Lady Greensleeves's Velvet Undergown

18th Century Ensemble Diary

2008-05-30T15:15:00.001-07:00

This spring I took a hiatus from Renaissance costuming to put together my first complete, truly historically accurate* ensemble: women's middle-class clothing of the last quarter of the 18th Century.

*As much as possible. See notes.

The pieces are:
*a hand-sewn shift of linen
*half-boned stays (purchased)
*cotton underpetticoat
*linen tie-on pocket
*wool flannel petticoat
*a jacket of wool flannel
*a white linen cap
*handkerchief and apron, linen
*clocked stockings
*mundane shoes that don't look half-bad

Shift
I used the instructions in Everyday Dress of Rural America, 1783-1800 by Meredith Wright, cross-referencing with patterns by JP Ryan and the extant shift in the collection at Williamsburg. I used 3.5 oz softened handkerchief linen from Fabrics-Store.com and linen tape (to bind the neckline) from Burnley & Trowbridge. It was entirely hand-sewn, using French seams throughout--a new tecchnique for me, which I have to say I really enjoyed mastering! I've washed and dried it several times, and it's holding up beautifully.
I loved making the shift. It took forever (something like ten or eleven weeks; I could have made it in an afternoon by machine), but my hand-sewing skills leaped forward exponentially; and I discovered just how soothing and Zen-like the rhythm of hand-stitching long seams is. This is my first linen shift/chemise, and it won't be my last. It's deliciously soft--seriously, you have no idea. I can't figure out why we ever stopped making our underwear from 100% linen. Ok, the whole ironing issue, I guess, but still. Yummy.

The tape-bound neckline (inside)

Other Undergarments

I have two sets of stays for this ensemble--the period-correct half-boned stays shown in the picture (purchased from Jas. Townsend), which are slightly too large for me. And a Renaissance-era corset from Castle Garden Creations, which fits a little better, and which is actually what I have on in the pictures of the finished outfit. I ended up with two because I knew the 18th C. stays were too large, but I didn't want to make or buy a second set... and I didn't really have a good Renaissance corset. Long discussions last summer on the RenaissanceFestival.com sewing boards convinced me that the difference in silhouette was minimal. You may disagree.

I'm also wearing a cotton underpetticoat of violent bubblegum pink broadcloth (inside-out in the photograph). The fabric's not a particularly period choice, but I had it on hand and wanted to test the construction for the petticoat--and not on my expensive blue wool flannel. I'll talk about the construction below (it's identical to the petticoat).

I'm also wearing my single tie-on pocket, which I made from linen, using (more or less) the pattern from Everyday Dress, and the instructions from the JP Ryan Six-Piece Ladies' Wardrobe pattern. I made one change to the construction, and that was to make the ties one continuous length that runs all along the top of the pocket, instead of two lengths sewn to the sides. It just seems sturdier that way.

It's wonderfully practical, and I think everyone should consider adding pockets to their garb (of any era)--I had my cell phone, wallet, sunglasses, pens for signing my book, and a battery pack for a cordless mike in mine a couple of weekends ago, and there was still room to spare!

Jacket & Petticoat

Here's where I depart from historical accuracy a little--and deliberately. Because my book takes place in a woolen mill, I really wanted to work with period wools. From what I can tell, the woollens of the period (as opposed to the worsteds) were used primarily for menswear. The main use for woollens in women's wear would have been for petticoats. Women's jackets and gowns were frequently made of worsteds, like glazed wools and the like--but the flannels, baizes, broadcloths, satinettes, &c would have been much more common in military uniforms, frock coats, breeches, and other sturdy men's clothes.

I didn't care. I wanted to use flannel, and history be damned. Pffft. For the jacket, I used JP Ryan's Caraco pattern, which is based on a couple of extant caracos (you can see photographs of them in the Williamsburg book I linked to, above; and scale reproduction drawings in the Janet Arnold book for the period). (Period caracos seem to have been made mostly from cotton chintz and similar fabrics) I used a delicious butter yellow flannel from Renaissance Fabrics.

I have to say, this was one of the easiest projects I've ever done. The flannel was a joy to work with, and I saved every last tiny little scrap of it for some rug-hooking buddies. But mostly, I think everything went together so smoothly because the pattern was so smart and straightforward. Everything made perfect sense--and even the things that had me going, "Huh?" (like the pleats in the back) made perfect sense when I actually sat down and *did* them. I ran into a couple of tiny stumbling blocks--first, although I made a mockup (really!), it's still a little too big in the shoulders (like absolutely everything on me). I'd cut it a little narrower next time, and remember about seam allowances (which I never seem to do). Second, I really fought with the front closure, and I'm still not totally thrilled with how it looks. The pattern calls for hook & tape (which, by the way, is expensive), and try as I might, I could not figure out how to lay it out so that it made any sense. Even Milord, who is usually my answer to all spatial relations difficulties, couldn't make it work. I ended up using hooks and eyes (alternating them, thanks to a reminder by some sewing friends), and I found them fussy and unforgiving. I'm going to study the pictures to see where I need to make adjustments, and fix those before this ensemble's next outing.

The petticoat is made from instructions in the Basic Six Piece Women's Wardrobe pattern, and they involved math. It was particularly challenging on my non-math-inclined brain, because all the instructions for petticoats I could find expect you to use much, much narrower fabric than I had, and cut the skirt panels according to your height X the width of the fabric. My fabric was 60" wide, so it took some fiddling and thinking (and a hideous pink mockup) before I actually had two panels cut to the right size. Once that was done, however, the construction was a breeze. It's essentially two rectangles of fabric, each pleated to its own waistband casing. They're then sewn together from the hem up, about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way to the waistband (you can see the openings at the hip in the picture--they're there so you can reach through and access the pockets, of course!). Linen tape goes through both casings, and gets tied on one side. And that's it.

I used a fairly heavy blue wool flannel from Hamilton Dry Goods, which has the same name as the fabric I used for the caraco, but which is decidedly different. That flannel was soft and lightweight and drapey. This stuff was heavy, sturdy, a little bit rough--good Civil War soldier uniform stuff. Very well fulled, which is cool--I just lopped it off at the bottom and didn't even bother to hem it! Which makes a great visual aid in a costuming demonstration.

Accessories

I'm still conflicted about the cap for this ensemble. I was so happy with the results of the JP Ryan caraco pattern, that I used her Ladies Caps pattern... and I kind of hate it. First of all, rolled hems. I'm not even going to go there. But let's just say that's one reason God invented sergers. I don't have a serger. But beyond that trauma, the crown of the cap is HUGE--floppy and baggy and enormously disappointing (not to mention unflattering). I ended up putting several pleats throughout, to catch up some of that fullness, which helped some. I have some ideas about how to make a version that looks better, but I can't vouch for its accuracy.

