#pemberley threads

[futuristicsaladparadise]

Some pattern shops that aren’t owned by the Disney villain of doll sewing, and I’ve actually bought from them. 

Good for beginners:

Appletotes, especially their basics like t-shirts and dresses. They also offer patterns for shoes and handbags as well as coats. Patterns include modern and 1970s styles.

Stella Sue for Dolls, modern girly dresses and outfits with some sleepwear

Easy to Intermediate:

Sofie Clareese Doll Fashion, mostly modern, with a couple of 1960s through 1980s patterns. Includes hats, outerwear, and Bitty Baby clothes

Noodle Clothing, primarily winter wear, a few summer dresses

Kotton Candy Patterns, dresses, one coat. It’s a fairly new shop

Farmcookies, mostly very girly/dressy dresses, they have a couple of Maryellen’s dress patterns (meet and unreleased school dress)

Dolls at Heart Patterns, mostly historical from Regency, WWII and 1970s periods, with some other eras including modern

My Angie Girl, girly dresses, pajamas, Halloween costumes

Read Creations, a wide variety of things from Viking dresses and Star Wars themed clothes to a KitchenAid mixer and English saddle. Tudor clothing, medieval knight armor, a life jacket, butter churn and more. She has some other free patterns on her blog. 

Val Spier Sews, modern and early 20th century clothing

Bunny Bear Patterns, mostly 1930s and 1940s dresses

Lee and Pearl, ballet and skating outfits, career clothes. They have my favorite apron and medieval dress patterns.

Doll Tag Clothing, another shop with a wide variety of outfits, from medieval poulaines to animal costumes, cultural and career clothing

The Quirky Rabbit, Regency and Edwardian unmentionables

Confident Intermediate:

Carpatina, clothes from medieval period to present day, includes clothing from cultures other than European/American

Anne Van Doren Designs, historical clothing from Regency, Edwardian and WWII periods, including undies, shoes and bonnets. They have a glove pattern with defined fingers, for those who hate the mitten look.

Pemberley Threads, detailed historical clothes from the 1780s through 1840s, includes Regency boy’s clothing

Mother of Nine, Revolution, Regency and Belle Epoque dresses, character dresses from Sleeping Beauty, the Wizard of Oz and Frozen (shop is offline until January)

#sewing #doll clothes #shopping list

[anghraine]

I’ve been thinking about the development of Elizabeth’s feelings for Darcy in P&P, and one of the things I find really intriguing is how incredibly careful Austen is in her handling of their physical attraction to each other.

A lot of takes on Darcy’s initial attraction to Elizabeth focus entirely on the physical element, but Austen’s description of it folds together his attraction to her intelligence, her expression, her body, and the “easy playfulness” of her manner. Of these, the earliest mentioned is his realization that her face is “rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes” and her eyes are the physical feature that he seems to dwell on the most.

At any rate, Darcy’s attraction to Elizabeth is established early on (Ch 6) and continues as a thread from that point on. And—I mean, even in 1813, it’s one thing to show a man in his twenties being attracted to the pretty heroine. Austen is a lot cagier about Elizabeth’s feelings.

The narrative is structured so that we know Darcy is physically attractive from his entrance in Ch 3, when the narrator refers to “his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien” along with his wealth. But we’re not in Elizabeth’s head at that point, and iirc, she isn’t shown as saying or thinking anything about his physical attractiveness until she blushingly agrees that he is very handsome forty chapters later.

Even there, Austen leaves the dialogue to stand on its own and tells us nothing of what Elizabeth actually feels about it. The conversation moves to Darcy’s personal virtues, which reveal the critical fact that Darcy is consistently kind and good-natured in the domestic sphere. So Elizabeth’s concession that Darcy is physically attractive is narratively linked to the suggestion that he would make a safe husband, emotionally speaking (although her concession comes first, which may be significant).

Between the initial, omniscient narrator-type description of him and Elizabeth agreeing in Ch 43, we do get references to his looks a few times, but during the period of Elizabeth’s dislike, it’s always either through implication or through someone around Elizabeth rather than Elizabeth herself. So Bingley, for instance, jokes about how Darcy is so much taller than he is, but the narrator only remarks on Elizabeth’s assumption that Darcy is offended by this.

We know that Elizabeth looks for a resemblance to Darcy when she first sees Lady Catherine, and finds it, but this isn’t explicitly linked to her conclusion that Lady Catherine might have been handsome in her youth.

Then there’s the introduction of Colonel Fitzwilliam, when he arrives with Darcy, as “about thirty, not handsome, but in person and address most truly the gentleman.” Obviously the contrast is with Darcy, who is handsome but has less gentlemanly manners, but this isn’t explicitly spelled out. Austen simply says that Darcy “looked just as he had been used to look in Hertfordshire” and moves to the manner of his compliments to Charlotte.

We do get an explicit contrast later, when Darcy, Georgiana, and Bingley come to Lambton (so, after the critical revelations):

Miss Darcy was tall, and on a larger scale than Elizabeth; and, though little more than sixteen, her figure was formed, and her appearance womanly and graceful. She was less handsome than her brother; but there was sense and good humour in her face

Austen breezes past this to Georgiana’s manners and Bingley’s arrival. There are a couple of discussions of Darcy’s appearance earlier at Pemberley, but entirely held between Mr and Mrs Gardiner, who admire his figure while Elizabeth is consumed by embarrassment. She mentions that it was obvious that he had only just arrived via horse or carriage, but not how she knows this or what she feels about it beyond repeatedly blushing.

Then they meet again, he interacts with the Gardiners for awhile, and Elizabeth and the Gardiners leave. The Gardiners discuss the encounter including Darcy’s appearance, and Mrs Gardiner—who at this point, still thinks Darcy has mistreated Wickham—first concludes that Wickham is handsomer, then immediately re-considers and decides that Darcy has perfect features, but not Wickham’s angelic countenance. She (Mrs Gardiner) goes on, “He[Darcy] has not an ill-natured look. On the contrary, there is something pleasing about his mouth when he speaks.”

Elizabeth does not opine on Darcy’s mouth, lol, and instead defends Darcy’s moral character as far as his financial dealings with Wickham are concerned. We don’t hear much more of it apart from that, and in general, we see Elizabeth’s reactions to Darcy more than we hear about them:

Their eyes instantly met, and the cheeks of both were overspread with the deepest blush.

She blushed again and again over the perverseness of the meeting.

The colour which had been driven from her face, returned for half a minute with an additional glow, and a smile of delight added lustre to her eyes, as she thought for that space of time that his affection and wishes must still be unshaken.

Darcy had walked away to another part of the room. She followed him with her eyes, envied everyone to whom he spoke, had scarcely patience enough to help anybody to coffee; and then was enraged against herself for being so silly!

