Wardrobe Zerg: 6 Sleeps, eek!

Whew! So today I did get most of the things on my To Do List done, although I don't have photos for all of them and will need to catch you up tomorrow or Thursday with them. I did get the whole bodice for Blue Floral made up though, and I have photos! I'm actually really happy with how it's turned out so far and I hope it ends up being as good as it promises to be.

So I evened up the facing to match the front and back panels that I'd fitted on my model I assembled the thing in about 2-3 hours, taking my time and watching The Forsyte Saga on iView, which is a well-written and very pretty period drama (if you're into that sort of thing... I doubt anyone would be surprised that I am!). Obviously the zip can't be inserted until the skirt is attached and I need to put buttons on the shoulders - for the minute I just pinned it so I could show you.

Front:

Side:

The neckline isn't sitting quite properly but I think that'll be sorted by attaching the buttons tomorrow and letting the shoulders sit more naturally - one pin in each just makes them stick out all funny. I've turned up the seam allowance to my natural waist so you can see that it sits pretty smoothly. There's about 10mm SA there currently, but I reckon that will increase to 15mm once the buttons are on the shoulders and the bodice sits properly - I'll have to remember to check it.

All in all it's sitting smoothly and comfortably without being at all tight and strained, so I'm really pleased. I'm definitely going to pleat the skirt, rather than gather it as per the pattern. I'm going to try for box pleats I think but knife pleats are an easy fall-back if there's too much skirt for box pleats to handle (which I suspect will be the case).

To finish Blue Floral:

• Understitch facing and slipstitch to secure,
• Attach buttons to shoulders, 
• Check fit for waistline,
• Run up, press and attach skirt (box/knife pleats),
• Put in the zip,
• Hem,
• Ribbon belt.

I hope it shouldn't take me more than about 2-3 hours all up to finish it, so Thursday for sure. Then on to Yellow Batiste!

Vintage Wardrobe: 7 Day Failpost

Well, basically I haven't done much today because staying up so late for the last few nights has taken it's toll and I'm azzhausted. I'm really much more of a morning person, so instead of killing myself tonight I'm heading to bed so I can get up at my normal time and kick today's goals tomorrow.

I have a 6:30pm netball game on Wednesday but hopefully I'll be able to do some stuff in the morning before work and be home from netball in time to set up for Thursday. Wednesday is also my last day of work for the year so Thursday is going to be Sew All The Things Day! And Friday, too. And Saturday. And Sunday morning. So basically I'd like to have most of the things cut out and ready to go before Thursday so I can smash them out.

Ooookay, so I typed the previous 2 paragraphs at 9pm and fell asleep on my keyboard. Wups. The general gist of the other things were that I found some good patterns on the Burda website for side-button pants and a collared blouse. I decided I'll cut down the jacket pattern and turn it into a bolero. Somehow. The silk skirt will be A-line and the linen one will be a 10-gore circle skirt. I really, REALLY want at least one hat. Preferably a sunhat. I found a pattern for gloves. O_O Yes.

Urrr, that's it. Bedbedbed. More updates tomorrow!

xxx E

Vintage Wardrobe: T-minus 8 days and counting...

So most of the sewing I did today is secret-squirrel Christmas present stuff, so I can't really share it here just yet. Sorry :( I also ran up a few of the new Christmas stockings that my mum decided to make for this year, and I promise to post a photo on Christmas Eve when they're all hung up on the mantelpiece and looking beautiful.

So, that being said I figured I needed to at least kick one goal on this project today, because there's not really enough time left for me to fall into bad habits already. I pinned together the bodice for Blue Floral and fitted it on my tailor's model. The pattern I had for it was actually a size 14 because I could only get the larger size 14-22 pattern at the time and I figured "oh bugger it, if I can fit an Elizabethan corset I can surely fit a dress bodice"... Which may or may not have been the right decision. :D

Anyway, here is what the bodice looked like after my fudged cutting down of the  bodice from a 14 to what I hoped would be about a 10 (to give me a little extra fabric in case my judgement sucked, basically):

 So, you can see it's not exactly sitting very well. Compared to the design image (here) it basically hangs like a bit of a sack. But it's oooookaaaay, since I pretty much expected it and I own a tailor's model HOORAY! They are the best and most handiest tools ever.