I also have a neck handkerchief (made from the same JP Ryan Six Piece instructions), which I don't like at all, and an apron (Everyday Dress), which is far too sheer to be practical. I'll be redoing that one of these days, as well as fussing with the handkerchief to see if I can find a way to wear it that I actually like. One neat thing about the Everyday Dress apron instructions: the apron isn't sewn to the ties; they're fed through a casing at the waist, which means you just whip the apron off the ties to wash it. I actually took that advice when I washed the underpetticoat.

Lastly, I have the James Townsend clocked stockings, which are cool (no, actually, they're rather warm)... plus they stay up. I'll say that for them. I don't have period shoes, because I don't know how much I'll be doing this period, but I do have a nifty pair of good mundane approximations.

Test post, after a long hiatus

2008-05-20T19:04:00.000-07:00

I had trouble logging on/posting here after Blogspot teamed with Google. I didn't even realize I'd ever logged on over here (or maybe I hadn't!) from a different computer (cookies and all that), but I was thinking about an update over here, so I decided to see if I could log on successfully using a different terminal.

And, holy cow, here I am! So we'll see if this goes through, and if I can come back again later!

Rope Petticoat Diary

2007-05-15T17:35:00.000-07:00

Ever since I tried one at at James Country Mercantile a couple of years ago, I have had a desperate, burning desire for a rope petticoat.The one I made is NOT a historical garment; it was cobbled together from what I remembered of the way the James Country petticoat felt, and a pattern I thought would help me achieve that, keeping in mind, of course, that James Country is a supplier for Civil War (American, not English) re-enactors. For historical rope or corded petticoats, check Sempstress and the Elizabethan Costuming Pages (for, paradoxically, Civil War-era petticoat instructions).

Pattern

I was looking for something that would add fullness at the hem of the skirt, but not add extra bulk where *no* woman needs it: at the waist and hip. I knew I was looking at a gored skirt pattern, then, and Butterick 3418/b (the one with the 5 rows of trim at the bottom) seemed like it would be perfect.

This pattern is supposed to be Edwardian, near as I can tell—it is fitted through the waist and hips, and has a nice full hem. It also has a bit of a train in back, which I would have noticed if I hadn’t been so excited about the fact that it was designed to have trim encircling the hem (so it could tell me how much rope/casing I needed to buy. Anything to avoid math….). I ended up lopping a good 7-9” off the bottom when I hemmed it (which I suppose could have been avoided if I knew how to use lengthen/shorten lines), since I was taking a floor-length skirt for a tall person, and making a calf-length skirt for me.

I should mention that I completely threw out the waistline instructions, as I seem to do on all my skirts. I was trying to compensate for wide hips and a tiny waistline, and a potential fluctuation up and down of either. So I went with an elastic casing a couple of sizes smaller than the skirt (which I had cut to my historical highest hip measurement), and adding a drawstring made of ¼” twill tape (which frays, n.b.). I skipped the zipper, natch, and just left the seam open where the zipper was supposed to go, turning and hemming those raw edges.

Fabric/Materials
For the skirt itself, I used a beautiful soft cream Kona cotton broadcloth, which just got softer as I worked with it, like a wonderful old set of worn bedsheets. The rope casings are from a pale peach 1” satin ribbon (99 cents a spool on sale at Hancock! Can’t beat that, especially since the pattern called for five yards of it). Really, it’s absolutely cuddly, it’s so soft. This stuff would make lovely nightgowns.

The rope is 3/8” nylon twisted rope, which came in a 50ft package from Ace Hardware. I stood in the rope aisle for ages on at least three separate trips before deciding on this. My other choices were jute/hemp rope (too prickly), and cotton clothesline (too soft?). I had read that some costumers had difficulty feeding the rope into the casings, so I thought the nylon would give a nice combination of smoothness and stiffness (did I mention this wasn’t a historically accurate garment?) Other costumers have used upholstery cord or even jute binding for a similar effect. Note to interested costumers: rope is not as cheap as you’d expect. Fifty feet cost $8.00.

Assembly:
The pattern instructions recommend adding the trim (my guide for the rope casings) before assembling the waistline (not to mention before hemming it!) which made absolutely no sense to me… unless you’re making the skirt up out of lovely fabric and have made a mockup and will then know how long it will be (remember that little train?). I didn’t do this. I finished the skirt completely, and added the casings after it was hemmed. All was fine.

I used four rows of casings, set at 1” intervals, which covers the bottom 8” or so of skirt. The skirt is hemmed 5” above the ground (which is the height/length of my hoop farthingale). I turned the edges of the ribbon under, and left an opening at the center back seam.

The rope frayed some as I fed the first length through the casing, so I taped-and-cut the further lengths, and ultimately just decided to leave the tape on the ends. Alternately, if you were comfortable getting fire near your petticoat, you could probably melt the ends of the nylon to keep this from happening. Because I didn’t measure my ropes before feeding them through the casing, I just sewed them together at the overlap, and hope the tape does the rest.

I then jammed the overlapped ends as far into the rope casings as I could get them. I fully expect that they’ll creep around to the opening after a few hours of walking around in this.

Results:

This first photo is of the finished skirt before adding the ropes:

This second photo shows what it looks like with the ropes.

The main visible effect is that the ropes have prevented the skirt from falling into those lovely soft folds at the hem, and now it sort of spreads out flat. I tried to take a picture with a skirt over the petticoat, but said skirt (designed for a boned farthingale) was way too long and didn’t look like anything. But when I tried it on, the petticoat definitely held the overskirt away from my legs as I walked (and had a rather peculiar—tho’ not uncomfortable--ridged feeling against my shins from the ropes, which I remember from the James Country petticoat.).

I’m still not entirely certain how it will hold up under the weight of skirts. I suppose the solution would be to add more casings, or to double up on the rope in the current casings. It will need to be field-tested before any definitive conclusions are drawn.

In the meantime, it’s just as pretty as punch, my peaches-and-cream petticoat!

Looking ahead into 2007

2007-01-07T15:03:00.000-08:00

As promised, the to-do list. I reserve the right to change priorities daily. But I am making one resolution: That the very VAST MAJORITY of all sewing in 2007 will be for projects for me (marked with *). I did a lot of obligation sewing in 2006... and while I learned tons and it was very rewarding and I like making things for other people, this year I'm going to enjoy the fruits of my own labors.

