Well, I wore the gown in England at our 16th-century feast at Blo Norton, a moated Tudor manor house. And I was much more pleased with the effect this time! I bought a gold choker necklace with black and red faux gems and pearls that coordinated nicely, and I did my hair up in big,
While the sewing is on hold, the research continues! I just returned from the U.K. where I finally got to see both portraits in person — and, wow, they are totally different! It’s not merely a difference in image reproduction. The originals may show the same person in the same pose and gown, but the
I set a strip of hook-and-eye tape in the late 16th-c. loose gown, which I started work on. Goal is to have this wearable for June A&S (yeah, yeah, planny-pants here is thinking ahead even though I’m still finishing stuff for the UK trip). Got the main body finished last night, letting it hang, and
I ironed a bunch of pre-washed fabric for my loose gown. And I had a little epiphany … this gown will make me look matronly. But in the 1580s, I *would* be a matron! I’m 41 years old, my SCA persona is married, manages her estates in her husband’s many absences, and has grown children
For once (or maybe twice) in my life, I’m drawing something of a blank when it comes to trim patterns. Maybe because the outfit is outside of my usual style or maybe because I’ve been cranking through a bunch of other costumes recently. So, I’m looking to the LJ hivemind, you’re my only hope! I
At the SCA March Crown, I was quite impressed by Elena’s short loose gown, and Jauna also let me try on her Spanish ropa over my gown, which looked pretty darn nice (and hey, we’re the same height ;-). I’m thinking the burgundy/red cotton damask in The Stash would make a good loose gown, and
Was not overly pleased with the test-run of the Valois gown at March Crown. I’d tried it on at home the week before, and it looked fine, the only potential issue was the sleeves seemed a bit slippy on my shoulders. But when I put it on Saturday night, the whole thing felt an inch
The Valois gown is done! All trimmed, bodice, sleeves, and petticoat. No pix for you because, well, it looks a lot like the last two pix only with more of the same. Would look better when worn, and that probably won’t happen until May. Now, I could test it out at March Crown, ‘cept what
Figured I’d whip up the Valois petticoat, as I’d bragged I could do in a few hours. Famous last words. I did assemble it easily (aside from hemming), then I stuck it on the dressform with the gown and realized I hated how it looked. The pleats in the front were all wrong, fugly, bassakwards.
Me in the revamped gown at the Crosston Ball, photos courtesy of Chris Nelson.
It’s officially a dress because it has sleeves. Sewn on even. The croissants shoulder rolls aren’t actually sewn on in these pix, but they are now in real life. The velvet trim is sewn on neither in the pix nor in real life, it’s merely pinned down to show what I’ll be going for. Colors
Just recording weeknight progress so it feels like I’m getting somewhere…
Accomplished sewing stuff last night. Added a 3″ hook-and-eye placket to the 1580s bodice. Fits beautifully now, and while the placket is nothing great to look at, it’ll all be covered up with trim soon enough. Still need to add to the skirts waistbands, but that’s a quick fix. Then I can wear the gown
Explanation: I decided I wanted to wear this gown to the SCA’s Crosston Ball, but the dress no longer fit. So I came up with a way to extend the size … a week before the ball! At 6am, riddled by insomnia, I just bit the bullet, got up, and did some seam-ripping. I removed