The main issues I can identify are: too loose across the decolletage, shoulders too wide, generally too loose, waist sitting too low (you can see the waistline mark transferred on to the fabric sitting almost an inch below my waistline where I've creased it on the model). So this is a list of the adjustments I made:

1. Lifted the whole of the bodice to bring it in at the shoulders. The back actually needed to come up a fair bit more than the front to adjust for what was probably some dodgy guesswork when cutting out the pieces. I trimmed the shoulders back down to give the 15mm seam allowance (SA). 
2. Side seams taken in by 8-10mm on each side. I left the darts as they were because I think they work pretty well and the side seams were basically vertical (i.e. the pattern pieces are even). Trimmed SA.
3. Reshaped the armscye to round it out again after taking the shoulder seams up. This an the shoulder seam adjustment fixed the problem of the front panel being too loose)
4. Trimmed the neckline on both panels to reflect the shoulder seam adjustment. Kept 15mm SA.

Here's the result:

It looks much better, don't you think? The waistline is where it should be, the pattern is fitted without being tight and all of the unnecessary wrinkles are gone. I actually took this picture halfway though trimming the front neck so you could see how I cut it away. It's not sitting perfectly but that's because it still has the SA turned up.

So now I'm happy with the way it looks, I just need to make sure the changes are reflected in the facing pieces, and I'll probably pin it on myself tomorrow to check the fit.

My To Do list for tomorrow:

• Trim facings and do a quick fitting on myself,
• Choose a colour of linen from my stash for the circle skirt. I think I've decided to do a 10-gore skirt based on McCalls 4064 (link).
• Cut out the skirts, jacket and white blouse.
• Set up my desk as a sewing table ready for sewing.
• Go to bed by 10pm.

On that note, and as it's 2246, I really should sleep. Nightnight!

Vintage Clothing Zerg: 9 SLEEPS!

Okay, 1 day down and I haven't done a whole lot... meep.

I have a confession - I already have the Aqua Print dress made. I have to finish the cummerbund that goes with it but it's really pretty much done.

So today I had Christmas things with my dad but I did manage to cut out and mark up the Yellow Batiste and Blue Floral dresses. Here are some scraps to show you what the fabric looks like:

I really wanted to get a border pattern fabric for what is now Blue Floral, but I just couldn't find any anywhere. I don't think it'll matter in the end. I think I'm going to change the pattern a little: knife-pleat the skirt (instead of gathering) and making a ribbon belt that I'll pin with a brooch if I can find something suitable (rather than another cummerbund).

These are the buttons for the shoulders of Blue Floral. I got them for a hefty 30c each at Spotlight a few months ago and stashed them. I only have eight of them, but I'll just use four on each shoulder and make it work.

Okay, so that's enough for tonight! Here's my current list:

Aqua print dress *finishing touches*

Blue floral dress *cut out/marked*

Yellow batiste dress *cut out/marked*

White lawn blouse 

Sleeveless blouse

Green collared blouse

Printed silk skirt

Linen bias-cut skirt

Cotton/linen jacket

Slacks 

Scarves

Hat

The 10-day vintage sewing zerg!

Okay, so my garb aspirations are on hold until I get myself patterned again. I'll be going to Tasmania at Christmas and until the end of January so I'm hoping I can get that sorted by someone lovely and generous while I'm there. :)

In the meantime, I've decided that I've had enough of waiting around to sew things and I'm going to use up a bunch of my fabric stash. I won't be able to take it with me when I move to Tassie (at the very least I need to shrink it), so as well as C15th stuffs I'm going to make an epic 10-day dash to make as many items of vintage clothing as I can, to clothe myself for my holiday.

I will be using A SEWING MACHINE, which I never do for historical clothing, and will hopefully make the goal achievable. I've been inspired by Vogue re-releasing some vintage sewing patters, so basically what I'm going  to make will be taken from a few different ones that I've managed to scrape together. Mostly the styles are 50s, but I'm adapting some others to flesh it out - I'm doing this for fun, after all, not authenticity.

The idea is to make a vintage wardrobe, or as much of it as I can in the time I have before Christmas. Here's my list!

• V-necked pullover dress with bias bodice (V8789) - aqua/turquoise print.
• Boat-necked pullover dress with button shoulders (V8789) - blue floral print.
• Button-down dress with yoke and front tucks (V1044) - yellow batiste.
• Blouse adapted from dress pattern (V1044) - white lawn.
• Sleeveless blouse (2694) - white cotton/linen
• Some other (probably collared blouse) - dunno what it will be or what it will be made from! Green?
• Tea-length pleated circle skirt (just making it up as I go) - olive/cream printed silk
• Solid-colour bias-cut circle skirt (also making it up) - some solid-coloured linen from my stash
• Belted jacket (2694) - white heavy cotton/linen
• Slacks (if I can find/makeshift a pattern) - black linen (which I already have) or wool (which I don't)
• 2 scarves from scraps
• A hat, maybe 2 if I have time and can find a pattern to make the process quicker.

