Sunday, October 30, 2011

A garb-ish sort of day...

No progress on the purple gown today.  Life sort of got in the way.  Had to get a new microwave this morning.  The old one worked ok, but the interior was just worn out.

And instead of sewing garb this afternoon, I guess you could say that I went shopping for garb.  Mistress Amy Marie MacCormack was cleaning out her garb closet, and I was lucky to be able to wear several pieces.  I'm so very excited!  Cool new garb to wear!  There's a purple velvet Italian, a pink jacquard linen Italian, a green linen Italian and a blue linen Flemish (Van der Weyden), all finished and ready to wear.  I will need to come up with a chemise or two, beyond what I already have as none are appropriate for Italians.  And I'll be making a set of sleeves or two.  Beyond that, it's just my hair and my footwear, so these are outfits that I will be able to use and enjoy!

I think that I have figured out how to finish the purple gown, and how to cut it better for the next one, but I'll have to work on it some more, before I can really tell much about it here.  Still, it's been quite the productive weekend.  Yeah!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

88 Eyelets...

nope, these won't be hand-sewn; not given that I want to wear this gown in just 2 weeks!  It's really only 44 actual, finished lacing holes up the back of the gown, but I'm going over each one twice, hence the #88.  Even by machine, and having to line up carefully for the second pass on each eyelet, this is going to take a while.

Yup, I'm back, again.  Didn't mean to let a month get away from me, but shucks, every time I wake up it's Friday morning again, and I'm due in class to lecture for 2.75 hours.  That's how fast the weeks seem to by flying by!

And I'm back to working on garb.  Over the last few days, working at the dining room table while everyone else is gone, I've cut several new pieces.  The eyelets are the back lacing of a gown that will be somewhat like a cotehardie, and appropriate to wear under a sideless surcote.  I'm doing my test-run of the much altered pattern, Simplicity 8725, in a regular fabric, a dark purple/plum, rayon/linen blend.  I know that doing a muslin is a good idea with any new pattern, especially with my fitting issues, but I just don't want to put in the extra time right now.

As for modifying that pattern, it's partly for fitting me, and partly making it a much more accurate pattern for the purpose.  It will also use fabric more efficiently.  I had some ideas about how to change it from ready comments of several other people who have worked with it.

I cut the bodice portion pretty much as is, tapering out from my bodice size on the pattern, to the largest size in the hip area.  I did not cut the flare at the side seams as the pattern was drafted.  At the hip area, where it angled out for the flare, I just cut it straight down to the hem, so it's actually a lot like the patterns that one sees on sites like Robin Netherton's, a rectangle-based garment.  It hasn't been so carefully fitted through the bust, as it would be if I'd followed Robin's directions, but it's a start, and it's one that I can do without someone to pin me into the muslin.

I'm adding the fullness through wedges added at the side seams and CF/CB.  I'm not sure how full it will be when finished.

I've also cut 2 chemises from the La Fleur de Lyse  Medevial Romanesque pattern.  I'd cut the gown for the 1150 lady last winter, and was pretty happy with how it turned out, but with its V-neck, it really does need a chemise to look right, so I haven't worn it much.  I also cut outer gown/tunic for the 1060 Lady in a teal/turquoise linen.  It will have the wide sleeve and so will need an undergown as well as the chemise, so I may have one more piece to cut there.

I've cut sideless surcotes in several fabrics:  a woven-in-striped home dec fabric in dark plum, a dark brown velveteen, and a red woolen.  I'd like to cut one or two more, but can't decide on fabrics and need to finish gowns for those 3 anyway.  I am thinking of one parti-colored though.

And I cut several hoods too!  I wanted to experiment with the hood patterns that I've found on-line.  I drafted up patterns from Mistress Tangwystle's and Cynthia Virtue's diagrams, both from Cynthia's hoods article.  I also drafted up a pattern from one of I.Marc Carlson's diagrams.  Since I'm using up leftover bits of wool from other garments, I cut two in grey, two in navy and one in brown.  I have a couple of other patterns to try too, one from a Big 4 company, and one from DL designs, and plenty of the brown for those, as well as some luscious red, so I'll have hoods to wear and hoods for family or to sell.

Enough cutting, at least until I know how things are fitting.  Then I can see what I need to go with the new pieces, and what fits well enough to be worth cutting again.

I've been thinking about getting some of the other patterns in the La Fleur de Lyse line, and maybe a couple from Reconstructing History.  But it's not like buying patterns at JoAnn's for $.99 or $1.99.  These make a much bigger dent in the budget.  Once I see how the altered S8725 works, then I can figure out if I really need the RH cotehardie pattern or not.  If not, then why bother?  Then I could maybe get the Florentine patterns from RH and start another era in my costuming.

Not sure I need the men's pattern, but I'm curious.





Have this one, and once I figured out how it worked, I really do like it.  Truly, it's a lot like any of the rectangle-based gowns that you can find online, but it's worth while for the information that comes with the pattern.

Again, just curious.
 Could use this one for the stockings.


If my alterations to S8725 work out ok, then I may not need this one.


 I'm going to try using the pattern from S8725 for a chemise to go under the gown.  Again, if it works, then I may not need this, but I'm curious.  I might order this one anyway.











La Fleur de Lyse has accessories too, so I'll probably have to decide between that one and this one.











These last two go together and I like the look.  Once I'm caught up on my planned medieval stuff, I'd like to try these.  Of course, I'm also mapping out plans for some Tudor stuff from Margo Anderson's Tudor Lady's Wardrobe.  Don't think that I'm going to run out of sewing for a while...and I'm not even considering all of the mundane cutting and sewing waiting for me!  Ouch!

Ok, I think I'm rambling badly, and not getting any photos in here either, so I guess I should get back to the sewing room.