Fixing old clothes

 It has been a hectic couple of months between health issues and lots of SCA projects. I have changed shape, and recently discovered that a lot of my garb doesn't fit or doesn't fit comfortably. Luckily I saved a lot of my old garb from fifteen or so years ago, so I have been rediscovering old clothes. It's interesting to see how my sewing and construction style has changed over that time too. Needless to say, a lot needs fixing/improving/tweaking. My local group is about to host Coronation, so I have a lot to fix in a short amount of time!

Man's Elizabethan Nightcap

A man's embroidered Elizabethan nightcap that I made in 2010.

The base fabric is cotton-linen blend and the design is adapted from period sources and worked in black silk thread. The spangles are gilt metal, sewn on with three stitches of sewing thread.

Elizabethan Whitework Coif

Some time ago I made an Elizabethan Whitework coif as a contribution to the Queen's Gift Basket.

Some extant examples of coifs from Patterns of Fashion 4 are below:

Below are some of the plates from Patterns of Fashion 4 that inspired this piece. They are a hood and a coif embroidered predominantly in chain stitch.

These are the designs that mine was adapted from. I left out the cutwork because coifs are so good
for a 'bad hair day' and having cutwork reduces their usefulness in this area!

I toyed with the idea of adding eyelet or buttonhole stitch grapes, but decided to leave it plain. This way, the coif suits people who don't like the over-the-top, more-is-more Elizabethan design ideal.

The embroidery finished and lawn lining sewn in

Flowers and leaves embroidered with silk in chain stitch on a linen ground

The coif waiting to have the knotted gather put on top

Close-up of the knotted gather that adds a 'pouf' to allow for a bun

How this piece sits varies greatly with the head of the wearer. On me, it looks like a cross between a coif and a linen hood. As it is a gift piece, that doesn't matter. But it did inspire me to change the pattern I use for making my own coifs. The next one will have the gathering tube further back at the back of the neck. Hopefully this change will mean that I can wear the new style behind my Elizabethan padded hair-do.

The hand-sewn central seam

Commercially produced lace was hand sewn into place and a line of
decorative running stitch added

Thankyou to Heather once again for the beautifully worked lucet cords.

Please see my previous coif posts for information on the background of coifs and how they were worn.

Blue pointed bodice dress

Finally, here is a picture of the blue dress that I finished back in April. This is a picture of me, running late and about to rush off to an event. My lacing is askew, my partlet and girdle are not sitting right, my skirt is twisted- pictures like these make me consider never eating anything but cabbage water or getting in front of a camera again! There were lots of 'wardrobe malfunctions' while I was getting ready for the event, including my partlet ties pulling through and my farthingale being too big since I last wore it. Hence no farthingale.

The white tie-on sleeves and Elizabethan hood and caul were new for the event, and the girdle was made as part of the Italian Renaissance Costuming Challenge III.

Plimoth Jacket Project link

Here is an interesting page on the gorgeous reproduction of the Plimoth Jacket-
http://www.winterthur.org/?p=972


One day I will make an embroidered jacket for myself.

Late-period portrait at Sotheby's

Here is another interesting late-period portrait from the Sotheby's site

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2013/old-master-paintings-n08952/lot.45.lotnum.html

Decorated coat ideas

I recently saw some photos of myself in garb at an event and decided that I want another outer coat. The hard part is deciding what style. At this stage, I am thinking loose and 3/4 length; possibly with hanging sleeves, and heavy on the decoration. It also needs to work with Elizabethan and Italian styles.

I put together some pictures that have inspirational trim/decoration:

from: bjws.blogspot.com

 

Eleanor of Toledo by Allesandro Allori, c.1560, image provided by Jon.

ffrom: elizabethan-portraits.com

from: wikipaintings.org

from: lib-art.com

Mary Martyn from A Who's Who of Tudor Women

from: craftster.org

from: lesderniersvalois.com

Titian's La Bella from  online.wsj.com

from: tudorplace.com.ar

from: tudorplace.com.ar

Unseen Royal Glove Collection

I thought you may be interested in the Unseen Royal Glove Collection being launched at Selfridges:

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/rReU_TFH6BZ/Unseen+Historic+Royal+Glove+Collection+Launches/Sct8pavB2LR

Partlet neck pieces

I have been laid up in bed over the last couple of weeks and haven't had much opportunity to do anything much. I have been picking away at a couple of simple partlet neck bands for my planned Elizabethan partlets. I plan to make two, with the cut away front, and trim them with the blue and white bobbin-style laces that I picked up on Etsy and posted about recently.

The bands aren't finished or even rinsed properly. I plan to add some extra supplementary decoration when the main embroidery is done (although I haven't worked out what yet.) The designs are both period designs that I have used in the past; simple and easy. They are done in chain stitch because I like the raised effect.

