Partlet with Embroidered Flower and Bee Motifs

Partlets (also called bavari and gorguera) are an element of sixteenth century clothing which were commonly worn by both high and lower class ladies, although ladies of nobility tended to wear more elaborately decorated versions which often had lace and/or embroidery on them.

I have been embroidering a partlet. My partlet with bees and flowers was inspired by the chemise and partlet set worn by the sitter in the Portrait of Helena von Snakenborg by the British School circa 1569-

Image from: Wikipedia https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/British_School_16th_century_-_A_Young_Lady_Aged_21%2C_Possibly_Helena_Snakenborg_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg/547px-British_School_16th_century_-_A_Young_Lady_Aged_21%2C_Possibly_Helena_Snakenborg_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

The top edge of the chemise can be clearly seen under the edges of the partlet, which suggest that this is a set of garments rather than a high necked smock (although both styles were worn in the sixteenth century). The garments have a boldly coloured floral decoration, which may be painted but is more likely to have been embroidered. I did not have the time to do a completely filled embroidered motif, but also prefer a more subtle design for most of my clothing. My persona has ties to both the English and Italian courts, and I wear both styles of clothing, but Italian is my favourite.

This Italian allegorical portrait by Francesco Melzi shows Flora wearing a chemise embroidered with motifs

Image from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_(Francesco_Melzi)

The design on this extant 16th century camicia held by the Met museum was also an inspiration in choosing my design-

 Image from Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/366058275939624940/

Many examples of portraits of noble ladies of both the Italian and Elizabethan courts show exquisitely embroidered partlets. Monochrome and polychrome embroidery became increasingly popular from the 1510s to the end of the sixteenth century as a way of displaying wealth and rank. Portraits from artists as diverse and geographically widespread as Anthonis Mor, Hans Holbein, Guillim Scrots, Moroni and Veneto show sitters with lavishly decorated embroidered garments. Portrait evidence shows a great deal of versatility; some ensembles have the partlet matching another costume element such as sleeves, ruff or stomacher, and others show a partlet decorated in a completely different style to the sleeves. The underlying desire seems to have been to display wealth and show off beautiful garments.

Monochrome and polychrome embroidery was popular on chemises and smocks, partlets, collars and cuffs, ruffs, coifs and caps and other linens. It was executed in counted form (usually in running stitch or double running stitch) or in non-counted form, in stitches such as stem, braid, chain, speckling, feather stitch, backstitch, long and short stitch, herringbone stitch and split stitch. Extant items can be seen with all these stitches. Addition of spangles, gold or silver threads, plain or metallic lace, and pearls and beads all added to the lavish effect.

Portrait of Lady Dacre by Hans Eworth (1540) shows the sitter wearing an elaborately embroidered (monochrome) partlet and smock. This is an English style.

Image from http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/e/eworth/l_dacre.html

 In contrast, the images below show Italian styles:

Tintoretto’s Portrait of a Lady (1570s) from http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net/wardrobe/JTintorettoPOALady.jpg

Veronese’s Portrait of a Woman (1570s) from http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net/wardrobe/VeronesePOAVenetianWomanBarnes.jpg

Bernadino Licinio’s c1550 Portrait of a Family from
http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net/wardrobe/LicinioPOAFamily2.jpg

I have created a collarless partlet in the Italian style (shown above) as this style is very comfortable, is not restrictive, and matches the style of Italian gown I prefer. The three pattern pieces were sewn together with enclosed seams by machine, and then the seams were sewn flat by hand. A small folded hem was sewn by hand on all raw edges. I decided to embroider the partlet after it was sewn together to ensure accurate design placement, although this does make it more difficult to embroider.

 

Floral designs were very popular for embroidery in the sixteenth century, due in part to the proliferation of printed pattern-books and the discovery of the strange flora of foreign lands and the New World. Designs were often copied from pattern-books, as well as bestiaries and herbals. Other designs such as geometric designs, grotesques and allegorical emblems were very popular and can be seen in portraits from across Europe. There was no notion of or way of enforcing copyright during this time, so designs were lifted and adapted, and versions of the same designs can be seen in design model books from the 1530s and into the seventeenth century. The same designs crop up in books published in England as well as in Europe.

