in September. They began planning a December 17th wedding (and here is the kicker) Sarah tells me she wants ME to make her wedding dress. ACK!

I decided to journal the adventure of making “the dress” which I will write out in my handwriting and seal with the dress when it is preserved. Since “the dress” was the reason I was AWOL from the blog for so long, I will share the tale with you. I hope you find it interesting. Here it is...

For several years, my youngest daughter, Sarah, has told me that she wants me to make her wedding dress. Even if I had a year to make her dress, I still would be very hesitant. Let's be honest, I am no seamstress. I only have basic sewing skills. I can follow a simple pattern but have never had to alter a pattern or a finished garment. Yes, I can do embroidery but given that I only had a few weeks to make the dress, I would not even be able to do much needlework. So, I tried desperately to get her to change her mind. I was so afraid of letting her down on what should be the best day of her life. She was certain I could create her dress. Me, not so much.

Since 2006, I have learned how to make a few Czech costumes. I started with a basic sewing knowledge that my mother, Peggy (Nix) Hill, shared with me when growing up and my grandmother's Singer sewing machine (circa early 1900's). When my girls were young I did a little more sewing and made much of their clothes. All very simple dresses, rompers, etc. All with a pattern and guidance from my mother. When I decided to make Czech costumes for my daughter, I was incredibly blessed to have help from a renown Czech costume designer, Maggie Grmela. I called, emailed and visited her many times with what she surely thought the most elementary of questions but she always helped me so patiently.

After Sarah and Kevin's engagement was announced, she again told me she wanted me to make her dress. This was the end of September, was she kidding? Nope. Sarah saw a photo of a dress she liked online. The dress she liked did not have any beading or embroidery. Whew! But, she would like me to do some embroidery and bead work. “Well...we will see what I can do.” I mean, after all I only had a few weeks. The dress would need to be finished by mid November so that she could take bridal portraits. Even now remembering this, I can feel my heart racing and blood pressure going up!

Well, since there was no changing Sarah's mind, I began asking experienced seamstresses for help. I turned to a childhood friend, Sally (Sutterfield) Castellano of Sally Sews. Sally was my best friend growing up. As a matter fact, she was my maid-of-honor when I got married in 1980. Sally moved to Oklahoma years ago, but we reconnected a while back thanks to Facebook. Sally was a big help. She sent me a list of tips and offered support and advice throughout the process. Thanks Sally! As I mentioned before, Maggie Grmela, was a huge help. I will go in to more detail later.

After one last ditch effort to get Sarah to change her mind, I decided to get started. (What was the last ditch effort you ask?) I searched online for bridal stores near her in Denton, Texas, for dresses that would be available for in-store purchase. After all, if you order a dress these days it can take months to come in. I bombarded, yes bombarded, Sarah's email and text messages with beautiful dresses for her to consider. All with a return response that they are pretty, “but just not me, Mom.”

Luckily, the dress that inspired Sarah's design was a somewhat famous dress that was worn by the Crown Princess of Denmark, Mary McDonaldson. I was able to find sketches and descriptions online, that at least gave me a starting place. The dress was elegant and unique. The Crown Princess' dress featured a boat-neck with ¾ sleeves (known as calla sleeves). Sarah did not care for the boat-neck. She said it looked like it did not fit. Fine with me, I would not know how to do that kind of neck line anyway. She also did not like the sleeves. The focal point, and what really attracted Sarah to this design, was the skirt. The skirt appeared to me made of several panels that folded back. Hmmmm....how do I do that? Sally helped me find a pattern (Vogue #2788) that I could modify. Sarah liked this neckline better. Wonderful!

So, with a design in mind I began looking at fabric. I don't know anything about bridal fabric, so I asked Maggie. I took my general idea to Maggie and she gave me some advice and tips. She showed me a wedding dress that she was altering. Fabric weight. Boning. Bodice stiffener. Horsehair braid (what the heck was that?). Dress needs to be fully lined. My pen was swiftly writing all of this down as Maggie spoke. My head was spinning when I left her house. What was I doing? I have a full time job, could I really do this? I told myself that I would at least try. Worst case scenario, if this did not work out Sarah would have to buy a wedding dress off the rack. I'll be honest here. Before I started, I did a lot of praying. I know that a wedding dress may not be high on God's list of priorities right now but I knew I couldn't do it unless I turned it all over to Him. I'll admit that I have always trusted God but the last few years have taught me that God is not only with us. He will see us through all things. Nothing is too large or too small to leave at His feet. So that is where I left it...
To be continued tomorrow...

2011 Miss Czech Slovak US Pageant

2011-07-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

Dear Czech costume enthusiasts,
Next weekend is sure to be of interest to you! The 2011 Miss Czech Slovak US Queen will be selected next weekend at Czech Days in Wilber, Nebraska. This pageant is held annually the first weekend in August and this is the 25th Anniversary of the pageant. SO, not only will there be all the lovely contestants for this year, there will also be MANY of the returning national winners and state queens from the previous years.
Wilber, Nebraska is a tiny little town that you are sure to fall in love with, as we have. The residents literally open up their arms to 40,000 or so of their "closest friends." (You see if you come to Czech Days you will quickly become a close friend to everyone in this little town.) You will also see Czech culture at its best, including the beautiful costumes, food, music, dancing, museum, parades, etc.
So, make plans this week and we will see you next weekend. My daughter, Sarah, was the 2006 Miss Czech Slovak USA Queen so we will be there all weekend. Be sure and look for us, I would love to meet you and hear your opinion and ideas for the blog.

These lovely ladies will be competing for the Miss Czech Slovak US Queen title at Czech Days. I know the competition will be difficult! Pick out your favorite and be sure to come cheer her on! For more information, go to the Miss Czech Slovak US Queen website by clicking on the photo of the current Queen, Stefanie Vocasek (on right side of blog).
Sharon

Preparing Petticoats for Travel

2011-07-23T04:46:00.001-07:00

We left off a few days ago when I was cleaning and starching petticoats. After the petticoats are washed, I hang them up (see picture from previous post) out in the sun spread out as much as possible. While hanging I spray the petticoats with full-strength liquid starch. I sprayed the petticoats until they were drenched with the liquid starched, evenly distributed.
After the petticoats are dried, I checked to see how "stiff" they were. Let me explain, I am preparing the petticoats for a 12-hour car ride and they have to stay fresh for a weekend long festival. So, for our purpose they were not stiff enough so I repeated the starching process. Czech costume expert, Maggie Grmela, recommends buying powdered starch and boiling it mixed with water but I could not find the powder. She says the boiling method works much better.
When I was happy with the stiffness, I ironed the petticoats (I did not use any more starch). As I ironed the petticoats, I used clothespins to keep the pleats in place. (See photo.) This serves two purposes 1) keeping the pleats during travel and 2)compacts the petticoats without destroying the shape. A few years ago, when traveling the 12-hour car ride to Nebraska, my daughter Sarah and her cousin Lindsay had to sit in the back seat the entire way with stiff petticoats in their laps. We would not recommend this way of travel. Boy, was that a long ride for them. Oh well, live and learn.

We Are Not "Two-Percenters"

2011-07-16T08:29:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the weird title. But, I know Texas Aggies will know what a "two-percenter" is. But for all of the rest of you, a "two-percenter" is an Aggie who does not participate in Aggie Traditions. For this post, I use this term for those who just "wear" Czech costumes as opposed to those who like to "showcase" a Czech costume (kroj). When you showcase a kroj, you have it at its very best from the tips of your toes to the top of the flowers or cap on your head. For us, that means first things first...the petticoats.

A kroj (authentic or Americanized) will not look its best unless the petticoats are prepared. Yes, petticoats! Plural. Most Czech costumes need multiple, starched petticoats to stand out as they should. SO, as we get ready for Czech Days in Wilber, Nebraska, and Westfest in West, Texas, the first thing we do is clean and starch the petticoats. My motto is if the petticoats cannot stand up on their own, they need more starch!!

So, don't be a "two-percenter" and if you have Czech costumes, don't just wear them SHOWCASE them.

More posts and pictures coming soon.

Thanks for your patience.

Sharon

Antique Costume

2011-05-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,
Forgive my absence. (Please see previous post for more details.) I've been staying busy with several personal projects but I do have a Czech-costume related project that you might be able to help with. A dear reader (I will withhold her name because I did not get permission to identify her.) has sent me a very generous gift. She has entrusted a family heirloom to me, a beautiful Czech costume. I am currently researching what region this costume represents. It appears that it may be from Bohemia but if you know anything about it, please email me at czechcostumes@gmail.com. I would like to have the costume cleaned and restored. The colors are so vibrant. It is just splendid!

Please check back often and be patient. In the mean time, I would love to hear from you about your Czech costumes!

Ed Middlebrook 1961-2010

2011-01-07T05:59:00.000-08:00

Dear friends,
I have not posted anything for a while now because I lost my husband of 30+ years in October. We were high school sweethearts and got married just out of high school. I am back at work and staying busy. In my absence, please look through the past posts and I hope they are of some value to you.
God bless,
Sharon Middlebrook
Edward Ray Middlebrook, age 49, of West, passed away early Wednesday morning, October 6, 2010 at his residence.

Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m. Friday at the First Baptist Church in West, with Dr. John Crowder officiating. Burial will follow at Bold Springs Cemetery. The family will receive visitors from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Ed was born September 20, 1961 in Waco, the son of Bobby Ray and Barbara Ann (Skopik) Middlebrook. He graduated from St. Mary’s School in 1976, West High School in 1980, received an associate’s degree in Information Systems from McLennan Community College in 1982, and became a Certified Computer Professional in 1989. On June 14, 1980 he was united in marriage to Sharon Hill in West. Ed was an information systems manager for Plantation Foods in Waco from 1981 to 2002. He then became the information systems manager for a team of programmers for Central Freight Lines. Ed was a member of the First Baptist Church in West, there he served as a Deacon (past chairman), an adult couples Sunday School teacher, a new member class teacher, and the chairman of the Stewardship Committee. Ed enjoyed being an amateur radio operator (call sign “KC5NT”) for over 30 years. He was a past president and member of the Heart of Texas Amateur Radio Club, a past president of the West Youth Baseball/Softball Association, a state officer of the Czech Heritage Society of Texas, a member of the McLennan/Hill County Czech Heritage Society, a member of West SOKOL, and a precinct chairman of the McLennan County Republican Party.

Survivors include his beloved wife of 30 years, Sharon Middlebrook of West; a son, Eddie Middlebrook and wife Amanda of Lacy Lakeview; two daughters, Katy Frazier and husband Kyle of Houston and Sarah Middlebrook of Denton; a very special granddaughter, Katie Middlebrook; his parents-in-law, Joe and Peggy Hill of West; a brother, Robert Middlebrook of Waco; a sister, Lisa Middlebrook and friend Hank Dawson of West; brothers-in-law, Dennis Hill and wife Linda and Kenneth Hill and wife Melinda; sister-in-law, Rebecca Holloman and husband Jeff; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Active pallbearers are Ervin Middlebrook Jr., David Skopik, Richard Skopik, Charles Franke, Dennis Hill, Kenneth Hill, Jeff Holloman, and Benny Worley. Honorary pallbearers are the First Baptist Church of West Deacons and the Heart Of Texas Amateur Radio Club Members.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of West Building Fund, the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center in LaGrange, or to the West Youth Baseball/Softball Association.