I went for a subtle effect with the blue flower pattern. The stems are done in a sort of 'junior navy' colour cotton and the flowers are done in navy. But the difference is so subtle that you really can't see it except in bright daylight, which is disappointing.

New Pair of Bodies

Lately I have been going through all my projects and stash, trying to clear things out a little. I have lots of small pieces of patterned fabric in the stash. At one stage I thought I might take up quilting, but I changed my mind after I finished my first quilt.

I need a new pair of bodies. My current one has intermediate boning and is generally very comfortable, except that the front of the armhole nips quite a bit at long events. I adjusted my current pattern and made some changes after looking at The Tudor Tailor and Janet Arnold's pamphlet on Queen Elizabeth I's effigy bodies.

I hope that this new version works, because I really hate doing eyelets and I don't want to have to make another corset for at least eighteen months.

I have decided to do something very different - mainly because I was feeling guilty about the amount of fabric in my stash! I have cut out the outer layer and inner layer in modern print fabrics. All my past bodies/stays/corsets have been linen or plain cotton, and honestly, I am really bored with them! So this time I am doing something completely different. After all, no-one ever sees my underwear, and I won't shock you with a photo of me wearing the completed corset!

The fashion fabrics for front and back

I really like the front fabric, with it's vaguely Elizabethan flowers. I don't like the lining much (which is why it is lining,) but no-one will see it and it is very stiff.

I think that the finished corset would look quite nice with a bold edging like bright pink or purple. (Unfortunately the colour didn't show true in this photo; the purple binding is less blue and is  more purple.)

I did see a lovely bright hot pink and purple stripe taffeta type-fabric on the sale table at my local fabric shop, but I decided not to get it because my boning lines would probably ruin the stripey pattern, and I am supposed to be NOT buying fabric, but using stash instead.

The inner lining of the corset is two layers of a strong cotton canvas type fabric. It actually was a panel for a strong beach bag which I got on sale for less than $2.50. No-one will ever know!

I am not sure if this new style of bodies will be comfortable for me. I have a DD-E bust and have always had a fixed strap on my corsets before. Perhaps the tied-style strap will cut in around my armpit? I will have to wait and see. Here is the rough sketch I put on the pattern envelope, to give you an idea of the style:

And here is a picture of the effigy stays from freewebs.com

Clearly, there are some differences between my pattern and the effigy stays. I have opted for unboned tabs because I have done them before and also because my version of the corset is shorter. Elizabeth I was clearly a very svelte lady, and I am more (hmmm..) rotund. Hence the wider stays. Plus, I don't wear low or pointed bodices (as they just make me look fatter), so a shorter corset was a more practical option for driving etc. I like the side seam too, because I change shape a lot and altering a side seam doesn't affect the armholes like altering a side-back seam does.

I have made a pair of bodies completely by hand before, but it took a long time. My next big decision will be whether to sew the boning casings by hand or not. My machine is not too good with thick fabrics, and I just got it back from the shop. On the other hand, do I really need another incomplete project sitting around, waiting to be finished? I really don't know what to do, so I will give it some more thought. Let's face it, we all know that I have dozens of other things to finish, so I won't be bored while waiting for inspiration to strike! 

White and gold striped sleeves

The more hours I spend looking through Renaissance portraits, the more I come to realise that a pair of white and gold stripey sleeves is de rigeur for my persona.

Here are some lovely examples:

My favourite sitter, Bianca Cappello by Allori - en.wikipedia.org

Bianca Cappello by Allori - en.wikipedia.org

Bianca Cappello by  Allori or his workshop- bridgemanart.com

Fontana portrait of Bianca Cappello -  bjws.blogspot.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alessandro_Allori_-_Portrait_of_Grand_Duchess_Bianca_Capello_de_Medici.jpg 

Another Allori portrait of Bianca Cappello - postcrossing.com

possibly Bianca Cappello -  http://dinastias.forogratis.es

 
And, just so this doesn't turn into a Bianca Capello fanpage(!):

Isabella de Medici by Allori -  pixbank.wordpress.com

Possibly Isabella de Medici and her son by Allori (1574 )-http://aneafiles.webs.com/eleonoraditoledo.html

Eleanor of Toledo by Allori -  larsdatter.com

Portrait of a Venetian Noblewoman by Fasolo - starlightmasquerade.com

Portrait of a Noblewoman -  niceartgallery.com

  

Marie de Medici - fantasy-art-workshop.com

Portrait of A Lady - niceartgallery.com

Portrait of a Woman Aged 19 years by Gian Paolo Lolmo (c.1580) -  http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net

Family Portrait by Lavinia Fontana - artexpertswebsite.com

Portrait of a Woman with a Dog by Lavinia Fontana-  terrierfirma.tumblr.com