The colour now rushed into Elizabeth’s cheeks in the instantaneous conviction of its being a letter from the nephew, instead of the aunt

She had only to say in reply, that they had wandered about, till she was beyond her own knowledge. She coloured as she spoke

I do not personally think there can be much reasonable doubt about whether Elizabeth is attracted to Darcy during this phase of the book. But the narrative does dance around it enough (for understandable 1813 reasons, I suspect, given that Elizabeth either dislikes or hates Darcy for a significant portion of the book) that it’s not at all clear when she begins to finds him attractive, especially given that she does not actually see him between receiving the letter and acknowledging his attractiveness at Pemberley. So I think there are multiple valid interpretations or headcanons one could come up with for that.

#fun fact: i started writing this bc i was like 'i want to make a post about something trivial i can be concise about' #rip me i guess #but tbh my personal headcanon is that elizabeth /is/ attracted to darcy for a lot of the book but NOT remotely 'secretly in love' or w/e #people will be like 'if the attraction is mutual then what about her dislike are you saying-' #nope! she hates him. in fact she only hates him more bc he's smart and hot and complicated. #in addition to her conviction that he's a terrible person morally #and then she finds out he's actually okay and then that he's actually GOOD and then that he's made himself even better #elizabeth: i tried infatuation at first sight with wickham. now i shall try grown-up feelings like respect and gratitude #three days later: alas... i could have loved him... #some indeterminate amount of time without actually seeing him later: ...oh. fuck. #(i paraphrase. but honestly while elizabeth's realization that half her sleepless nights are darcy's fault is sad it is also very funny) #but yeah i think elizabeth is extremely wary of where attraction to emotionally unsuitable people goes and just buries all that #but once hte brakes go off she falls FAST #also she's genuinely attracted to three different men over the course of one pretty short novel and i love that for her #anghraine babbles #anghraine's meta #austen blogging #elizabeth bennet #fitzwilliam darcy #otp of otps #pride and prejudice #jane austen #long post

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (23-29 Jul 2023)

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🥰 The Rift (seapigeon) - 53K, modern college no powers AU - there's witchcraft and ghosts and curses and art student steve and science nerd bucky and it was all very good!

😍 Six Kids and a Winnebago series (Oddree13) - 91K, omegaverse Steddie - this series is a thoroughly delightful domestic omegaverse(lite) set post s4 - excellent characterizations, great sense of time/place & really fantastic music references

🥰 Longing and Belonging (enjambament) - 44K, geraskier - governess!Jaskier, lots of great family stuff with Ciri & Yen [reread, a definite fave]

😍 if I'm gonna get back to you someday (napricot) - 46K, post Endgame fixit with "a clusterfuck of Steves" from different multiverses - so many good emotions!

😊 Roommate Wanted (Lihhelsing, tinkerbclla) - 66K, modern Steddie roommates-to-lovers, part epistolary with a dash of identity porn

💖💖 +110K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

the premature awakening of Bucky Barnes [at the hands of stupid, sexy, Post-run Steve] (MaddieWritesStucky (Madeleine_Ward)) - MCU: stucky, 3K - modern no powers stucky, several months on in the relationship between stripper!Bucky & architecht Steve [reread]

Galatea (saltandbyrne) - Inception: Arthur/Eames, 16K - a very good and delightfully melancholic modern myth telling

Shelter Case (Coragyps) - Suits: Mike/Harvey, 7K - futuristic dark dystopian omegaverse [reread]

Let Me Keep You (LeeHan) - MCU: stucky, 4K - Steve's oral fixation PWP  [reread]

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

D20: Adventuring Party - s1, e15-18

D20: A Crown of Candy - s5, e15-17

Good Omens - s2, e1-6

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

What Next: TBD Plus - Why Tech Lays Women Off First

⭐ Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Julia Gets Wise with Jane Fonda

Fire Island: The Tea - Thomás Matos

50 Years of Hip-Hop - 1991: "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" by Geto Boys

50 Years of Hip-Hop - 1993: "Hip Hop Hooray" by Naughty by Nature

Hot and Bothered - Live from Pemberley: The 2005 Movie (with Helen Zaltzman and Jenny Owen Youngs)

Re: Dracula - July 24: There Will be Some Trouble

Rachel Maddow Presents: Déjà News - Episode 6: “Hello America, this is Addis Ababa.”

50 MPH - 7 MPH / A Crash Course in Jan De Bont (with Bilge Ebiri)

⭐ Endless Thread - Best of Summer: The Loudest Sound

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Mapping the Gay Guides

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Spaces for Spies

Switched on Pop - Barbie and the plasticity of pop

Shedunnit - Cricket and Crime

Re: Dracula - July 26: Just Starting for Home

Ologies with Alie Ward - Sciuridology (SQUIRRELS) with Karen Munroe

Stuff The British Stole - The Fever Tree Hunt

The Waves Plus - How a Drag Queen Recreated the American Dream

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Knight’s Spider Web Farm

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Amazon Night Hikes

Our Opinions Are Correct - Encore Episode: We're in the wrong timeline, with Connie Willis and R.F. Kuang

99% Invisible #546 - The Country of the Blind

50 Years of Hip-Hop - 1981: "Rapture" by Blondie

⭐ Decoder Ring Plus - A Brief History of Making Out

Twenty Thousand Hertz+ - Zelda: A Beep to the Past

Dear Prudence Plus - My Boyfriend Hid His Hobby From Me—Civil War Reenactments. Help!

⭐ Into It - Country Music’s Race Problem

What Next: TBD Plus - Washington vs. A.I.

Rivals: Music's Greatest Feuds - Robbie Robertson vs. Levon Helm: Broken Band

Re: Dracula - July 28: Four Days in Hell

Re: Dracula - July 29: Another Tragedy

Hit Parade Plus - The Bridge: Don’t Believe Me, Just Watch

⭐ Strong Songs - "Killing Me Softly With His Song," as sung by Lauryn Hill, Roberta Flack, & Lori Lieberman

Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me! - WWDTM: Randall Park

Fire Island: The Tea - Bambi Sue: Dredging Up the Past

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

Presenting The Who

People Just Wanna Have Fun [Kool & The Gang] {2023}

The Beach Boys Radio • Popular

"One Thing Leads To Another" [The Fixx] Radio

Dream Theater

Presenting Bruno Mars

#sunday reading recap #bookgeekgrrl's reading habits #bookgeekgrrl's soundtracks #fanfic ftw #d20 a crown of candy #dimension 20 #good omens #i showed a lot of restraint by using that gif and not the super spoilery one i wanted to! #iykyk #the who #the beach boys #kool and the gang #dream theater #the fixx #bruno mars #decoder ring podcast #hit parade podcast #strong songs podcast #99% invisible #20k hz podcast #endless thread podcast #into it podcast #re: dracula #the atlas obscura podcast podcast #switched on pop podcast #shedunnit podcast #wiser than me with julia louis-dreyfus podcast #ologies with alie ward podcast #50 mph podcast #stuff the british stole podcast

[desertdollranch]

18 Inch Doll Weekly Sale Roundup

Lots of web-based businesses are having sales this week on their stuff. Here are a few lesser-known doll companies that are currently offering discounts. Please do feel free to reblog this post with links to other sales if I’ve missed any! Especially if the shop is your own!

