After the event
In a nutshell, the garb was a hit. While it wasn't perfect, or even as well-fitted as I'd hoped, it looked good together, and received much positive commentary.
What I wore:
-farthingale
-shift
-kirtle
-sleeves
-sleeves
-coif
-wool cap
-open (formerly loose)gown OR doublet of doomy doom
I only wore the doublet for fighting (which went well, thank you very much), because there's alot to dislike about it. It looks alright from a distance, but that's about it.
The sleeves, by the way, were dark navy blue wool lined with red linen/cotton blend, trimmed along the outer seam with the same red braid as I used on the gown. I'd cut the wool just a bit too small, so I stitch bright blue wide bias tape between the outer edges of the upper and lower pieces, then stitched the braid over the bias tape, so you get tiny glimpses of bright blue when I move my arms. I really like these sleeves, though I'll have to experiment with the tying arrangement. It may be appropriate enough to have the straps of my kirtle slide down my shoulders because the sleeves and gravity work together that way, but I don't find that very comfortable. I skipped wearing the sleeves during tourney, because I was certain that slipping would be very distracting while trying to wield a sword effectively. For ties, I'd made small eyelets at the top of the sleeves, and sewn small plastic rings (knitting stitch markers) to the underside of the kirtle's straps, four ties to each side, with black twill tape going through eyelets and rings. I wasn't sure at first which layer (kirtle, gown, doublet, etc) to tie the sleeves to, but it occurred to me that the kirtle was the most sensible layer.
Speaking of the kirtle, I'll need to take it in again soon. That's a good thing.
The gown needs to be taken in around the waist and lower ribcage, little tucks here and there. It looked pretty, but I need a snugger fit for sure. Other than that, it's great. The lining was a lifesaver, as it not only makes the garment much warmer, but also weighs the skirt down so that it doesn't flap all over.
Farthingale, petticoat, and shift all did what they were supposed to do. Being old pieces, there's nothing to report there.
The coif I'm especially happy with. Not only is it 100% linen fabric (cotton thread though, the best I could do, but at least it's not cotton-wrapped polyester!), but it's 100% handsewn, and fits like a dream. It stayed on my head all day, comfortably and perfectly as one could wish. At some point I'll embroider it, but I'm already very pleased with my most period-perfect piece.
I wasn't happy I didn't have a new hat made (or the muff, but I should've started all the sewing ages ago), but I made the old wool cap do well enough. I started by switching out the orange ostrich plume for a bundle of small peacock feathers, those really narrow ones that grow below the eye part of tail feathers. Fixed and pinned a fake pearl brooch onto that, puffed up the top, squished the brim, and voila! It was like a different hat, and I was okay with it.
So, I'd be inclined to grade this entire outfit fairly generously, especially if graded on a curve, because it was definitely one of the fancier get-ups present at the event, and one of the more appropriately done late period outfits.
I will be making a new hat before too long, as I've come up with an excellent plan to convert a modern felt hat into a period-appropriate tall hat, and I'm looking forward to the process. I intend to do a tutorial of that, so when I have a properly working camera again, I'll do that. I'm also hoping to do that with the muff, and probably whatever else I make.
This entry was originally posted at hirtzenocker.dreamwidth.org. Please comment there using OpenID if you can.
What I wore:
-farthingale
-shift
-kirtle
-sleeves
-sleeves
-coif
-wool cap
-open (formerly loose)gown OR doublet of doomy doom
I only wore the doublet for fighting (which went well, thank you very much), because there's alot to dislike about it. It looks alright from a distance, but that's about it.
The sleeves, by the way, were dark navy blue wool lined with red linen/cotton blend, trimmed along the outer seam with the same red braid as I used on the gown. I'd cut the wool just a bit too small, so I stitch bright blue wide bias tape between the outer edges of the upper and lower pieces, then stitched the braid over the bias tape, so you get tiny glimpses of bright blue when I move my arms. I really like these sleeves, though I'll have to experiment with the tying arrangement. It may be appropriate enough to have the straps of my kirtle slide down my shoulders because the sleeves and gravity work together that way, but I don't find that very comfortable. I skipped wearing the sleeves during tourney, because I was certain that slipping would be very distracting while trying to wield a sword effectively. For ties, I'd made small eyelets at the top of the sleeves, and sewn small plastic rings (knitting stitch markers) to the underside of the kirtle's straps, four ties to each side, with black twill tape going through eyelets and rings. I wasn't sure at first which layer (kirtle, gown, doublet, etc) to tie the sleeves to, but it occurred to me that the kirtle was the most sensible layer.
Speaking of the kirtle, I'll need to take it in again soon. That's a good thing.
The gown needs to be taken in around the waist and lower ribcage, little tucks here and there. It looked pretty, but I need a snugger fit for sure. Other than that, it's great. The lining was a lifesaver, as it not only makes the garment much warmer, but also weighs the skirt down so that it doesn't flap all over.
Farthingale, petticoat, and shift all did what they were supposed to do. Being old pieces, there's nothing to report there.
The coif I'm especially happy with. Not only is it 100% linen fabric (cotton thread though, the best I could do, but at least it's not cotton-wrapped polyester!), but it's 100% handsewn, and fits like a dream. It stayed on my head all day, comfortably and perfectly as one could wish. At some point I'll embroider it, but I'm already very pleased with my most period-perfect piece.
I wasn't happy I didn't have a new hat made (or the muff, but I should've started all the sewing ages ago), but I made the old wool cap do well enough. I started by switching out the orange ostrich plume for a bundle of small peacock feathers, those really narrow ones that grow below the eye part of tail feathers. Fixed and pinned a fake pearl brooch onto that, puffed up the top, squished the brim, and voila! It was like a different hat, and I was okay with it.
So, I'd be inclined to grade this entire outfit fairly generously, especially if graded on a curve, because it was definitely one of the fancier get-ups present at the event, and one of the more appropriately done late period outfits.
I will be making a new hat before too long, as I've come up with an excellent plan to convert a modern felt hat into a period-appropriate tall hat, and I'm looking forward to the process. I intend to do a tutorial of that, so when I have a properly working camera again, I'll do that. I'm also hoping to do that with the muff, and probably whatever else I make.
This entry was originally posted at hirtzenocker.dreamwidth.org. Please comment there using OpenID if you can.