More Scenes from Westfest and Parade

WESTFEST 2008

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

Czech Center Benefit Gala

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

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

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

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).