Caring for Czech Costumes

2010-08-18T18:39:00.000-07:00

Caring for authentic or even Americanized Czech costumes can be a very difficult task. Any time I need advice on caring for Czech costumes, I turn to Maggie Grmela of Czech Costume Creations. (http://www.maggiesfabricpatch.com).
Here are just a few of her tips for Americanized costumes:
1. She recommends cleaning the whites (blouses and aprons) at home; professional cleaners tend to yellow the fabrics. She suggests that all whites be cleaned after each wear, body oils will stain and yellow and will make it harder to clean.
2. Soak the whites in sink of cold water with small amount of regular detergent or use a gentle detergent along with Clorox-2 (all fabric bleach) or Biz all fabric bleach. Let stand for at least 30 minutes. Finish by hand washing then rinse and spin out in the washer (delicate cycle). Hang to dry or put in dryer on delicate for a short time to fluff. A helpful hint for ladies blouses is to fill the sleeves with netting and spray with spray starch. Let dry and leave netting in sleeve until the time time to wear. Items can be steam pressed or ironed if necessary. If item has beading, put a towel on the ironing board and press from the wrong side.
3. Items that can be machine washed need to be washed on the delicate cycle. Hang to dry or dry on the delicate setting. A safety measure for machine washing is to use a laundry bag or a pillowcase to protect any laces, trim or beading. Maggie suggests use Clorox 2 or Biz for machine washables. Let stand and soak for a while before completing washing.
4. All blouses and skirts that are poly cotton can be hand washed or gently machine washed in cold water. Hang to dry or put in the dryer on the delicate setting.
5. Vests and skirts that are velvet or brocades should be dry cleaned.

Maggie's tips for authentic costumes. They include:
1. Authentic costumes can be very delicate. She recommends treating them with extreme care. Before cleaning, make any repairs that are necessary. Some lace and trims may need to be removed before cleaning. Maggie recommends Clorox 2 or Biz for those fabrics that are washable. Test for color safety on a small piece of the fabric.
2. She recommends keeping costumes in cardboard boxes with acid-free tissue paper. Authentic costumes should not be kept on coat hangers. This tends to pull on the fabrics, embroidery and trims. Costumes should be stored flat in boxes with tissue between each piece.

2010 Czech Days

2010-08-09T18:58:00.000-07:00

Czech Days is held annually the first weekend in August in Wilber, Nebraska. This small town has one of the best Czech festivals you will ever see. The citizens of this town are the most welcoming you will ever find. Hundreds of volunteers work tirelessly for many months to make sure everyone has a great time and celebrates Czech style with food, dance, music and much more. For more information, log on to the website: http://www.wilberchamberofcommerce.com/.
Next year is the 50th anniversary of Czech Days and the committees are already busy planning lots of special activities. Be sure and make your hotel reservations early.

The highlight of Czech Days is the Miss Czech Slovak US pageant. During the pageant this year, Stefanie Vocasek was crowned the new 2010 Miss Czech Slovak US Queen. Congrats Stefanie! Following the crowning, Stefanie was surprised by her boyfriend with a proposal on stage. Congratulations Brad and Stefanie. We look forward to seeing you again soon. For more information and results, check out the website: http://missczechslovakqueen.tripod.com/.

Texas was very well represented in the Queen pageant. Rachel Hurley, Miss Texas Czech Slovak was just lovely. Rachel wore a spectacular authentic Czech costume (kroj) and danced a beautiful ballet routine for her talent. Way to go Rachel! We are so proud of you.

Ed, Sarah and I had a great time and enjoyed visiting with our Nebraska "family". When Sarah was 2006 Miss Czech Slovak USA, her princess was Sheyenne Kiesel. We have become good friends with the Kiesels and always enjoy seeing them.

2010 Czech Days in Wilber, NE

2010-08-07T14:52:00.000-07:00

2010-07-31T19:49:00.000-07:00

Well, I am happy to say that I have completed the hat for Sarah’s reproduction costume representing the Hana region of the Czech Republic. This was quite an undertaking! It was very difficult to reproduce something that I have never seen. I have only seen photos.

I will go through the steps in case anyone would like to try making something like this.

(1) The hat itself. The first thing I tried is to get a custom hat made to serve as the base. I went to a custom hat maker but, sadly, he could not do anything like this. SO, my next option (thanks Maggie Grmela for the suggestion) was to buy a “stovepipe hat” like Abe Lincoln wore. I found one online from a Halloween costume supplier. It was cheap so I thought it would be worth a try. I think it cost about $10. I began by cutting off the brim. I did not worry about the rough edge because I knew that I would cover that up with the red ribbon. I found some shimmery gold fabric that would serve as a base. That way even between the beads was pretty and golden. The fabric I found has very tiny flecks of metallic gold. I cut it to fit and sewed it on. I found some trim that I could use along the top. One mistake I made here was not to put the seam in the back but I knew most of it would be covered by bead so I was not too concerned. Later I realized that I should have sewn the red ribbon along the bottom at this point. If done before beading, you may be able to sew on the sewing machine. I used an additional piece of red ribbon, tightly gathered, to embellish the bottom and beads. One thing I noticed on a picture of an antique hat was that the back was laced up. This is a good idea so that the hat can be somewhat adjustable in size. So I made this hat lace up in the back. I took two pieces of grosgrain ribbon that matches the bottom, put button holes in it (on the sewing machine) and sewed it by hand on the back of the hat. I sewed around the button holes by hand and carefully slit the holes open. I bought red satin ribbon to match the streamers in the back and laced it up. I will not cut the hat open unless I need to. Right now it fits Sarah perfectly, so I will not open it until needed. Long, wide red ribbons were attached to be back after the beading was complete.

(2) The beadwork! This was very difficult for me because though I am very good copying a design, I have a hard time coming up with a design. So I got as many pictures of hats that I could find and picked out ideas from all of them. But I did not limit myself there, I looked everywhere for ideas…clip art swirls, beadwork books and just about anything I could use as inspiration. I decided that I wanted the hat to be very SHINY so everything I used was very sparkly, nothing that was matte finish. I had a hard time in Waco finding the beads that I needed. If I had more time I would have ordered everything online. One site that I found was www.Rhinestoneshop.com. The items I ordered were delivered within just a few days, were beautiful and shipping was free. I just wish I had found it sooner. I would suggest to anyone wanting to make a hat like this to design your pattern first and then order just the beads and crystals you need. You will get better quality and have a better finished product. I learned the hard way with this project that just because beads “look” nice when you buy them, they may not necessarily last very long. Some of the silver starting coming off of some of the beads just through my handling of the project. So, if I do this again I will definitely buy quality and not quantity beads and crystals. However, my goals for this hat were: create an item that can be passed on for generations but to make it personal and hopefully finish in time for Czech Days in Nebraska the first week of August. So overall, I am pleased with the finished product. To make something that can be passed down for generations it must be durable so everything I sewed on was done with great detail. I have also saved extra jewels and beads to do repair work as needed. To make something personal you have to put a little of yourself (and also your family) so I incorporated items from our family. A few of the stones on the hat belonged to Sarah’s grandmother. These are not precious gems but they are ‘precious’ to us because they are from grandma. Also in the design are stones that came from one of my brooches and some rhinestones that belonged to Sarah. This creates not only a pretty item to see but a conversation piece. In the hat box I will include a little about the hat and the items on it. And as far as finishing in time for Czech Days, I just barely made it. I will be sure to take lots of pictures!

(3) The flowers and ribbon. As you may have noticed the hat itself is quite short. As a matter of fact, it is too short but as I explained I had to use a Halloween costume hat as the base so I had to just “make do.” I tried to ‘fix’ this by using the flowers and ribbon on top to make it appear taller. I had our local flower shop (Flowers & Things in West, Texas) create a floral wreath much as they would for the local girls to wear with their Czech costumes. However, this one was smaller in diameter but very full. In the center of the flowers, I put red ribbon looped, well, to look a little like a lamp shade. I took 1 ½” wide red grosgrain ribbon. This ribbon has more substance and would stiffen easier. With needle and red thread I gathered, putting the needed in every 2” through the center of the ribbon alternating between pulling the needle from the back and going through the front. When I got it as full as I wanted, I cut the ribbon with about 12” to spare just in case I needed additional fullness. After I had the ribbon gathered, with needle and red thread I sewed the loops together on the inside at the top. I then cut the first ribbon that was laced through the center. I shaped the ribbon to look like a lamp shade, sprayed with full-strength liquid starch letting it dry. I sprayed the starch and let it dry a couple times to make sure it was stiff enough. In the center of the ribbon I added additional flowers. I basted the flowers and ribbon to the top of the hat so they could be removed and freshened up as needed.

(4) To add just a little more ‘bling’ I attached shimmery crystal beads as well. I noticed on a picture of this type of hat from the Czech Republic beautiful bead drops dangling in the front to outline the young lady’s face. I loved it so I incorporated that element in this hat as well.

Many thanks to Maggie Grmela of Czech Costume Creations in West, Texas; Jana Vaculik of Czech American TV; Barbara Talley of Flowers N Things in West, Texas and Alice Vida of San Antonio. These ladies were a big help in completing this project and I could not have done it without them.

In summary, there were a lot of things I would do differently but am overall pleased with the finished hat. What do you think?

Finally Finished the Apron/Skirt for Hanacky Kroj

2010-07-31T19:44:00.000-07:00

Some of you who have been following for a while know that I am working on a reproduction costume representing the region of Hana in the Czech Republic. (For pictures, browse the older posts.) I finally finished the apron/skirt. This is the second one I made, the first one did not have enough embroidery. Well, what do you think? I know it is hard to tell from this picture. My daughter, Sarah, will wear this costume at Czech Days in Nebraska next weekend so I will post pictures after that.

A Little “Bling” Needed…

2010-06-13T11:53:00.000-07:00

I have a special request that some of you may be able to help me with. My latest project is a hat for a costume representing the Hana region of the Czech Republic. These hats can be truly spectacular and have lots of, what we call today, “bling”. Czechs are very frugal so, in that fashion, I would like to create this project with that trait in mind. Ideally, I would like to use family heirloom costume jewelry but since we don’t have any available, I’m doing the next best thing…asking family and friends if they may have items they would like to contribute.

Please don’t send me your family jewels. That is not what I am looking for. I am looking to recycle pieces, or parts of items, that may be broken but still has parts of it that would be salvageable. This hat will be original but see the pictures posted here for examples of the kind of hat I will be making. The kinds of things I will be looking for include: any Czech “bling”, Swarovski crystals or any very sparkly crystals, shiny beads (matte finish beads are not sparkly enough), tiny mirrors, etc.

I will need to buy some items but I would like much of the design to be created from items that are recycled, making the hat beautiful to behold and also a conversation piece. I hope to get started right away so if have some items that you would like to contribute I will need them right away. In return, I will send you pictures of the finished project.