The flower design that I have used comes from the 1608 Trevellyon Miscellanny-

Image from Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/384283780703543752/

A similar version of the same motif is also seen in Shorleyker’s 1603 (and reprints) publication of “A Scholehouse for the Needle”-

The bee design also comes from “A Scholehouse for the Needle” from 1608

Image from Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/515099276116821937/
(This image is a reproduction of a page of the 1632 reprint)

but there are many bee designs as well as extant examples from the late sixteenth century, mainly due to the popularity of bugs and flower designs in Elizabethan embroidery (such as the piece below)

Textile of block-printed linen, England, 1600-1649. Museum Number T.174B
Image from Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/6262886952240249/

The design was traced out in removable pen and worked predominantly in split stitch and double running stitch in orange DMC cotton floss with two threads, and some running stitch with a single thread (bees). In period, silk floss would most likely have been used for embroidery but I can’t afford silk. The background fabric is cotton linen blend. Linen was mostly commonly used for undergarments in the sixteenth century, as it was widely available (being produced from flax plants) and easy to launder. There are many extant examples of linens for use as underwear (both embroidered and plain) in museums and textile collections worldwide. Linen was relatively easy to launder in our time period; un-embroidered linen bleaches easily in the sun and becomes softer with wear, wicks away sweat and is long lasting. Linen blends offer some of these benefits, but are more in line with my budget than pure linen, as well as being more readily available.

Polychrome embroidery and decoration on a late sixteenth century extant linen shirt held by the Met Museum showing the use of bold colours in Italian embroidery, Accession Number 10.124.1 from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/83861

I have not yet finished the embroidery, but I plan to add more decorative elements when I have. I am considering adding some smaller motifs along the front edge, and I think some bobbin or needle lace in orange and white threads will finish the piece off nicely. Some of my inspiration pieces are below:

Extant 16thC Camicia held by the Met Museum
Image from: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/532269249682155573/

Extant 16thC Camicia held in Prato, Museo Del Tessuto
Image from Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/567594359271816517/

The pattern of the partlet I made differs from those used in period ; I wear a 'dickie' style that I can get into by myself as I don't have anyone to help me dress. The side seams under the arms are sewn rather than being loose and having the partlet tied on. Patterns for and images of partlets from the sixteenth century mainly seem to involve pinning or tying them in place under gowns (although some are pinned on over gowns also).

Partlets (with ties) hanging on the line in this scene painted by Allori in the Palazzo Pitti (c. 1598)

Image from  https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/loggetta-dell-allori


Extant Spanish partlet which has ties:

Extant sixteenth century partlet held by Instituto Valencia de Don Juan
Image from Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/513410426253249839/

An Italian style of partlet (which would be pinned on), from Elisabetta Parasole's book of partlets (bavari) patterns from 1604 “Ornamento nobile per ogni gentil matrona, dove si contiene bavari , frisi d'infinita bellezza, lavori, per linzuoli traverse, e facuoli” at https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b10526091w/f10.item
Reproduced at https://www.facebook.com/modelbuchmuse/



Bibliography
Arnold, J. 1988, Queen Elizabeth’s Wardrobe Unlock’d, W S Maney and Son Ltd, London.
Arnold, J; Tiramani, J; and Levey, S. 2008, Patterns of Fashion 4, Pan Macmillan Ltd, London.
Compleat Anachronist 115: Wrought with flowers of Black Silk, Prudence Catesby
Compleat Anachronist 31: An introduction to Blackwork, Shoshonnah Jehanne ferch Emrys
Dress at the Court of King Henry VIII, Maria Hayward (2007, Maney Publishing, UK).
The Encyclopedia of Embroidery Techniques, Pauline Brown (1994, Simon and Schuster, Australia).
Geddes, E and McNeill, M. 1976, Blackwork Embroidery, Dover Publications, New York.
Mikhaila, N and Malcom-Davies, J. 2006, The Tudor Tailor, B T Batsford Ltd, London.
Orsi Landini, R and  Niccoli, B. 2005,  La Moda a Firenze 1540-1580, Pagliai Polistampa, Florence.
Synge, L. 1982, Antique Needlework, Blandford Press, New York.