Jesus, that looks like a lot... I wonder how much I can get done? 

Eeeee time to unwrap my new iron and gogogogogo!

P.S. If you have any patterns or links or anything that might help... please let me know! I love this kind of crazy fun zoomy sewing, and I really hope it'll make the interminible 10 days until Christmas/my first holiday in 3 years/ OMG TASMANIA go that much more quickly. *zooms*

Oh, my garb doesn't fit. Again.

So, over the past couple of years I've been steadily losing weight. This would normally be labelled as "success", but for those of us who make clothing to fit a very specific shape it's a giant bunch of dicks. Expensive and time-consuming dicks.

As things stand, the brown wool kirtle from my previous post doesn't come close to fitting me now - I patterned it when I was a size 12 about 6 months ago and adjusted a little bit when I cut out the pattern 4 months ago. It was a little on the big side when I took the photos for the last post but now I'm an 8 up top and it's monumentally uncomfortable and unsurportive.

So I'm going to try and find someone who can fit it so I can either give it away or, if they are in a position to do so, perhaps get some money for it to put toward making replacement stuff. With that in mind, anyone who is a size 10-12 (12D bust) who might be interested in trying it on or who would like the measurements so they can estimate for fit should comment here or email me at elinor.clifford@gmail.com.

ON TO NEW THINGS!

Now I'm littler and none of my stuff fits me I've decided to have a look at my stash of fabric and make some plans. Firstly - I think I'm finally ready to make something from a piece of incredibly beautiful brocade that I've been hoarding since my last trip to India a few years ago. It's entirely hand-woven from red silk and is brocaded with 22-carat gold-plated silk threads. It's heavy and drapes beautifully. These are actually my heraldic colours:

And here's a picture of the stuff:

I have 3.5yd and its 43" wide. This is enough to make a middle-class Tudor kirtle, but it's NOT middle-class cloth! So: what can I make that will do justice to the quality of the material? Not a Tudor court gown, though I could do a forepart and sleeves for a 1540s court gown. It would be good for something Burgundian, which I've never made, but there's not enough of it. I was thinking a C14th overgown (cotehardie or transition cotehardie-houppelande style).

1378 tomb-rubbing:

A bit earlier, 1350s:

 Late C14th again, I think, a sideless surcote (efficient for use of fabric since the bodice can be furred but not as pretty as a full gown, I think):

So: thoughts, opinions and various helpiness would be gratefully received! Help me drown out the memories of all of the garb I've painstakingly constructed and can no longer use.

<3 E.C.

Mid-C16th Middle Class Englishwomen's Dress

Okay! So I'm not sure if this will be interesting for people or not, but I thought I'd get out a full set of garb (footwear not withstanding) and post a few pics of middle class Englishwomen's dress from c.1540.

Smock (and coif - it's not polite to have your hair uncovered in public ;). N.B. I'm wearing a bra because the linen is too fine to not wear it for decency reasons - it's not under the smock in any of the other images.

Kirtle - unlaced

 Kirtle - partly laced (showing downward spiral lacing)

Kirtle -laced closed

 Sleeves - pinned to kirtle shoulder

Gown (the neckline of the kirtle would usually match the gown in the 1540s, even for the middle class. I just thought it would be easier to keep the new kirtle on and go with it, but usually I'd wear a square-necked kirtle as well)

Hook and eye closure of the gown

Curve formed from the bust to the waist that is typical of the period

ACCESSORIES! As you can see, they make the outfit. Knitted rabbit-fur bonnet, partlet, girdle, purse and rosary.

Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed dressing up for half an hour :)

Brown Wool Kirtle: Complete!!!

Hey peeps!

So, I finally got my butt into gear and finished my brown woolen kirtle - hooray! This is the first official addition to my 1525 Middle-class Wardobe and it works REALLY REALLY WELL! I've rarely been so happy with the fit and level of commitment I've put into a creation. Hopefully, adding more pieces to my collection and documenting them on here will inspire you peoples to enter my garbing competition and allow me to make things for YOU!

So, to cut to the chase and give the people what they want: completey photos!