Please don’t be offended if I am not able to use all of the items I receive on this project. Much will depend of what I receive but I will still send pictures and may use the other items on future costume pieces. If you have any thing you would like to contribute to the project or for more information, email me at czechcostumes@gmail.com.

I am going to look through my old jewelry to see if I can find something. And, oh yeah, I am going to call Mom to see if she has anything.

Thanks for your help.
Sharon Middlebrook

2010-03-24T06:17:00.000-07:00

I took the apron that I have been working on to the cleaners so I needed a project to work on. So, I pulled out a project that I started a couple of years ago. This is the scarf to go with the Kyjov costume I made for Sarah. I took the antique scarf to a copier and made a copy of it. Then I taped it together to create a pattern to transfer the design to the fabric. I used sewing tracing paper to apply the design to the fabric. The costume is lovely without the scarf so I haven't been in too big of a rush to finish but it is a small project I can carry easily to work on in the car, doctor's office or anywhere I am stuck waiting. What do you think?

Hat for a Reproduction for a Hanacky Costume

2010-03-18T19:40:00.000-07:00

Since I am almost finished with the apron for this costume, I am now turning my attention to the hat. And I need help from my readers. Is this hat for a special occasion, possibly for a bride? Any information would be helpful, so email me at czechcostumes@gmail.com. Thanks and keep the emails coming.

Update on the New Apron for Sarah’s Hanacky Kroj

2010-03-05T08:52:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo showing the back side. After all, everybody wants to see the back. Click on the photo to enlarge.

As many of you know I am working on a Hanacky kroj (costume) for my daughter, Sarah. Sarah was chosen in 2006 to be Miss Czech-Slovak USA Queen and she made many appearances in many states so I began making authentic-looking Czech Costumes for her to wear so she would not always have to wear the same costume. So far I have made a Kyjov, Wallachian and Hanacky costume (see earlier posts for photos and details). However, when I finished the Hanacky kroj, Sarah and I agreed that the apron needed more embroidery. So last March I began making the new apron and I am not rushing it with hundreds of hours of embroidery so far. I am pleased with the progress so far and am now trying to decide what else I would like to add to it. I would love to add handmade lace to the bottom, but I have no idea how to make lace. My second choice is to get some lace from the Czech Republic so I am looking in to that now. The fabric I have chosen for the apron is a heavier broadcloth and it holds the embroidery well and is substantial enough that it can be stiffly starched.
I love to hear from readers, so please continue to send me your comments and questions. This is just a hobby for me and I am always glad to help.
On a related note, I am looking in to making the designs I used on Sarah’s costumes in to iron-on transfers so if you would be interested in something like that, email me at czechcostumes@gmail.com.

Transfer Design for Kyjov Costume Blouse

2010-02-28T17:13:00.001-08:00

While my latest piece(apron for Hanacky kroj) is at the cleaners, I am working on a new project. I have a copy of the embroidery design that I used for a blouse for my daughter several years ago. The copy is not in very good shape because I used it to transfer the design to the material so I am tracing the design on to vellum (semi-transparent paper) that I can scan in to the computer. My hope is to save this priceless design so that others can use it and, who knows, maybe I will use it again sometime.

By the way, the Hanacky apron I am working on is nearing completion. So far I have been working on it about 11 months and I think I still want to do a little more work on it. I am always anxious to get a piece pressed at the cleaners and when I get it back I will post pictures.

Czech Comic Opera to be Performed in Texas in February and March

2010-02-19T20:17:00.000-08:00

The Czech Educational Foundation of Texas announced that the college of Music at the University of North Texas, in collaboration with the CEFT Kostohryz Residency in Czech Music and Culture, will present Bedrich Smetana's internationally acclaimed comic opera, Prodana nevesta (The Bartered Bride).
It is scheduled for 8 pm Feb. 26 and March 5 and at 3 pm Feb. 28 and March 7 in the Lyric Theater in the Murchison Performing Arts Center on the UNT campus in Denton.
This will be a full production with period costumes, special sets, dramatic lighting and the UNT Symphony Orchestra. The lyrics are to be sung in Czech by students in the College of Music and will have English subtitles so everyone can follow the story.
Tickets are $35, $25 and $15. For more information on these performances, contact the box office at 940-369-7802 or opera office at 940-565-4654.
There will also be modified productions of this opera at the following locations: March 24-Temple (contact Sandi Wicker-254-899-2935): March 25, College Station (Clint Machann-979-845-4898); March 27-Houston (Effie Rosene-713-528-2060); and March 28 (matinee), Austin-(Roger Kolar-512-474-6526).
Bedrich Smetana, who has long been regarded as the fatherof Czech Music, sought inspiration for his work from the old folk songs and dances of his native Bohemia. This is especially true of his The Bartered Bride, which premiered in 1866.
Hailed as one of the greatest of all comic operas, The Bartered Bride is a story of young love and the triumph of true love set to Smetana's hauntingly beautiful old-world melodies that continued to characterize the Czech musical heritage to this day.
The action takes place in a typical 19th century village in the Czech countryside. Act I begins with the villagers gathering in the square, which have been colorfully decorated in celebration of the spring festival and ends as the joyous townspeople, aught up in the festival mood, dance in a lively polka.

Good Luck Miss Texas, Kristen Blair

2010-01-23T18:40:00.000-08:00

Kristen Blair, Miss Texas will be competing in the Miss America pageant live on Saturday, January 30 8 pm CST on TLC. She is Texas Czech. Her family are members of our Czech Heritage Society of Texas. Good luck to her!

Enter to Win a Trip to Prague

2010-01-02T15:59:00.000-08:00

Now that the holidays are over I am back to work on my latest project, an apron for a Hanacky kroj (Czech Costume). I have a lot to do but as soon as I make some significant progress, I will post pictures.

I found a great contest that you may want to enter. The Travel Channel is giving away a trip to Prague this month. Enter at the following link:

http://win.travelchannel.com/index.tbapp?refcd=win_tc_com.

Good luck and have a blessed new year.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-17T20:05:00.000-08:00

I have not posted anything in a while. I have been busy working on Christmas projects but I will be back to work on the apron for Sarah's Hanacky kroj after Christmas. Have a blessed Christmas and rejoice in our Savior's birth. Merry Christmas!

2009 Westfest Parade

2009-09-07T06:21:00.000-07:00

Parade of Costumes at 2009 Westfest

2009-09-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

Westfest is a Czech festival held annually on Labor Day in my hometown of West, Texas. One attraction of Westfest is the Parade of Authentic Costumes. Here are just a few of the beautiful costumes that were on display.

Getting Costumes Ready for Westfest

2009-08-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

Westfest weekend is Labor Day Weekend in West, Texas. This Czech festival is in my hometown of West, Texas. (See Westfest link along the right side of the blog.) At Westfest you will see one of the largest selection of authentic Czech costumes anywhere. I am busy getting my daughters' costumes ready to wear at the Parade of Costumes on Saturday, September 5 at 2:00 and throughout the weekend. Authentic Czech costumes take a great deal of specialized care. For more tips, see my earlier post dated July 19, 2009.
The first thing I do is to wash, starch and hang to dry the petticoats because the petticoats provide the proper structure for the costume. If your petticoat does not stand on it's on, add more starch. I washed our petticoats in the washing machine but you may need to hand wash. I stopped the wash cycle and let them soak for thirty minutes in Clorox 2. After the rinse cycle I soaked the petticoats in full strength liquid starch and then let the spin cycle spin out the excess. Then, I hung the petticoats outside spreading them out as much as possible. I spread them out as much as possible to prevent them from sticking together and making ironing easier. After drying completely, I ironed them. I ironed them several times. 1) Just iron without using spray starch, both front and back. 2) Iron them with heavy starch, both front and back.
Check back later or follow this blog for more tips. If you have tips or just information on Czech costumes, email it to me. I welcome comments. This site is free and is a great way for us to help each other. Sharon.
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2009-08-09T06:12:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Brianna Tichy, 2009-10 Miss Czech Slovak US!

Each year the Miss Czech Slovak US Pageant is held in Wilber, NE during the Wilber Czech Festival.

In it's 23 years the pageant has hosted over 225 contestants viaing for the position as Miss Czech Slovak US Queen. The Miss Czech Slovak US Pageant has crowned 23 queens and has a strong history of producing proud Czech and Slovak Americans that continue to preserve the Czech and Slovak heritage around the United States. Currently 9 states have Miss Czech Slovak Pageants and we are always interested in starting more.

I am interested in any contact you may have of a female aged 16-26, single, of Czech or Slovak decent who would be interested in competing for the national title and over $10,000 in cash and prizes.

I understand your time is very valuable but the value that these young woman bring not only to the pageant but to all youth around the United States. Our 2008 queen traveled to over 20,000 miles promoting the Czech and Slovak heritage, preservation and continueing relationships.

For pictures or more information please see our website
www.missczechslovakus.com

Brianna can be reached via the national pageant website.

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Thank you,
MaryElizabeth Lackey
Miss Czech Slovak US Pageant Director
785-317-5010

Results of the 2009 Miss Czech Slovak US Pageant

2009-08-09T05:56:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends of the Miss Czech Slovak US Pageant,

The 23rd annual MISS CZECH-SLOVAK US PAGEANT is now history. As with each pageant there are many highlights stemming from all the contestants. Speech eloquence, poise and appearance and personality were outstanding among all 14 contestants.

The pageant was held at the Wilber Outdoor Theater in the heart of beautiful Wilber, NE. 14 contestants competed for the title of 2009-10 Miss Czech Slovak US. The contestants were evaluated on four categories: Private interview, Onstage Interview, Kroj (costume) modeling and Talent Presentation. The competition was exceptional!

Brianna Tichy, New Jersey, of Wodwich, New Jersey was crowned 2009-10 Miss Czech Slovak United States, along with winning Talent Runner Up. Brianna attends the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. She is working on her Bachelor's degree in International Studies, with a focus on Eastern Europe and Post-communist countries. She is the daughter of Fred Tichy and Bridget DeFiccio. With the title Brianna will recieve $1500 cash, $2500 towards a trip to the Czech or Slovak Republic and a special $250 special scholarship in memory of John Rokusek and much more. Teresa Mahoney, Oregon, of Portland, Oregon was 1st Runner Up, Authentic Kroj Winner and the Alicia "Fiala" Rokusek Oratory Award. Carrie Brown, Nebraska, of Omaha, Nebraska won 2nd Runner Up. Christine Dowling, Kansas, of Hays, Kansas won Americanized Kroj and Grand Talent Winner. Leilani Kurtak, Arizona of Tucson, Arizona received the Lois Fiala Spirit of Czech/Slovak Heritage award. Tanya Jech, Illinois of Westchester, Illinois won the Heritage Involvement Award. Olivia Cada, Minnesota, of Shorewood, Minnesota received the Sokol talent routine award and Miss Congeniality.

Other than our above 7 winners, we had 7 other outstanding contestants, Michelle Barak, Texas; Olivia Buydos, Ohio; Amanda DeHoedt, Iowa; Samantha Hlinicky, Oklahoma; Kristy Kleinhans, Wisconsin; Valerie Smith, Missouri; and Cindy Syrovatka, South Dakota.

