14th century European
I’m basically done with my 14th century outfit–wore it to Caer Galen Toys for Tots in October. I need to take in part of the waist a tiny bit more so it will hang right, but that’s it. I may eventually rip the sleeves out of the kirtle and redraft them to have mitten cuffs and use wood-cored buttons, but they’re serviceable and I may use my leftover blue linen/cotton for a summer camping event doublet instead.
I got more comments on the belt (which took about three hours total) than anything else, probably because belts are more arcane to most people than sewing. Anyway, I’m pretty excited about it–I dyed it myself (modern dyes), finished the edges with wax (speculative, plausible, and easy to rewax when they get fuzzy–modern Edgecoat looks really, well, modern), and attached mounts until my arm hurt, at which time I handed it over to my lord to finish. The buckle, strap end, purse hanger, and mounts all came from Fettered Cock Pewters. I’m very pleased with the mounts and purse hanger, especially for the price, but pewter is a bit soft for buckles and strap ends, especially since each only has one rivet. Still, you get what you pay for, and FCP is the most affordable source of replica fittings I’ve found. I still need to attach buckle and strap end to my stamped belt a la Museum of London.
I also made a downright hideous tasseled brocade pouch from a remnant someone gave away at fighter practice. It’s handy to have somewhere to shove a wallet, not so handy the way the cords twist up and it bangs against my leg when I walk.
I figured out how to pin my veil pretty nicely (reproduction wimple pins from FCP = also great, but I’m going to order some plain brass reproduction clothing pins from Historic Enterprises for general non-decorative use. I definitely need to make some veils out of silk and lighter-weight linen, and probably a bit larger.
Number one thing I learned: USE WOODEN CORES for cloth buttons (it’s documentable, at least for men, and makes buttoning them much easier. They also look neater).
Pictures when I get around to getting them.
15th century Italian
I’m working on research and patterning for a 15th century Italian gamurra and giornea. Both will be reversible and made from fabric I already have. The hitch is that I want my gamurra to be red, not screaming salmon pink, and I’m not tackling home dyeing until after Christmas. But it should help clean out my stash, and be less of a PITA than the cotehardie (no cloth buttons!). I should have some time to work on this before spring semester starts.
Goal: Done by Caer Galen A&S, January 27
Anglo-Saxon
Ordered some dirt cheap cadet blue linen for the under tunic. Took measurements for the overtunic to be made from embroidered wool (!) tablecloth. Low-priority project.
Elizabethan caul
Since I have a farthingale, underskirt with forepart, and overskirt (and material to make new sleeves) for my Elizabethan doublet, I really need a fancier piece of headwear (not counting my disatisfactory first attempt at a tall hat). I started a caul out of dark blue cotton (horror!) leftover from the underskirt. I laid non-metallic gold soutache down in a grid pattern over it and tacked the intersections down with glass pearls. Now I’m sewing down spangles in every other square. Then I just need to decorate and attach the band. It’s much, much slower than I expected and makes my fingers and back hurt, but it will be insanely ostentatious and probably the simplest piece of headwear I can get away with to go with that dress.
If my lord weren’t planning on making a doublet out of the remaining fabric (I begged enough for the overskirt), I’d consider making a low-necked doublet or gown bodice to wear with the overskirt because I’m itching to embroider a partlet, but honestly, I don’t like the fabric that much–it was given to us and it isn’t totally inappropriate, but it’s a little rubberized and the pattern is off. I should just put my energies into a properly cut Elizabethan gown, if I ever get around to making a corset. Although given my figure, it might be easier and more comfortable to just lightly bone and interline my bodices and doublets.
Might try to put together some paned sleeves before Saturday….
New name
I’ve decided to change from 14th century Mongol to 14th/16th century (depending on my mood) Spanish, on account of accidentally falling in love with European clothing, and also because I’m so compulsive about authenticity with the Mongol stuff I don’t get around to making it. Someday I will. But I think Spanish is more appropriate, given the majority of my SCA interests.
Makes me glad I never got around to submitting a name and device.
Someday.