With many thanks to Modelbuch Muse for inspiration and for conveniently posting images in one place so I don’t need to search through my books for designs -  https://www.facebook.com/modelbuchmuse/

Over-Partlet made from Remnants and Op Shop Materials

The construction of this over-partlet was inspired by a remnant purchase and the recent bout of very cold weather in my local area.

  The wool blend remnant

As you know, I am very passionate about women’s dress accessories; I love the variety in sixteenth century dress accessories and the inventive and beautiful ways sixteenth century women had of displaying their wealth and creativity. Dress accessories are usually the first thing I notice about women’s garb, and I find the history and construction endlessly fascinating. I also believe that good accessories are a way to separate real clothing from a costume. I put a fair bit of effort into dress accessories for my persona, but it wasn’t until I started to get quite chilly at events that I realised that my wardrobe lacked an over-partlet/gollar.

As someone who does not enjoy sewing and who lacks patterning skills, the reasons behind the lack are fairly obvious. I recently picked up a pretty wool blend remnant for $12, and this inspired me to try making an over partlet.

Over-partlets are a good way to be able to layer clothing to stay warm, while still having the garment be easily removable. Tudor ladies wore small outer partlets that could be pinned or tied on. They were made in contrasting or matching colours to gowns, and some were fur lined. Variations of over-partlets/gollars are seen across Europe in the sixteenth century, and figure strongly in Tudor and German portraiture.

Even within the same region and time period, there seems to be a lot of variety in style and cut of gollars or over-partlets. A quick review of German fashions in the first half of the sixteenth century shows wealthy women as well as trossfrau and camp followers wearing over-partlets in a range of styles. Decoration varies (fur-lined, figured silks, applique decoration, applied trims etc.) but the actual cut of the garment varies a lot as well. Some are worn closed at the front, some have are wider and extend past the shoulders- others are quite narrow. Some are roughly the same length front and back, others have extended panels at the front which hang down further than the back section. I chose to make my partlet quite wide as I wanted to keep the tops of my arms (where there is a gap in my sleeves) warm. I also chose to make the front panels roughly the same as the back section. I decided to save any extremes of fashion for later experiments.

Portrait of a Lady with Playing Cards by Urs Graf 1515
Image from: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/236157574187882145/

Elegant Couples Dancing (detail) by Ambrosius Benson (1545)
Image from: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/546061523544879141/

Portrait of a Lady by Master A. W. (active from 1536) held by The Courtauld Gallery
Image from: https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/portrait-of-a-lady-207305

Portrait of Anna-Regula Schärer c 1515 by Gattin des Junkers Andreas Schmid
Image from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AnnaRegulaSch%C3%A4rer.jpg

Portrait of a lady by an Unknown German artist c 1525 showing a fur-lined partlet
Image from: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/459859811934181911/

An old woman offering money to a young man by Jacob Goltzius c. 1600 (held by Museum Bijmans Van Beuningen) – showing a fur-lined partlet
Image from: https://www.boijmans.nl/en/collection/artworks/151647/an-old-woman-offering-money-to-a-young-man

I reviewed “Drei Schnittbucher” (Three Austrian Master Tailor Books of the 16th Century” to try and find an actual sixteenth century pattern guide for the garment, but could not find one. The Tudor Tailor had a pattern for making a Tudor style partlet, but nothing with a rounded bottom edge. In the end, I made an educated guess as to what the pattern would look like, using the Tudor Tailor partlet pattern as a guide to how the grown-on style collar should look. I made a paper pattern, and used it to cut out a toile from an old sheet. I ended up doing three toile drafts before I was satisfied with how the garment was sitting.

Once I had the pattern, I placed the pieces on my wool remnant. I was happy with the placement, and I still have enough wool left to make a matching hand warmer or snozkyn. Next I had to place the pattern pieces on the fake fur. This was more challenging, as the fur remnant had pieces cut into it and there was not a lot there. I had four attempts before I got it right. I wanted the hair strands to all be flowing away from the neckline. One of the pieces had to be positioned slightly diagonally to make it fit, but the difference was not noticeable. I cut the wool pieces out. I had to be careful with the fur pieces, attempting to cut the base fabric rather than the hairs because cutting the hair itself makes it look shorn and unnatural.

