Irish Brigade apron and St Patrick's Day parade

Well, there it is.  The Irish Brigade apron for the St. Patrick's Day parade.  I mentioned that I wanted to make one last week in this post.  I finished it Friday night and wore it Saturday morning.  That is just how I work!  The two original regiments that made up the Irish Brigade at the first of the American civil war were the 63rd New York Infantry and the 69th New York Infantry, although there were more regiments that became part of the Irish Brigade later in the war.  There are great stories about the "Fighting 69th" and that is what I wanted to put on my patriotic apron, but I was just plain lazy and I didn't want to applique all the letters of the word FIGHTING, so I slapped the 63rd on there instead.  The harp of Erin is from the Irish Brigade flag and is used on many Irish items.  

The girls also wanted aprons for the parade as well, so I made each of them one too.  They sure turned out cute, as far as green goes anyway!

This picture has some pretty bad morning sun, but here we are, getting ready in the parade line.  Kenna wore the green and yellow wool sacque coat I made a few years ago for Emmitt.  The inspiration and pattern for the coat was from Amy at A Day in 1862.

One more picture.  When I was making the apron, I measured it to go about knee-length on me.  When I put it on with my hoop and petticoats at the parade, it is a bit shorter!  I didn't put that into consideration, but its all good for one day a year.

Here are the fellas getting ready.  They are some of my most favorite people on the planet.  I love our civil war group and the great times we have together.  They are wonderful people.

Oh, and sweet Kenna.  Everyone loved the baby.  Of course they did, she is so cute and she smiled and smiled at everyone.  She does this little squeal thing, and she was working that happy squeal all through the parade.  My left arm is still a little sore from carrying her for all those hours and all those miles.  Just kidding, we didn't walk THAT far, but of course I had to hold her for quite a few hours.  I should be used to it, but boy is my arm sore!

After the parade we were walking back to the parking lot and the crazy roller derby gals wanted a picture with our handsome soldiers.  Wow, what a wild parade it was!  I did see a little too much of a few entries, and of course I didn't get to see enough of the bag pipers or the Irish dancers.  The weather was great and we had a super day showing our Irish.  I think I figured it out once - I am only like 3/64ths Irish, but Irish still the same.