Current progress, including more research thoughts.
Yeah, it's been awhile. I've been letting the short gown sit, skirts hanging, for over a week with no further progress. I did finish the last few stitches for the Baronial Phoenix for the Baron/ess (photo later). I have been continuing my slow research into the Warrants I mentioned last time. I decided to start from the beginning, and work my way to the end. I just finished with 1582, but it is eye glazing reading. However, it is helping me to understand the trends that go on.
I posted a few thoughts in the Elizabethan Costume FB group (mostly un-noticed there), and they are now here with further thoughts on my research.
Today I learned, that entries for "buskes" in QEI's Wardrobe Warrants were sporadic, and went from 1577 to 1586 (entries currently end in 1588). Made of wood, whale bone, whale bone and wire, and some not listed as to materiel. Some were covered in fabric “pair of cases”, while others did not.
I've since re-read Arnold's QEWU, and she mentions these of course, just not their dates when they started being used and when they stopped being listed. She also lists the pairs of cases in a different area, as if they were meant to simply carry them around. Considering the number of cases made, and that they were usually made in fine fabrics and not just canvas, they may have been part of the busks, and not just for storage and carrying them around. I hope to note more as I read.
I finally understand that half-farthingales usually went with padded rolls, early in the 1580s. But in 1581 entries, the clerk dropped the rolls portion for some reason, but still listed the padding materials. Will find out later if rolls reappear with half-farthingales or not, but I'm not really tracking these right now - just thought it interesting as I'd long wondered which 'half' a half-farthingale covered. I think Pat Stanley (the lady portraying QEI at Visalia) may be amused to find she may be right after all, in wearing her Spanish farthingale over a large roll.
I also learned that Thomasina the Dwarf, was only given petticoats and gowns, along with other accessories and some linens, presumably to make into smocks (some linens are noted for sheets). She so far has not been given kirtles. And many of the gowns seem quite lovely with lace and bugles added, even if the fabrics are not as fine. (she received several gowns for each petticoat given.)
Why this last is important to me, is that Thomasina was one of a handful of women who were provided full outfits by the Queen's command, and recorded in several continuing entries so far, usually at least every 6 months, so I can trend and see what it is that a non-Queen would wear, vs the Queen who has petticoats, kirtles, gowns, waistcoats, foreparts, jackets, doublets, and more. In other words, a more average courtly/liveried wardrobe. There are other ladies who get fully outfitted, and they did get petticoats, kirtles and gowns, but they also were more sporadic in what they were given. Other women usually were given gowns, or fabric. One special lady got a whole lot of shoes, as well as a full set of garb.
And the silence on garment stiffeners outside of canvas, sometimes buckram, once mentioning using bays (a worsted warp, woolen weft woolen fabric) for stiffening, and the random making of groups of busks continue. I know the bents possibly in the bodies will be in upcoming entries (1582-83), but so far this tells me that there were NO bents in bodies, other than in sleeve rolls, during the late 60s and all of the 70s, into 1582. As I re-read Arnold's commentary, I'm finding her words a bit misleading.
I also think that if the Queen had ever used hemp cord or similar cord for soft boning, it would have been listed somewhere in the warrants, probably among the entries that are for the tailors general supplies, or the silk woman's list of items. Both of those list a wide variety of items for payment, but there are no types of cords listed that isn't decorative.
And as I think about the known images and stories about QEI, she was active, dancing and walking often, horse back riding, especially in her early years. She may simply have not needed any stiffeners or body shaping, beyond shaping of the garment, using busks and various fabric stiffening as I've noted, usually in gowns.
If only we had the tailoring warrants for the regular English court ladies, to see what they did in their garments. Especially if any of those ladies were known to have had children. Anyone know of such?
I posted a few thoughts in the Elizabethan Costume FB group (mostly un-noticed there), and they are now here with further thoughts on my research.
Today I learned, that entries for "buskes" in QEI's Wardrobe Warrants were sporadic, and went from 1577 to 1586 (entries currently end in 1588). Made of wood, whale bone, whale bone and wire, and some not listed as to materiel. Some were covered in fabric “pair of cases”, while others did not.
I've since re-read Arnold's QEWU, and she mentions these of course, just not their dates when they started being used and when they stopped being listed. She also lists the pairs of cases in a different area, as if they were meant to simply carry them around. Considering the number of cases made, and that they were usually made in fine fabrics and not just canvas, they may have been part of the busks, and not just for storage and carrying them around. I hope to note more as I read.
I finally understand that half-farthingales usually went with padded rolls, early in the 1580s. But in 1581 entries, the clerk dropped the rolls portion for some reason, but still listed the padding materials. Will find out later if rolls reappear with half-farthingales or not, but I'm not really tracking these right now - just thought it interesting as I'd long wondered which 'half' a half-farthingale covered. I think Pat Stanley (the lady portraying QEI at Visalia) may be amused to find she may be right after all, in wearing her Spanish farthingale over a large roll.
I also learned that Thomasina the Dwarf, was only given petticoats and gowns, along with other accessories and some linens, presumably to make into smocks (some linens are noted for sheets). She so far has not been given kirtles. And many of the gowns seem quite lovely with lace and bugles added, even if the fabrics are not as fine. (she received several gowns for each petticoat given.)
Why this last is important to me, is that Thomasina was one of a handful of women who were provided full outfits by the Queen's command, and recorded in several continuing entries so far, usually at least every 6 months, so I can trend and see what it is that a non-Queen would wear, vs the Queen who has petticoats, kirtles, gowns, waistcoats, foreparts, jackets, doublets, and more. In other words, a more average courtly/liveried wardrobe. There are other ladies who get fully outfitted, and they did get petticoats, kirtles and gowns, but they also were more sporadic in what they were given. Other women usually were given gowns, or fabric. One special lady got a whole lot of shoes, as well as a full set of garb.
And the silence on garment stiffeners outside of canvas, sometimes buckram, once mentioning using bays (a worsted warp, woolen weft woolen fabric) for stiffening, and the random making of groups of busks continue. I know the bents possibly in the bodies will be in upcoming entries (1582-83), but so far this tells me that there were NO bents in bodies, other than in sleeve rolls, during the late 60s and all of the 70s, into 1582. As I re-read Arnold's commentary, I'm finding her words a bit misleading.
I also think that if the Queen had ever used hemp cord or similar cord for soft boning, it would have been listed somewhere in the warrants, probably among the entries that are for the tailors general supplies, or the silk woman's list of items. Both of those list a wide variety of items for payment, but there are no types of cords listed that isn't decorative.
And as I think about the known images and stories about QEI, she was active, dancing and walking often, horse back riding, especially in her early years. She may simply have not needed any stiffeners or body shaping, beyond shaping of the garment, using busks and various fabric stiffening as I've noted, usually in gowns.
If only we had the tailoring warrants for the regular English court ladies, to see what they did in their garments. Especially if any of those ladies were known to have had children. Anyone know of such?