For pictures of our wonderful contestants, award winners and 2009 Queen and Court, please see our website www.missczechslovakus.com. Please feel free to utilize these pictures with your organization.

I would like to thank my pageant committee, Board of Directors, and all that helped to make this pageant a success.

If you are interested in competing in the 2010 Miss Czech Slovak US pageant, please contact myself or see our website for complete rules and regulations. .

I am excited to look forward to the Miss Czech Slovak US 2010 pageant August 6, 7, and 8 held during the National Czech Festival of Wilber, Nebraska.

Sincerely,

MaryElizabeth Lackey
Miss Czech Slovak US Pageant Director
mary_eliza@yahoo.com

Proper Care & Cleaning of Czech Costumes

2009-07-19T16:01:00.000-07:00

The McLennan-Hill Chapter of the Czech Heritage Society (http://www.czechheritage.org/) met on July 19, 2009 at the Community Center in West. The program was presented by Maggie Grmela of Czech Costume Creations (http://www.maggiesfabricpatch.com). She presented a program on the proper care and cleaning of Czech costumes. A few of her tips for Americanized costumes include:
1. She recommends cleaning the whites (blouses and aprons) at home; professional cleaners tend to yellow the fabrics. She suggests that all whites be cleaned after each wear, body oils will stain and yellow and will make it harder to clean.
2. Soak the whites in sink of cold water with small amount of regular detergent or use a gentle detergent along with Clorox-2 (all fabric bleach) or Biz all fabric bleach. Let stand for at least 30 minutes. Finish by hand washing then rinse and spin out in the washer (delicate cycle). Hang to dry or put in dryer on delicate for a short time to fluff. A helpful hint for ladies blouses is to fill the sleeves with netting and spray with spray starch. Let dry and leave netting in sleeve until the time time to wear. Items can be steam pressed or ironed if necessary. If item has beading, put a towel on the ironing board and press from the wrong side.
3. Items that can be machine washed need to be washed on the delicate cycle. Hang to dry or dry on the delicate setting. A safety measure for machine washing is to use a laundry bag or a pillowcase to protect any laces, trim or beading. Maggie suggests use Clorox 2 or Biz for machine washables. Let stand and soak for a while before completing washing.
4. All blouses and skirts that are poly cotton can be hand washed or gently machine washed in cold water. Hang to dry or put in the dryer on the delicate setting.
5. Vests and skirts that are velvet or brocades should be dry cleaned.
Maggie had a few tips for authentic costumes. They include:
1. Authentic costumes can be very delicate. She recommends treating them with extreme care. Before cleaning, make any repairs that are necessary. Some lace and trims may need to be removed before cleaning. Maggie recommends Clorox 2 or Biz for those fabrics that are washable. Test for color safety on a small piece of the fabric.
2. She recommends keeping costumes in cardboard boxes with acid-free tissue paper. Authentic costumes should not be kept on coat hangers. This tends to pull on the fabrics, embroidery and trims. Costumes should be stored flat in boxes with tissue between each piece.

2009 Miss Czech Slovak US Pageant

2009-07-03T18:11:00.000-07:00

Don't miss the 2009 Miss Czech Slovak US Pageant at Czech Days in Wilber, NE on August 1 & 2. Very accomplished Czech Queens will come from all over the country to compete for to be the next Miss Czech Slovak US. This is a must see for anyone who loves Czech/Slovak heritage. This competition showcases the best of authentic and Americanized costumes and some very talented ladies. These lovely young ladies will compete in several categories including: onstage and personal interview; talent and kroj (Czech costume) modeling. Contestants are: Michelle Barak, Texas; Carrie Brown, Nebraska; Olivia Buydos, Ohio; Olivia Cada, Minnesota; Amanda DeHoedt-Iowa; Christine Dowling, Kansas; Samantha Hlinicky, Oklahoma; Tanya Jech, Illinois; Kristy Kleinhans, Wisconsin; Leilani Kurtak, Arizona; Teresa Mahoney, Oregon; Valerie Smith, Missouri; Cindy Syrovatka, South Dakota and Brianna Tichy, New Jersey.
The pageant is held in conjunction with Czech Days, a Czech festival in Wilber, NE. Events include parades on both Saturday and Sunday. This small town opens up and welcomes tens of thousands of visitors from all over the United States. Don't miss it. For more information, log on to http://www.ci.wilber.ne.us/festival_events.asp. For more information on the Miss Czech Slovak US Pageant, log on to http://missczechslovakqueen.tripod.com/.

Czech Youth Day

2009-06-27T16:53:00.001-07:00

The 2009 Czech Youth Day at the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center was a big success. Activities included: hay ride tour of the center, Czech lesson, beading lesson, meteorite presentation, Czech egg presentation, rock painting, dance lesson and much more. Several of the Czech Heritage Society of Texas Czech Queens and Little Sisters were present and helped as needed throughout the day. I did a presentation on sewing beads and sequins but I was so busy I did not get any pictures. Many thanks to the volunteers of the Texas Czech Heritage & Cultural Center and the Czech Heritage Society of Texas. The day was great fun and wonderful way for generations to come together to share the Czech heritage with the children.

More Progress on the Hanacky Apron

2009-06-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

You will notice in the last few posts that I am working on another apron for Sarah's Hanacky kroj (Czech costume). The first one was nice but just needed more embroidery. SO, the one I am making now is taking much longer...I am taking my time. I found a great embroidery hot iron transfer that looks Czech. The design is from Aunt Martha's Hot Iron Transfers, #3759 Blue Onion Motifs. Our local fabric store, JoAnn's fabrics carry an assortment of these brand of transfers. So far I have completed the larger design (see photo) along the bottom of the apron. I then did a very simple three line scallop that will create a border for a smaller design that matches the first. After completing this row, I will top with another three line scallop, then invert the original bottom design. I will continue to post photos. You will notice small dots around the center of the bottom design. (Click on photo to enlarge.) I am not sure how I want to do those so I am waiting until I near completion. I use use french knots, beads, sequins or crystals. I will decide later.

Answers to Embroidery Questions

2009-05-28T16:57:00.001-07:00

I get two questions all the time: 1) how do you get your embroidery designs to look like machine-made and 2) how do you get the back the back of the design to look so neat.
Question #1: I have a few tips that may help. I use DMC 6-strand floss and most of my pieces are made with 2 strands. I cut the floss about 1 yard long. Don't get your thread any longer or you are sure to get knots. I take the 6-strand floss and hold it between my thumb and forefinger. While holding the end, gently pull one strand straight up (see photo #2 & #3). This is key, do not pull out left and right or your floss will knot. Just pull the single thread straight up. The key to making your embroidery stitches smooth, is to ALWAYS separate your thread this way, even if you are using all 6 strands. If you find that even after doing this your stitch is not laying smooth, try pulling the stitch slowly over your finger (see photo #4) and when the stitch lays flat, then complete the stitch. That seems very time consuming but believe me your efforts will be rewarded with a beautiful finished piece and with time, you will get faster. I never tie knots in my thread. Since I use 2 strands for my designs, I do this by using 1 piece of floss and doubling it. This gives me a loop on one end (see photo #5). As I pull my thread up from the back, I let the loop remain on the back and I go back through the material and I run the needle back through the loop (see photo #6 & #7). By doing this, knots are not needed and the back of the design stays neat and smooth. When I get to the end of the thread I simply weave the ends through the back of the design back and forth (see photo #8). When I first heard of this method I was skeptical because I thought it would be easy to pull out and ruin the design. But you would be surprised, using this method is actually stronger than tying knots. I have been embroidering for many years and never had a problem.

Question #2: My grandmother told me that I should take as much pride in the back of my design as I do the front. It has taken me many years but I now know why she told me this...BECAUSE EVERYBODY LOOKS AT THE BACK OF THE DESIGN. And also, if the back is messy and threads strung from one element to another it is more likely to be seen from the front and there is more chance of the thread getting caught on a button or something and pulling out. This does not mean that you have to start a new thread for each element. For example, if you are working on leaves on a stem of a flower, as you finish a leaf, weave your thread in the stem until you reach the next leaf in the design. Also, when working on items such as leaves, start in the middle of the leaf. I start in the middle and work to one end. When I reach the end of the leaf, I run the thread under the design in the back and go back to the middle and work the other direction (see photo #8). This will help you to keep the design even. If you start at one end you may tend to go crooked. I hope these tips help and if you have any other tips or questions, send them to me. This site is free and is a great place for all of us to share our ideas.

Hanacky Kroj Apron #2

2009-05-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on a kroj (Czech costume) representing the Hana region of the Czech Republic. The costume is for my daughter Sarah. Sarah is the 2006-2007 Miss Czech-Slovak USA Queen and she is still very active in the Czech community. She is designing this costume to look as authentic as possible.
We thought we were finished with the costume but after wearing it a few times we realized that the apron really does need more embroidery. (See photos from previous post entitled "Slavnost"). I could add more embroidery to the apron I finished a few months ago but just could not find a design that we thought would go with the current design.
SO, I am working on a new apron. This may be better because I really do not want to rush it and this way Sarah can wear the costume while I am working on the new apron. When making authentic-looking costumes, speed can not be part of the equation. So far, I have been working on this apron a couple of months and probably finished 20% of the embroidery. I am using a hot iron transfer (Aunt Martha's #3759) combined with designs from Czecho-Slovakian Embroideries. The hot iron transfers are so much easier than tracing designs scanned from a book and I was thrilled to find a design that I thought would work on this costume.
A few things to keep in mind when working on a piece like this that is sure to be a family heirloom. They are 1) don't rush it; 2) make the back of the design look as nice (or almost as nice) as the front of the design (see photos comparing back to front of the apron) and above all 3) don't be afraid to remove stitches if the piece does not look like you expect. Remember, it is just thread.

Slavnost in La Grange, Texas

2009-05-17T18:22:00.001-07:00

Sarah, Ed and I attended Slavnost (formerly May Fest) on May 17, 2009 in La Grange, Texas. The event was a fund raiser for the Texas Czech Heritage & Cultural Center (http://www.czechtexas.org/).
Special guests included two senators from the Czech Republic; representative from the Czech Embassy, Vaclav Vochoska; and Czech Queens. Czech queens attending were: Sarah-2006 Miss Czech-Slovak USA; Ashley Sulak-2008 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen; Michelle Barak-2009 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak and her Little Czech Sister and Jana-Miss Lavaca County Czech-Slovak Queen.

2009-04-21T15:17:00.001-07:00

The following information was provided by Saron Mack. She has found some very interesting links that may be helpful to you. Many thanks Saron!
In Czech: http://baracnici.sweb.cz/kroje.htm - detailed descriptions of regional kroje with pictures of some kroje

In English: http://www.czechgallery.com/krojmap/index.html - interactive map of Czechoslovakian kroje with pictures of some kroje

In English and Czech: http://sechtl-vosecek.ucw.cz/cml/dir/garb.html - photo gallery of historical kroje from various regions, mostly Taborsky/Kozacky, Blatsky, Chotoviny, and some from southeastern Bohemia (near Brno)

In Czech: http://www.muzeumcb.cz/cz/?clanek=164 - brief explainations of kroj and variations between old and new stylesI've also found several books (but have not yet been able to purchase any of them.

