UFO Camp Kirtle
(Cross posted from A Gentlewoman's Blog: http://kimiko1.com/blog/2016/01/ufo-camp-kirtle/)
UFOs, UnFinished Objects, we all have them. We who create things often find themselves unable to finish something, so the project languishes until some time later - days, months, sometimes years later. I’ve quite a few in my project bins. The one I pulled out recently, and began to finish, was a linen camp kirtle that I started shortly after I was elevated as a laurel a couple of years ago. It does not appear that I’ve written about it before. Figures.
Egenolff modelbuch plate 47(d). Cropped from the longer strip.
It is a blue linen kirtle, to replace my old, worn out, blue linen kirtle that I’ve worn for years now. This time it has a proper lining, applied by hand for each panel, and the bodice is interlined in hemp canvas. The edges are bound in bias cut fabric. I’ve been slowly working on it here and there, mostly at demos. I just was kinda blasé about it, really. I finally figured out it needed something more to make it visually interesting, to make it worthy of being worn by a Laurel, who really should improve her garb wardrobe, even if it is a garment planned to be worn during the hottest of events, or under my wool short gown, or other garb (I’ve got ideas).
And there I was stumped, and letting the kirtle sit for the longest time, because I wanted something very nice looking, but not all the layers that would have me passing out at our summer events, like Anniversary. I really don’t want to do that. So, how do I make it nice enough for this Laurel to wear, to keep up appearances of my new station, but not die in the heat? Last week, my mind wandered to the painted and stained silk garments, like QEI had herself painted in, and I realized - why not! If “staining” fabric was ok for a queen, surely it would be fine enough for camping in, and washing the camp dirt off of.
No, my outfit will not be as grand as QEI. Those grand outfits are more suited for our winter events, which I have to admit are fewer than I’d like. And with my heat sensitivity issues, I’m unlikely to make such court garb for awhile. But, that’s ok. I still can make and wear nice looking stuff, with linen and wool fabrics, and be ok in our hotter climate.
So, that’s what I am working on.
Last week I ordered supplies for stencil making, while I researched design ideas. I spent today taking the ideas I had saved off, and really looking at how easy they will be to convert to actual stencils. I want a repeating motif at the skirt hemline, along with a smaller design at the neckline.
The design image at the top of this page is what will be on the neckline. This design below is what will be on my skirt hem. Click to view larger image.
Egenolff modelbuch plate 13B, modified, with added top and wreath design.
I am expecting the laurel leaves will be a bear to cut out, but I plan to keep it simple. The stencils will have to be in two parts, with bridges to keep inside parts from popping out. The colors will be simply gold vines, silver top, and silver wreath. And it won’t take nearly as long as hand embroidered designs would have been.
I almost went with a dolphin design, as I’m now a Companion of the Order of the Dolphin (an award in the kingdom of Caid for service), but since I started the kirtle as a baby Laurel, I thought the design should reflect its initial intentions.
So, what sort of UFOs do you have lingering around? Is there anything different you might do to get your languishing project started again?
(Cross posted from A Gentlewoman's Blog: http://kimiko1.com/blog/2016/01/ufo-camp-kirtle/. Comments can be posted here or there.)
UFOs, UnFinished Objects, we all have them. We who create things often find themselves unable to finish something, so the project languishes until some time later - days, months, sometimes years later. I’ve quite a few in my project bins. The one I pulled out recently, and began to finish, was a linen camp kirtle that I started shortly after I was elevated as a laurel a couple of years ago. It does not appear that I’ve written about it before. Figures.
Egenolff modelbuch plate 47(d). Cropped from the longer strip.
It is a blue linen kirtle, to replace my old, worn out, blue linen kirtle that I’ve worn for years now. This time it has a proper lining, applied by hand for each panel, and the bodice is interlined in hemp canvas. The edges are bound in bias cut fabric. I’ve been slowly working on it here and there, mostly at demos. I just was kinda blasé about it, really. I finally figured out it needed something more to make it visually interesting, to make it worthy of being worn by a Laurel, who really should improve her garb wardrobe, even if it is a garment planned to be worn during the hottest of events, or under my wool short gown, or other garb (I’ve got ideas).
And there I was stumped, and letting the kirtle sit for the longest time, because I wanted something very nice looking, but not all the layers that would have me passing out at our summer events, like Anniversary. I really don’t want to do that. So, how do I make it nice enough for this Laurel to wear, to keep up appearances of my new station, but not die in the heat? Last week, my mind wandered to the painted and stained silk garments, like QEI had herself painted in, and I realized - why not! If “staining” fabric was ok for a queen, surely it would be fine enough for camping in, and washing the camp dirt off of.
No, my outfit will not be as grand as QEI. Those grand outfits are more suited for our winter events, which I have to admit are fewer than I’d like. And with my heat sensitivity issues, I’m unlikely to make such court garb for awhile. But, that’s ok. I still can make and wear nice looking stuff, with linen and wool fabrics, and be ok in our hotter climate.
So, that’s what I am working on.
Last week I ordered supplies for stencil making, while I researched design ideas. I spent today taking the ideas I had saved off, and really looking at how easy they will be to convert to actual stencils. I want a repeating motif at the skirt hemline, along with a smaller design at the neckline.
The design image at the top of this page is what will be on the neckline. This design below is what will be on my skirt hem. Click to view larger image.
Egenolff modelbuch plate 13B, modified, with added top and wreath design.
I am expecting the laurel leaves will be a bear to cut out, but I plan to keep it simple. The stencils will have to be in two parts, with bridges to keep inside parts from popping out. The colors will be simply gold vines, silver top, and silver wreath. And it won’t take nearly as long as hand embroidered designs would have been.
I almost went with a dolphin design, as I’m now a Companion of the Order of the Dolphin (an award in the kingdom of Caid for service), but since I started the kirtle as a baby Laurel, I thought the design should reflect its initial intentions.
So, what sort of UFOs do you have lingering around? Is there anything different you might do to get your languishing project started again?
(Cross posted from A Gentlewoman's Blog: http://kimiko1.com/blog/2016/01/ufo-camp-kirtle/. Comments can be posted here or there.)