Here's the kirtle worn over a (mid-16th century) chemise that won't be making an appearance in my Wardrobe:

Detail: eyelets inside and outside the bodice, including the lacing cord stitched to the top of the bodice, near the neckline (the kirtle is spiral laced down from neckline to vent):

Detail: flat-felled seam leading to bound hem:

Detail: inside showing the lining and hem bound with top fabric (slip stitched down):

Things I would change about this kirtle:

1. The vent slit in the skirt doesn't sit exactly flat. I think I need to tweak it and might do that when I have a half an hour or so to fill.
2. I would change the neckline. I now feel obliged to make a v-necked gown, which I've decided I don't like as much as a square or round neck. Hm. It didn't occur to me, I guess. There are plenty of period effigies and such that show differing necklines of a kirtle beneath a gown in the early 16th century, so all is not lost. It's only with the court gowns that this seems to be uncommon, and that's probably because the nobility could afford to have things made and remade much more often than the middle class. I'll just make sure I don't make my Holyday kirtle and gown with different necklines.
3. There is no aiglet on the end of my lace! I need to fix this, but I'm not sure where to get them from. All of the ones I've found so far seem to be chunky, so much chunkier than the lace itsely, which is 3-4mm in diameter. I want one that actually looks the business, so I have to wait until I can find them.

Next up: Smocks, I think! Since I don't have any that are suitable for this early in the 16th century. Time to go linen shopping at fabrics-store.com. I think I'l buy enough linen for a few smocks and make a bunch all at once, yay! Boring for you kids, probably, but it'll mean I can work from the foundation garments up.


<3 E.

P.S. check back in a couple of hours for a series of photos showing all the essential components of middle class Englishwomen's garb from the mid-C16th! It's not related to my Wardrobe project but it might be educational. Or something. Probably not, though... <_<

Overdue updates!

Hello my lovelies!

I'm so overdue for an update but uni has been crayzay! But I've been making a few plans in the time I've skived off from study and I'm taking a quick procrastination break to share them with you  <_<

1. Finalised 1525 Wardrobe list

I'm going to make a separate post after this for the list so that I can keep it separate and refer to it easily. You can find the list here. I AM SO SO SO EXCITED TO FINALLY HAVE A FIRM PLAN FOR MY PROJECT!

2. Patterning for other people!

I had dinner with my lovely friend William on Easter Monday and patterned for him a Henrician/Elizabethan transition doublet based on a famous portrait of Edward VI (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Edward_VI_of_England_c._1546.jpg). I forgot to take my camera (guh >_<) but hopefully he'll be kind enough to let me pin him back into it and take a photo to show you soon :)

If anyone else has a project planned - please keep me in mind if you need to be patterned. I want to expand my knowledge to different periods and patterning methods and help as many people as possible. Everything looks soooo much better when made from a proper pattern! 

3. Roward festival 2013 plans
I've only travelled to Rowany Festival once (in 2011) since I started with the SCA a few years ago. It was an overwhelming experience but I'm looking forward to going again with a better idea of how amazing it is and how to get the best out of the weekend! Festival is held over the Easter long weekend near Sydney, so for those of us on the far side of the country the planning is usually a bit more complicated and the costs greater than for most. Festival 2012 has just been and everyone has said it was fantastic so I'm going to start planning and saving for next year.

For me, planning means garb, mostly! The last time I went I took way too much - it was actually at this event that I decided to create a concise wardrobe for my persona rather than making infinite items that don't work as well together. Last time I wore a couple of kirtles and gowns, chemises, some socks, wellies/gumboots (the site is usually too wet for period shoes), and a few other accessories like headwear and girdles. This packs into about half a suitcase and is much better than taking EVERYTHING I OWN... which is what I actually did. And didn't wear a lot of it, just dragged it across the continent like a dork.

So, the items of garb I want to take to next year's Festival will be the first ones I make from my Wardrobe List! I'll decide what they'll be over the next little while and let you know.

4. My brown woolen kirtle is complete!
I actually finished the thing - I just haven't taken photos yet. That's one of the reasons I've put off posting for soooo long. But I'll take them tonight and upload them for your viewing pleasure so that I can get them out of the way and get a move on with all of  my other things!

Wheeeeeee *motivation*

1525 Wardrobe Project - Complete Inventory

Hooray!!!!

