A Florentine Townswoman

I'm just going to stop saying I'm back and just write.

Today I present my Lower Class Florentine:

It's a really simple gown. The purple is mid-weight linen from Fabrics-Store. The trim is black velvet ribbon. I'm wearing it over a small pocket, my red quilted petticoat, a partlet and my linen 18th century shift (One day I'll have a proper 16th century one)

The fascinating part is the bodice. I constructed it with a layer of heavy duty interfacing, and two layers of heavy drill. All the shaping is in that form and the lacing rings at the side backs. I have a couple more of this style to make so there will be more pics.

Behind the scenes showing the general bodice shapes and the lacing rings. I stitched them on with waxed embroidery floss. As long as I went through all the layers they seemed to hold up.

Of course then I had to make more...

And us at the NJ Renaissance Faire. 

And again at New York Renaissance Faire. For this one my friend borrowed my purple and I wore an old green gown that I finally finished which will be the subject of the next post 

Needless to say I have more Florentines to make and man is this gown comfy also really versitile between two different people. 

Cheers!

A Fantasy on Celtic Warriors

I was going to write a "This is what I made in 2014" post but then I realized I forgot to write up one of my favorite costumes. And then I realized I am really a very bad blogger. One day I'll learn how to keep up. So...here are the Celts, we did for Faire this year.

The New York Renaissance Faire gets very very hot. Every year it get so hot at least for one or two weekends we don't go. I have no argument with heat, and a great deal of respect for those who can endure in their massive gowns complete with several layers and heavy fabric. Unfortunately, heat has massive issues with me. After nearly passing out last year (I may have gone a little crazy with a newly boned corset), I promised Lover I would not wear a tight corset this year. This lead to the Warm Weather Celts.

Some preview shots. And me messing around. I made the pieces spread out over a long time. Lover's shirt was by far the easiest. I foolishly hand hemmed the 4 yard band of my plaid, as well as Lover's but that was just the two 1 yard end pieces. My gown started as sleeveless, and laces down the back with goldish embroidery on the neck.

My gown was roughly 3-4 yards of green cotton I found in the stash lined in about a yard of muslin, which I used to drape the pattern a la a medieval gown. Which is also how the gown is patterned. I sewed by machine for the gown save the hem and biding at neck and arms. 

Lover's was really easy, all I had to do was hem his plaid and make the shirt. The shirt I did completely on machine. The pants were from his original garb. 

Lover added in his armor and sword himself, then had a little fun with the woad designs. We wore our garb twice. And I too had fun with the woad, at least the first time. 

As you notice from my picture, I look rather liquidy and very red. I was so badly sunburned after the day I had to be super careful what I wore on my shoulders. Luckily the woad lines on my face faded rather quickly. But they were present enough for people to comment. So I went back to the drawing board and did this:

I added long sleeves with a bit of white fabric I found in my stash, Totally behaved like a cotton or cotton blend, but very light and airy. And no woad for me. I decided I was the princess. :)

Finally our gallant warrior and his princess. 

Cheers and Happy New Year!

Merlina

A Tudor Gentleman and Lady

So we plotted and planned for Faire, then life got in the way. However I got part of the plot done, and then it go adapted. And I still need to do something about these sleeves.

Close up showing the white fabric with the subtle design

Quilting the canvas interlining. I wanted to experiment with minimal boning for Tudor Dress

 Fitting. This is just two layers of cotton canvas quilted together with vertical lines as if for boning. The canvas and quilting gives quite a good shape. I added two strips of flat reed to the center front and a pair on either side of the lacing. The fashion fabric was mounted on the top of the lining. I also like how smooth the sides and front are. The only seams is the side back.

Handsewn partlet, because after wicked sunburn it is 110% necessary. 

Trims on the left: silver cord, fancy silvery trim and black velvet ribbon. And then the way they were sewn on to the right. I love using simple trim to build up the design. Just one would not be enough. And ironically the trim was the cheapest part of the gown. 

If I remember correctly this was shortly after I stitched on the last of the trim, Had to see what it looked like! This is just over my handsewn shift (because we must brag about that) and a prequilted fabric turned petticoat. 

Cheap paper fan decorated to accompany the gown. Fans in summer are very important. 

AND *drum roll* Pictures from faire!

Lover having fun!

Lover's attire as a proper abet still roguish gentleman for the day. All save the hat and bracers are from previous years. I made the hat the night before. Along with my hood. 

My gown! It actually came together really well. I lined the sleeve turn backs in net a la Jane Seymour. I also had black velvet under sleeves. Which are currently tucked in my pockets because they were too hot. I also have my French hood. I made it based off the information here: http://www.modehistorique.com/research/ReconstructingTheFrenchHood_06-2009.pdf

I did cheat a little, I do not like coifs. So my pleated ribbon is stitched on a band like a medieval veil. I also have a muslin braid beneath my hood for the braid that would have been worn of one's own hair. (Previous pictures show I do not possess sufficient hair.) Everything is then pinned together. So many pins! My neck and shoulders hurt for days after. This is quite a heavy gown and headdress. 

And a quasi close up/cute picture.

There should be more on Nefertari soon and the Celt Warrior and his Queen. As well as a head first off the high dive jump into TWO, read that TWO new eras which have previously only been dabbled in!

Cheers!

Merlina

I Present Captain Killian Jones, Better Known as Hook, Love

For those of us who devote our Sunday nights at 8pm to an hour in front of ABC or have DVR set to record that same hour, just in case - well this is for you.

At that time on that channel is the show Once Upon a Time, now on its third season. I have been watching since the beginning. Occasionally catching up in the morning after. But I have never missed an episode. It is one of my favorite shows, especially since I grew up on fairy tales. My cousins and I once creating our own "fairy tale museum". If you have been watching, you have met Hook.

Not this Hook:

http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Captain_Hook

Trust me, I would not be drooling over this version of Hook, perms not a good thing, and I'm fairly certain he wears a corset....

No I mean this Hook:

http://gayspeak.com/showthread.php?p=330670

I mean who wouldn't drool? Now wipe the drool off your keyboard.....and get the wine, or rum..whichever you prefer, and we shall continue!

For costumers, this show is deadly. It is catnip to us well at least to me. I look at all the costumes and go, I want that and that and that and that...When I first saw the episode with Hook, my immediate thought was how much he and Lover looked similar. Well that was the second thought. The first being, Lover would look hot in a leather doublet. And that I finally understand the whole pirate thing. I know, I know. I'm a little late in catching that train.

http://onceuponatimeabc.wikia.com/wiki/Captain_Hook

This is our dear Hook. I went through so many patterns and rewatched so many episodes. Had to get each piece perfect. This is how I learned the doublets on the men are very similar to the Tudor/Elizabethan doublets. Which means The Tudor Tailor has the patterns I needed! Hallelujah! 

With a doublet from Tudor Tailor, Simplicity 4923, and McCall's 4486, several bottles of wine, some SoCo, pirate movies, Once, stolen kisses, the black cat, and much swearing, I had this and I know the tabs need lengthening:

And my absolute fave:

Isn't it absolutely delicious? I mean seriously, it's Hook! I love having Lover who is willing to dress up in costume with me. He even found the boots! 

Cheers!

Merlina

PS: That is a real sword.......