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.