Here is the finalised list of  garments that will constitute the wardrobe of the wife of a wealthy clothier and fabric merchant in 1525. This year predates the sumptuary laws of the later Tudor period (the first of which was from 24 Henry VIII in 1533), but I have given as much reasonable consideration to the selection of fabrics as possible. I think that I should be able to fit all of these items into a single chest - a reasonable expectation for any man or woman of this period.

KIRTLES (3)

1. Brown cloth (front lacing, V-neckline, sleeveless, undyed linen lining, bound with gold silk taffeta)
2. Black cloth (back lacing, cap sleeves, black linen lining)
3. Gold camlet (side lacing, square neckline, cap sleeves, bleached linen buckram lining)

GOWNS (4)

1. Violet cloth (front vent with hook and eye closure, square neckline in front and V-neckline in back, pleated skirt back, narrow sleeves with turnbacks, bound in black wool
2. Red cotton (open back lacing, square neckline, straight sleeves with turnbacks, black linen lining, wool lining for sleeves)
3. Green camlet (front vent with hook and eye closure, square neckline in front and V-neckline in back, pleated skirt back, narrow sleeves with turnbacks of black taffeta, bound in black taffeta, lined with black linen buckram)
4. Black camlet (open front with tie closure, square neckline, straight sleeves, fur lining throughout)

CHEMISES (6)

• Square-necked x 2
• Round-necked gathered into neckband x 1
• Round-necked gathered into ruffle with ruffled cuffs x 2
• Square-necked of very fine linen x 1

HOSE (6)

• Linen (linen lining) x 3
• Wool (linen lining) x 1
• Wool (wool lining) x 2
• Camlet (camlet lining) x 1

GIRDLES (4)

• Sarcenet x 4

PARTLETS (3)

1. Black cloth
2. Black camlet
3. White organza

HEADWEAR

• Paste x 2
• Bonnet x 3
• Frontelet x 3
• Gable hood x 1

LINENS

• Linen neckerchiefs/headrails x 3
• Sarcenet neckerchief/headrail
• Workaday apron x 2
• Fine apron x 1

ACCESSORIES

• Workaday shoes
• Winter boots (lined with rabbit)
• Fine shoes
• Purses x 2
• Garters x 3 pair
• Pearl & onyx rosary
• Quartz & silver rosary
• 2 necklaces
• 3 rings

PLANS!

So! I haven't really done any sewing at all these past few weeks. Uni is too demanding on my time but oh well. I figure that's the way it should be. This week coming up is my study week so I'm making plans! Here's a list:

• Finish the brown woollen kirtle;
• Dye some wool;
• Cut out woolen hose;
• Alter a pair of existing silk sleeves to refresh them;
• Pattern and cut out a gown to go over the kirtle;
• Cut out a chemise.

If I can get all of this prepped by next week I'll be chuffed! I've got three asignments I want to get finished in this break though, so I can't afford to slack off, really. Just have to shoehorn more into the days (as if it were possible!).

Oh, I'l also try to remember to take a picture of the brown kirtle under a woolen gown I finished recently. I think you'll like it, even if the gown is a little bit later than the rest of the stuff, oops. It probably won't go into my wardrobe unless I can be sure it works for 1525. Any advice is appreciated! I'll post a picture of it soon.

<3 Elinor.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Update 16/03/12:

Bah, I'm distracted from study by being excited about dyeing the wool I have! I can't decide which colour, though I'm considering a very period violet purple or a dark hunter green. I already have some black, red and blue put aside for later projects as well as a gown I've made from a dark rose-pink and one made previously from tawny/ochre wool cloth. Apparently I love bright colours!

So: violet, green or something else? Halp, please!

xxx E

On an unrelated note...

So, the reason I don't just go to uni, to work and sew is that I have a horse! She takes a lot of time, about two hours a day on average, to look after and ride. She's a four-year-old Thoroughbred mare and when I bought her she looked like this:

That was five months ago. As of today, at her very first show, she looks like this:

That's me riding her after her class. She didn't win or place, but she was up against some tough competition. She really looked the part though and if the awards were handed out on the basis of behaviour she'd have won Supreme of Supremes! Here's us waiting to go in to the ring:

So, while it doesn't have anything to do with sewing, it's something I love and it's my blog so nyer! Poniesponiesponiesponiesponies.