In Czech Republic (requires a bank transfer to purchase books): http://www.digibooks.cz/store/digibooks_cz/Output/index.htm (titles available: Lidové kroje v Československu, Československé lidové kroje, Naše lidové kroje, Československé lidové hračky, Slovenské lidové výšivky, Slovenský ĺudový textil, Výšivka a zdobení lidového kroje)-

In Czech Republic: http://www.arara.cz/t/product.php?id=139251 - Lidové kroje z České republiky-

In Czech Republic: http://knihy.abz.cz/prodej/ceske-a-slovenske-lidove-kroje - České a slovenské lidové kroje-

In USA: http://stores.czechgifts.org/StoreFront.bok (titles available: Czech, Moravian and Slovak Traditional Costumes Coloring Book, Czech, Moravian and Slovak Traditional Costumes Paper Dolls, Czechoslovak Culture, Recipes, History and Folk Arts, Folk Costumes of the World)-

In Czech Republic: Lidový kroj na Vsetínsku by Eva Urbachová (but couldn't find a site that sells it directly via internet)

Kroj material from CZ: http://www.kroje.cz/materialy.htm - all kinds of material for different parts of kroje

Here is a neat site with a nativity set featuring Czech kroje: http://www.czechgallery.com/crib/index.html. I remember having a paper (like very elaborate cardboard) nativity set from Bohemia as a child, but it was unfortunately eaten by mice and is no more.

I found another link which goes to a museum of kroje, kroje for sale, and other interesting information about Czech and Slovakian kroje:

http://www.czechgallery.com/czechantiqueart

Miss Texas Czech Slovak Queen Pageant

2009-04-19T07:50:00.000-07:00

Beautiful kroje (Czech costumes) were on display at the 2009 Miss Texas Czech Slovak Queen Pageant on April 18, 2009 in Hallettsville, Texas. The new queen is Michelle Jenee Barak. Her Little Czech Sister is Katherine Stuckly. Watch for future blogs for a press release and I hope to have descriptions of the Queens' beautiful kroje. Stay tuned...

Sarah wears Hanacky Kroj at TOCA Dinner

2009-04-05T06:15:00.000-07:00

My daughter, Sarah, wore her new costume to the Texans of Czech Ancestry Awards Banquet on April 4, 2009. The event was held at the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center in LaGrange, Texas.
http://www.czechtexas.org/

Costume description:
Sarah is wearing an authentic-looking reproduction of a kroj representing the Hana region. The costume, designed by Sarah, was made by her mother.
The top white skirt or apron that Sarah is wearing would be worn by a bride or at another festive event. The apron is made of white broadcloth, is hand embroidered and edged by hand. The design is completed with Swarovski crystals.
The skirt is made of yellow fabric. You will notice throughout the kroj the touches of yellow, the color of sunshine, that is common in kroje from this region. Often skirts would be made with fabric on hand. Sarah wears two petticoats that are stiffly starched to create a full skirt.
You will notice that a large handkerchief is worn on Sarah's kroje. The intricate design is hand embroidered and hand edged.
Sarah's blouse features hand embroidery and buttons from the Czech Republic. Blouses can be worn with sleeves stiffly pleated or puffed sleeves as Sarah's costume.The focal point of Sarah's kroj is the vest made of dark red brocade with hand embroidery, gold trim and buttons from the Czech Republic. Vests from the Hana region are commonly short with one closure at the bottom of the vest. Sarah's green belt is made of ribbon from the Czech Republic.

Most notably on kroje from this region is the full, stiff lace collar. Sarah lace collar was created with 13 yards of lace and ribbon from the Czech Republic. The collar is detachable and is completed with red ribbon common to costumes from Hana.
The embroidery designs on Sarah's costume are authentic Czecho-Slovakian designs from a book Sarah's mother found entitled Czecho-Slovakian Embroideries. Sarah and her mother would like to thank Jana & Ludmilla Vaculik; Maggie Grmela and Alice Vida for their help researching the design for this kroj.

Stiff Lace Collar for Hana Kroj

2009-03-17T21:07:00.000-07:00

I am almost finished with Sarah's new kroj. This costume represents the region of Hana (see earlier posts for more pictures and details). Here are a few pictures of the collar I just finished. These kroje are easily recognized by the stiff lace collars. In all of the pictures I have seen, the lace is very wide. I could not find any wide enough so I combined a wide lace with a thinner lace. The lace is so gathered that you may not notice that is in two pieces. This collar took a total of 13 yards of lace; 3/4 yard of Czech ribbon; and 1 yard of red ribbon. I made the collar to be tied with the red ribbon but Sarah has decided that she would rather have a collar hook with the red ribbon just as a decoration. To make the collar stiff, use boiled starch.

Hanacky Vest

2009-03-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

I finally finished the Hanacky vest. I did all of the embroidery by hand. It is not as clean as that done by a machine but it is more authentic. I lucked out and found buttons from the Czech Republic at the local fabric store-JoAnn's. The beautiful gold trim was a gift from a dear friend, Alice Vida. Thanks Alice, you were right. It is perfect. I had a small piece left over after trimming the front so I took it apart and used it to form the lines on the front to the buttons. Here are a few pictures, feel free to click on to enlarge.

Now, I am going to make the stiff ruffled collar...wish me luck.

Sharon

Everybody Looks at the Back...

2009-03-10T18:30:00.001-07:00

One thing we have noticed... when you show anyone a piece of embroidery they always want to see the back.

Notice the pictures of both the front and the back of these pieces. The first picture is of the front of a hankie for a costume and the next is the back of the same hankie.

The third picture is of an apron for a costume and the last picture is of the back of the same piece.

So, keep this in mind when you are working on a piece, such as a costume, that you hope to become a family heirloom. My grandmother taught me how to embroider when I was about 6 years old but unfortunately she passed away before I learned the finer aspects of the craft. Much of what I have learned, I have learned by my mistakes.

Here are a few of my tips...
1. I never tie knots on the back of my embroidery. I work the end of the thread under the design both one way and then the other. Much to my surprise, I have never had a stitch pull out using this method. It seems to be not only more appealing but more practical then bumpy knots on the back of a design.
2. This one is hard to do, but well worth the effort. I never stretch embroidery floss across the back of the design from one area to another. Remember...THREAD IS CHEAP! So don't try to take short cuts by jumping over open areas just to prevent finishing off the thread. Take the time and finish off the thread and start a new thread in the next area. I know...it is a pain but believe me your patience will be well worth it when you get as many compliments of the back of your design as the front.

I imagine that the costumes I am making today will become heirlooms that will be passed on to future generations. My daughters do have Americanized kroje that are beautiful but I now am challenging myself to try to make a costume that people have to look at very close to see that it is new and not an authentic one.

Design for Back of Hanacky Vest

2009-02-24T19:50:00.000-08:00

I am almost finished with the embroidery along the front of Sarah's new vest. Now time to find a design for the back. I went back to the antique book I found on the internet, Czecho-Slovakian Embroideries. I found a design that complemented the one I have been working on. I scanned the page in to the computer and printed out the design. Sarah and I selected the colors that matched the front of the vest.

We colored the page to try out how the colors look together. Check back later to see the vest turns out.

Ballet-Style Czech Dance Costume

2009-01-26T17:39:00.000-08:00

In 2006, my daughter, Sarah, was named the Miss Czech-Slovak USA Queen. For the talent portion of the competition she performed an original ballet dance to a piece of music by a Czech composter, Antonin Dvorak. She wanted a costume that would be soft and flowing for the performance.

Maggie Grmela of Czech Costume Creations (http://www.maggiesfabricpatch.com/) created this lovely costume just for the occasion. The 'blouse' is actually a body suit with a lace collar and full puffed sleeves. The skirt is a two-tiered design made of soft chiffon with sequins along the edge. The vest is embroidered with flowers and embellished with beads and sequins. Maggie made Sarah a small wreath of flowers to match the costume that fit perfectly around her bun. While the costume could not be considered authentic, it was spectacular and perfect for the performance!

For more information on the Miss Czech-Slovak US Queen pageant, log on to http://www.missczechslovakus.com/.

Hanacky Vest

2009-01-24T05:50:00.001-08:00

I have gotten some emails, with questions regarding the Hanacky vest. Thanks for the feedback! As anyone making Czech costumes discovers, there are really no patterns. So what I did for the Hanacky vest was to use a vest from one of Sarah's costumes and I made this pattern. I did a lot of research on these costumes but the best suggestion for this vest came from a good friend, Alica Vida. (See her drawing in an earlier post.) The front of the vest will have one closure at the bottom and the front of the vest will be diagonal. All of my embroidery and bead work is done by hand. I know machine embroidery is more practical but I don't have a machine and I have really come to appreciate hand work much like our ancestors did. The design on the front of the vest came from a book I found on the internet, Czecho-Slovakian Embroideries. Once Sarah decided on a design, I scanned it in the computer and printed out the design on transparent vellum. I have found this is the easiest way to trace to the fabric. If you really need a pattern for a vest, this (see photo) is a pattern I found at a local store. As you notice, these are not for Czech costumes. However, you can take the pattern, trim to fit and adorn. Should you make your pattern, I suggest you keep your pattern drawn on kraft paper (or the back of gift wrap works too) for future reference.

Progress on the Hanacky Kroj

2009-01-23T20:37:00.000-08:00

My youngest daughter, Sarah, in her Hanacky kroj is pictured with her father, Ed Middlebrook. My husband has been recovering from surgery since before Christmas and we were so glad he was able to attend the meeting of our local chapter of the McLennan-Hill Czech Heritage Society on January 18, 2009.

Sarah happily shows off the embroidery on her Hanacky apron to Jana Vaculik. This costume is, by no means, complete. I still have to make the stiff, lace collar. I plan to make it detachable for convenience. I would also like to make a yellow skirt with yellow-on-yellow embroidery. Sarah also shows off the progress on the vest. So far, I have embroidered down the front of the vest.

Sad News to the Czech American Community

2008-12-14T20:01:00.000-08:00

The Czech community and our family are saddened at the loss of a very dear friend...Zora Pergl. Zora passed away suddenly on Friday, December 12 and her passing leaves a deep void to her family; to everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her and to all the readers of her online newsletter. We met Zora in Ennis, Texas in May of 2006 and became fast friends. Her wonderful personality; love of life and love of all things Czech will be remembered by everyone who knew her. Our deepest sympathy is sent to her family and especially her precious granddaughter, Nymani. God bless.

Starting on the Hanacky Vest

2008-12-04T05:14:00.000-08:00

Well, as I mentioned, I am anxious to start on my daughter, Sarah's, Hanacky vest. I was given some great suggestions from a friend, Alice Vida. (See the image of her design below.) I would like to say that I went to the store and bought a vest pattern, but no such luck. I had to trace around a vest from another costume and trim it to fit this design. This vest will be a shorter vest with a one hook closure instead of ribbons or buttons. After laying the pattern I made on the fabric, I basted along the cut lines instead of cutting out the fabric the size of the pattern. (See the yellow basting stitches on the rust colored fabric in the picture.) This allows for me to embroider all the way to the edge of the vest. The design Sarah chose was found in a book of Czech-Slovak embroidery designs (see photo).

