Pennsic sewing plans
I got some kid-free time in the art library last week (yay!) so I got to look through the Hours of Henry VIII, which is library use only. But that's OK, the library has a nice scanner you can use.
The book was not commissioned by Henry, just probably owned by him at some point, and was illuminated by Jean Poyet. The scenes are not English (um...didn't get to read enough to figure out WHERE he was from...it was only a little time in the library) but they are from 1500. So, wrong country for my persona, right date, right general side of the world...probably good enough?
So here are some lovely working-class dresses that I need to make for Pennsic. There are slightly larger versions on my Flickr page, if you click:
I see plenty of variation in the dress...but I like that they are cut reasonably high and modest. It is fun having cleavage hanging out SOME of the time, but not ALL the time.
Thoughts on how to make these:
1. Looks like a fitted bodice, supportive the way a Gothic-fitted-gown is, but with a flatter chest profile and probably a straight, not curved, center front line.
2. There are enough gathers visible at the waist, I suspect that there is a seam there, with a belt or apron tied over it.
3. Not sure about the shepherdess with the red hat, but the others lace up the front. Looks like the back need not be solid, though. Held shut by a few sewn-in bars? Are those gold buttons on the end of those bars?
4. That first red gown...it looks more like ladder lacing, more like the back of the second image with the pink gown. Hmmm....
5. Chemise neckline can be anything -- square, rounded square, V, circle -- needn't match gown neckline, which can be round or square or...what is that last neckline DOING?
6. Looks as if trimming the edges of the sleeves and hem and neckline might be OK...or could be artistic license.
7. Those first three hats -- how is that working? What are they doing with their long hair under them? I see a simple cap with a seam down the center of two pieces of linen, and another band of linen tied around that with the knot at the front. How do you make two flat pieces of fabric lay so smoothly over a curved head without a bit of gather somewhere?
8. White knee-length apron, with white ties.
9. Shoes with rounded toes (maybe those are clogs?)
10. Chemise sleeves gather to a band at the wrist, with no visible closure -- so probably just snug enough to fit over the hand.
11. Love that shepherdess's red hood. Where do I find a pattern for that?
And the really important question -- when do I find the time to sew all this?
Oh well, dreaming and planning and scrutinizing images makes me happy...
The book was not commissioned by Henry, just probably owned by him at some point, and was illuminated by Jean Poyet. The scenes are not English (um...didn't get to read enough to figure out WHERE he was from...it was only a little time in the library) but they are from 1500. So, wrong country for my persona, right date, right general side of the world...probably good enough?
So here are some lovely working-class dresses that I need to make for Pennsic. There are slightly larger versions on my Flickr page, if you click:
I see plenty of variation in the dress...but I like that they are cut reasonably high and modest. It is fun having cleavage hanging out SOME of the time, but not ALL the time.
Thoughts on how to make these:
1. Looks like a fitted bodice, supportive the way a Gothic-fitted-gown is, but with a flatter chest profile and probably a straight, not curved, center front line.
2. There are enough gathers visible at the waist, I suspect that there is a seam there, with a belt or apron tied over it.
3. Not sure about the shepherdess with the red hat, but the others lace up the front. Looks like the back need not be solid, though. Held shut by a few sewn-in bars? Are those gold buttons on the end of those bars?
4. That first red gown...it looks more like ladder lacing, more like the back of the second image with the pink gown. Hmmm....
5. Chemise neckline can be anything -- square, rounded square, V, circle -- needn't match gown neckline, which can be round or square or...what is that last neckline DOING?
6. Looks as if trimming the edges of the sleeves and hem and neckline might be OK...or could be artistic license.
7. Those first three hats -- how is that working? What are they doing with their long hair under them? I see a simple cap with a seam down the center of two pieces of linen, and another band of linen tied around that with the knot at the front. How do you make two flat pieces of fabric lay so smoothly over a curved head without a bit of gather somewhere?
8. White knee-length apron, with white ties.
9. Shoes with rounded toes (maybe those are clogs?)
10. Chemise sleeves gather to a band at the wrist, with no visible closure -- so probably just snug enough to fit over the hand.
11. Love that shepherdess's red hood. Where do I find a pattern for that?
And the really important question -- when do I find the time to sew all this?
Oh well, dreaming and planning and scrutinizing images makes me happy...