Blackwork

On a whim I decided to start some blackwork cuffs for a new camicia or smock. I was going to do this at Quest while sitting troll, but a combination of an awesome influx of volunteers and the event shutting down early, stopped this from happening. Therefore I started yesterday, in order to have something to do between changing loads of laundry.

I have never done any blackwork that's not monochromatic, so I pulled out some gorgeous red silk I've been saving for a rainy day. It just so happens that yesterday was quite rainy. Add that to some black silk, and a 16th Century Italian needlework sampler pattern, and I have hours of fun(The pattern I'm using is at a upper left diagonal from the large red pattern in the center-ish). My fabric doesn't have a perfectly even weave, so that changes it to look more diamond shaped than the original. I count threads rather than use waste-fabric. I've tried that method and I can't get the stitches to lay smooth and flat, and it's just so very fussy. I've been working on a blackworked caul for ages using waste fabric and I have struggled to finish it because of this. I'd rather have a slightly skewed pattern that can be interpreted as having *meant* to look like that, than deal with waste fabric.

The stitches on the far right were for getting a feel for the stitch length versus floss weight before starting my actual pattern. The "wrong" side of the embroidery isn't as clean and reversible as I would like due to changing colors, but it is improving as I go along. The picture is craptacular, but it does give you a feel for how far I got on yesterday.

I got a request to do a scroll for Uprising, which has a very short turn-around time, but I'm waiting for some more information on whether the recipient has registered arms or not before I begin.

Quest Recap

Quest for the Holy Lands started out rocky due to some issues with my office of the exchequer property (which has yet to be solved, but I'm confident that it will be soon) which left me without a table for Troll, Shade to sit under, and chairs to sit in. After some creativity and borrowing, we had Troll set up and running, and I had a bunch of volunteers to help me, which made my life so much wonderful, I can hardly express it. I am so deeply grateful for all those who helped me out all weekend.

I wore my new chocolate kirtle on Saturday! Of course, I waited until I'd been sitting/slouching in it all day before taking a picture so it's all rumpled and the nice smooth bodice...isn't. Le sigh. Ah well, I did get numerous compliments on it, and that pleases me.

Saturday evening it began raining, and by the time I left site (day tripped), my dress and petticoat had soaked up about 8 inches of water. The next morning as we were headed back to site, I got the phone call that site had received snow, and that both my troll shade and my personal shade were tragic victims of the wet snow's destructive power. Yay? I'm told they went down before most people even knew it was snowing.

After some cleanup, and a deep sigh of relief that Sven chose to come home with me rather than sleep in the pop-up as he wanted, we headed home, as the event was basically called quits due to inclement weather.

We still have T-shirts for sale though. I highly recommend them!

Elizabethan / Jacobean Jacket

For many years I've been lusting after Elizabethan Jackets. I feel in love when I saw a fine lady wearing one at Known World Academy of Rapier/Known World Costuming when these two fine events were held together in Outlands, approximately 2003. Yes, I really am this slow to pursuing projects.

Mistress Isobel of Extreme Costuming fame renewed my love for this style with her amazing Maidstone Jacket. When the Plimoth Jacket was finally finished, I was head over heals. I'm not so insane as to think I might finish embroidering a jacket like either of these fine examples though... at least not in the next several years.

Other examples are this, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, ca 1616

and this, from the Art Institute of Chicago

There are examples of some with lower necklines, some with collars, and some without. I think I'd opt for the style above, from the Art Institute of Chicago. I was gifted some interesting fabric from my grandmother, and it screamed "Elizabethan/Jacobean Jacket" to me the second I laid hands on it, and it has been a long-term plan to do this, after finishing a base gown to wear it over. Well, put your hands together folks, as I finished my chocolate kirtle which will also act as petticoat bodies under the long-awaited jacket.

In reality while the browns in these fabrics don't match exactly, they are a much closer match than the image indicates. The pattern is woven, and the fabric has a fascinating texture. I believe it is cotton. I do anticipate making a black skirt to go with this as well, in the future, possibly made of silk taffeta.

Drawers

On a whim, I decided I needed a new pair of drawers for this weekend's event. So last night I whipped up a pair - no measuring (bad Jaquelinne!!), just eyeballing it. This was not a good move, and I'm lucky they actually fit. They are not nearly as roomy as my other pair, but I can get them on and they aren't too tight. I added some sweet lace on the hems, and flat-felled all seams by machine. I would have done this by hand... but they're drawers, and I want to wear them tomorrow.

They're made from a random cotton twill fabric I had in my stash - heavier than I would have chosen from the store, but I think they'll be nice for the chilly rainy mountain weather we're expecting.

Not bad for a two hour project.

Petticoat Waistbands

This post is for you, lovely Lady Jane!

In a prior post about using elastic on Sven's pants, we discussed using elastic on petticoat and forepart waistbands, as they are hidden beneath over-skirts. As my foreparts tend to be quite heavy with beading and such, this is the method I use for making a painless waistband.