Sarah and I chose DMC floss in the colors of the ribbons that will be worn with the costume. The green ribbon will be the belt and the dark red ribbon will be used to trim the stiff lace collar.

I scanned the design in to the computer and printed it out on vellum to allow me to line up where I want to trace the design. The vellum is semi-transparent. I use Saral (see photo) tracing paper because it seems to do a better job printing the image. I only trace a very, very small piece of the design at a time because the tracing lines do not last long and wear off easily. As I have said in other posts, do not rush. When making a reproduction costume, your patience and attention to detail pay off and your costume will become a family heirloom.

Hanacky Handkerchief

2008-11-24T18:50:00.000-08:00

Some of you have been asking me how I am doing on the kroj that I am making. I am making a Hanacky kroj representing the region of Hana. So far I have finished the blouse, skirt and apron. You can see pictures in some of my past posts. Now I have just finished the handkerchief. (Click on any picture to see detail.) I have looked at countless pictures of these kroje and in almost all of them, the women wear a handkerchief pinned to their apron or skirt. The next time Sarah wears her kroj, I will take a picture and post it here. What next? A good friend, Alice Vida, has given me great advice on a vest design (see other posts) and I am anxious to start on it. I plan to start on the vest over the holidays.

Insights on Czech Kroje by Jana Vaculik

2008-11-20T19:54:00.000-08:00

Jana Vaculik is pictured here with her grandmother, Ludmilla Vaculik. Jana's family is from the Czech Republic. She is a first generation American Czech. She has been a tremendous help to me, and others, with her vast knowledge of Czech culture, costumes, food and traditions. She wrote a piece about Czech kroje and with her permission, I am reprinting it here for you.

Information on Czech Kroje
Submitted by Jana Vaculik of West, Texas

You will have to make the most of your decisions about buying a kroj before you leave the Czech Republic. The most important step is taking the time to do the research before you leave, which saves you time and frustration mainly finding out the location of shops and the expert help. Once you are in the country you might not have time to find out everything and get everything you need unless you plan to stay two or more months, but typically people stay less than a month. I have gone through this process in my experience in getting kroj for others or helping my grandmother. I have been wearing a kroj since I was two years old. The following is several things to think about kroj ownership.

Special note: Most of the people in Texas are descended from Moravians specifically Valachs. This region does have a kroj but depending on what village your modrotisk, or blue/white stamped fabric will be unique to that village. There a subtle differences in the color of the vest, ribbons and the blue and white fabric for the skirt. Joe Janecka has a website with pictures from the Parade of Czech Moravian Authentic costumes each year at Westfest. http://goodolejoe.net/Indexf/indexf.htm The home page has him and his wife Alice (gorgeous in a kyjov kroj) and Joe in a kroj from Hluk.

Kroj are first communion dress, wedding and funeral dress to the women of the Czech lands. Their every day clothing for the fieldwork was different from what they wore to church. Up until World War Two and 1950’s in Czechoslovakia krojs were worn as wedding dresses in the rural areas. A mother would teach her daughter to embroider and young girls would start making her wedding dress in their teens or younger. My grandmother was taught embroidery in school in the 1930’s in Czechoslovakia.

I have listed the parts of the kroj but not in the order dressing yourself. Ladies have it tough because each layer of skirts has to be tightened and you have to make sure the hems are even and your petticoats are not showing. That is my pet peeve. My dad always says if you want to look good you have to suffer, ladies.

Anatomy of a Kroj:
Basic parts of a kroj, authentic dress in the Czech Republic. Kroj is singular, kroje are plural. Krojs plural in English
Ladies: Head to Toe
Czech: cepeni
Headpiece/headdress: It can be a scarf, wreath of flowers, cap, or a headpiece with ribbon or a bare head. Look for the Hluk picture.
Czech: obojek
Collar: A heavily embroidered, pleated, eye lace, or just a collar along with a blouse, or a scarf.
Czech: bluza/ halenka
Blouse: A simple plain one with no embroidery almost always have some sort of puffy sleeves of some sort.
Czech: rukavce
Sleeves: They can vary in sizes and simplicity. Heavily starched and lacy puffed sleeves are common; hardest to take care of.
Czech: sukne
Petticoats: Depending how thin you are or how your kroj is supposed to look like you might be wearing as much as three or more heavily starched until they snap petticoats. You have to get that bell shape.
Czech: sorec
Back skirt: There is always a skirt for the front and a separate one for the back unless it is entirely made out of one piece of fabric with just an apron in the front. Ex Kyjovsky kroj White for a bride, Black for a married or single lady
Czech: fertusek
Apron or front skirt: This is the first piece of the kroj people notice or maybe the sleeves are a close second. Both the back and front skirt vary in length. The front apron/skirt and back skirt must be the same length. They can be short, only to your knees or long, to your ankles. Ex: Hana
Ribbons are tied around the waist. They can be embroidered, ribbon embroidered, and painted. Ribbons are also used in the hair, headpieces, and using them above your elbow to accentuate your sleeves.
Shoes: varies by region
Some have special boots with metal on their heels with embroidered leather, knee length. Some look like moccasins, ankle boots, dress shoes with no panty hose/stockings/tights in black, white, red.
Men
Basically the guys have it made because they just have pants, a shirt, belt, boots and a hat. They can have either wool pants or linen. Their sleeves have eye lace, embroidery, woolen pants that are embroidered. Sometimes they have rooster feathers in their hats to symbolize who is the bridegroom or how many girlfriends he is seeing if he single.
Winter and summer kroj
There are variations for the winter and warmer months.
KROJ 101
First of many decisions you will have to make:
Decision One: You have to choose whether or not you want a kroj from the village of your ancestors or if you just want any kroj. With the latter option you have many choices but more choices for Moravian and Slovak kroje than Czech/Bohemian.
Explanation: Not every village has a kroj especially if your ancestors came from Bohemia. If your specific village of origin does not have a kroj you might have to find a village next to yours or have to get a regional kroj. The regional kroj will have the characteristics of the region but it might not be specific to your village.
Second : Your budget. You must have a budget in mind because getting a brand new kroj can cost you $300-$500 or more per person depending on what kroj you are getting. They can take 3-6 months to make and you have to take specific measurements; each are custom made. The boots from my dad’s village cost 3,000 to 4,000 crowns ($235) using $1 = 17 crowns. Now with the dollar being so low I have no idea how much it will cost.
Third: Do you want a brand new kroj or do you want an older kroj?
Explanation: There are shops in Moravia that sell fabric. I have links posted in the Kroj folder under the Texas Czech Egroup links which have websites of shops and ladies who make kroje. There is also a factory in Uhersky Brod which will make the brocade fabric when it reopens. They are investing several millions of crowns to reopening it and I have not heard any updates. In each village there is sort of a “keeper of the kroj traditions” typically an older lady who makes, cleans, lets you borrow kroj or a tailor/shoemaker gentleman who makes the traditional boots and kroj for the men. American tourists may think that Czech people in Czech Republic wear kroj everyday but they do not. They wear them maybe to first communion like my dad’s village, feast days, festivals, and if they are in a folk dance group they will wear them. The traditions in Moravian and Slovakia have been kept so they are more likely to have kroje and wear them.
Older kroje are available and people are willing to sell them because the younger generations think it is old fashioned and the older ladies have a trunk full of kroj pieces. First problem you have, to know who to talk to and find them and if they want to sell. You have no guarantees of the condition: stained, eaten by moths, or half completed pieces. Sometimes it is just plain luck you find a complete kroj.
Second problem: You find pieces of the kroj but not the complete set. The only rule in kroj is that you cannot mix and match pieces from different villages or you look like a scarecrow. And people will know you are mixing and matching. I do. Are you willing to take a chance while you are in the Czech Republic that you will find a kroj that will fit you and is in good condition and is not expensive? The only positive about buying an older kroj is that it is going to be cheaper unless you have an older lady who wants to make a little bit more from the Americans. You might have to bargain. The negative is everything I mentioned above as well as the possibility is might only be a museum piece. The kroj cannot stand up to the Texas heat and over time the sweat will ruin the fabric.
Fourth: Do you want someone to make your kroj or do you want to buy the fabric and make it yourself?
There are people who have made their own kroj but it does not look always look right. If you know what you are doing and are a very good seamstress with a lot of patience you can make a good quality authentic kroj copy. Sharon Middlebrook from West, Texas, made her daughter a kyjovsky kroj from scratch. A kyjovsky kroj is the most elaborate and beautiful out of all the krojs but it is a killer to make and to buy. It took Sharon 2000 hours and 1 1/2 years to make Sarah’s . Sharons’s blog/ website is http://czechcostumes.blogspot.com/2008/09/hanacky-kroj-part-of-it.html She is now making a kroj from Hana for Sarah and she posts updates. I admire her for her courage and she in turn is helping others when they want to make a kroj of their own.
You will not have kroj directly from the Czech Republic authentic but it the materials used will be from the Czech Republic. There are also Texas Czech krojs which are totally wearable and washable.
Fifth: Will you take the time and effort to take care of an authentic kroj from the Czech Republic and learn how to properly wear it. You cannot take these kroje to the dry cleaner although some people have but I do not know what can and cannot be dry cleaned. The ladies’ kroje have a lot of beading, lace, sequins, cording that will get damaged if put in the washing machine. The fabric easily bleeds so you cannot just put it in the washing machine. Once you get ketchup, wine it is more often then not ruined forever. Storing a kroj when not wearing it is also important because some pieces cannot be hanged in a closet depending on what they are; the fabric might stretch out. It is best of have it in a cool, dark, dry place whether in a suitcase, plastic storage container to protect it from the humidity, moths and sunlight. Correctly wearing the kroj is also important. When you are out in public you a representing a culture and a way of life, something special so when your underskirts/petticoats and your apron and back skirt are not even. Your ribbons are tied in a half hazard way, collars twisted, people busting out of their vests because they are too small, discolored/stained fabric along with the biggest mistake: no starching and ironing.
Ebay/other means
You can search on Ebay to buy your pieces but you might not get the exact piece you need from a specific village. I have bought them online and have been satisfied so far. Also it is an auction so if you are not near a computer you might get outbid and you have to decide how much you are willing to pay for something you cannot see in person.
There are people who do not want their kroj so they sell them. I guess they ask around or put a classified ad in the paper.
Many thanks to Jana Vaculik of West, Texas

2008-11-13T18:11:00.000-08:00

Photo provided by William Kool.

Sarah with former Secretary of State Madeline Albright. Photo by William Kool.

Sarah Middlebrook meets Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell; former astronaut Eugene Cernan and Czech Ambassador Petr Kolar.

Ed, Sarah and I were guests of Ray and Clarice Snokhous at the American Friends of the Czech Republic Gala in Houston, Texas on November 13, 2008.

Proceeds from the event will help rebuild the Woodrow Wilson monument in the Czech Republic.