Maplelea: 15% to 25% off casual and dressy doll clothes

Healthy Roots: 20% - 25% off bundled dolls and accessories

Dolls From Heaven: 15% off 18 inch dolls with code HOLINESS

All About the Doll: 35% off everything--dolls and clothes

Pemberley Threads: 30% off doll clothes sewing patterns

The Queen’s Treasures:  up to 60% off select doll furniture, clothing, and acessories

A Girl for All Time: up to 30% off purchase of select dolls or clothes with code CHRISTMASTREE

#18 inch dolls

[74daysofsewing]

Pattern Overload!

I have a LOT of doll patterns that I've picked up over the years of hoarding fabric and patterns I was planning on making when I 'got better' at sewing.

I was planning on getting better via osmosis - the knowledge in the fibers and the paper instructions would magically seep into my brain despite my never actually practicing, reading or using any of them.

So aside from a huge stash of fabric with no patterns in mind, and a whole BUNCH of patterns that I now find I have no desire to make....

These are here. I'll got through them one by one for ease:

My Etsy patterns are from Pemberley Threads - these are historical patterns based on actual dresses worn in the past. I LOVE historical dress and am really excited to start these but I'm a little nervous as they are... complicated!

PemberleyThreads:

Elizabeth 1780s Jacket and Petticoat

 Anne Shirtwaist and Skirt

Antoinette 18th Century Cap and Stays Corset

Charlotte 1780s Robe a l'Anglaise

Simplicity:

1484

1443

S9500

S9566

S9567

S9516

S8942

3551

5276

8072

8714

McCalls:

M7734

M7006

Butterick:

B6150

B6320

#sewblr #home sewing #sewing #american girl dolls #our generation dolls #doll clothing #dolls #dolls patterns #butterick #mccalls pattern #simplicity

[fictionadventurer]

AU ask meme for Austen superheroes: 4, 11, and 18? (Whichever book/character set you're most interested in talking about.)

4. What is a major change you made?

I assume you mean "aside from the superhero thing".

The biggest change is probably that the names of Austen's great houses are now applied to cities in this superhero universe. Of these cities, Pemberley is the most different from the canon version. Instead of being the ideal estate, Pemberley is this universe's Gotham--a city with a long reputation of being a crime-ridden wasteland. The respect for the Darcy family comes from how their superhero work has led to improvements and reform in Pemberley.

11. Is there any relationship that's different in this au than in the source material?

Mr. Collins isn't the heir to the property anymore, which changes his dynamic with the rest of the family. He's still a relative that has to be put up with, but the conflict is less about "Lizzie should partner with him for the good of the family" and more about how his differing views about superpowered people's place in society (and his high-ranking connections within the anti-superpower movement) makes him difficult to deal with.

18. Is there any theme or motif in this au that isn't in the original work?

Especially in the Pride and Prejudice part of this AU, there's a huge thematic thread about the conflict between superpowered and regular people. Both sides have been oppressed by each other in various ways, and there's a lot of mistrust that has to be worked through.

#answered asks #adventures in writing #powers and prejudice #incomingalbatross

[theatredollies]

Being a costume design major means fangirling over the Pemberley Threads instagram and Claudine with your professors and other students in the costume shop during practicum instead of doing any real work. Idk, I don’t make the rules (and I don’t always follow them)

[pemberleyhq]

♚ → PEMBERLEY RESORT IS NOW OPEN. 

lady pemberley glanced at the guest list one last time, even though she had it memorized. the rooms were prepared, the hallways spotless, the calendar meticulously designed to surprise and entertain the first guests of pemberley resort. her staff had been thoroughly trained to immerse the attendees in the experience of a lifetime. it was all perfect, she thought smugly as she slid the paperwork back into her drawer. adjusting her wig and tugging her corset up one last time, lady pemberley sighed and stood up to gaze out the window as the first car pulled into the driveway.

‘miss st. Vincent, the first -’ a maid stood at her doorway, taking a shocked step back when lady pemberley swung around with a glare. 

‘it’s lady pemberley,’ she scolded, then took a deep breath and pasted a friendly smile on her face. ‘just be sure to remember to use character names from now on.’ she followed the maid into the hallway as the door opened, their first guest entering the hall as the sunlight streamed in behind them. 

‘Welcome to Pemberley Resort. I am most pleased to be your host, Lady Pemberley, during your stay here.’

pemberley resort is officially open! the guests have arrived, and the staff is eager to impress their boss. 

resort staff picked up all guests from the airport and brought them to the estate, and guests will spend most of the morning unpacking, meeting their fellow guests and resort staff, and exploring the grounds. 

staff members are eager to get into character (at least when miss st. vincent - uh, lady pemberly is within earshot), and if they need a little break, can take refuge in the staff room - no guests allowed, but when have people been known to follow the rules?

please use #pemberleystarter for new in character threads and #pemberleyintro for your character bios! and please message the main if you have any questions.  

#new rp #oc rp #appless rp #period rp #pemberleyhq : announcement

[papapiusxiii]

American Girl Truly Me #44 modeling historical dresses sewn by Laura of LoveFromLola:

1770s pink dress (Felicity Christmas Gown by Pleasant Company)

1770s green dress (Sacque Back gown by Thimbles and Acorns)

1770s red dress (Sacque Back gown by Thimbles and Acorns)

1780s dress (Elizabeth by Pemberly Threads)

1790s yellow dress (1790 Redingote pattern by Pemberly Threads)

1790s tan dress (1790 Redingote pattern by Pemberly Threads)

Late 1700s/Early 1800s yellow Regency dress (patterns by Pemberley Threads)

1800s dress and apron

1830s blue dress (patterns by Pemberley Threads)

1830s red dress (pattern by Pemberley Threads)

Green 1840s dress (Jane Eyre by Pemberly Threads)

1840s yellow dress (Jane Eyre by Pemberly Threads)

1840s tan dress (Jane Eyre by Pemberly Threads)

1840s blue dress (Jane Eyre by Pemberly Threads)

1840s copper dress (Jane Eyre by Pemberly Threads)

1840s red dress (Jane Eyre and Chemisette & Capelet patterns by Pemberly Threads)

1840s burnt orange dress (Jane Eyre and Chemisette & Capelet patterns by Pemberly Threads)

1840s green floral dress (Molly by Pemberly Threads)

1840s red dress (Molly by Pemberly Threads)

1840s olive dress (Molly by Pemberly Threads)

1860s yellow dress

1860s dress (Meg by Pemberly Threads)

1870s yellow bustle dress (Literary Society and Lobster tail Bustle patterns by Thimbles and Acorns)

1870s pink bustle dress (Literary Society and Lobster tail Bustle patterns by Thimbles and Acorns)

#dolls #**

[dolls-and-cats]

I finished my second Regency dress in the #elinorsewalong (that tag will pull up more on instagram).