<3 Rosie

Another Mini Update

I have another garbing competition submission: thank you, Elizabeth! How marvelous :D In response to a question she asked: yes, anyone can definitely submit more than one idea, but you can only vote once for an idea of your own. You also get a second vote for the submission you like most but that is made by someone else. For all entrants: give some thought to materials costs - sometimes it's better to make something less luxurious if you're able to recreate it more authentically. I'm sure that whatever is chosen will be a blast to make! ~E ^_^

Winter Project Competition Mini Update

Just a small post of thanks to William Montrose for being the very first entrant to my Winter Project Competition! His Edward VII recreation would be a beautiful (and challenging) project, but I'm sure I would learn a lot and have a great time making it. Keep them coming, peeps! Meta-Mini Update: the brown kirtle is nearly done. I popped it up on my mannequin and had the hem leveled and the lining and upper tacked together in about half an hour! Speedy-zoom! All I need now is a little time to bind it and then it can be ticked off my Project List Of Doom. Please help me by suggesting my next project or you may just be subjected to a chemise or two *waves boring undergarments menacingly*. Keep the competition submissions rolling in! <3 Elinor.

Brown Wool Kirtle update 3: lucets, laces and binding (oh my!)

Hello again!

I'm trying to make this a super-speedy post because I haven't slept well lately and it's already 20:20 and I need to get up at 5:30 to have time to run before mucking out the ponies and going to uni! *Rushrushrush*

So I've made a little bit of time to do some more work on the kirtle and I'm really happy to say that it's almost done! Since I last posted about it I've finished the silk binding on the armscyes and made a 1.8m lace to close the thing. I ALSO remembered to charge my camera so I have some photos that are less fuzzy and more detailed than before, hooray!

I made the lacing cord from red perle cotton. I haven't been able to determine exactly what the period material/s for lacing would be, though I suspect linen or silk (determined by status). Since I don't have any strong silk handy I decided to use the cotton because the Guttermann linen thread I have didn't really cut it in termds of smoothness for ease-of-lacing. I worked on the lace each evening when I was watching Doctor Who (the only tv show I watch during semester :P), for 45 minutes to an hour per night for about 5 nights. Here's an image of my lucet. A lucet is a tool used for making a very strong woven cord from a single strand of thread. If you'd like to learn a bit more about it, check out http://kws.atlantia.sca.org/photos/lucet/ .

After I'd woven my 1.8m strand I stitched one end of it to the top of my bodice near the first eyelet and wrapped the other (lacing) end with some thread to make it more resilient. When I remember I'll buy some aiglets from Tudor Tailor or something. 1.8m seems like a lot but its really much easier to lace if you've got a bit more to work with than less.

I finished binding the armscye and now it really does look complete. :) Here's a picture of the side of the bodice, complete with Tudor-flavoured boob support, which hugs everything without turfing them out the top through the neckline:

 Here's the front of the bodice:

Despite what appears to be gratuitous boob here I hold that it's just the camera playing tricks - the neckline actually looks quite modest and un-cleavagey and has worked really well! I will take more pictures in my next post and will actually wear a chemise - it was just too. Fricking. Hot. to wear even a single extra layer under wool here today (37C/98.5F). Even for five minutes! The shape of the bodice has worked out well too. There's no boning, only a layer of linen canvas interlining. It's SUPREMELY comfortable. I'm going to take time here to stress the importance of making a toile and taking time to fit it properly - it's definitely worth waiting until you have someone to fit you, but I've also got plans to post my tricksy cheats for patterning yourself!

Here's a full-length picture:

I'm sorry about the kind of poor quality of these self-taken photos. I'll do my best to have someone take photos of the finished kirtle for me but in the meantime this should give you an idea of how it's come along.

Anyone who owns a cat will understand this photo, taken about 0.375seconds after I took the stupidly hot thing off and laid it on the bed. This is Troublecat, my 4 year old half-feral cat, and my previously very clean and hair-free kirtle. No more!

Alright, that's it for now! All I need to finish the kirtle is to pop it up on my mannequin and trim the hem, then bind it with strips of the same wool it's made from. I won't use the silk I've bound the armscyes and neckline with because it'll probably get ruined and won't wear as well. After that, I'll have to make something else! Feel free to take a look at my list on one of my earlier posts (http://elinorcliffordtailor.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/1525-wardrobe-project.html) and recommend something to me!

Until next time, manger un sac de bites!

~E.C. xxx

Brown wool kirtle update 2: eyelets!

Okay, so I've committe to making a last ditch effort at finishing the kirtle before I go back to uni. As long as I finish something major in every uni break I'll be done in... 4 years. Or something. Feh.