Sarah chats with a guest at the Gala.

A guest examines the embroidery on Sarah's kroj.

Czech Ambassador Petr Kolar compliments Sarah on her kroj.

Sarah chats with former Secretary of State Madeline Albright. Sec. Albright told Sarah she had the same ribbon like the ribbon Sarah's belt was made of.

2008-10-23T18:51:00.000-07:00

A dear friend gave me a wonderful picture book on Czech kroje. Alice Vida from San Antonio recently went to the Czech Republic and surprised me with a beautiful book upon her return to Texas. I have seen this book on the internet but I had never seen it in person. It is full of large, fabulous photos showcasing the beautiful costumes!
A couple of years ago Sarah and I were talking to Alice Vida at a Czech Heritage society (http://www.czechheritage.org/) state meeting in Taylor, Texas. We were discussing making kroj and Alice was the first person to encourage me to try to make one. She showed me the different components of the costume and how to analyze the design. I never really thought about it before then. I thought, “me, are you kidding?” But when I started looking at the costumes in different parts, and when you look at it that way it is not quite so impossible. When you wear or see these beautiful authentic costumes you see all of the lovely handwork; and it is impressive. However, when you look at one piece at a time, though still impressive, you can start to see how someone could reproduce it.

Alice has some wonderful suggestions for the kroj I am making. I am not sure you can tell from the image but here are her great ideas:
1. Do not join the vest all the way. Instead use only one hook and eye closure at the bottom and use a Czech ribbon to tie over it in a bow with long streamers.
2. Make a shorter vest of dark red, green or gold and straight at the bottom.
3. On the vest make embroidered gold lines across the front of the vest with gold button details.
4. Finish with antique-looking gold trim.
5. Add more embroidery on the apron and an embroidered hanky.
6. Make a separate wide lace collar with a red bow tied at the neck.
These are all great ideas! I am currently working on the embroidered handkerchief. I will post pictures soon.
Remember, making reproduction kroje is not something to rush. These will become family heirlooms. Take your time and your family will enjoy it for generations to come. Another tip is to always date your finished pieces. You can do this by simply embroidering the year somewhere in the design on the inside hem.

Hanacky Kroj (part of it)

2008-09-28T07:21:00.000-07:00

When making a reproduction kroj you will find that it takes a long time. The reproduction of a Kyjov kroj took Sarah and I 1 1/2 years. So far on the Hanacky kroj I have only completed the blouse and the apron but Sarah really wanted to wear it to the Austin Czechs dinner so I made her a simple yellow skirt out of a very beautiful yellow fabric with little sparkles in it. My plan is to make a yellow and/or white skirt with hand embroidery but I do not want to rush it. A reproduction costume can become a family heirloom so take your time. Sarah wore a vest that I made last year. It was a very quick, simple design but made out of a rich, rust-colored brocade with gold accents. So even though it was just a simple vest it really looked great with the apron and blouse. Sarah chose a white belt made out of ribbon from the Czech Republic. I made this belt last year for another costume and was a great accent to this costume.

I found these beautiful buttons at our local fabric store but they were made in the Czech Republic.

Austin Czech Historical Association Dinner-Food

2008-09-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

The Austin Czech Historical Association dinner is always wonderful. Great music, fun, friends, dancing, but the best thing is the food. The chef and hostess for the evening was Pavla Van Bibber. She is an amazing lady and really knows how to throw a party.

Austin Czech Historical Association Dinner-Chris & Edita

2008-09-28T06:33:00.000-07:00

We were so pleased to see that Chris Rybak was performing at the Austin Czechs dinner. He is Sarah's favorite Czech musician...she has many of his CD's. Ed, Sarah and I met Chris and his beautiful wife, Edita, on an Alaska Polka Cruise in May 2007. They are not only very gifted performers, but the sweetest people you will ever meet. They have a very busy schedule. You can see their schedule on Chris' website:
http://www.chrisrybak.com/.

Would you like to learn Czech culture, the language and the music? Czech out Edita's new website:

http://www.texasczechs.com/.

Austin Czech Historical Association Dinner

2008-09-28T06:20:00.001-07:00

Sarah, Ed and I had a wonderful evening at the Austin Czech Historical Association Dinner on Saturday, September 27, 2008. Here are just a few of the many pictures I took. The event was held at the beautiful Westwood Country Club in Austin, Texas. For more information on the Austin Czech Historical Association, log on to:
http://www.austinczechs.com/

2008-09-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

I was given a very dear gift, a book on antique embroidery designs. This collection of designs date back to 1858 and were found in an attic, in an old trunk. The collection was published in book form in 1989. The book is wonderful to use with a spiral binding that makes it easy to copy or scan for easy use. The book includes a section of designs specifically for clothing, even vests. I look forward to using it on a costume.

Progress on the Reproduction of Hana Kroj

2008-09-12T05:26:00.000-07:00

Well, as some of you know, I am working on a reproduction kroj representing the region known as Hana (see additional posting). I am making progress on it. Currently, Sarah and I are gluing on Swarovski crystals. A friend of ours, Maggie Grmela, suggested using Swarovski crystals because of their clarity and beauty, and she was right. They sparkle and are really beautiful. We will have a few different shapes and sizes. Maggie also suggested this brand of glue because it is made to withstand regular use and even cleanings.

Beautiful Czech Costumes

2008-09-04T20:24:00.000-07:00

For anyone who would like to make a Czech costume, an Americanized kroj could be the most practical. The Americanized costumes are truly lovely and, oh so practical. However, if you would like to make a reproduction of an authenthic kroj, the first step is to do your research. Look for books on Czech costumes. I found this one at Westfest at the Czech Heritage Booth. This book is in the McLennan-Hill Czech Heritage Library. I would recommend for you, look in your area for a Czech club or perhaps your local library. Another place could be Ebay. Good luck...don't be afraid to try. A handmade costume can be an heirloom you can pass on for generations. For Sarah and I, it has really been a learning experience. You really appreciate the authentic costumes, when reproducing it. Best of luck...and send me pictures of your costume. Sharon.

More Scenes from Westfest and Parade

2008-08-31T16:38:00.001-07:00

WESTFEST 2008

2008-08-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from Westfest, August 30, 2008 in West, Texas.

Czech Center Benefit Gala

2008-08-24T16:20:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, August 23, 2008, Sarah and my husband, Ed, and I attended the 14th Annual Benefit Gala at the Czech Center Museum in Houston, Texas. We arrived at 5:30 pm with our host and hostess, Ray and Clarice Snokhous. Ray Snokhous is the Honorary Czech Consul General. On the way to the museum we stopped at the Marriott and picked up Ambassador William and Catherine Cabiness.

Sarah wore her Kyjov kroj that we made and she enjoyed answering questions about her costume.

The speaker for the evening was Professor Gary Kocurek and the topic was real estate in the Czech Republic. We really enjoyed his presentation.

As guests arrived, Robert Dvorak provided piano music.We had a wonderful time and always enjoy seeing the beautiful Czech Museum. If you would like more information on the Czech Center Museum, log on to http://www.czechcenter.org/.

Kroj representing the Hana Region

2008-08-22T05:21:00.000-07:00

Well, as some of you know, I have started a new project. I am working on a kroj representing the Hana region of the Czech Republic. Sarah wants the kroj to be as authentic as possible so we have been talking to members of our club, the McLennan-Hill Czech Heritage Society and have gotten a lot of good information. Many thanks to Jana Vaculik for the following information:

Sukně bílá /vrchní/ se nosí převážně k slavnostním příležitostem. Např. pro nevěstu apod. Ale je to krajové.
Jinak ta květovaná je samozřejmě vpořádku. Š
ily se většinou plátěné a z materiálů, které byly dostupné. Většinou drobné kvítečky na tmavším podkladu, také modrotisková. Bylo to proto, aby plátěná zástěrka, vyšívaná bíle, nebo žlutě, vynikla.
Jako podkladová barva pro sukně byla nejčastější modrá - modrotisk, dále skořicová, vínově červená, hnědá, ale také tmavě zelená.
Pokud se nedává bílá zástěrka, je to zřejmě všední varianta kroje. Tam se uplatní z praktických důvodů i barevnější zástěrky, které budou ladit se sukní. Samozřejmě luxus je bílá, sváteční, vyšívaná (poslední dobou) jen žlutě v barvě slunce.
Stejně tak vestičky, nenosí se jen v barvě červeného sukna, ale ve všech tmavších odstínech sukna - modrá, černá, zelená, vínová. Pokud se nevyšívají, ušijí se jednoduše brokátové, nejčastěji ze zlatého brokátu, vetkávaného červenými nebo zelenými růžemi. Zkrátka všední vestičky se šily ze všeho, co bylo po ruce.

Se srdečným pozdravem do daleké ciziny Marie Vaňková Translated from email sent by Ing. Marie Vankova: Her website http://www.mvstudio.cz/Top white skirt is worn on festive occasions as a bride or other festive event. It depends on the village. Skirts were made from fabrics they had on hand. Mostly with small embroidered flowers on a dark background (fabric) also blue and white. Apron was embroidered with white or a contrasting color (yellow). If the apron was not white it was the less festive variety (simpler). Skirt and apron is made from a colorful material and they are both made in matching fabric. White apron is festive with yellow color, like the color of sunshine/sun. Vests are made not only from red material but also from dark blue, black, green or burgundy, sleeves are embroidered. If they are not embroidered they are make simply from brocade. mostly golden yellow color red or greed roses. The flowers were traced from the brocade fabric and with simple thread embroidery. The everyday vest was made from whatever fabrics they had on hand.

Thanks Jana. I have finished the yellow embroidery design on the white apron. Sarah is going to be attaching crystals. I found some beautiful fabric for the vest at Walmart. It is a deep red, almost burgundy, brocade. Sarah picked out some beautiful ribbon at Czech Costume Creations, (thanks Maggie Grmela for help selecting the ribbon). I am currently working on the embroidery for the sleeves. More pictures coming soon.

Here's a tip-Making a Sleeve for Your Costume

2008-08-18T19:36:00.000-07:00

Pictured are: Ashley Sulak, 2008 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen; Marianne Beran, 2007 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen and Sarah Middlebrook, 2006 Miss USA Czech-Slovak Queen.

Most Czech costumes feature white cotton blouses with full sleeves. The sleeves are to be heavily starched and neatly pressed. This can be hard to do if your sleeves are finished at the bottom with a cuff. So if you are making your own blouse, keep this tip in mind. A good friend of mine, Maggie Grmela (http://www.maggiesfabricpatch.com/) told me that instead of putting a cuff on the sleeves make a pocket and run elastic or ribbon through it and make it removable. I tried this and it works wonderfully. On Sarah's blouse I made a pocket made of hem tape along the inside of the blouse just above the bottom ruffle and put two button holes in it for the ribbon to run through. By doing this, I can loosen the ribbon all the way and the blouse can be starched and pressed to make for a more polished, crisp appearance. I leave the ribbon long enough to wrap around the arm and tie in a bow. Try this tip and you will be glad you did when it comes time to press your sleeves.