The successful pattern mock up

   Pattern lay out on wool

  Pattern Layout on fur - attempt 1

 Pattern Layout on fur – attempt 2

    Pattern Layout on fur – attempt 3

I sewed the wool pieces together, and then the fur pieces together. The seams of both the wool section and the fur section were quite thick so I used a hand stab stitch to sew them flat to reduce bulk.
The next step was to pin the wool piece and the fur piece together, right side to right side. I tried not to catch too much hair inside the seam, but inevitably a lot of hair got caught. I used the sewing machine to sew a continuous seam around all the edges, leaving about fifteen centimetres unsewn to be able to turn the garment right side out.

Once the seam was sewn, I cut into the seam allowance on the corners and tight areas, giving the fabric some ease to stop bunching. I also cut away the bulk on the front centre corners. Then I turned the partlet right side out. I used a bone turner to poke the edges out and make sure the seam was sitting cleanly.

The two fabrics were quite thick, and with the seam allowance turned under the edges were quite bulky. To reduce the bulk and make the edges sit neatly, I went around the edges with a needle and thread and tried to invisibly catch all the pieces together with a stab stitch. When this was completed, I whip stitched the hole where the garment was pulled right side out closed. 

  

Pinned and ready to stab stitch


I had some cotton bias binding leftovers that I got in a bulk pack from an op shop, and picked a cream coloured one that was similar in colour to the fake fur. I had previously washed it to make sure it was colour fast, and it needed to be ironed to make the hems sit properly. Once this was done, I marked out where I wanted the bias trim to sit, and pinned it all down. The trim started at the centre back of the neck and travelled around all the edges before finishing at the centre back neck. I hand sewed down both sides of the bias trim with cotton thread. In the sixteenth century, the tailor or seamstress would have had to make their own bias strips and join it with hand sewing. I have made my own bias before, and I am very glad to have the luxury of commercially prepared bias binding.

Portrait of a city woman with haube by Hans Baldung 1520 showing a single line of trim decoration
Image from: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/236157574187886064/

Portrait of a Lady by the Master of the Angrer Portraits c. 1519 showing a double line of trim decoration
Image from: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/449726712762196713/

 
Marking placement and attaching bias trim

There are portrait examples of ladies wearing over-partlets with one line of trim, two lines of trim, and multiple lines of trim. I decided to go with elegant simplicity and do a single line of bias trim. I mitred the corners to make them neat; I haven’t been able to see the portraiture closely enough to make out details on whether that was done in period, but as it is a neat and logical way to make the trim sit properly, I don’t think that it is unlikely that a seamstress thought to do it in period.

The hairs that were caught in the seams had to be coaxed out gently in small amounts with a needle. There are still areas that need more hair removed from the seams- it is a tedious business.
I toyed with the idea of adding decorative wooden thread wrapped buttons to the partlet, but I don’t think it needs the extra decoration. I do have a coat hook stashed away somewhere which might be useful to add to the centre bottom of the front panels to invisibly secure the garment – only wearing it for an event will suggest whether this is necessary or not.

Prices
Wool/nylon blend remnant $12
Fake fur op shop remnant $2
Bias binding remnants (op shop) 8 pack for $2 =25c
Op shop sheet for toile $1
Lunch paper for patterning approx. $1.50/roll
Threads – already in stash
I was very happy that this garment came in under $20AU total – and probably closer to under $15. I also have enough wool left over to make a matching hand warmer, although I will need to keep my eye out for another remnant of fake fur.



Bibliography

Arnold, J; Tiramani, J; and Levey, S. 2008, Patterns of Fashion 4, Pan Macmillan Ltd, London.
Barich K and McNealy, M. 2015, Drei Schnittbucher, Nadel and Faden Press, USA.
Mikhaila, N and Malcom-Davies, J. 2006, The Tudor Tailor, B T Batsford Ltd, London.

Repurposed Tatted Lace Partlet

One of the projects I have on the go at the moment is a bit of an experiment. I found a fabulous but tatty vintage lace runner at a thrift shop and snapped it up. It has a diamond pattern with little roses and I think it is tatted (which is out of period) but passes for neeedle lace.