I used the Pemberley Threads Elinor pattern and youtube instructional videos by Patricia Sears

#pemberley threads #josefina montoya #regency #americangirldolls #american girl dolls

[melnchly-a]

OC BIO 1/? : PEMBERLEY MURRAY

name: pemberley anne murray

nickname: pem

birth date: october 26th

age: 28

pronouns: she/her

occupation: owns and runs a bookshop that has been in her family for years. 

faceclaim: cour.tney ea.ton

hair color: dark brown 

eyes: brown

tattoos/piercings: both earlobes and right nostril pierced

father: emmett murray (deceased) 

mother: cecilia murray née james (deceased)

siblings: two younger brothers, twins, now 14 (ben and edward) 

notable figures: benjamin murray, grandfather (recently deceased). josephine murray, grandmother.

BIOGRAPHY: 

the firstborn child of two bookworms, there was no way for pemberley to escape a literary name. unfortunately for her, however, her parents couldn’t agree on one. she almost became “jane” numerous times, but her parents thought it felt too plain. she almost became “rebecca,” but her parents certainly didn’t want to name her after a ghost of dubious moral character. so when her mother, nearly eight months pregnant, read pride and prejudice for the thousandth time and a word leaped out at her, she pled her case to her husband: pemberley. unique, pretty, no really bad connotations. and her father, to almost everyone’s surprise (he had been rooting for josephine) agreed. 

raised among books (both at home and at the shop her grandfather owned), it was rare to find pem without a book in hand or at least nearby. 

she had dreams of becoming a novelist. or maybe an english professor. or maybe a librarian. there were always books involved, one way or another. she always thought her grandfather’s shop would go to her father, that her father would live to a ripe old age, and that the store wouldn’t go to her until she was much, much older. 

but the unthinkable happened when pem was nineteen: her parents were involved in a massive car accident. her father died at the scene, but her mother survived for a few days in the hospital. pem tried to go back to college, but she couldn’t focus, started skipping classes, could barely drag herself out of bed. when the semester was over, she went home, with the excuse that she had to help her grandparents take care of her brothers and help her grandfather at the store. 

alleyway books had been established by pem’s great-grandfather, passed on to her grandfather. pem had all but grown up there, sometimes sitting for hours at a time in the childrens’ section when her parents needed to leave her with her grandfather. it wasn’t until pem was almost thirteen that she learned there was something different about her grandfather’s store. something that needed to be safeguarded. the store was, in fact, a doorway to other worlds. doorways that were all firmly shut, but which - she always thought - could fly open at every moment, if they didn’t pay close enough attention. (but to the rest of the world? it was just a bookstore. just like any other.) 

and the store had other secrets, secrets pem wouldn’t learn until she left college and moved back with her grandparents. her grandfather’s will was duly changed, leaving the store and all of its assets to her. and he began to teach her the ins and outs of the store’s every secret. 

he lived a long life, and his death was peaceful. but it was still a death, still one that pem grieved. and it meant that the store - and everything it was - belonged to her. and her alone. 

things went more or less smoothly for six months, but then things began to change. the store began to, for lack of a better term, come awake. 

(more to come on alleyway books in separate headcanons)

#pemberley murray: general #pemberley murray: headcanons #pemberley murray: image #pemberley murray: aesthetics #pemberley murray: mannerisms #pemberley murray: threads #pembereley murray: replies #pemberley murray: musings #(did i just want to use courtney as an fc again? perhaps)

[elen-aranel]

Chanced Chapter 3: Starbase 15

Pairing: Christopher Pike x F!Reader (no Y/N) Warnings: Mentions of infidelity; drunkenness, fake date, wedding (not reader’s!) WC: 5.5k Taglist: @fzziiee​  (if you'd like to be tagged, please let me know <3) Notes: I guess after really dating Christopher Pike, fake is the next best thing? Idk but I had a lot of fun with this chapter! Rating: Mature for moments in later chapters Summary: You hurry to catch up with the mark as the would-be thief rushes out of your sight. It doesn’t take you long; he is meandering drunkenly to and fro across the path. And you laugh in disbelief when you reach him and see who it is. “Chris? Is that you? Are you okay? I think this is yours…”

< Previous Chapter • Masterlist • Next Chapter >

Starbase 15, 2245

Starbase 15 is on a planet. It was situated here because it’s right where two major shipping lanes cross, and it was always your first stop if you were carrying cargo from Earth when you were growing up. You learned to walk here, pretty much – the base is built right on the planet because it’s beautiful. It’s on a plain at the base of hills which rise to mountains, which are covered in some of the loveliest flowers and plant life in the Federation.

It’s a great place to hike, and the station itself was designed with an eye for beauty, too. The buildings are low, with graceful curves, and everywhere you go there are gardens full of colourful flowers, both native to the planet and from across the sector. When you were a child you would make a beeline for the pink puff plants, and you would laugh when you touched them and the cottonwool-like puffs sprang up into the air, before exploding in a cloud of little sparkles. You would end up finding pink puff powder all over the Pemberley, your parents’ ship, for days afterward, even though your mom would get you straight in the shower and your dad would launder all your clothes as soon as you stepped back on board.

And you were a fan of the Sunset Falls, just past the edge of the station grounds, before they were famous. Whenever you get a chance to stop over to go and see them again you do. You even cut your leave with your parents short by a day so you’d have the chance to this time.

You feel sour, though, as you thread your way along a path between large planters, trying to find the Japanese place Lieutenant Commander Garcia, one of your former colleagues on Starbase 58, said she ate at a lot while she worked here. The flowers glow, and so do stones in the paths; pale golds, peaches and mauves. It’s very pretty, but it took hours for station control to find somewhere you could dock, even though you’d filed with them weeks in advance, so you were too late for the falls today. Then the sign said they would be closed for a wedding there tomorrow. And when you get to Earth you’ll join up with your new ship, the USS Cooper, so you won’t be able to come back for a long while.

There’s someone walking a little way ahead of you, but you can’t see them clearly; they’re just a shadow. But what you do see clearly is the face of the young Tellarite who bumps into them. You sigh. You’ve seen that move a thousand times.

You wait until he gets closer, then you have his arm twisted up behind his back before he knows what’s happening.

“Give it to me. Now. Don’t play dumb, or I’ll call station security and we’ll see how much you enjoy spending a night in the cells. I’ve seen the ones here – the walls drip.”