Fair/Costuming
--*Master the art of hemp boning. I'm not yet ready to say it hates me. Not yet.
--*Chocolate Brown gamurra
--*Butter yellow giornea/overgown
--*hem gold skirt (it would be hemmed now, but it looks so nice on my dress dummy)
--finish the Mystery Doublet. I can't decide what I want to do with it. Sigh. This one has a deadline: May 15.
--Update "Ren-Friendly Rainwear" dress diary with photos & details
--finish up the black rain cloak (it needs trim & clasps)
--*think about Mama Claus costume
--*think about rainwear project #4 (frock coat?)

Non-Fair/Stitchery/Misc:
--make duvet cover (I have some glorious damask sheets that may get appropriated otherwise)
--Obligation Stitching Piece I (wallhanging for nephew)
--Obligation Stitching Piece II (Spanish Sampler)
--*Finish 2003's "Noel Bellpull" into, well, a bellpull
--*Finish "Blackwork Reindeer" into a bellpull/banner
--*Work on "Old Mill"
--*Make at least 2 ornaments (one to give away and one to keep)
--*work some on "Peacock Tapestry."
--*order the fabric for "Skeleton Crew."

The thing is... I know I'll get distracted and find other things that seize my interest, and some of these will fall by the wayside. I do know that the Butter Yellow Damask gown has been on my radar more than 6 months now (I've had the fabric for that long!), so it stands a very good chance of actually being made. Huzzah! I really should put myself on some kind of quota/wagon/challenge/whatever, to make sure that I get done everything I want done... but does that ever really work, anyway? This list is good enough.

Falling headlong into 2007

2007-01-05T17:01:00.000-08:00

I promised a to-do list, didn't I?

Hmmm. Maybe not today. A very quick update: I posted a couple of weeks ago about a recent fabric orgy, but it was eaten (somehow not surprisingly) by Blogger. What I said was I had bought my fabric for my Easy Gown, and it has decided (almost completely) what it wants to be. I bought some chocolate brown linen, to serve as a gamurra/undergown beneath the butter yellow Florentine overgown. Chocolate brown and butter yellow... sounds delicious, doesn't it? Mmmmmm. Anyway, the linen arrived, and it's actually kind of a dark chocolate, instead of my preferred milk chocolate; but it's loverly nonetheless. It's very soft. Almost criminally so. Happy.

After being fairly well convinced that I was over the crafting urges of the last few months and ready to buckle down for more revisions (cough), I found I was wrong. I spent the morning at Hobby Lobby not finding most of what I wanted. Sigh. But I've started a new XS WIP, which is bad, bad, bad, since I have two obligation pieces due this spring and summer. One is overdue. But since I'm under a massive obligation project for work, I'm indulging myself for at least the next week. Maybe I'll put myself on a rotation: one week of fun stitching, one week of Obligation Project the First, one week of Obligation Project the Second. The trouble is, while I was working on Obligation II (Sandra Orton's Spanish Sampler), I was really enjoying it. I should just get it back out, dammit.

Anyway, the thing I've been tinkering with this week is more hemp boning experiments. I'm having a devil of a time with it (getting the boning *into* the channels, which is, you know, a pretty important step), so the gurus recommended I ease off on my channel width a bit. I think I may have eased overmuch (gone from 1/4" to 3/8"ish), but I also suspect that the muslin I've been working with to practice is just too floppy, and the channels keep collapsing before I can get the hemp in. So today at Hobby Lobby I found a 7/8 yard remnant of cotton canvas for $2.00, and I'll give that a try. I also bought some slightly smaller hemp cord (halfway between this and the very, very thin stuff I first bought), on the chance that I actually can't measure as well as I thought I could. I was half planning this for an insane project, but we'll see if anything comes of that.

The further happy news is that I finally got my Blogroll to work! Woot! It's totally thanks to a stitcher pal who actually *did* the work for me. And as soon as I find her blog (pathetic, ain't I?), I'll give her her due credit (thanks, Erin!).

All right. I'll get crackin' on that to-do list. Really.

2006 in Review

2006-12-31T17:28:00.000-08:00

I can safely say that this has been the busiest year of my life. Or most productive year. Or most stressful year. However you look at it, I did A LOT.

Sewing

--Made the black @#!$ McCalls bodice
--Whipped up an arisaidh
--Made the blue-and-magenta DWR microfiber raincloak
--Made the same cloak again, in black with gold lining
--Made Milord's rain tunic, plus chaperon/hooded cowl
--Whipped up a gold broadcloth skirt
--Started and got about halfway done with the Mystery Doublet (including drafting the pattern and making a muslin)
--Made Milord a Santa bag
--did some experiments with hemp cord boning
--miscellaneous mending (worth noting since it's a rare occurrence and some was large)
--made muslins/mockups for much of the above

Other Needlework
Finishes
--"December Songbird" wallhanging
--Rayon snowflake ornament
--Gingerbread man ornament with linen floss

Complete-but-unfinished
--"Blackwork Reindeer"
--Second Rayon Snowflake ornie

WIPS
--Nephew's horses wallhanging
--"Spanish Sampler"
--"Flora" (possible UFO; may restart on different fabric)
--Satin Stitch Celtic knot surface embroidery
--Teresa Wentzler Celtic Knot bookmark (possible UFO)
--Two other possible-UFO ornies
--and a wee bit on "Peacock Tapestry, back in January. Hardly enough to signify.

Plus... I did five or six scrapbook pages!

It's kind of crazy that I actually managed to get *anything* done, let alone the huge amount (for me) that I accomplished! Because while all that was going on, I was also doing this.

I do know, though, that as fretful as some of this was, my sewing and my other crafts kept me sane this year. 2007 isn't supposed to be as busy, work-wise, so I probably won't a tenth as much done... but I have an awfully long To-Do list, which I'll post tomorrow.

Happy Old Year, everyone!

I have a new summer chemise!

2006-10-01T14:03:00.000-07:00

And boy, did I need it today! Yes, I know it's October, but apparently Mother Nature didn't get the memo. It was 91 degrees at KCRF today.

Ok, now. I adore my Greycat chemise (those are separate links, btw). Laura made it just for me, and it's probably the single garb garment I love most. But I figure a lady can always use more than one full-length white chemise, yes? This one will not replace the other in my heart, but it will supplant it occasionally in my wardrobe.

I actually spied this last week, went home and thought about it, and decided if it were still there, I'd get it. I've been thinking about a lighter weight, slightly sheer chemise to go with next year's Easy Gown, and this one is perfect. Not to mention I've been coveting one of these for years now.

So. This is Ophelia's "Double Juliet Sleeve Chemise." Lovely, yes? But what you can't see in that photo is the positively delicious fabric it's made out of--semi-sheer ivory cotton gauze, shot through with gold thread:

It was an *ideal* hot-hot-weather garment. I was almost comfortable! In future, I shall probably puff my own sleeves a little less severely, and let the sleeves fall a bit more; the Ophelia's maids dressed me. Well, my sleeves, anyway.

