Drawers

I've started working on Adam's doublet and pants and the quilting is done which means I'm now at hand couching the gold cord over the quilted lines.  To say that this process is going painfully slow is an major understatement. 

So this morning, when I went up to my sewing room and there was sunlight pouring through the windows for the first time in what feels like weeks, I totally switched plans.  Something light, linen and airy.  And I have my first finished piece for the competition.

The drawers are made out of linen that I got on sale at http://www.fabric-store.com/.  It's very very lightweight pretty sheer, so these are definitely not something I'll be modeling for the final photos!

Leg cuffs are trimmed in lace from the stash.  The embroidery is machine done and covers both cuffs, waistband and the side leg seams.

I closed the waistband with a ribbon tie rather than a button due to weight changes from physical therapy.  I will probably end up closing the front opening with a few hidden hook and eyes. 

One layer done! 

Change of Plans

The best laid plans are usually thrown to the wind halfway through the first trip to the fabric store.

I had originally wanted to do Adam's outfit in white with a black over doublet and a black and white sword cloak.  But then Thursday night we went to Joann's and I hated...everything.  There wasn't a single bolt of white fabric in the store that looked or felt right.  What we did find, however, was a crimson cotton velveteen and a beautiful brown damask.  So in the middle of the store, already 24 hours into the competition, I totally changed the plan.

New fabric

This is the burial outfit of Don Garzia de' Medici, who died in 1562.  We're sticking pretty close to the original, with some small changes.  Adam loved the original color scheme of browns and reds but wanted the whole outfit to be velvet instead of a satin doublet with velvet paned pants.  Also, the slops underlay will be black silk instead of having everything red.

All the lines will be quilted down and then gold cord will be hand couched over the quilting lines.  Instead of the cut satin trim, I"ll be using crimson rope edging.

The brown damask will be used to make the cappotto:

The trim will be brown velvet ribbon and gold braid and will follow the same lines as the original. 

The shirt will be the same as the original plan, blackworked with a folded collar.  I'd also like to do a velvet hat, but don't know whether I want black or brown yet. 

Italian Costuming Competition

Bella Lucia de Verona, over at The Realm of Venus posted three days ago about an Italian Renaissance Costuming Challenge.  Within three days, she has apparently gotten 28 entrants, and closed entry this morning.  However, I was lucky enough to squeak with the final batch last night! 

The competition is four layers in four months.  It starts on April 21 and ends on August 21 and the guidelines for layers are as follows:
*  Layer 1: A camicia/shift/smock/shirt or drawers or corset/pair of bodies. I don't expect you to make all three.

*  Layer 2: Either an underskirt or under-dress/petticoat, or doublet and slops for the gents.
*  Layer 3: The final layer will be either an over-dress, or a loose gown, or a cloak/cape.
*  Layer 4: An accessory - any one of the following: fan, pocket/pouch, hat/jewelled accessory for the hair, zibellino (also known as a "flea fur"), hanky, gloves, girdle, or shoes. A partlet also counts as an accessory, as would a set of Venetian shoulder/neck ruffs (if they are separate from the partlet, and a standing ruff/collar also.

Points are awarded based on each layer completed, points if every layer is completed, and then points for extra layers, extra details (like weaving, embroidery, lace making, leather work, fur, ect).

To make things a bit more complicated, I'll be out in California for a week in May and out for Pennsic for a week in August, so that will somewhat diminish sewing for those two weeks. Blackwork on the plane? 

This is the picture that I'm using as my inspiration:

I love the colors of this gown, the pale green and sky blue, the braiding of the sleeves and the little beads and I LOVE the ruff.  Because this is the only view of this gown, I'm going to improvise the rest of the dress based on similar portraits from the same time and area.