This is an example of a cotton broadcloth petticoat with attached forepart, with a flat front and gathered back. This was important, as it must have the circumference to fit over a farthingale and bumroll, but still be flat in the front so that the forepart lays smoothly. I backed my fashion brocade with cotton canvas so that it would be stiff enough not to sag from beading, as well as to hide farthingale hoop lines. I then beaded it and attached it to the petticoat. I hid the raw seams under strips of grosgrain ribbon, rather than adding bulk beneath the forepart by folding it under. This technique is straight out of Margo Anderson's patterns; I cannot take credit.

The waistband is where I deviate from Margo's instructions. She recommends sandwiching the skirt between two strips of grosgrain ribbon. I have done this in the past, and my seams were too sloppy for this to be satisfactory for me. With practice, perhaps it would work. I chose to take a wide strip of grosgrain about two inches longer than my waist measurement, and fold it in half. I pressed the ribbon to create a crisp line, and then sandwiched the petticoat within the ribbon and sewed it close to the edge. This way, I only had to sew one line rather than two. I finished the petticoat with skirt hooks using the excess ribbon length as an overlap. This is helpful in the event of weight fluctuation as additional hook "eyes" can be added easily.

Chocolate Kirtle

I was very tempted to make the Ultramarine blue kirtle first, but alas I needed to get started before the fabric was done being pre-shrunk. So in the end, the decision was dictated by my washing machine.

Friday night I cut two layers of cotton canvas interlining for the bodice, drafted and sewed boning channels, cut and filed boning, and watched the conclusion of Downton Abbey and all of Wuthering Heights. My boning is simple cable ties for this gown, as I didn't feel like dealing with spring steel for this project.

Saturday, after many trials and tribulations involving a marathon blocking my exit from the city, I finally arrived at Serafina's house to keep her company and keep us both focused on our projects. She was a machine zipping through curtains like mad while I worked on completing my bodice, including hand-worked eyelets... why is it that the first few eyelets of every project are complete crap? Oh well, they are serviceable. I am disappointed in myself that I didn't quite count right and I have an extra hole in my bodice for spiral lacing. Oops. Yes, I did extra eyelets for no reason. *facepalm*

Yesterday I cut out my skirts, graded the front of the waistline to account for the dip, pleated and attached said skirts to my spanky new bodice. These pictures are complete crap as I don't have a dress form to speak of (in the works though!), and are taken in my poorly lit bedroom. I am pleased with how the pleating ended up in the back. I don't love the front. I used three panels, with only one in the front so I could use the existing seams for the side lacing. There isn't enough pleating in the front, in my opinion, but I don't hate it enough to re-do it.

The Kitty was far too interested in my lacing cords for her own good. Next up, hemming the skirts.

Updates!

Unfortunately, I have no updates. The last two days have been too busy to get any crafting/sewing/arting done. *shamed* The good news is that I'm through my Board meeting at work, the hair is once again an appropriate shade of screaming red, and this weekend shall be dedicated to the garb cause (and I will be watching girlie movies, in the process! Oh yes, the BBC Pride and Prejudice is in the queue, as is Burlesque). Any locals who want to join me are welcome. :)

Tonight I'll be making the decision whether to do a chocolate or ultramarine blue kirtle first. Oy the decisions!

Norse Pants v.1.2

Exciting News! Okay, maybe not very exciting. The espresso colored pants are complete, save a hem. I won't have much time to measure for the hem tonight, and if it doesn't happen, I may have to guess based on Sven's inseam measurement. Leap of faith?



After these pants are done, I'm going to make something for myself. Or help Serafina, if she needs it. The big question is... do I make the chocolate kirtle, or do I hold that for now and make something brighter, like perhaps an ultramarine blue kirtle? Ooooh the choices...

Shopping Haul

Yesterday felt like my Birthday, with all my packages that arrived in the mail. I just had to share!

My gorgeous Tailor's Ham is courtesy of Fait Avec on Etsy. Isn't he the cutest thing ever?

I also received this glorious ultramarine blue and evergreen linen for future camping garb - eight yards of each. The hard part will be deciding exactly what to do with each... More kirtles, maybe? Venetians? Campi gowns? What do you think?

"Norse" Pants

I say "Norse" because I'm well aware that the pattern I used is not period-accurate. I could have used a pattern based on the Thorsberg Trousers, but I chose, instead, to so something very fast and easy. These pants are black linen, with an elastic waistband within a casing. I added a drawstring for extra security, and will be hand-tacking the area the drawstring comes out of the casing as I couldn't manipulate my machine to do what I wanted.

I still need to hem these pants, and of course clean up the front casing a bit by hand, but the end is in sight! Quest for the Holy Lands is coming up in a little over a week, and my Sven shall not be naked!

Next up, the Espresso Norse Pants.