In the heat, I also figured out something important for the Easy Gown. I was considering a closed-front skirt, but I have decided that a split skirt (a la Irish gown) is an absolute necessity. First, who needs two entire skirts when it's 90 degrees out?! Second, the wind blowing through a split skirt is akin to air conditioning. If you're not wearing hoops, this is the next-best thing.

So, I shall probably just reuse the Simplicity Irish pattern. Which is fine; I love the Peacock Blue gown I made from it; I was hoping for a *little* variety, so I'll have to think how to achieve that (well, pleats will go a long way... plus I saw Sofi's was using these really neat brass lacers that would work nicely, I think. Very clean and simple).

So I think that's today's costuming report. Must go sew. I still need to decide how to do the trim on the Mystery Doublet. Well, and sew it.

Huzzah! Progress at last!

2006-10-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

I finally sat down yesterday and started the Mystery Doublet. I've gotten the hardest bits out of the way: laying out the pattern, cutting out the pieces, and putting on the interfacing. Now I just have actual sewing left to do. Whew!

No pix, because otherwise it wouldn't be a mystery.

And... I've decided

2006-09-26T16:46:00.000-07:00

After browsing some potraiture online, and looking hard at gorgeous colors at Fair this weekend, I've decided that the color for the Easy Gown is going to be...

Chocolate brown! Velvet doublet bodice be damned. Definitely linen.

It just goes too well with every other color I like--my flaming orange chemise, a deep teal, black, cream, green....

I was also inspired by this portrait by Botticelli, both in color and in silhouette (although someone should have taught that lass about posture. Good heavens!). Of course, other than the box-pleated skirt, it's rather hard to see what's going on in that dress, so I turn to this Book of Hours drawing of farm workers. Now, I've had this picture up as my desktop wallpaper for a couple of months now, and have gotten a pretty good look at it. I feel like assuming that both gowns are of the same construction. The pink lass--does that look like lacing up the back of her gown? At any rate, I like the deep-v back neckline. It will solve some bodice problems I typically have (gaping necklines), and I've wanted to try the cut for a while now.

Since we're looking at gowns that lace up the front, I am both enchanted and perplexed by gowns like the one in this portrait by Carpaccio. How is that staying shut? Does she or does she not have a corset on under there (I know, I know, age old Italian debate)?

So, anyway. The Brown Easy Gown (the Brown Easy?) will be some combination of all these influences, largely dictated by my sewing skills and ambition. Semi-accurate, we'll say.

And while we're at it, let's think trim. I love the little sparkle of gold on the Book of Hours women (as impractical as that seems). I wonder if I could achieve that with guards of very thin gold ribbon? Gold looks nice with brown, yes?

And another thing...

As I was looking for that Botticelli in brown, I ran across several (lots, actually) Botticelli Madonnas wearing blue, sleeved robes with lining. Several of them are so similar as to suggest the same real-life garment modelled in each portrait. Here, here, and here.

Why is this important, you ask? Or even interesting? Well, because I have been waffling in my plans for my Ren-Friendly Rainwear project. It was to be a blue robe, lined in purple satin... but I've become discontent with the idea of a robe. Now that I see a similar garment in period artwork, I am beginning to reconsider my discontent. Mmmmmm.

Color Conundrum

2006-09-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's been ages since I've posted here, and there's a reason. I've been sewing. Up a storm. I've finished two of the Ren-friendly Rain Cloaks (one is totally done-done; one is ABT [all but trim]). I've made half of milord's rain tunic (the cowl-and-hood part), and I've started the Mystery Doublet. Well, back that up a bit. I did the mockup for the Mystery Doublet (which I believe was my last entry), and two (three?) weeks ago I finally had a chance to do a fitting, and IT WAS PERFECT!! Woot! Now I just need to find time to actually sew the thing.

During the same two weeks before my revisions are due. Yeah, uh-huh.

Which probably explains why I am here, daydreaming about garb again. Instead of making any. This seems to be my pattern, eh?

Anyway. Here's the deal. In addition to the Ren-Friendly Rainwear project, one thing I've been wanting for more than a year now is what I'm calling an Easy Dress. Something lightweight, lightly constructed, and uncomplicated, suitable for wear on really hot (or rainy/muddy) days. Currently my Peacock Blue Velveteen Gown is my easiest-to-wear garb... but I could use something a little more weather-versatile.

So what's the issue? I can't decide on a color.

I already have tons of garb. Gowns in the following colors: Peacock blue (aka dark teal), flaming orange, violet, butter yellow (well, I don't have the yellow, yet; I still have to make that one). Pieces in magenta, grey-green, French blue, black, rose-and-green tapestry. And that's just the garb I really wear. I had an ensemble in rust that I adored, but it's rather worn out now, and I don't think it's salvageable.

And there's the *planned* garb! My kirtle-and-doublet-bodice ensemble, to go with the embroidered coif, is going to be vermilion silk (kirtle) and chocolate brown velvet (doublet bodice).

I'm running out of colors. There are some that are absolutely out: pink, pale green, lilac. I'm thinking I'd love navy blue, chocolate brown, or a deep claret red... but am afraid the navy will be too similar to the peacock blue gown; and if I have a vermilion kirtle planned, I surely don't need a claret red Easy Gown.

The problem seems to be, I like too many colors. Also that I don't want to repeat myself. But I keep seeing things (like my vase of orange daylilies for my anniversary) and thinking how glorious the flaming orange and deep green look together. I *don't* have anything deep green (true forest green) that I wear anymore(although I have a grey-green silk chemise, and a deeper green silk split skirt; all Ophelia's, natch.). I already wear the split skirt with my flaming orange chemise, so... do I really need green?!

There are also russet and tobacco brown; colors I adore for mundane wear; but for whatever reason, I'm not feeling the love. Hm.

I have narrowed my fabric down to linen, linen blend, or fabulous cotton jacquard bedsheets. If I find said sheets. I am considering making something like the peacock blue gown (the Simplicity Irish dress), but with a deeper, square neckline, and a pleated skirt (because, God help me, I will never gather a skirt again). But then I go through my links and pix and see all these Florentine gowns, and they're *so* lovely, and I have to rein myself back in (I look dreadful in high-waisted things).

Grumble. It's either time for me to hit the Web Gallery of Art for portrait research... or to finish those damn revisions.

And I always get the last word.

2006-08-14T21:37:00.000-07:00

Which of Henry VIII's wives are you?
this quiz was made by Lori Fury

Zzzzzip! Zing! Zow!