Aaanyway, tonight I finished a 13 hour shift (I know >_<) so I came home, planted myself in front of Mad Men and finishe the eyelets on the skirt section of the vent. Here's an image of the finished product! I know its poor quality but I haven't charged my camera... I promise I'll do it for next time.

It closes!

Closeup!

I whip-stitched the eyelets using black linen Gutterman thread. It's really waxy and strange when you first work with it, more like fishing line than thread, but I found that if you pull it through your fingers a few times before you thread it to softens up a bit. I love it for eyelets because the shiny nature of the thread means its really easy to pull your lace through and I've never had an eyelet done in linen thread that has frayed or worn or pulled out.

The eyelets are 1" apart and there I've ended up using two lacing formations to get the result I've seen in period carvings (I'll find the image for the final post for this kirtle - I can't seem to dig it up now). In the bodice section I've laced using generic spiral lacing. In the skirt section I've actually switched to ladder lacing. The period example shows the visible laces on the bodice on the diagonal and the visible laces on the skirt being horizontal. It's an interesting effect but I'm not persuaded that the laces shouldn't be spirals that do their diagonal on the inside where the lacing is invisible. When I tried this the vent scrunched up and didn't sit as well But I'm going to keep at it. The main problem is that there is tension in the bodice and no tension on the skirt owing to the fullness of the panels. I'll work on it for next time, in any case.

The sides of the vent in the skirt overlap each other but on the bodice they don't. It's not a major problem, I can lace it to overlap without trouble, but it's not "working as designed". Anyone have any advice on whether this is just the way it's meant to look? I can't find a period example showing enough detail to help me!

I also started to contemplate what I should move onto for after this! I think the obvious (and most rewarding) choice would be a gown to go over the top so that I can feel as though I have a completed outfit. It would be nice to have something done in its entirety for the Barony of Aneala's XXV Anniversary on the Anzac Day weekend! So, with that in mind:

NEXT TIME: The completed kirtle! Only binding the right armscye and hem to go, plus luceting a lacing cord to go with it. I've decided that each of my articles of clothing will be considered unfinishe unless they have their own laces - I ALWAYS lose them D: The trouble will be finding a colour to suit, I think I'll try with a small ball of bobbin-lace cotton in gold to match the binding.

COMING SOON: A gown to go over the top! I have some charcoal/black wool of a similar type to the one I used here - that might be a good place to start if nothing else presents itself :) Also, a pair of hose as well as a smock suited to this period (the ones I already have are too late in period / not English).

That's it for now, it's late and I need bed! Oh wait, I found a photo of the comfortably-curved bust.

The reason I make a fuss of it is that I've managed to overcome my previous habit of having boobs everywhere - it's really pretty easy to yank everything in and leave nowhere for them to go but up (and out the top >_> ). This is the shape I've been aiming for over the course of making my last couple of things, some of which I'll hopefully post up here in time. The curve is smooth and although everything is comfortably supported there's no ZOMG BEWBS action going on, thankfully.

That really is it, now. Nini!

~ E.C. xxx

Brown wool kirtle

 Well here is my first post about a project! I'm so so so so excited about finally getting this up here! The kirtle is the first item I've made specifically for my Wardrobe project and it's coming along so well that I just don't want to work on anything else. I want to make ALL OF THE CLOTHINGS!!! Aaaanyway, I've done most of the hard yards for this one already so I thought I'd just post about what I've done so far and share a few pictures about where I'm at with it.

The kirtle is the first I've made and it's supposed to be the first "workaday" kirtle for my wardrobe. I have a real attachment to this piece because the wool I've used for it was purchased when I bought a bunch of fabric for my very very first ever recreation costume for the Investment of the Lucas and Madeleine, the gorgeous B&B of Ynys Fawr in Tasmania. I haven't managed to use it before now but I'm really happy to finally have the chance to put it to good use. The wool is a dark chocolate brown (pretty close to the "poor black" of the 16th century, I think) broadcloth where the nap has been raised and sheared to make it felty. I've done a burn-test on it and as far as I can tell it is 100% wool (pretty good since I think I bought it from Spotlight and I wouldn't have paid more than $10/m). The lining is undyed and unbleached linen (apart from the obvious expense involved in lining wool with wool, I just don't think I could stand it in the Perth heat >_< ), interlined with the last of some scraps of linen canvas and the edges are bound in some scraps of gold silk taffeta.