“I don’t know what—”

“Save it. Yes you do. Take it from someone who knows – you do not have the touch for this. You lack grace, and you lack finesse. You only got as far as you did because your mark is drunk. Think of me as an angel sent to help you re-evaluate your life choices, and give me the box. There you go,” you add, as his fingers relax and the jewellery box comes out into your hand. You pocket it. “Now I don’t want to bother with statements and paperwork all that stuff, because I’m still on leave and it takes time. So I’ll just be checking your name—” you reach into his pocket and withdraw an ID PADD, mentally berating amateurs, and you drop his arm while you scan it.

“I’ll give this back to you if you promise to stay on the straight and narrow. I know who you are now, and trust me when I say I can make life hard for you if you keep trying this. But,” you smile, bright. “I will send you a legitimate job opportunity. My cousin is always looking for farm workers at Beta Adri III. It’s not exciting like this but it pays well, and you won’t end up in jail. How ’bout it?”

He nods, head downcast. “I promise. Thank you,” he mutters.

“There you go. Now get gone before I change my mind.”

You hurry to catch up with the mark as the would-be thief rushes out of your sight. It doesn’t take you long; he is meandering drunkenly to and fro across the path. And you laugh in disbelief when you reach him and see who it is.

“Chris? Is that you? Are you okay? I think this is yours…”

He stares at you, blue eyes bleary, like he’s trying to place you, make sense of what he’s seeing. Even drunk he’s still so handsome, but… he’s looked better. His dark hair is sticking up in all directions, one strand curling over his forehead, his eyes are rimmed red, and his posture, normally upright with that understated swagger, is hunched.

“You can keep it. Don’t want it. Don’ need it anymore. Yours now. My friend.”

“Oh boy. Come on.” You spy a bench between two planters and steer Chris toward it. “Let’s sit down. That’s it. Sit with me. Okay. What happened?”

“Got here early. Wanted to surprise Alice. Brought her—brought her that. Necklace. But when I got to our room, she was in bed—in bed with—with—I don’t know. Didn’t stay long enough to find out.”

You cannot imagine how anyone could cheat on him. From the first day you met him, you were sure that he was one of the good ones. Kind. Honest. Thoughtful. Alice must be… …no. You need to focus on Chris.

“I’m so sorry Chris. That’s awful.” You pat his knee, feeling like the gesture is inadequate.  He nods.

“The box. Open the box. Want you to see it.”

“O—Okay.” You take it in your hand and really look at it for the first time. It’s matte black with an understated little silver logo in the corner. A logo you recognise from one of the most prestigious jewellers on Terra Nova. You’ve never aspired to jewellery that fancy, but it figures, based on what you know of Chris, that he’d go all out.

You pop the clasp, and the box opens slowly by itself. There, nestled in thick black velvet on a thin silver chain is a delicate silver star, set with an Azarian diamond which flashes purple as you turn it to get a better look.

“It’s beautiful,” you breathe.

“I know. Was giving it to her to wear for the wedding. Now I want you to have it.”

“Chris I can’t take this. I’ll keep it safe for now, but… it’s expensive, and you barely know me. What wedding, anyway?”

“Cousin. My family knows I’m bringing a plus one. My—my—mother. My mother. She would be so happy to see me happy.” You see his expression clear as the light of an idea hit him at that moment, and you know in his drunk state it will be a terrible one, but there’s nothing you can do.

“You come with me. I like you. They’ll like you. I didn’t put her name on the RSVP. No one knows her name… you be my plus one. Make mom happy.” He leans into you, relaxing.

“We need to get you somewhere you can sober up. Where are you staying? Do you have quarters on the base?”

“Alice is in my quarters. With—with—”

“No that’s okay,” you interrupt him, wishing you hadn’t needed to ask.  “I’ll call ops, find you somewhere else.”

You get your communicator out awkwardly – his weight has you off balance – and you open a channel.

“Hi? Yes. I’d like to arrange single quarters for a friend tonight. Doesn’t need to be big or fancy or anything, just a bed.”

“I’m sorry ma’am, we’re full. The Material Sciences Symposium started yesterday; it’s using all our spare capacity. And the wedding too.” The voice on comms sounds harried. “People have to stay on their ships if they don’t have a room booked, and we can’t accept any further docks or even scheduled transports until the day after tomorrow. Unless there’s a medical emergency?”

You look at Chris, who has thankfully moved and is now sitting with his head in his hands. “No, no emergency. Thank you though.”

“You’re welcome. If anything opens up tomorrow I’ll let you know. Ops out.”

You sigh. The Lizzie Bennet it is.

Your little ship is a perfect size for you. She has everything you need, and you never feel cramped. Even the bed is a decent size, and comfortable when you fold it out.

The only problem, you think, as you approach where she’s parked, is there’s one of it and two of you. But… Chris needs it more than you do. He’s taller. There won’t be room for him on the floor. And it’s what a good host does, right? Give up the bed?

“Am I going to get to see inside this time? See—see—see your ship? You’ve never seen my ship.”

“That’s right Chris. Just a little further.”

“I feel… I—I don’t feel well…”

You pop the door open and steer him through the living compartment into your tiny bathroom.

“If you’re going to be sick, do it here,” you say, backing out. At least Chris has short hair, you think, memory going back to Penny’s 18th birthday, and how you’d had to hold her blonde hair back when she threw up.

You try not to listen to the retching sounds as you drag your spare comforter into the cockpit, grabbing a couple of cushions too. You fire off a quick message with your cousin’s details to that Tellarite – you don’t expect him to take up the offer but it’s a reminder, if nothing else, that you know his name.

Chris takes a while, and you can’t help wondering what bar he was drinking at to get quite so drunk. You figure it must have been a bar; he didn’t have a bottle and you hadn’t seen one which had been discarded. On Starbase 58 Commander T’Gara would have revoked the licence of any premises which didn’t look after its patrons better. You can’t eliminate drunkenness on a station altogether, but you can try to minimise it. And you can try to make sure that everyone is taken care of.

One good thing about your stint on the base was that you had had plenty of access to components for Lizzie, and plenty of time to work on her too. Your synthesisers are good now; not as good as you can make fresh, but pretty decent. You synthesise a burrito for yourself – no chance of Japanese food tonight – and a tall glass of water with an electrolyte solution for Chris, who emerges from the bathroom looking a little green.

“Here. Drink this while I set the bed up. You’ll need all of it if you want to make it to that wedding tomorrow.”

He looks reluctant, but you give him your best ‘I’m not kidding’ face, honed on the base’s miscreants, and he starts to drink. You flip the bed down and take the glass from him when he finishes.

“Get some sleep. You know where the bathroom is. I’ll just be through here if you need anything,” you say, watching as he settles himself on the bed.

“Thank you,” he mumbles, and you press the button to shut the door.

There was the time in the cave on Kappa Pisces VI, when your away team got trapped by an electrical storm that took out comms and transporters. You’d had emergency blankets, so you didn’t freeze, but the cave rocks were sharp and the ground was covered in them.

