Making Progress!
Yesterday I decided that I needed to recut the front sections of the mock up of the gothic fitted dress. So I did. The new pieces included the new front line (curved front method from Tasha Kelly) and I flared out the front skirt slightly. Things are looking really good now! I am getting good bust support and the slight flare of the skirt starts about mid abdomen so it is fairly flattering. I am getting a little bit of a gap in the armscye above the armpit in the front. Hopefully, when I set the sleeve, it will be fixed. Otherwise I need to play with that a little.
The fitting of the back isn't quite right yet but is very close. I realized after recutting the front that I should recut the back as well so that I can fix the fitting and include a slight flare on the back skirt. The skirt as it is right now is yummy, but if I give a tiny more on the back, it will be perfect and swishy. Plus if I flare them a bit like this, I won't have to put in gores which I like doing about as much as I like oral surgery. :p However, this makes each front and back piece wider... and if I recall correctly I only have 6 yards of the fabric I was going to use for the overgown (English Rose linen-which is a misleading name as it is not "rose" colored at all, more of a pinkish orangey red) and 7 for the undergown (beige linen- also a misleading name as it is more of a very very pale pink sort of flesh color). The 7 yards should be fine for laying it out, but I am worried about the 6. But you know... I could always piece in part of the skirt and then sew the four pieces together. That would still be easier than doing gores and piecing is period. :)
I have sewn up a sleeve for the undergown as well though I haven't set it into the armscye yet. I can already tell that I need to make it smaller around the lower arm to get that totally fitted look, but currently it is sewed all the way down so if I make it smaller I won't be able to get my hand in. I'll make it narrower when I make the one which will be split for buttons.
Speaking of buttons... I just ordered 80 11mm silver metal buttons from Hong Kong for super cheap. I'm hoping that will be more than enough to do my sleeves on the undergown and the front of my overgown, david's sleeves on his underdoublet and down the front of his cotte. If it isn't, I know I can get more from these folks in Hong Kong. :) Also, I haven't decided on the sleeves of his cotte... I am currently leaning toward pendant sleeves, but if I don't have enough buttons, I could always do his cotte with bag sleeves and then the sleeves of his underdoublet won't be seen. Then I can add buttons to his sleeves later. I was planning on making him two sets of sleeves anyway: one that buttons and one that laces.
The fitting of the back isn't quite right yet but is very close. I realized after recutting the front that I should recut the back as well so that I can fix the fitting and include a slight flare on the back skirt. The skirt as it is right now is yummy, but if I give a tiny more on the back, it will be perfect and swishy. Plus if I flare them a bit like this, I won't have to put in gores which I like doing about as much as I like oral surgery. :p However, this makes each front and back piece wider... and if I recall correctly I only have 6 yards of the fabric I was going to use for the overgown (English Rose linen-which is a misleading name as it is not "rose" colored at all, more of a pinkish orangey red) and 7 for the undergown (beige linen- also a misleading name as it is more of a very very pale pink sort of flesh color). The 7 yards should be fine for laying it out, but I am worried about the 6. But you know... I could always piece in part of the skirt and then sew the four pieces together. That would still be easier than doing gores and piecing is period. :)
I have sewn up a sleeve for the undergown as well though I haven't set it into the armscye yet. I can already tell that I need to make it smaller around the lower arm to get that totally fitted look, but currently it is sewed all the way down so if I make it smaller I won't be able to get my hand in. I'll make it narrower when I make the one which will be split for buttons.
Speaking of buttons... I just ordered 80 11mm silver metal buttons from Hong Kong for super cheap. I'm hoping that will be more than enough to do my sleeves on the undergown and the front of my overgown, david's sleeves on his underdoublet and down the front of his cotte. If it isn't, I know I can get more from these folks in Hong Kong. :) Also, I haven't decided on the sleeves of his cotte... I am currently leaning toward pendant sleeves, but if I don't have enough buttons, I could always do his cotte with bag sleeves and then the sleeves of his underdoublet won't be seen. Then I can add buttons to his sleeves later. I was planning on making him two sets of sleeves anyway: one that buttons and one that laces.