New Outfit Complete

While necessary, sewing hooks and eyes is boring. I finished them up last night. Today I was totally unmotivated. I had a hard time getting all my stuff ready, I just wanted to sit in front of the tv and veg. I think I am all sewn out for these holidays, but I do have a complete new outfit that is getting very period. So that is good. I will leave the other couple of projects I planned for next break. But I got everything ready for the demo tomorrow. Lots of embroidery for show and tell and an easy project to work on. Got the jumbo hooks and eyes onto the fitted gown and pressed everything. Ironing makes a big difference. I also got most of the cat fur off all items. Having a ginger cat and a grey cat means you never win the battle of cat fur. So now I am going to watch boring tv, cause at the moment that sounds very attractive.

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Slashed Sleeves Done

Finally some eye candy! I started and finished a set of tie on slashed sleeves to go with the new black dress. I'm actually very happy with how they turned out. I've never used slashing before, but I think it will work out OK. The wool is left overs from the second fitted gown. They are lined with black linen. The second photo has the slashed pulled apart so you can see the lining.

I got the sleeves for that cut out today as well, that needed to be done first to make sure there was enough wool. Got the stripe pattern worked out but haven't started applying the trim. With a bit of luck, I will get to that after the weekend.

I got the trim onto the black dress. But when I went to sew up the front skirt seam, the length was off. So I had to undo about 3 inches of the bodice/skirt seam, pull a bit up and re-sew. This meant that the trim was off. So after I'd unpicked the handsewn side, I realised there was a join in the trim that I could use to take up the excess. Bugger, at least it wasn't the machine sewn side that I'd ripped out. Then, when I was taking out the excess, I almost took out too much!! A lesson in working late at night and rushing.

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Fitted Gown Finished

Well, after about 5 hours sewing last night, I got all the trim on the Fitted Coat finished. Just needs a final press, adding huge hook and eyes I managed to find at Spotlight and de-cat furring it's done.

Pressed the black dress bodice, got it sewn to the skirt and the lining finished off. Just need to add trim, hooks and eyes and lacing rings. I want trim, as it helps hold the lining in place and makes the hooks and eyes work better. I have two really nice laces I could use, but I think they are a bit fancy. So I got some black velveteen, and will just add strips. I really want some fancy, but it just wouldn't be a middle class outfit if I did that. I might have to make a nice court gown so I can go to town with the decorations!!

Once I get the trim on the black dress, it is basically done, only sitting in front of tv work. So if I have enough fabric, I am going to see if I can get a set of sleeves out of the tan fabric, slashed with black lining. That will look good with the black dress and fitted gown. And since the weather has been cool this week, I will probably need them.

Thanks to Baggy Trousers for the advice on sleeves. I think part of my problem is trying to get the distinct shape of the half sleeve. I will do a slightly different shape on the full lenghth sleeve, less full at the top of the sleeve. The stripes should cover that issue.

Sorry about no photos, but the dress looks like crap on the hanger, so you guys are gonna have to wait until the weekend, so I can get good shots!!

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Theories on Sleeve

Thanks to Susana for the idea about adding a gore to the top of the sleeve to add body. I think that might work. When you look at how the sleeve is decorated, there is a triangle shaped trim treatment. If you were to put in the triangle gore, this would reflect the seam lines! I can't try it on the current gown, as I'm past that bit (I have no patience!) but I might try it on the next one. The other part of the problem is that the sleeve doesn't let me lift my arm up to align with my shoulder. Should I widen the curve to get more movement? I wish I knew more about the mechanics of these types of things. Hem is done and trim cut out. I just have to overlock it, iron it and attach. I also gathered the skirt for the new dress. Hopefully, I will get the bodice pressed and the skirt attached today. That way, just small things to have it ready for the weekend. I promise photos!

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Lest We Forget

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Lest We Forget

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Still Going

Didn't get around to doing the hem today. More messing around. I cut out and started to sew up a new dress. I got some really nice light weight black wool off ebay. So that is cut out and the bodice sewn together. I just need to sew the bodice to the skirt, put on hooks and eyes and lacing rings, and it's done. We have a big demo this weekend, so I should have a totally new outfit by this weekend. Still working on trimming the gown. Did the black trim around the arm holes. All that is left is the trim around the edges.