The piece had a few rust stains, but with some careful laundering I managed to brighten it up. I cut the piece to use the two parts as the front panels of a collarless partlet. I managed to use the pretty edging on the central parts and avoid most of the remaining rust marks.

I made the back part of the parlet up in linen and hand hemmed it with a small hem. I pinned the tatted panels in place. I will trim the excess tatting on the outer edge (which will be hidden by my gown) and trim with binding. I have a couple of colour options waiting to be tested for the binding as matching the colour is difficult.

I have been pretty busy with projects for other people lately, so this one is sitting in the to-do pile, but I am looking forward to getting it finished as I really love the tatted piece and it makes me happy to think that some other ladies' hand work is getting a new lease on life and will be admired rather than languishing in a bin of ugly doilies.

Sleeveless Partlet Experiment

You might remember that I have been experimenting with different partlet styles. Here is the latest; cut to sit high around the neck and with no ties or cords to go around the waist to cause lumps and bumps and affect the line of the bodice.

I designed this one to be worn with a late Tudor/early Elizabethan gown. The back of the partlet is pinned to the back of my pair of bodies. Needing to have someone around to pin it into place is a negative element of the design, as often I don't have anyone to help me dress (which is why I favour front lacing gowns.) It's not as easy to get sitting right as my partlets with armholes - it takes a bit longer when getting dressed to make sure the front sections aren't tucked up. No problem if you have an attentive maidservant or lady in waiting!

The partlet is cut in one (vaguely) Y-shaped piece. The edges were hand stitched to form a very small hem.





I felt that this experiment had mixed success. I expected that the partlet would not sit well under the gown and possibly move around. This did not happen and the partlet stayed in place. However, I did find that the neckline was cut too close to the neck and was not very comfortable. I ended up folding the edges of the neckline under so it was more comfortable. I thought that it looked okay.
Now I am considering cutting the pattern down a bit to make it more comfortable...

Photo credit: M. Nicholas

Partlet with Green Embroidery

Late last year I started experimenting with different partlet patterns, designs and fabrics. Partlets are a great accessory to have in a sixteenth century wardrobe because they can really change the look of an outfit, and there are so many different styles depicted in portraits. I haven't managed to find that many extant examples of sixteenth century partlets; heavily embroidered coifs and camicias seem to have been saved and treasured more often. But there are some in museums, and some pictoral references to work from.


Note the partlet hanging on the line in this scene painted by Allori in the Palazzo Pitti (c. 1598)
Image from  https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/loggetta-dell-allori


I used my trusty, decade old partlet pattern which has seams under the arms and does not need ties or pins. This may not be the most historically accurate partlet pattern, but is very useful when one does not have help to dress.

The embroidery pattern is actually adapted from a pre-sixteenth century embroidery pattern that I just really liked. I adjusted it a little and traced it onto the linen base fabric with a Frixion removable marker. I worked the pattern in stem stitch with DMC cotton floss in green. I usually work my designs prior to cutting and assembling the garment, but in this case I made the partlet up first and then worked the embroidery using a small hoop. It was an experiment to see if using the hoop over seams etc. would distort the fabric or embroidery. I also hoped it would make the design placement (in relation to the edges of the garment) more accurate. I was very careful to make sure that the tension was even when embroidering and that the fabric was not warped, and it held up very well. I was pleased with the result, and would consider working embroidery on partlets this way again (depending on the base fabric used. I don't think a loose weave linen or muslin would stand up well to being put in the hoop.)

I added some commercially produced cotton white bobbin lace along the front edges and whip stitched it down. Then I did a row of small running stitches in green along the edge of the lace. Finally I added little knotted ties of green floss on the edge of the lace to tie the whole design  together. The little ties or tufts were inspired by the portrait below.

Portrait of a Woman by Giovanni Francesco Caroto

Portrait held in the Musée du Louvre, Paris

Image from https://i.pinimg.com/736x/3b/46/31/3b4631909dd5ca29fefd8032c00b4cdd--louvre-paris-the-louvre.jpg

Portait of a Lady by Andrea Piccinelli 

Image from Pinterest https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/556687203919307155/

I was pleased with how the partlet looked and how comfortable it was.