2006-08-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

I made the mockup for the doublet today (Frankendoublet, from Butterick 4574 x 5656), and I whipped through it. Since start-to-finish it took less than one afternoon, that's *incredibly* speedy for me. I even managed not to put anything together backward! I was amazed how easy it was to do the collar, and the shoulder tabs/wings/whatsits (which I altered, because the pattern pieces looked silly to me) were a breeze--way easier than I remember them being last year. Hmmm.

Wonder what's going to go wrong when I go to make the real one?

I looks good...ish. It's *very* hard to tell, since the only model available is DH, who is not the same size as the future owner of this garment. I think it's probably too big, still... everywhere. I based everything off of the measurements I took, but that darn modern wearing ease gets me every time.

I think the collar and the turned-out "lapels" are going to be a success. It looks nice on the mockup, at any rate. I'm a little concerned about the closure--there's a large overlap on DH, which is *not* what the pattern was designed for. I wonder if I can put buttons in something and have it look right, if it wasn't designed to overlap?

Not sure when I'll have a chance to do the real fitting. We'll either see them over Labor Day, and I can do it in person... or I'll have to mail it to them, with explicit instructions on how to do the fitting. Which presumes I know, explicitly, how to do the fitting. Harrumph.

Some brief updates

2006-08-07T22:12:00.000-07:00

First... thanks to a friend on my needlework BB, I'm getting some code help, and this place will soon get tidied up a little. No major redecorating (though she offered!), but a few structural additions. Fun, fun. When I can wrap my brain around the information she sent me. :)

Second... thanks to more friends on that same BB, I have decided to line the Ren-Friendly Rainwear in color! I'm thinking that the navy blue wants some sort of deep fuchsia (the trim, which is gorgeous, has fuchsia in it). This will also coordinate wonderfully with a certain beautiful hat.... Still undecided on the other colors. It looks like I'm going to have to order the lining (from the same place I got my Coriander), so that'll take a couple of weeks to get here. And fair starts in 3. Ack.

Lastly... I have finally, after *weeks* (no, months in fact. No... actually, about 2 years) of thinking about it, figured out exactly how I'm going to make the doublet! I'll be using Butterick 4574 almost exclusively, but with a straighter cut front and a band collar. I was really intrigued by this doublet from House of Anoria, but after much soul-searching as I was cutting out pattern pieces, decided that that waist seam was going to make my model's fitting issues too hard (for me, at my skill level) to deal with. Alas. But I think that the free form of the Butterick doublet (really more of a jerkin) will make it much more forgiving, on both of us.

I've also been *hugely* inspired by the work of Baroness Doune, especially this doublet she made for her husband. I love the silhouette of it, as well as the turned-back "lapels." I think I can work with something like that, and even better, I think I've figured out how to do it! So I have half the pattern pieces cut out, and had better go do the rest, if I want to get them ironed tonight.

Anyway, I am *determined* to get SOMETHING done this season! Sure, I have that new black bodice, but I'm really not all that thrilled with it.

Well... off to snip pattern pieces, iron pattern pieces, and then decide if I need to do more revision tonight or not.

The Coriander is Here!!

2006-07-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

And it's gorgeous! I wasn't sure, at first, when I opened the package, but when I carted it upstairs and laid it out in the sunshine atop the violet gown--the colors just sang. Bliss.

This photo is not great; the yellow is a little washed out. But it's a true rich butter yellow. Delicious.

Unfortunately, the violet gown doesn't have a history of photographing well, either. You may never get to see the Coriander Gown in all its golden glory. Alas. One nice surprise? The "pale gold" Coriander really picks up the metallic gold in the violet gown's trim. That was a happy discovery!

In other news... I have finished the initial mockup of DH's tunic and cowl. I still need to do the fitting for it--but an initial try-on revealed that I cut the contrast for the neckline about twice as wide as necessary, giving the whole thing (it's muslin with a green neckline) an ecclesiastical bent. DH gave a benediction. In Latin.

We watched the old Errol Flynn "Adventures of Robin Hood" last night, a movie in which approximately 97.3% of characters wore hoods-and-cowls. I begged DH to let me dag his cowl, a la Will Scarlet, but he was having none of it.

Tomorrow I'm speaking twice at an all-day workshop, but hope I'll get a chance to use my Saturday night for sewing. I think I need to give some attention to the doublet, which is starting to hint--again--that it wants to be a mandelion. Grumble.

2006-07-22T17:06:00.000-07:00

You Are An ISFJ

The Nurturer

You have a strong need to belong, and you very loyal.
A good listener, you excell at helping others in practical ways.
In your spare time, you enjoy engaging your senses through art, cooking, and music.
You find it easy to be devoted to one person, who you do special things for.

You would make a good interior designer, chef, or child psychologist.

What's Your Personality Type?

Ren-Friendly Rainwear

2006-07-21T16:46:00.000-07:00

23 July 2006
Conceptual Drawings & Trim Orgy

So I have a conceptual drawing for DH's tunic, assuming I can figure out the keyhole neckline + contrast:

21 July 2006

As promised, here are the details of this project, so far (I bought the fabric today [squee!], so I finally feel ready to start, and hence ready to make a diary):

This project was inspired by the fact that KCRF always has at least one horribly rainy weekend every season--and that's always the weekend we have company. It's also very often hot here, when it rains, making heavy felted wool raincloaks... silly.

I have a gorgeous sueded microfiber raincoat that lived through 5 Portland, OR, winters and never-but-never gave out. It looks and feels like silk, but behaves like nothing else. I decided that *that* was what we needed for Fair. It's actually not that easy to find sueded microfiber yardage, but I finally found a store (in Portland, no less!) that carries both leftover yardage from RTW factory operations, and a limited amount of made-for-them fabrics, as well: Rose City Textiles, found online at www.fabricline.com. Last fall I ordered a batch of swatches but didn't see anything I wanted. This spring, I tried again--and hit pay dirt (more on that later).

My plan is to eventually make 4 garments--two custom-made pieces for DH and me, and 2 walking capes for our guests. I wanted something that was lightweight and beautiful, that would keep out the rain--but that people wouldn't mind wearing even if the weather wasn't as bad as feared. Walking capes are not really period for fair, but the shape is flattering, easy to wear, and seems like a cloak/rain poncho hybrid. DH wanted a tunic and cowl, and I wanted wizard's robes (leave me alone).