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Gown Hem Cut

I managed to get the hem sorted out at meeting today. So I can now finish it off and put the main trim on.

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Nearly Finished

Today I got the sleeves done and I have started to apply the various trim. I am using plain strips of black wool for the trim. I am going to have to take the coat to my SCA meeting tomorrow to get some help with getting the hem done. I will keep on working on the trim in the meantime.

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Chilli Day

I spent a bit of time working on the coat. I hate when I take too long on these projects. If I got up early and stuck to it, I'd have it done in a day. I will do that with the next one.

So I actually spent alot of the day making chilli. I made two batches. One that is meant to taste like the stuff from Wendy's (in the USA) and the other was more authentic, with some nice steak, veggies and spices. I wasn't sure about it, but after leaving it overnight, it tasted very nice. I put away 15 serves of each, so that is a few meals out of the way.

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Headwear

Thanks for the comments on the headgear. I used the pattern in the Tudor Tailor book. So I can't take any credit for the pattern (which I didn't even scale up myself, I used a photocopier!!).

The coat is going along. I am just about to finish both layers. Once I have done a final fitting, I will be sewing them together. Still have to do the sleeves.

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Elizabethan Coif and Forehead Cloth

Got the Elizabethan Coif and Forehead Cloth finished. It doesn't sit quite right on the foam head but works alright on mine!! To see what it looks like in context, check out the image of A Group of Englishwomen by Lucas de Heere.

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Headache

I had a quick trip into this morning. Picked up fabric for the lining of the coats. No further work on them yesterday afternoon. I got a headache Monday afternoon, after I cut out and started work on the Elizabethan Coif and Forehead cloth. By tea time, it was so bad I had to lay down or I thought I was going to be sick. Woke up at midnight and then back to sleep until this morning. I think it might have been some noodles I had for lunch.

Anyway, today I have been working on the coif and forhead cloth. Got it cut out, and mostly sewn together. Got a bit of hand sewing to do. I am going to try and get it done tonight.

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Easter TV and Sleeves

Just wanted to clarify, I'm not a particularly religious person and not a Christian. But I do enjoy the religious movies around Easter. If I am going to get religion on TV, then Easter is the best time. I don't know if it means increasing secularisation in Australia. I think we've always been pretty laid back about it here, compared to say the USA. And I think that is a good thing. I think the live and let live attitude is the best way to go. And my biggest complaint about the Ten Commandments remake was how come all the Egyptians were obviously Middle Eastern looking and Moses and the Hebrews way more European looking? No blonde haired, blue eyed Jesus, but not far off it. I didn't see the sleeze re-write, but that wouldn't surprise me in the least! Flame away if so inclined.

I have been working on my sleeves. I can get the right shape, but only with lots of gathering, which makes it look puffy. I need to get the rounded shape but with less gathering/pleats/puffiness. Please feel free to tell me what I am doing wrong.

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Fitting the Mock Up

I watched alot of TV today. No Biblical epics on for Easter Sunday. A bit of a disappointment, I was in the mood for those.

I didn't get to the mock up of my Fitted Gown until this evening. I sewed it up and then spent the next couple of hours tucking in here, sewing, triming, more tucking. I am pretty happy with it. But I am going to fit the sleeves before I take it apart. Probably going to make the sleeves and gown as separate bits, including lining and then sleeves to body.

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Making Garb

Everyone is off having fun at Festival. I hear that it's cold, so I don't feel so bad. My next few posts are probably going to be more about making clothes than any embroidery stuff. I do plan on doing some embroidery, but not until next week.

I am making a Fitted Loose Gown. I know that sounds like a bit of a contradition, but that is what they are called. Today I got the mock ups cut out. Didn't get it done until late and couldn't be bothered sewing them up.

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Approaching Easter

Last day of work, then three weeks leave. I am looking forward to it. Might buy myself an Easter egg today.

Found this while searching for clothing stuff. The Clothing, Culture and Identity in Early Modern England Project. It looks interesting, might have to email and see how it's going.

