Navy and Purple Tourney Dress Diary- IRCC5

May has been a busy month for me. I decided to use thie Italian renaissance Costuming Challenge (http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net/challenges/IRCC2015/IRCC5-2015-Entrants.htm)  as an opportunity to try new techniques and experiment a little. This month I worked on a new tourney dress. I decided to try a front lacing dress with a large gap, and also to make it without boning. This was a big step for me, as I really like the support and smooth lines that boning gives.

My inspiration was this style of dress as painted by Ghirlandaio:

image from- https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1cfPPTc544n1nQg5N58H1s9jeSDSnAO79pSZSk_DH5YdCgSC3xO5UbZXq1M5jOBt-nFPJA22oAJEZX3hh613Wo-rJ93zcSG0pi6ZnRmMyiW-gZMsVTx27UglPqnfmwQE3kXsSctEFG5Jr/s640/w+Domenico+Ghirlandaio+(Italian+artist,+1449%E2%80%931494)+Ludovica+Tornabuoni+(2).jpg
I looked at many variations on this style and decided not to copy any particular one specifically. There are a wide range of bodice shapes, sleeve styles, lacing options, and trim designs seen in this period.


Portrait of Giovann Tornabuoni by Ghirlandaio
Image from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Ghirlandaio-Giovanna_Tornabuoni_cropped.jpg


Detail from Birth of St John the Baptist by Ghirlandaio
Image from: http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornabuoni



Zaccharias Writes Down The Name of His Son by Ghirlandaio
Image from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CC-VZcpuD6gHsd8TJyFBhem2XH7xawzSpDtkJPCP-AaT-a-dKwFi9pYpdexGxcabmtEEq7bU5TvXiRaaVzmEtzm3IXjcqtsFRiHjTP7CUCBfv0vXC6PTms15jV2D7BIlWY-wXSV7PRCY/s1600/w+Domenico+Ghirlandaio+(Italian+artist,+1449%E2%80%931494)+Zacharias+Writes+Down+the+Name+of+his+Son+Ghirlandaio+Tornabuoni+Chapel.jpg


Birth of the Virgin (detail) by Ghirlandaio
Image from: http://www.poderesantapia.com/images/art/ghirlandaio/tornabuonibirth2600.jpg



I adapted an existing bodice pattern to make the neckline higher and more rounded. I cut my cotton fabric, lining and two interlinings and zigzagged all the edges. Then I sewed all the pieces together so I had an outer layer, two lining layers and an inner layer. I stab stitched all the seams open but did the rest on the machine to save time. Then I sewed the bodice layers together inside out, clipped the seams, and turned it all the right way out. I hand sewed the neckline the bodice and armholes closed.

(I have used this technique successfully in the past with boned bodices; I think that the plastic hoop boning that I like to use for bodices gives a thickness to the bodice and hides any bulk. I would not use this technique again for an unlined bodice because there is no hiding the bulk of all the seam allowances around the seam lines.)

Here you can see the bulky seam allowances showing through

I had a lot of fun playing with trim options:

 
  

But in the end, I sewed a line of purple gimp braid along the neckline edge for decoration.

I added brass lacing rings along the front of the bodice just to try a new option. I was a bit worried about using lacing rings on this bodice because I was worried that the rings might pull away from the fabric. I have worn the dress with a lightly boned pair of bodies, and it was fine. I just need to remember not to ''yank'' on the lacing in the way that I might do with a bodice that has lacing holes reinforced by boning. I think I do still prefer lacing holes though.

I added some lucet cord ties around the shoulder so that sleeves could be tied on. Thank you to Heather for making the cords for me.

I cartridge pleated the skirt onto the bottom of the bodice. I usually use 5mm pleats; this time I marked out 1cm pleats. My skirt was made of three equal rectangles of fabric joined together and finished at the top. I then turned the finished edge over to hide the machine sewing. Then I marked out a line of dots 1cm apart and went joined them up with a thick thread. Usually I use two parallel lines of quadrupled sewing thread to make my pleats. This time I tried out a short cut by using one piece of crochet cotton. It worked a treat and saved a lot of time, but I may just have been very, very lucky that the thread didn't break and cause me to have to start over again. I probably would go back to using a double row of threads next time, just to be on the safe side. Having said that, I managed to get the whole skirt marked out and pleated on in an evening, as opposed to the whole day that it usually takes me. I whip stitched through the centre of each pleat with a quadrupled strong thread to anchor the skirt to the bodice. I left a small split at the middle front of the skirt to make it easier to put on and take off.