There was the time when you hosted fifteen refugees from Ymia Prime in your quarters when five thousand of them had to be crammed into Starbase 58 after the ships evacuating them developed engine problems. You let four of them have the bed, and two more share your sofa. The problem then wasn’t purely that you were uncomfortable, although you were – they just would not stop talking, until you lost your temper and threatened to throw them all out onto the corridor.

And there was that time after the last fight with Andre, when you couldn’t go back to the quarters you’d shared, and Garcia found you and took pity on you. She offered you her sofa, you’d shared a bottle of Romulan Ale. You must have fallen off in the night, though, because you woke up in the most awkward position on her floor and had to transport to sickbay to get a hypo in your back, and another for your aching head.

But this still has to be up there in your top five most uncomfortable nights ever. You twist round to look at the chrono. 07:30. So you did get some sleep. Perhaps only top ten. The floor is hard, though, despite the cushions, and you stand, narrowly missing hitting your head on your pilot’s chair.

Usually your first step after a night like this would be coffee. But you don’t want to disturb Chris; it’s still early and he would benefit from his sleep. You fold your bedding, stowing it in a corner, and run through some stretches instead, focusing on the feel of your muscles getting moving, one part of your body at a time. You’re touching your toes when the door swishes open; you stand hurriedly.

“Hey…” Chris says, voice scratchy.

“Good morning,” you say, giving him a once over. He has stubble visible, and his clothes are rumpled, but he looks better than last night. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m trying to remember how I got here. I remember… seeing Alice and—” he shakes his head. “Then that bar… but after that… I think I feel better than I should, given how much I drank last night…” he frowns a little.

“I found you being pickpocketed; you were drunk already, which—I understand. I tried to arrange a room for you but the station’s full, so… But I got an electrolyte drink into you before you went to sleep.”

“Thank you. I appreciate your care.”

“You’re welcome.” His eyes catch yours, and you find yourself gazing back. He thanked you, yes, but his expression is more than that somehow. Thoughtful. Almost appraising. The moment stretches.

“I should return this,” you say, to break the tension. You pass over the jewellery box from where you left it on the console overnight. “I thought you might have lost it if I’d left it with you.”

He takes it, still with a slight furrow in his brow. “I got that for the wedding… to surprise Alice. But I—I remember, I gave it to you. I meant that. I want you to have it.” He presses it back into your hand with the ghost of a smile. “It’ll suit you better than her, anyway.”

“Are you sure? Thank you, Chris. I… Thank you.” You back up and sit down in the pilot’s chair and indicate the co-pilot’s to him. “Would you like a drink? I can get you some more of that electrolyte stuff?”

“Please, that sounds good.” He sits, and you synthesise his drink and a plain water for you. You want to put the bed away, but decide against it.

“So do you want to talk? I understand if not, but…” you shrug as you sit in your seat again. “The offer’s there.”

“There’s not a lot to say. I misjudged her. We served together, and when she transferred I thought we were on the same page about trying to make the distance work, but… I don’t know why she didn’t just talk to me. We weren’t together all that long before she left the Aryabhatta, just a few months, but… I thought we had something.”

“I’m so sorry, Chris. For what it’s worth my last relationship went down in flames too. Although that was a good thing.”

You sip your drinks together in silence for a little while.

“The wedding. I asked you to come, didn’t I?” He laughs a little ruefully, then sighs. “I don’t even know where my stuff is… my suit…”

“It’ll have made its way to the Left Luggage office by now. That’s what usually happens on starbases. We can comm them, see if they can beam it here.”

You may have been thwarted in your attempt to go to Garcia’s suggested dinner spot, but she came through for you on breakfast. You’re outside in a courtyard, colourful planters dotted about, at a wooden table with a red and white check tablecloth and white parasol, a cheery little flower vase in the middle. All the tables are full, and the hum of chatter from your fellow diners is pleasant. You expected to wait a while for your order because the restaurant is busy and the food is fresh, but it’s barely five minutes until a plate of waffles and fruit for you and a stack of pancakes for Chris appears.

And, most important, your double espresso is excellent – sweet, fruity, and complex, not too bitter, but still packing that caffeine punch.

“So, how’s Penny?” Chris asks between mouthfuls. He is looking a lot more himself, now he’s had a chance to clean up. His blue eyes look a bit less defeated.

“She’s good. Really good. So’s Cameron. I got to see a lot more of them from Starbase 58; it’s less than a day away from where they were. He still likes his train set; enough that I got him another so he could join them together. He says he wants to go into the stars, though. Like his mama used to. Like his auntie is going to again. So I’m wondering how much longer they’ll be planetside.”

He chews thoughtfully. “So does this mean you tried settling down?”

“Yeah… I… it wasn’t for me. It definitely had its perks – I could cook; I actually had a little kitchen – but the same stars out the window every day. The same things happening. After a while I felt restless. I’m glad I did it, and I learned a lot, but I’m not meant for that settled life. Not for a few decades yet.” You wave your fork at him. “How about you? How’s the Aryabhatta?”

“It’s good, but I’m ready for something more, I think. I’m looking at my options… looking for a first officer posting somewhere.”

“That sounds—”

“Christopher! Good to see you again! It’s been too long! I said he’d be here, didn’t I? I said even if he never comes back for birthdays or Christmas, he wouldn’t miss our Charlotte’s wedding. And here you are, with your lovely lady, too! It’s a pleasure to meet you. You’re the first girlfriend that he’s brought to meet the family; you must be special to him. I’m Chris’ Aunt Lynn, and this is his Uncle James. We’re so looking forward to getting to know you properly later.”

“Lovely to meet you,” Uncle James addresses you before clapping Chris on the back before either of you can get a word in. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Chris meets your eyes briefly, apologetic, but it’s all you can to keep a straight face while he makes a brief introduction and you shake his aunt and uncle’s hands.

“Charlotte will be delighted when I tell her her cousin Chris has made it. Your parents went for a hike to the Mirror Lake; I expect your dad will want to do some fishing before they leave. But we’ll let you two finish your breakfast. Who knows, perhaps we’ll all be back here for your wedding before long…” Aunt Lynn’s wink is not subtle.

Once they’re out of sight he buries his head in his hands. “My dad’s sister and her husband. They’re… a force of nature. I’m sorry about that. I should have said you were just a friend, but somehow I feel about eight years old when they’re around. I’ll call my mom after breakfast; tell her they had the wrong end of the stick.”

“Don’t worry about it… they weren’t really ready to listen.” You take another bite of your waffle, turning over an idea in your mind. “I don’t actually have any plans today. Would it help if I came? You’ve done favours for me in the past; it only seems fair. Plus, then I’d get to see the sunset falls, which is why I came to the base in the first place.”