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Ouch

Just got the first quote for the data recovery. $400-$500 AU. I just don't think I can afford that. I am going to see what backups I have at home, because I just don't have that sort of money laying around for luxuries like this. Most of the research can be reconstructed, but it's the email that I am going to miss the most. Ah well, that will teach me.

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Back Up Your Data NOW!!!

I've said it to myself the last few weekends. I really should back up my external hard drive to DVD. Of course I haven't and of course the hard drive has now died. With a bit of luck I should be able to recover the data, but it is going to cost me an arm and a leg. So, if you have any significant amount of data (I've lost about 4 years of research, 40 Gb of info), then back it up NOW. You have been told!!

So updates will probably be plain for a while since lots of my images are now inaccessible.

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Slow Weekend

I had a pretty slow weekend. Didn't do much on Saturday. Did some shopping. Got some linen to make headwear over Easter break. They had new wool in as well. Got a lovely green that is sort of Goose-turd green/Willow coloured. I am thinking another Fitted Gown out of that. Got a bit of housework done and thought about sewing. Did some reading. I can't get new books so I am re-reading some of my old sci-fi series. I love series. Sunday was more housework. Washed the wool. I need to get linings for all the coats. I will have to do some reading, work out what I want and then buy it on Saturday. Spotlight will be packed, it always is near a long-weekend. Might even go in on Thursday night.

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The Tudor Tailor Email List Redux

Small technical difficulty, had to change the name and therefore the signup address for the Tudor Tailor book email list. New details can be found at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Tudor_Tailor_Reader/

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More Goldwork

I managed to get a bit more goldwork done last night. The boat is nearly finished. I am going to try and get it done by the weekend, incase I have to do some more. Which is looking likely.

Also today, had meeting at work about training and general staff development. As a result, I have to take 6 weeks leave by the end of July. So I have two weeks straight after Easter, then two more in June and two more in July. And that doesn't even tap into my long service leave. Work is really cracking down on accumalated leave, cause that is where most of the debt that got us into trouble has come from. So there are an awful lot of people with heaps of leave owing who now have to take it, no matter what their supervisors say. The accusation has always been that the individual has been hoarding leave, but they don't want to acknowledge that people have gotten so much leave because their supervisors will never give them permission to take it. So now instead of loosing people for a couple of weeks here and there. Some people are going to have to take months off at a time. Great management technique.

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The Tudor Tailor

This post is a bit of free advertising for a new book I just bought. It's called The Tudor Tailor and is fantastic. It's focused on Tudor dress (Henry VIII through to the death of Elizabeth I) and includes patterns for both men and women. It gives background to all aspects of clothing in this period and has detailed line drawings and patterns for a heap of clothes. If you do 16th Century costuming, I cannot recommend this book enough. As well as being excellent it's also extremely well priced.

I have started a Yahoo group to discuss the patterns and various issues related to them, so come on over if you are interested in joining. The Tudor Tailor Email list. I know there are other costuming lists that cover this period, but a couple are already getting annoyed about discussion focusing on this book, so I thought starting a group dedicated to it would be a better option and instead of having to keep track of discussion on 5 email lists, it could be focused one.

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Blah Day

Got more cleaning and washing done. I wanted to get some more patterns drawn up for the wool embroidery but I one got one done. I wanted to do some on black but it needed to be washed, it was a bit stiff. So I washed and will get them drawn up this week. Went to gathering, but Jo wasn't there so I couldn't do the first aid thing. Back home to a very lazy night of being used a matress by Cleo.

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Cooking

Some how today turned into a cooking day. I did all the usual cleaning and washing and also managed to put away enough food for a month of dinners. I did up a batch of spagetti bolagnaise. That divided up into 16 serves. And I made Macaronni, Bacon and Cheese Casserole. That got me another 6 meals. I will make up a batch of Chinese Beef as well, which should be good for another 6 or 8 meals. And also some Thai Red Chicken Curry which is usually good for another 12 meals. So once I get all that done, I should be right for a while. I also gave me bedroom a good clean and reorganise. Got clothes into the new cupboard I got last weekend.

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