After my trusty helper pinned my hem up for me (thank you Sharyn!),  I trimmed it and sewed it into place by hand.

 I added hooks and eyes at the front skirt split, but actually ended up just pinning the front into place when I wore the dress because it meant that I could adjust the lacing tighter or more loosely depending on  how I felt on the day.

 I am considering whether to add a line of purple ribbon around the bottom edge of the dress skirt.

The gown is not completely finished, and I am not completely satisfied with it, but it is wearable, and I am glad that I have tried a few new techniques.

Making an Italian Chemise

As part of the Italian Renaissance Costuming Challenge 5, I decided to make an Italian chemise (plus, I need some new ones.) I have always been hesitant to make chemises the 'period' way because I am terrible with underarm gussets and find them difficult to get my head around. I have been to a chemise making workshop before, but never actually constructed one. Previously I have used a commercial pattern with a scoop neck and inset sleeves for chemises like the type pictured below.



Image from: www.pinterest.com

Extant chemises suggest that piecing together of square and rectangular panels was a popular method of construction. This makes sense, given that it is an economical way of using valuable fabric, and makes good use of the fabric selvages.


Mid-Sixteenth Century Chemise
Image from: http://www.kostym.cz/Anglicky/1_Originaly/02_Renesancni/I_02_07.htm



Late Sixteenth Century Italian Chemise
Image from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/353251164495637334/



Italian Chemise from the second half of the Sixteenth Century
Image from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/353251164495637214/


I raided my stash and found several pieces of cotton that I could use to make the chemise. The front and back pieces were large rectangles, and the two sleeve pieces were smaller rectangles.
To try and make the gussets easier, I made the underarm square larger and then cut it in the middle to make two triangles. This worked quite well but made an extra seam under the arm. I used a zigzag stitch to edge all the raw panels first to reduce fraying.The side seams on the body pieces were on the selvage anyway, so didn't need edging.

The underarm gusset

I sewed the panels together in this way:

Image from: http://www.festiveattyre.com/p/how-to-make-easy-italian-chemise.html

although I did make the back neckline higher than the front because I am terribly prone to sun damage due to my medication.

 I was hoping that I could finish the seams inside so that it would all be neat and tidy. Unfortunately, that was harder than it sounded. It is not too bad, but I think next time I would finish the edges on all the panels by hand and then whip stitch them together or use an ornamental joining stitch like a faggoting stitch.


I needed to take a little off the bottom to even up the bottom hemline, because I changed the height of the back panel to make it sit higher on my neck. I need to factor that in when I cut the panels for the next chemise.

My furry assistant always 'helps'when I am cutting out fabric

Once the panels were sewn together and tidied up, I ran a running stitch of about 5mm around the neckline to gather it up. I put ties at the front and back for ease of adjustment.

 I tried the chemise on and got someone to help me adjust the ties to get the neckline to sit where I wanted it.

Then I began the process of sewing the gathers into place with bias binding.

I went around and sewed the front of the binding down by hand, then went back and did the back (inside).

Even though I just used a cheap commercial bias binding, I was very pleased with how the neckline turned out.

I planned to make gathered sleeves for this chemise, as I always do. But when I tried the chemise on during the fitting of the neckline, I really liked the way the sleeves looked ungathered. I recently acquired a hemming foot for my sewing machine too, so I decided to play around with it.

It produced a really nice even hem, but it was a little lumpy at the join in the sleeve. I obviously need a lot more practice with it. In the end, I decided to sew the sleeve hem down by hand. 

I was disappointed to find that the fabric had a couple of little holes in it. They looked quite a lot like pinholes. Luckily one lot was on the back panel and the other was low down on the front where no-one would see them.

I darned the holes with sewing thread. If I could do it over, I would use embroidery thread.

I am extremely happy with the result of my first attempt. This style of chemise is much more comfortable than the commercial pattern styles that I have used in the past. It sits better and there is less pulling under the arms when wearing a corset. I will make this style of chemise again, and at some stage I would like to experiment with an Elizabethan style smock and a fully hand sewn Italian chemise.

The finished chemise. Please ignore the bra, jeans and sneakers; I wasn't sure how transparent the cotton would be in the sun!