I eventually narrowed it down to the following patterns:

Walking Capes: Butterick 3642, view B (but with an added hood)
DH's Tunic: Simplicity 8587, with modifications
Wizard's Robes: Simplicity 5840

And here is the fabric:

To the left is the black, which will be one walking cape. The top is "Copper," a beautiful saddle leather color (fairly accurately depicted). This will be for most of DH's tunic (with some of the black as guards and trim). The second, "Navy," is for the second walking cape, and the third, "Denim," looks a lot like denim on screen, but (to my eye, at least) is a sort of dark dusky peacock blue/teal. That would be for the robes. I may decide I want a walking cape as well, but I bought enough to make the robes. We'll see.

Now, here's the amazing part. I got fabric for all (averaging seven yards each) for $160. For four cloaks!

Tomorrow is the 50% off trim sale at Joann, so I'll be buying trim for all.

More as things develop....

Getting started... slowly

2006-07-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

So I have all the pieces to DH's tunic muslin cut out and ready for assembly. I won't get to work on it tonight b/c we are having dinner with his boss (um... little nervous. Indian food.). I got him to sit down and look at the pattern and some pix with me, and we came up with a plan. I think. The DWR microfiber is not available in any decent shade of green (mint herringbone?), so we are going with a gorgeous copper with black trim/guards. I've never pieced before, but theoretically it can't be any harder than sewing a seam, right? I think it calls out for a very thin black-and-gold trim (such as is on my cotehardie), so I'll see what I can find at JoAnn on Saturday (50% off trims). He decided he liked the version shown in the pattern, which has a front seam and is partially open down the front. I'm not sure I do like the idea of a front seam; I wonder if I could cut it on the fold, instead, and slash. Hm. The muslin is not wide enough to mock that up, I don't think... but I think it's worth a try. How does one finish a slash, exactly? Anyway, the pictures we were looking at had laces in the front; I like clasps. Maybe one large bronze one.

He agreed that the two walking capes should be the darker navy, and the black. I did see some trim I liked for the navy last trip to Jo's; and it's easy to buy trim for black. How much, though? I'll buy a big spool, just to be safe. That's why they have 50% off sales, right? Clasps for these, as well.

Also started looking and planning for the doublet. I'm still worried about the fitting on this. I should find out if they're coming to visit again before fair and get the mockup done for that.

I know there's not going to be enough time to do the Coriander gown. I suppose I should focus on the to-do list, and then do the corset as time permits. That, at least, will help the line of the violet undergown. Yes, that's a good goal. I'll get something done, at least.

I've also been thinking more about the doublet-and-skirt for the coif. I'm thinking of doing a modified Jacobean jacket/doublet. The doublets mostly look too severe to me, but I don't like the big scoop necklines of the Jacobean jackets. I want something like the high neckline in this Alessandro Allori portrait, but not quite so extreme.

But that wasn't my point. It occurred to me how nice it would be if I wore the jacket over a kirtle, instead of a skirt & bodice. Drea Leed's, shown above, is perfect. The only trouble was, I was really picturing the bottom layer in a deep red silk dupioni, and that seems like a silly fabric for a kirtle. Maybe.

So. Now: Revisions. Tonight: Indian food and conversation. Later: examining the Butterick doublet pattern to see what the pieces look like. This weekend: sewing. And revisions.

Fabric Therapy

2006-07-17T17:11:00.000-07:00

I did it! I ordered my Coriander! And in honor of that, I am hereby naming this project the Coriander Gown! I ordered 6 1/2 yards, which really, truly ought to be enough to include any mistakes I might make.

I had a dreadful day. Horrid. It was actually only a moment, but you know how those grow. Revisions are disatrous, and I have no idea how to fix them. That Week is starting, and so I know it's messing with how I react to awfulness... but that doesn't mean that the problem is non-existant. The book is still shaping up to be 150 pages too long (no joke, if I continue at the present pace), and That Week or no, that's a problem.

So. Dyed my hair, had a good cry (I rarely cry over my job; this might be the second time in a decade), got a wonderfully "I hear ya!" email from my critique bud, and BOUGHT MY FABBIE!

Feel better now. I almost didn't buy it (probably smart in the mood I was in, sure I couldn't do anything right), but after the shower and the email and some browsing through other dress diaries, I decided to go for it. I did think about buying just a swatch, but there was no saving on shipping--so if I decided to buy it, I'd be out double the shipping charges (like $15). Fabric favors the bold.

I'm glad I asked

2006-07-16T15:05:00.000-07:00

In the midst of my fabric indecision last week, I posted my dilemma on the Renfest.com costuming forum. Everyone voted for the silk.

Which was incredibly helpful, because it made me realize how much I really want the damask. The idea of not having that butter yellow damask was too much. So I'll be ordering that one.

Huzzah!

So why, you ask, am I going against the advice of many talented costumers--several with much more experience than I have? One--color. I love that butter yellow, and I'm just not entirely convinced that purple and gold should be crosswoven together. Two--weight. I just don't think the silk is going to have the fall I want. Silk dupioni has a mind of its own when it comes to how it falls. Damask will hang where you put it. Three--I don't like to be pressured. The sale deadline was just too soon.

Although I still want some deep red for the skirt for the coif.

And since you don't believe that I ever get round to actually making things, I started the muslin for DH's tunic and cowl last night. So there.

And now, back to making a book.

So now I'm conflicted...

2006-07-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

I reached my page quota, and I am now allowed to reward myself by buying fabric for the gold overgown! Remember the Coriander I fell in love with? Well. Silly me, I went browsing for brown velveteen for the Jacobean jacket I want to make next year to go with the coif. And then I found this. Waaaaah! That's iridescent violet-and-gold changing color dupioni silk! And it's on sale for $8.21/yard... but only until July 17. I don't have enough time to swatch that out and still get the sale price.

Oh, mercy. What to do, what to do??

To Do List

2006-07-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

Apparently I suffer from Costume ADD, because I keep flitting from one thing to another. I get seized with an idea, obsess over it for a while, and then abandon it. I do eventually get some things made, but clearly I need to focus better.

So with that in mind, I give you (well, me, really), my To-Do List

Must Do
--Muslin mockup for DH's "Green Arrow"-inspired tunic & cowl
--Muslin mockup for a doublet
--Order DWR microfiber from Rose City Textiles for *at least* the tunic and a walking cape.
--Order same for perhaps a second walking cape and a robe
--Select trims for the same
--Make the doublet
--Make the walking cape
--Make the tunic & cowl

Optional
--Corded Corset
--Shepherdess dress
--new breeches to go with doublet

Do you see the trouble here? My obsessions for the past month have not been in the right place! Gah. Fortunately I think DH's tunic should be fairly straightforward--even with the dags/crenellations/hem treatment he'd like. The doublet, a little less so, though not insurmountable.

Maybe I should do one must-do project, then allow myself to work on one optional project. If I make DH's mockup, then I can order the yellow fabric. Or work on the corset, etc.