For me:
Layer 1:  Camicia.  Maybe drawers if I get really ambitious.  I already have handkerchief weight linen upstairs for these. 
Layer 2:  Semi-supportive underdress.  I don't want to have to wear a corset, as the bones cause some pressure issues, so I'm hoping maybe either hemp cording or just straight linen canvas will provide enough support.  Blue satin underskirt and spiraled sleeves. 
Layer 3:  Doublet over gown in sage satin. 
Layer 4:  Ruff with goldwork, jeweled headband/caul, girdle belt, stockings and maybe a fan.

But wait, there's more!

Because I'm also a little nuts, I want to make an outfit for Adam as well.
This is the portrait he loves:

We'll probably stick with a black and white scheme for him using this as a model. 

Layer One:  Shirt, with a blackworked collar ala:

Layer 2:  Doublet in white silk with spiraled slashed sleeves, hose in while silk with black velvet panes.

Layer 3:  Black velvet over doublet.

Layer 4:  Hat in black velvet, sword cloak, hose

I'm not sure what we're going to do about shoes, I'd like to make them but they may be beyond me.  We'll have to see.  

I ordered some books from Amazon yesterday to help with the research, mainly Moda a Firenze which I have been looking forward to buying for years.  Sewing can't start until next Thursday, so in the meantime I'll just have to gather materials. 



14th Century Gold and Green

The gold gown was made using a Rocking Horse Farm pattern that was taken in and altered for Karen. It fits without lacing and the sleeves are buttoned down the back of the arm. The green gown was made using draping and laces up the front. There are some things about these gowns that I want to change, and as we're looking at making two new 14th century kirtles this summer, hopefully I'll have a chance to correct past mistakes.

Again, the biggest issue here is that my sister has a distressing tendency to drop a dress size (or three) about fifteen minutes after I finish a gown for her. So these don't fit as nicely as I'd like them to. They'll work, but I think for the next set I'd like to try the patterns from Reconstructing History.

Purple Early Italian Gown

This gown was a pretty quick and dirty project for my sister.  I'm not sure where we were going that she needed a dress, but the whole thing was made in a short amount of time and without her to try it on.  As a result, I think it looks pretty good for what it is.  Someday I'd like to redo some parts of it, but in the meantime, it works.

I don't remember what pattern was used for this dress.  The chemise is white linen and pleated at the neckline.  The undergown is heavy purple satin and laces up the back of the bodice.  The neckline is trimmed in gold braid.

The overgown is made from red and gold damask with pearls at the neckline.  It opens down the sides.  Her belt was made from a length of tan silk and the pin at the bust was an old jewelry piece.

The sleeves are made from purple damask from my stash that happened to match the underdress.  The sleeves are one aspect that I would like to change, as they tie on with heavy purple cord that's too slippery and likes to come untied. 

The same fabric was used to make her caul.

14th Century Hood

The hood was made with a pattern from Reconstructing History.  It's gray wool fully lined with a plum linen.   The top stitching was made with contrasting thread  Very quick and easy project that I'm pretty pleased with. 

Red Elizabethan

This gown was made for my sister last summer to wear to a ball at Pennsic.  As she lives five hours away, we don't get a lot of time together, so the first incarnation of this dress was made in one weekend.  After she went home, I took another look at it and didn't like the finishing so I pulled it apart and remade parts of it.  However, since it was worn at Pennsic she's lost a bit of weight and I think the dress will have to undergo yet another redo soon.  The bodice is now way too big on her and sags in places.  It also needs sleeves at some point.  Normally I would take the whole thing and put it in our group's newbie bin and make her something new, but Karen loves this dress and wants to save it.  Plus, she sewed the pearls and trim on the top of the bodice. 

The gown is worn over a high collared chemise, an Elizabethan corset and a corded underskirt.  I used Margo Anderson's Elizabethan Women's Pattern for the gown. 

Pearling on the chemise collar:

Hat and pearled caul:

The pearled caul is made out of chiffon and banded in linen.  The hat is a black velvet Italian bonnet made from Lynn Mcmaster's patterns.  The band is trimmed in antique gold braid and pearls.  The hat pin is made from an old jewelry piece I had and some red ostrich feathers.