“You took care of me when I was drunk last night; you don’t owe me anything.” Chris runs a hand through his hair. “But… it may make things easier. My dad and I… it’s not that seeing me in a relationship would please him, exactly, but explaining what happened with Alice, explaining this misunderstanding… it would be a distraction from Charlotte’s big day.” He smiles a little. “And I think I said last night… my mom would like you.”

“The truth is the easiest thing to remember. We met for the first time at a starbase four years ago, and we liked each other immediately.”

“And our dates always seem to be on starbases. Like that time we shopped for Cameron.”

“Maybe only mention the gin part of that date,” Chris grins. “Looks like we’re almost there.”

‘There’ are the Flower Cliffs, further along from the sunset falls, and your second favourite place to walk to from the base. Also the opposite direction from the one Chris’ parents took. You come round a bend in the path and the view takes your breath away, like it always does: thousands of flowers festoon the white cliffs, mostly blue with ropes of green foliage at the moment, though there are yellow and red ones too. The colours change at different times of year, but it’s nearly always a spectacular display.

You decided to keep things simple for the wedding. Your hair is deep purple since that’s your mom’s favourite colour; you’ll leave it like that and keep it out in your usual informal style. You spent half an hour in a dress shop and end up with a simple white fascinator and a mauve chiffon dress. It’s modest, with cap sleeves and a skirt length no-one could object to, but it looks good, and the necklace Chris gave you lands perfectly above the neckline. You got low white sandals and a white cover-up to complete the look.

But there were still hours to go before the ceremony, so you suggested going for a walk to rehearse your story, such as it is.

“So we’re making it work long-distance? Never served together? I love this view. Do you mind stopping for a minute before we go closer?” You hold your hand out to Chris who takes it, and lead him up a short steep slope. From here you can see the path winding round to the base of the cliffs, and the little bridge over the river which flows across the plain from the falls.

“It’s beautiful from up here. So you’re the sort of person that goes off the beaten path?”

“It comes with the territory, I guess. In security you sometimes need that different perspective.”

“I get that.”

You stand looking at the view for a moment, getting lost in the vista spread out before you. But then you feel movement and—

Your hands.

You’re still holding hands.

Some security officer you are, you think, losing track of something like that. It feels natural, though. Comfortable.

But it’s something you’ll need to decide on.

You raise your hands gently. “How do you feel about touching? I guess I just… reached out, but I can try not to do that if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“Not uncomfortable. No, I feel… I think I touch. If that’s all right? I’ll want to give you my arm, hold your hand, hold you? And I’ll probably need to give you a peck on the cheek a couple of times. I’m open to reciprocation if you feel it’s appropriate.”

“That’s fine with me.” You release his hand, squashing that little regretful part of you that didn’t want to let go. “And just so you know, I wouldn’t have offered to do this if I didn’t trust you.”

“Thank you.”

The sight of Chris in a suit is one that will stay with you. It’s tailored perfectly, accentuating his broad shoulders, and the look is set off by his perfect hair, and you would like to—no. He’s just had a bad breakup and you’re just doing him a favour. That’s all there is here.

You can’t help but be impressed, as the harpist finishes with a flourish and the string quartet starts playing ‘Here Comes the Bride’. You haven’t been to too many weddings; one on the De Milo, a couple on bases, and one or two on planets. But this is by far the fanciest. There are blush coloured roses everywhere, small arrangements decorating the back of every chair, large arrangements at the end of every row, and rose trees actually trained to form a loose canopy, planted especially for the event.

Among the guests, now standing, you recognise a lot of top Starfleet brass – from local sector command and from HQ on Earth. They’re all wearing suits or dresses; Chris told you Charlotte had insisted on no uniforms, and as you look around you think that was a bit of a power move. You wonder whether Alice intended to stay with Chris long enough to be seen at this event and do some networking.

But you lose the train of that thought as two little flower girls come into view, the older one gripping the younger one’s hand, both sprinkling petals, then the bridesmaids, wearing long blush dresses that match the roses, and finally Charlotte herself, on Chris’ uncle’s arm. Her lacy white dress is washed golden by the setting sun, and she looks gorgeous, dark hair up with curls framing her pale face. You can’t imagine yourself walking with a train that long, though.

The ceremony washes over you; you pay enough attention to the minister to do the right things at the right times, but you can’t stop watching the falls. They’re beautiful, water flowing over white quartz-like crystal, but they’re like any other falls until the light hits them at the perfect angle. Then they seem to catch fire, right as the happy couple kiss. You clap along with the rest of the guests, but you watch as the falls get even brighter, as the crystals start to glow too. No matter how odd the situation is, you’re happy you got to see this at least.

You manage to avoid all but two photos: one of all the guests, and one of extended family. You also try to keep an eye on the drones that you’ve noticed flying around recording proceedings.

But you can’t avoid Chris’ parents. Chris introduces you at the drinks reception.

“Please, call me Willa. I wish I could say Chris has told us all about you, but he’s always kept relationships close to his chest. What do you do? How did you meet? Tell me everything.” She hands you a glass of Kandora champagne.

“Mom,” Chris says, embarrassment colouring his tone. “The twenty questions will scare her away.”

“Nonsense. You and your dad go talk to some of these Starfleet types while we have a chat. Josh retired from the fleet when Chris was young, but he still has his friends. I try to avoid them, though.” She winks a blue eye at you, and despite your desperate look toward Chris, you find yourself being towed away.

You’re glad you resolved to tell the truth where possible about your past with Chris; saying you met on a base is easy, and you hope you leave her with the impression that he was on Starbase 58 frequently enough for you to have actually developed a relationship.

“You don’t want to transfer to the same vessel together?”

“I think it would be difficult. I would really like to be on his ship, but right now… he’ll be getting a first officer position soon, but the right opportunity came up for me. I couldn’t wait for his next posting to transfer myself. And I can’t change ships twice in a few months. I… I hope maybe next time I transfer, though.”

And as you say it, you realise it’s the truth. Even if your relationship isn’t real, you respect Chris. You like him. Even if it’s just as friends, you would like it if you met intentionally. More often than once every couple of years. If you did work together. But… the other part was true too. Your career paths aren’t aligned. It can’t happen.

She smiles, but there’s a little sadness in her eyes. “If it’s meant to be you’ll find a way,” she says, softly, almost for herself. But then she brightens. “I love your hair. It’s so rare to see real colour on a person, especially from Starfleet.”

You chuckle. “Would you believe me if I said I sometimes forget It’s purple? I mostly only see it in the mirror…”

“I think we survived,” Chris murmurs into your ear as he leads you round the dance floor. The band is playing, the stars are out, and the cliffs are still glowing, fading from orange to pink and purple. The rose canopy is lit up with hundreds of tiny lights, and the overall effect is magical.