The fact is, I never have enough time in a season to sew everything I dream up. And then there are those projects that pop up out of the blue (like last year's purse)

I'm actually feeling itchy stitchy fingers to get started on the tunic mockup, just to feel as though I'm making forward progress on things. That's good, yes?

Unfortunately, my sewing time this week and next will be limited, because we'll be building the new shelves for my office.

Which is why I've started some embroidery.

Can't Back Out Now

2006-07-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

And aren't you proud--it's been two whole days since I posted! I actually made some stuff last night (not sewing, so it doesn't merit pix)--I used my new scrapbook power tool and made some thank-you cards for the wonderful folks who sent me lovely things just for turning thirtymumble! So there. I DO make things. I've also been busy making a book, thank you very much. I find myself unreasonably pleased that my deadline is October 1stish, which gives me three whole weeks of Fair season left for sewing!

But she wanders off track.

I was speaking of not chickening out. Out of...? Out of the corded corset, of course!

On the way home from crying over my revision notes with my writing buddies, I consoled myself with a long trip to Hobby Lobby, where I finally found the right hemp cord, as well as some lovely soft-yet-sturdy cotton "linen weave" fabric for the corset itself. It was hugely expensive (for me, for such a thing)--$12/yard! Eek! I splurged and bought three yards, which looks enough to make about six corsets. Even for me. I also remembered (pats self on back) to buy bias tape! I decided that since the fabric felt wonderful but wasn't exactly beautiful (in a way; it has its own aesthetic), I would buy a pretty color of bias tape. Liked the deep teal, but decided it was too dark. Pink? Bleh. Baby blue? Haven't these people ever heard of sage green? But then! I found it! The most beautiful lovely soft rust color--dead on for the acorns in the coif! Perfect. I wasn't sure whether to get single or double fold--at $1.39, I got both.

But... I'd like to talk about the hemp cord, for a minute. Has there been a run on hemp since everyone else in Cyberspace made their corded corsets? A hemp embargo? Why did I have such a hard time tracking it down--and why was it so bloody expensive? My 200-foot spool cost $10. Not a bank-breaker, in comparison to other costuming costs... but certainly not 400 feet for $2, as I've seen reported elsewhere. Grumble.

So that's it. Nothin' stoppin' me now!

(Watch. It will be 2 years before this thing sees the light of day.)

Birthday S.E.X.

2006-07-04T16:29:00.000-07:00

Y'all know that's Stash Enhancement eXperience, yes??

So yesterday was my thirtymumbleth birthday, and did I ever mention that I have the most amazing family?! All I got was STASH (ok, and a DVD and two CDs)... and it's fantabulous!! My inlaws gave me some stash cash (as yet unallocated, but I have plans)... my parents sent (are sending?) scrapbook stuff, and DH got me all of this:

In that picture are:
--A huge self-healing cutting mat (would it occur to your husband to buy you a self-healing cutting mat, totally out of the blue? Incroyable!)

--A set of 18 glorious Marvy watercolor markers, which are gorgeous and I'm not even sure what they're used for... but I love markers with an obsessive lust, so they're wonderful (the most beautiful shade of pale orange verging on cream. Sigh.).

--Ingham & Covey: Costume Technician's Handbook (OMG! OMG!!)

--Beads. Lots of beads. JADE (tremulous breath). And a beautiful little necklace kit with violet Swarovski crystals. All this came in a beautiful small brocade jewelry roll with the most clever little ring holder (and now I want to make one of those, too). As I said in a previous post, I don't really bead... but how cosmic that DH and I were thinking fiercely about violet crystal beads at the same moment!

--And the icing on all of this wondrousness? This:

A kit from Plimouth Plantation designer Joanna Kline, to make a 17th Century embroidered coif.

I am only learning surface embroidery, but I think this will certainly inspire me to greatness with my needle! (For some reason, Blogger won't let me post more pictures just now, so that will have to wait.)

Part II

So today I went prowling round Joann, looking for things to spend my stash money on. I found some hemp cord! I'm actually quite surprised by it, and wish someone who'd made a corded corset would have posted a picture of a spool of the stuff, b/c I'm not at all sure what I have is what I need. I bought it in the beading section (DH wanted to show me everything. :D). It's reeeeeelly thin--like perl cotton 8 thin--and it feels like paper or raffia. Sound right? Hmmm.

I also found--and found I could not pass up--5 yards of the most delicious heavy, 100% cotton, deep cream, tone-on-tone, reversible damask. $25!! It's upholstery yardage and seriously, well, delicious. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it--I don't think it's right for the Gold Overgown... too heavy, for one; also the pattern is HUGE. It would make a fabulous Tudor forepart (or 5 of them). Maybe a Venetian? I don't have a Venetian in my plans. Gah.

But, happiness! I think my obsessive thinking-about-costuming stage is coming to an end. I should now enter into a period of dormancy, followed by actually making something.

Trims go on sale for 50% off on July 22, so I'm going to try to put this all on hold for a few weeks, so that I can, you know, WORK.

(Oh! Could the damask be for a Georgian gown?!)

Somebody STOP her!!

2006-07-02T23:52:00.000-07:00

Gah! Here I am again! Two posts in one day!! No, I haven't gone to bed yet! Sheesh! I am SUPPOSED to be working, after all!

Am I?

Sigh....

Well, I did paint my office, which is at least in the physical vicinity of my work, if not actually productive on the book itself.

HOWEVER, I had to post, because I just found a butter yellow damask Italian gown!! This is from Buckland's Breeches, a site for a SCAdian costumer from Australia.

But! But!! Look how good it looks with the purple background! Woo-hoo! I think we have a winner!

But all the gowns I'm looking at have floral damasks, and the one I love is that diamond motif. Do I keep the diamonds, or must I use something bigger and more fluid?

Hrmph.

Well, fiddle-dee-dee... I'll think about that tomorrow.

Bead Me, Baby!

2006-07-02T16:35:00.000-07:00

Should I be worried that I find more to say in this blog than in my professional one? Sigh. I'm supposed to be working, so that I don't have to work later tonight and can finally go to bed at the same time as milord... but the dress keeps talking. I know the only way to shut it up is to buy supplies for it.

And the only way to buy supplies for it, is to hit that page quota. Vicious, vicious.

But... today's topic. I've been thinking lots more about the butter yellow damask + little beaded belt idea. There are no such embellisments in the portrait. Who wears a beaded gown to shear sheep anyway? However, there *are* such embellishments in this fabulous gown by Lynn McMasters.

What I love so much about this ensemble is that it's very similar in material to what I'm working with. Chances are the "original" undergown, if one ever existed in real life, would have been linen or a nice medium-weight wool. Something you could work in. The overgown? The same, although one fellow costumer has suggested it may be a leather apron of sorts. Anyway, McMasters used velvet and damask, which is pretty darn close to velveteen and damask.