"Puffy" Sleeves for Kyjov Blouse

2008-08-18T18:08:00.000-07:00

If you have a Kyjov blouse, you may notice that after years of wear the sleeves lose their 'puffi-ness'. This is easy to fix. Most of these type of sleeves have a pocket of stuffing that can begin to get flat over time. If this happens to you, you can open the pocket and add more stuffing or make a new pocket. Either way will add to beauty and appeal to your costume. How to describe this...well, make a pocket out of a rectangle of white fabric and a rectangle of net/tulle. The pocket I made for Sarah's costume is 34" long and 9 1/2" high. The top of the pocket is gathered to 14" long. I stuffed it with net/tulle. Once completed, the pocket is pinned along the seam (see photos).

Getting started on Hanacky Kroj

2008-08-14T04:56:00.000-07:00

What a find! I found a book on Czech-Slovakian Embroideries. Look at this beautiful design...perfect for my new project. The design features lots of cut-work but due to time, I am not doing the cut-work. I am instead going to embellish the design with beads, sequins and rhinestones. Sarah is hoping to wear this costume to an event at the end of September and the cut-work takes much more time. I scanned the desired design in to the computer and printed it out of vellum (transparent) paper. By doing this, I can print a new pattern any time I wish. Then I place the pattern over the area I want to embroider and trace the design with tracing paper. You can see the start of the embroidered design but I have lots more to do.

Kroj from Hana

2008-08-14T04:36:00.000-07:00

Well, I have started a new project...a reproduction of a kroj from the region of Hana. I have not found much information on it but here are a few pictures I found. The only description I found was:
Folk costumes from the Hana region are really magnificent and - thanks to their richness and embellishment - extraordinarily becoming. They reflect the calm nature of Hana's inhabitants as well as the affluence of this region. The costumes are extraordinarily elegant, with the white colour prevailing in women's garments. In contrast with other parts of Moravia, the skirts are longer and are supported by numerous pleated underskirts. As well as that they are adorned by a white embroidered apron. The most outstanding feature of the local women's garments is a richly pleated white ruffle dating from the Renaissance period, which stands in contrast with a specially tied red flowery headscarf.

Sarah Modeling her Czech Kroj

2008-08-09T19:44:00.000-07:00

This video clip is Sarah modeling the Czech kroj that we made. This was taken at the Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen Pageant in April 2008.

Newsletter of all things Czech

2008-08-09T19:19:00.000-07:00

If you are Czech, or just interested in anything Czech. You will love The Dumpling Newsletter. The Dumpling Newsletter is an e-newsletter/website produced by a good friend of ours, Zora Pergl. This delightful lady puts together a newsletter full of Czech events, pictures and information. Not only does Zora produce a website; she puts together some of the best Czech trips you will find anywhere. My husband, Sarah and I were very fortunate to travel with Zora Pergl and Maggie & Ernest Grmela on an Alaska Polka Cruise last year. We had the best time of our life and can't wait to travel with them again. Be sure and sign up for her FREE newsletter, she will email you the new newsletter each week, you will love it! This picture is from the cruise, Sarah is pictured with Zora. Be sure and sign up for Zora's newsletter at http://www.thedumplingnews.com/.
Maggie & Ernest Grmela lead the dance on the Alaskan Polka Cruise in May 2007.

Westfest

2008-08-09T19:13:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in seeing authentic Czech costumes, come to Westfest in West, Texas. Westfest is always on Labor Day weekend. On Saturday afternoon you will see one of the largest collections of authentic Czech costumes anywhere. For more information, check out their website...

www.westfest.com.

Making the Apron for the Kyjov Kroj

2008-08-07T21:45:00.000-07:00

I used black polished cotton for the apron. I selected a small stencil to use for the background design. Use fabric paint and follow the directions, you may need to wash the fabric first. Sarah and I have heard that in the Czech Republic young girls would embroider their aprons. They would start on the bottom row. This row is usually smaller, simpler designs. The next row, the designs get a little larger and more elaborate. I used iron-on embroidery transfers and transferred them to the fabric by tracing with white tracing paper. Only do a small area at a time because the white tracing design will rub off quickly. So far, I have only completed two rows of flowers on the apron but it is enough for Sarah to wear it. Our plans are to make the third row with Texas flowers: yellow roses, bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes. The horizonal lines are made by crocheting a simple chain stitch. The apron is tied with very simple flat cord. The ties of the apron are not designed to show, they are tucked in to the apron and covered with an elaborate ribbon belt.

As I finished the second row of flowers, I decided to put Sarah's initials worked in to the design. I traced an S and an M on to the fabric. When I removed the tracing paper I noticed the vine of the morning glory formed a C but this was perfect because Sarah's middle name is Christine.

Sarah has really learned a lot about the costume by helping me finish it. She loves to show it off and talk about it.

Making a Blouse for a Kyjov Kroj

2008-08-07T21:21:00.000-07:00

When I started the blouse for the Kyjov kroj I didn't know what I was getting myself in to. I went to great lengths to make it as close to the authentic blouse that I could. I took the authentic blouse to a copier and made a copy of all of the embroidery. I used this to trace the design to the fabric with tracing paper. Since I did not have a pattern I chose this McCalls's pattern. What I was looking for, was a blouse that had a simple collar and full sleeves. As you can tell, the sleeves on the pattern are not near as full as the authentic ones so I cut the sleeve pattern in half and added more paper to give it the needed fullness.

This blouse took over 500 hours to complete but I am very proud of the finished product. The Kyjov kroj is one of the most beautiful of the Czech costumes.

Sarah is pictured in her new kroj with Ashley Sulak, 2008 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen and Marianne Beran, 2007 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen. Ashley is wearing the kroj that Sarah wore as queen and this is the kroj that I tried to reproduce. Marianne Beran is also wearing an authentic kroj. You will notice that Sarah is not wearing the scarf on the shoulders...I am still working on that piece.

More Beautiful Costumes

2008-08-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

Czech people of all age enjoy proudly wearing their kroj. Whether authentic or Americanized, they are all beautiful and unique.

Reproduction of Kyjov Vest

2008-08-07T10:49:00.000-07:00

Since I did not have a vest pattern for the Kyjov vest, I traced a pattern from the authentic vest. You could probably make a pattern by using a regular vest pattern and trimming it to fit. I chose a deep red fabric with a nice pattern. I traced the inset from the authentic vest. You could do the same thing, by trimming the vest pattern down to make a pattern for the inset piece for the embroidery. I ironed on embroidery transfers. Sarah wanted yellow roses on the back since we are from Texas. I started on the bead work for the front. I found that I could get beads from the Czech Republic at Michael's. Each bead and sequin were tied in a knot on the back to add strength. That way if there is an accident that rips off some beads, the rest will remain secure. I reproduced the beautiful gold bead work that was on the original by attaching a gold ribbon and then sewing gold seed and bugle beads to form the desired design. Sarah loved watching the bead work and she wanted to help so she did all the bead work on the back. I found some beautiful gold buttons with red jewel stones but I hope to replace them some day with buttons from the Czech Republic.

Share Your Kroj

2008-08-06T19:58:00.000-07:00

Antique, authentic kroj are priceless. Many are displayed in museums but to truly enjoy these beautiful costumes, they can best be appreciated when worn, especially by young ladies learning more about their heritage. We are members of the McLennan-Hill Czech Heritage Society. When Sarah was competing for Czech Queen, a very special lady, Henrietta Cervenka, loaned Sarah this exquisite costume to wear. She encouraged Sarah to wear it as much as possible, and Sarah did. In August 2006 at the Miss Czech-Slovak USA Pageant she won the Authentic Kroj competition. We were very excited and grateful to Mrs. Cervenka. Sadly, she passed away a few months after the competition. It was Mrs. Cervenka's wish that this kroj continue to be worn as much as possible for all to see. This beautiful kroj now belongs to the McLennan-Hill Czech Heritage Society and will continue to be worn by the chapter queen. Sarah remembered this very special lady by having monogrammed on her sash - "In Memory of Henrietta Cervenka." Sarah wore this beautiful costume many, many times as queen.

How to Wear a Kyjov Kroj Properly

2008-08-06T16:20:00.000-07:00

Sarah has gotten a lot of help from Ludmilla Vaculik on the proper way to wear her kroj. Mrs. Vaculik is from the Czech Republic and now resides in West, Texas. Some tips to wearing a Kyjov kroj: 1. Two petticoats heavily starched. 2. The bottom of the apron should be even with the skirt. 3. Put heavy stiffener on the belt you wear around your waist. Sarah's has very, very stiff liner to the belt around her waist and ends just before the part that is used to tie the bow. This will help keep the belt from wrinkling and always looks nice. 4. Keep the vest pulled down so that the white blouse is hardly seen. 5. If you wear a scarf like Sarah is wearing, pin it to the sleeves to keep it in place. 6. The sleeves should be stuffed (these are stuffed with a light netting) and pushed up to the a few inches above the elbow. 7. The costume that Sarah wears, comes with a belt. The ends of the belt should be even, which is not that easy to do. But never fear, here is a tip. Keep a safety pin on the end of the belt (on the back). If one end is longer than the other, fold it under to make the ends even and pin it.

How to get started??

2008-08-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

When Sarah was the Miss Czech Slovak USA Queen in 2006, she was fortunate to have an authentic, antique Moravian kroj to wear. However, as the year became more and more memorable for Sarah I realized that she would soon be returning the kroj to her sponsor, the McLennan-Hill Czech Heritage Society. (http://www.czechheritage.org/) So I began to consider making a reproduction of this beautiful costume. I began with the skirt, the easiest piece to reproduce. I just happen to have a piece of red fabric the perfect size (about 4 yds long x length).

I found an iron-on embroidery transfer that looked similar to the one on the authentic skirt and transferred it to the fabric. I finished the skirt with a stiff fabric liner and ribbon trim from the Czech Republic. The skirt is wrapped around the waist and the ties are tucked in to the belt.

Americanized Costumes

2008-08-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

Sarah is pictured with the West High School Junior Historians at the Texas State Capitol in 2006. The Jr. Historians are a Czech Dance group at West High School. They perform all over Texas. The group usually has over 100 members. Their beautiful Americanized costumes are truly spectacular when they dance.

This is the Czech costume that we had made for Sarah when she was in the Jr. Historians in high school. It was created by Maggie Grmela.

I made this very simple costume for Sarah. She wanted something to wear to a Christmas party of our Czech Heritage Society, made of red and green.

Sarah is pictured with renowned Czech costume designer, Maggie Grmela, of West. Her website is http://www.maggiesfabricpatch.com/

This beautiful little princess is wearing a kroj made by Maggie Grmela.

2007 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak, Marianne Beran, in her beautiful kroj created by Maggie Grmela.

Maggie Grmela made a beautiful dance costume for Sarah's ballet dance at the Miss Czech-Slovak USA Pageant in Wilber, NE in 2006.

Sarah is pictured with the Oklahoma state Czech Queen in her beautiful Americanized kroj.

Sarah and her cousin, Lindsay. Lindsay's kroj was made by Maggie Grmela. I made Sarah's vest and skirt.

Sarah is pictured with Marie Van Pelt, 2006 Miss West.