Green velveteen doublet
I cut out canvas interlining and added some boning. It should ideally be worn over a corset, and probably will be eventually (or passed on to someone smaller than I). I need to take out the shoulder seams and refit the back (I hope that will solve the problem).
15th century Italian chemise
Two movies and an episode of CSI:NY later (I time projects by what I’m watching), I am almost done with the embroidery for the cuffs. It’s a simple, narrow band of 16th century Italian cross-stitch (in the interest of time, short-armed) from the New Carolingian Modelbook. I couldn’t find anything definitively 15th century, but it’s a very simple design. And it still takes an hour an inch. Since I decided I want things embellished right, my concept of appropriate time to spend on an outfit has ballooned. I am not planning on making my own lace, however.
Spanish jerkin
I may hold off on patterning this until I have a corset, since I may want to be able to wear it as a doublet as well (with tie-on sleeves). But I think I have enough thread-wrapped buttons now.
Gloves
I am not yet tackling period gloves, but I bought a nice pair of red leather winter gloves when I am going to attach cuffs to. I’m not embroidering them to death in the satin stitch-and-buillion style that seems to be so common in the late 16th century, but I think my plan is plausible. I will make tabbed cuffs of black velveteen edged with gold lace, with a ruffle of red silk ribbon at the wrist (silk-and-gold ruffles seem to be common on extant pairs). The velveteen will be moderately embroidered with imitation Japan gold in a simple chevron-based pattern and I will sew gold spangles into the lace in lieu of making my own lace (haha). I think it’s a plausible second-best-pair style for lower nobility, particularly c. 1580 rather than later, and I will have something to keep my hands warm at night at Estrella.
The wonderful world of hats
I am pretty unsatisfied with my first attempt at a tall hat (such that I don’t think I’ll ever wear it again). I don’t have sufficient hair to keep a coif on without tons of pins, and I don’t feel stable in a feminine-size tall hat. So I will probably make a full-sized one, and this time I will use one of Lynn McMasters’ patterns. I also want an Italian bonnet, since they’re one of the few things worn with the Spanish doublet gowns I love that isn’t an elaborate hairstyle. And I need a new flat cap (or three) at some point. And a coif or two. I’m also intrigued by this portrait of Katherine Parr, in which she seems to be wearing a plain silk coif with the strings tied around a bun (per Laura Mellin’s theory), with the brim wired and edged with pearls, but not as sharply pointed in front as an “attifet” or a regular coif. The pleated material at the top might possibly be some form of forehead cloth. Anyway, I am intrigued by her hat, which looks like a brimless Tudor flat cap, like the kind men are always wearing in portraits a few decades earlier. But the portrait is from about 1545. I like the effect, though.
Pair of bodies
I have bumped the corset up on my to-do list; I really shouldn’t put it off any further. Sigh. I have pretty much all the materials (unless I decide to use reed instead of cable ties for the first attempt) and I will handsew everything with the blue silk thread I have leftover from another project. Need to decide what to use for the pretty outer layer (I have decided not to have a stereotypical white corset; I’d rather use that handkerchief linen for coifs and such).
In the meantime, corset-free Italian Ren is the next major sewing project.
Like I need more embroidery projects….
But I am temporarily sick of buttons, and embroidery is very portable. I am thinking a handkerchief will be a small project to experiment with reversible blackwork. Probably little Spanish pomegranate motifs in the corners. I really need to get over my love affair with English clothing sometime and do a few Spanish ensembles (a doublet gown, one of the fitted overgowns with doublet and forepart affairs that show up in Spanish and northern Italian paintings, a half bias-cut plaid cotehardie–no, really!–SOMETHING distinctively Spanish, anyway). But English embroidery is more interesting.