And the velvet and damask apparently demanded embellishment. Notice she didn't go crazy with it--just some friendly beading on the edges, and the belt (which features one of my favorite costuming notions: a clasp!).

I haven't beaded much (just some in my needlework and a Ren costume for my coonhound, Nelly [don't ask. Apparently she doesn't aspire to nobility]), but it doesn't frighten me at all (not like the corded corset). But another option would be some trim. Something *tiny.* Maybe 1/4 inch. Purple and yellow. That should be easy to find, yes? I think that will be my new time-wasting obsession.

Red sock update: I found a pair at the dollar store today! Ok, they're not the wonderful long slubby wool ones from Sock Dreams... but they were a dollar!

It occurs to me that I haven't even thought about the gold horizontal lacing (or whatever that is) on the overgown. Hrmph.

But instead of thinking about that, I'll post a link to another damask Italian gown of similar silhouette (look! If I bought extra yardage I could make sleeves!!).

Yellow & Purple Sightings, and Color Confusion

2006-07-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

I was just perusing the site of Olde World Wear, and what do you know? A gorgeous gown in deep purple and pale yellow (or pale gold, if you want to quibble; here's a direct link.) That purple looks a little more red than mine... and the amazing seamstress married the purple and gold with accents throughout the piece, which I'm not sure is an option for me. I mean, sure, if I were crazy I could put violet beads at the intersection of every diamond in the Coriander... but I'm not that crazy. Am I?

Hm. Maybe a little beaded girdle belt. That could do it.

In further musings, I have been looking at the shepherdess painting again, and I'm beginning to wonder if I just haven't completely misjudged the color of the overgown. I was sure it was gold... but there's an awful lot of red in that skirt. Should I be looking for a red/gold shot silk instead? And how would *that* look with purple?

Hm. Maybe I should just go with something a little more brassy in tone. Or the girdle belt....

Do I Like Butter?

2006-06-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

Hold up the fabric to my face and see....

I may have found it! The gold damask for the shepherdess overgown! This is a cotton blend damask called "Coriander:"

Which I find amusing, given my recent love affair with the cover of a novel called I, Coriander.

The color is called "pale gold;" the site describes it as "pale yellow." Butter yellow is one of my favorite colors to wear. Several years ago I had a butter yellow sundress that I adored; how fun would it be to have a new one for Fair?!

I think when I hit my next revision quota (which was going to be the Red Sock Quota), I may order four or five yards of this.

My one concern right now is how this pale yellow will look with the violet. Purple and yellow are opposites on the color wheel, so in the wrong intensities they can fight each other. However... still tempted. Hmmmm.

ETA... Browsing the Coriander pix reminded me that Hobby Lobby always* carries this lovely soft drapey sage green chenille in a similar diamond pattern that I've loved for a while now. That might also look well with the violet... and not quite so Easter egg-ish.

*Always, meaning "every other time I've been in, until I decide that this is the fabric I want, when they'll be out. For good."

Fabric Cravings

2006-06-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

It has long (well, OK, not that long) been a dream of mine to recreate Eleanora di Toledo's unbearably gorgeous gown in this portrait by Bronzino:

I knew the biggest stumbling block (aside from my sewing skills) would be finding a match for that fabric. That fabric!! I swoon for that fabric! I figured that by the time I found anything even close, my sewing skills would have caught up enough to attempt such a gown.

Well. Yesterday, while helping an online pal hunt down fabric for a fairy bodice, I saw this:

For the perfectly reasonably price of $13/yard. Now, I realize I just said that I never spend that much on fabric... but truly. Even I knew I wasn't going to get away with being that miserly on Eleanora.

Now, obviously that fabric is NOT an exact match. But look how pretty it is! It has the green swirls! It has the medallions! It's only $13 a yard! It's called Venetian Room, for pity's sake!

But. The medallions are green and purple; not that wonderful golden orange in the portrait. And the background is much duller than the bright white of Eleanora's gown. And possibly most significantly (which you've no doubt already noticed), the fabric is railroaded--meaning, the pattern goes sideways. Which would mean a lot of piecing. A LOT.

So... I shall probably pass, and forever rue the day I did not buy the almost-perfect fabric. Sigh.

Early Musings

2006-06-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

A while back, while doing research for my real job, I ran across this image: What's so exciting about a woman shearing sheep, you ask? Why, that blue undergown, Lady Greensleeves replies! Because Lady Greensleeves HAS that blue undergown already: Mine is actually more of a violet, than a blue, and even *I* draw the line at shearing sheep in velvet (though not in purple), but I was nonetheless filled with a desperate longing to recreate that gold overgown. This would be my very first portrait reproduction! Huzzah for me!

Now, there are some obvious issues, here... firstly, my blue gown's neckline is much lower than that shown in the painting. Secondly, I don't know what kind of corsetry she's using, but it's fierce... and no amount of binding is going to give me her shape. (And when I bought this gown I did *not* realize what it would do to my own, ahem, assets... and am currently exploring my underpinnings options for something more flattering... and trying to ignore the little voice whispering corded corset). But, still. I think this is entirely doable, and will make my off-the-rack Sofi's gown (much as I love it) a little more special.

So... what is she thinking? She is thinking to take the Simplicity "Ever After" pattern, view C, as a base, and alter the pieces to more accurately reflect the silhouette shown in the painting (making the bodice longer and eliminating the little upward point-thingy that it does at the waist seamline). That pattern is in my stash already, thanks to some pattern sale gluttony last summer.

Fabric... I'm thinking a gold damask. I'm not actually at all certain how I look in gold, and I suppose I could go with ivory, or a soft green... but gold would also go with the Flaming Orange Chemise. My first thought was to buy a couple of the biggest gold damask tablecloths I could get my hands on, but then realized that was the equivalent of spending $10/yard on fabric... which I never do. So I'll have to keep my eyes open for alternatives.

In the meanwhile, I am still recovering from the McCall's bodice fiasco (and no, that will never be documented here), plotting the doublet for milord's father (and possibly new breeches), and my Ren-friendly Rainwear project. I'm off now to Hancock for the doublet patterns to work with, plus yards and yards and yards of muslin for mockups... but my next post will outline my scheme for the Rainwear.

The Inaugural Post

2006-06-24T13:10:00.000-07:00

It smacks of hubris for me to begin a dress diary, but I somehow can't stop myself. It isn't as if I don't spend enough time online already, or as if my tailoring skills were anything worth showing off, but perhaps this will inspire me to greatness. One can dream, at any rate.