The kirtle has a sleeveless bodice with a V-neckline front and back and an attached skirt. The vent (opening) is in the front and is bound with silk scraps like the neckline and armscye. I really wanted to add small sleeves but I just didn't have enough fabric. In the end, it has been cut from 3m (and a little bit) of wool 112cm wide which I folded in half lengthways and cut to give me 6m x 66cm so that I could learn about piecing the skirt. each skirt panel (2 front, 2 back) was made by joining 2 pieces together. 

Side-front view

Front view

 The design is taken from the kirtle pattern on p40 of Caroline Johnson's The Queen's Servants and fitted on myself by virtue of putting a zip in the front of the toile. In fact, the next time I make a toile like this I'll try to take photos so I can make a tutorial. It's the best way to fit anything on yourself that I have found - it's basically the same method used by some ladies to fit cotehardies to themselves. If you're fussy and finicky about your patterns like I am, it's awesome because you can zip it off and make adjustments as often as you like without pissing off the person who is trying to help you (put up with your perfectionism). 

I want to mention that there's no boning, just the linen canvas interlining. Obviously it'll be worn over a smock but there isn't a corset and I haven't found any indication that there would have been any boning in this kind of kirtle or that there would have been any supporting undergarment. To be honest, the shape is excellent and it's incredibly comfortable. It looks just right in terms of fit, though the neckline turned out a bit lower than I wanted. Oh well, I'll be wearing a gown over it and the chemise will help to preserve my modesty too :P

Anyway, at this stage I've done all of the major construction work and now I've just got to finish off the eyelets (I just one side below the waist seam), binding the right armscye and binding the hem. Oh, and I'll lucet a lacing cord for it out of something, if I can! I'll try and find some dark-coloured cotton perle of something and get back to you on that. 

I had to include this last picture of the side for two reasons: (1) you can see that there is a nice curve over the bust that is created by fitting the bodice most snugly directly under the breasts. When the tension in the shoulders is correct it's more comfortable and supportive than any fancy bra! (2) My fingers somehow conspired to get in the way and make themselves look like a butt. Hurr hurr hurr <_<

Hopefully I can finish this tomorrow night when I get home from work, so that I'll actually have finished something over my summer break!

~ E.C.

1525 Wardrobe Project

After thinking a lot about my goals for costuming, I eventually decided to do my best to recreate the wardrobe of an upper-middle class woman, likely a yeoman's or possibly a burgess' wife or daughter. I need something that will keep me interested but also let me pick things up and put them down depending on what I feel like working on at the time.

Over a period of a few years I've managed to track down and read a few primary and secondary references to what was worn, when and by whom in a way that could be applied to considering the total number of garments a person might have. Books and papers have been produced concerning the issue. There are a number of records and papers around that relate to bequeathment made by men and women of the Tudor period. These lists of worldly belongings often included items of clothing, and give a reasonable idea of the kind of clothing that may have belonged to a single person during the early 16th century.

My current plan is to eventually make these items:
- 5 smocks
- 5 pair hose
- 2 "workaday" kirtles
- 3 workaday gowns of varying styles for every day
- 1 fine petticote for special occasions
- 1 fine kirtle for special occasions
- 1 gown for special occasions

- 3 pair gloves

- 3 coifs
- 2 hoods
- 3 frontelets for early style hoods
- 1 fine gable hood and lappets for special occasions
- girdles
- Rosary
- purse
- modest jewellery
- 2 pair shoes
- 1 pair boots

I've probably left out a whole bunch of essential things but that will give me something (read: "a lot") to be getting on with. I'll keep adding the projects one by one as I start them!

 ~ E.C.

Tailoring Diary!

Hiya!

With the vague hope that someone will be interested enough to read about my historical patterning and tailoring projects I've decided to make this blog. The other obvious advantage being that I can have a single place for tracking my progress and hopefully one day exchange ideas and plans with other costumers and SCAdians.

My long-term project is to create a wardrobe for a yeoman's or burgess' wife from England in 1525. I find the transition period fascinating and I'm hoping to be able to recreate the number and variety of garments an upper-middle class woman of this period would own at a given point in her life.

Aside from the construction process, I have a real passion for patterning garments. Hopefully I can find enough volunteers to let me help with the patterning of their projects! If the wearer is comfortable with the idea, I'll do my best to take photos and try to track those projects as well.

Because I'm balancing uni, work and home commitments with my sewing time I expect my progress will be slow but I hope you will bear with me! I would love to get some feedback and hear about any of your own ideas and experiences.

Excitement!

~ E.C.