“Yeah, I… I had a nice time.” Things went smoothly after your chat with Willa. You were on a table with friends of Charlotte who only knew Chris slightly and weren’t especially curious about you. Conversation was pleasant, and the food was excellent. You complimented the bride on her dress and the wedding, which she accepted with distant self-possessed grace. You privately pitied the groom who, although he was smiling when you spoke, somehow had the air of an engineer who’s worried that one wrong move will lead to everything blowing up in their face.

Beyond that, there wasn’t much to do except allow the speeches and toasts to wash over you in the same way the ceremony had, and dance. And Chris was at your side: the perfect, attentive, partner.

You’re still having a nice time, you think, as strong arms hold you close. The music turns slow, and you lay your head against his chest, intimate, listening to his heartbeat. You can pretend that this is real for a little while longer.

Willa and Chris stand on the rise, looking across to the cliffs and the flowers. It’s still early the next morning, but you had to get going first thing. Chris came by early and walked you to Miller’s to get you a sandwich to go as a thank you, but when you saw his parents, dad carrying fishing gear, you insisted he make the most of his time with family.

“She wasn’t your girlfriend, was she? I remember now, you said your girlfriend was in sciences. She’s in security. Dishonesty isn’t—it isn’t you. So what happened?”

“Mom…” Chris slumps a little. “I got to the base early to surprise Alice, my actual girlfriend – ex now – but… uh… she surprised me. I got there and Alice was with some guy.”

“Oh Christopher… I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah. It was… not great. I got drunk, which I’m not proud of, but she bumped into me and made sure I was all right. Then Aunt Lynn jumped to conclusions yesterday morning when we were having breakfast… so she offered to step in and take Alice’s place. And I didn’t want to—to draw attention, especially not on Charlotte’s big day, so I accepted.”

“I understand. I’m glad you’ve told me now.” They stand in silence for a moment or two.

“Do you think there might have been a reason you didn’t talk to us about Alice, tell us her name, before yesterday?”

“I’ve been asking myself that,” Chris says after a moment. “I don’t have a good answer. I thought Alice and I were good, but… I must have had misgivings, on some level.”

“Shame it was an act for the wedding, though. I liked her. Pity you can’t have her transferred to your ship so it could be real.”

Chris laughs, rueful. “I don’t even know her surname. It’s never come up; I’ve never asked, and she’s never volunteered. I could find out if I really wanted to, but… I’m going to be a first officer. If she were on my ship, she’d be a subordinate. The power difference… It wouldn’t work. I’m not cut out for relationships, anyway.”

#Christopher Pike x Reader #Christopher Pike x You #Captain Pike x Reader #fanfiction #star trek fanfiction #writings of the girl from outer space #Chanced

[in-pleasant-company]

I am constantly in AWE of the clothes from Pemberley Threads. My sewing skills aren’t on this level, but I think I can manage a hat.

#american girl #felicity merriman #elizabeth cole #american girl crafts

[desertdollranch]

Felicity’s best friend, Elizabeth, was waiting for her at the pasture behind the Wythes’ stable. They often met there before lessons to visit the mare and her new colt. When she saw Felicity, Elizabeth smiled. “Oh, good. Here you are, Lissie,” she said. “Do whistle and make the horses come to us.” Felicity whistled. The mare trotted toward her, and the colt followed behind like a little, shy shadow. Elizabeth and Felicity pulled up handful after handful of sweet spring grass and fed it to the horses.

Elizabeth is wearing her new summer dress that I made for her this week. I used Flossie Potter’s Betsy Ross Shop Dress pattern with some modification of the sleeves. Instead of buttons down the placket of the bodice, I applied lace and wove some white embroidery thread in a lace-up pattern. I made her straw hat, too, to match Felicity’s. It’s a placemat that I took apart, painted, and sewed on some pretty Rococo-patterned twill tape. Underneath she’s wearing Pemberley Thread’s Antoinette Stays.

#elizabeth cole #felicity merriman #handmade doll clothes #doll horses

[spookysnooty]

I am absolutely in LOVE with this ballgown- making this stuff has made me absolutely fall in love with the Romantic Era fashions! This skirt is huge too, like SO MUCH fabric. I need to make some petticoats to really show off this thing, she'd easily turn into a Gone With The Wind worthy skirt if I did! So much poof! I am going to be listing this on my Etsy once my husband and I get our shop policies all written out, but if anyone is interested before that feel free to send me a DM <3 This dress was made by me HEAVILY altering a Pemberley Threads pattern by hand, and is handsewn with handwaxed thread! Aurora here, my lovely model, is about 56 cm, so it'd fit a variety of 1/3 dolls (there is a bit of overlap on this, so I could easily fix the snap closures for a more busty doll if it was needed)

It will be listed around 150 USD on Etsy

#;petit abeille #bjd #ball jointed doll #bjdoll #bjd fashion #bjdphotography #bjdclothes #bjd historical #1830s #victorian #romantic era #historical doll #history doll #historical bjd #bjd clothing #bjd clothes #bjd clothes for sale

[fictionadventurer]

The further I get into North and South, the more baffled I am that this is so often pitched as “Pride and Prejudice plus labor disputes.” They’re completely different books.

If I have to make comparisons, I guess both have a heroine with a weak father who prefers staying in his library to dealing with the difficulties in life and a mother whose anxiety leads to mostly imaginary health problems. But Margaret’s father, though he’s a coward in keeping his plans from his wife, does take action to try to care for his family. (Can you imagine Mr. Bennet ever moving his family anywhere?) And Margaret’s mother does develop serious health problems, and then shows an ability to suffer with dignity.

There are no other parallels between their lives. Margaret has no sisters. Margaret has experience in high society that makes her seem haughty, while Lizzie has the exact opposite problem. No one really cares who or if Margaret marries. Pride and Prejudice has no parallel for Dixon, Bessie, the labor disputes, the religion questions. North and South has no Jane and Bingley, no Charlotte and Mr. Collins. Pride and Prejudice wouldn’t dream of having anything as dramatic as a brother who was living as an outlaw in Spain because he led a mutiny.

I suppose the reason it gets that label is because Thornton falls for Margaret first and has a first marriage proposal that ends in disaster because she misinterprets his character, but that’s one moment. In a book with a million little subplots and character threads that are completely different from Pride and Prejudice. Thornton is a self-made man with tons of insecurities. Darcy is a man whose position and estate are inherited and who is, if anything, too secure in his position. Both books deal with the question of how a man in authority should conduct himself, but Pride and Prejudice limits this to the chapters discussing how Darcy runs Pemberley, while North and South is concerned with this on a societal level, examining the details of how masters and their employees should  relate to each other. Pride and Prejudice is concerned with individual behavior of people in a few country houses. North and South is concerned with the entire world. Pride and Prejudice is all about marriage--four different marriages exploring how a woman’s choices in that area can affect her life--while North and South has marriage as one or two minor subplots in a book that’s more concerned with other issues. They’re completely different, and it’s offensive to both works to say that they’re the same.

#north and south #elizabeth gaskell #pride and prejudice #jane austen