Easy trim

My favorite way to make trim from persnickety fabrics.

1) cut a strip!
2) sew it in half!
3) turn it right side out, and iron with seam centered!
4) apply!

Venetian drawers! A bloomer diary.

So, as a layer for the italian renaissance costuming challenge, I decided to make a pair of drawers.

I started with a pair of jammy pants (they were ripped beyond repair) that had the general shape I was going for, and traced a new waist line directly on the fabric. I cut off the leg right around my knee.

I then cut the pants into two pieces (instead of 4), and layed them on some paper and started trying the pattern up.

Pants after cutting to desired shape

I then trued up my pattern on paper, and transferred it to my fabric - a reclaimed linen table cloth.

I made a mistake, and got my back angle reversed, so the drawers had an upward point on the back side. I cut it off this time, and will have to correct that on my pattern.

Since my pattern is only 3 pieces (two legs and a waist band), the order of operation is sew the crotch, and then the outside leg seams. Finish seams, and then sew on waist band. 

The butt area is completely on the bias, while the front ends up being on straight grain. 

I left the legs partially opened, so I can trim that area and tie it in a bow when I'm wearing them.. the main inspiration looks like it has slightly open legs that close with buttons, perhaps. 

As you can see from the picture.. things went a bit sideways: I realized that my leg pattern wouldnt work with a tie, so I decided to just trim the legs in some reclaimed charmuse.. as you can see, it looked rather unpleasing (rennaissance basket ball shorts, anyone?) I took off the trimming going up the leg, unpicked the trim from the V.. sewed up the leg spit, and evened up the leg. I then just bound the bottom raw edge of the leg. 

Story time about the binding! 

 I had this beautiful rhasberry charmuse that I reclaimed from some second hand clothing. I loved the color, and thought it would be lovely trim....

....it was some of the most frustrating fabric I have ever used. It doesn't like to iron - I had to get it wet, and iron dry into the shape I needed. I also realized I had to bast it into place at the start and finish areas that were being sewn. I'll be hard pressed to use this fabric again for trim. 

For my waist band, I drafted a semi fitted wide band - 2.5 inches in the front, and 3.5 in the back (trying to cover more butt area, without the waist band being crazily high in front). I just sewed this on like a binding, and gathered the drawers into the waist band. 

All that is left is drawing in a draw string! 

Over all... this project cost me, I think, $8. All things considered, i think this project came out pretty decent :D 

I ended up adding a quick silk draw string, made out of the silk, too, for that added cuteness factor <3

Zibellino

Today starts off the official start of the 10th IRCC! Although my Design is 1480’s, I decided to make a zibellino, which is a smidge later period. I love their cute little faces! I bought a blonde mink last year for my birthday, and have been collecting knick knacks for embellishment.

I’ll be using an air drying clay, some semi precious cabochons, and a silver bracelet to adorn my little dead friend.

I took my mink and wrapped him in plastic wrap, so I can sculpt my clay right on top of it. I started by placing one layer of clay over the mink to get a base shape for his face. I then placed the bracelet bar where the mouth would be, and placed more clay to build up the snout. I did the same for the cheek bones/eye sockets. I made some rounded triangles for the ears, and pinned them in place, behind the eye, and hugging the cheek bone. Since Antonino (isnt that a cute name?!) is a cheeky rogue, I decided to give him a pierced ear and earring.

I let him dry for a few weeks (its been so humid!), and painted him silver. I found this unpleasing, and painted over that with a copper/bronzey color. Much better!

I need to touch the paint up a little, seal it, add his earring, and permantly attach the pelt.. I'm very pleased with the progress!

Jorvik cap (in progress)

Once upon a time, at an An Tir arts and sciences, a friend asked me to make her a green jorvik cap if she ever became princess.

Well.. I decided she didn't have to wait to have a nice cap! Mostly because I found some green and white (her colors) diamond twill (her time period) for a song. I already had some green silk in my stash, so I cut it out and started to embroider a little dragon.

I found an image on line, traced it, and am embroidering through the paper.

Sberna Diary

I'll be recreating the Sbernia (an Italian mantle with arm slits) from, "Portrait of a Lady," by Giovanni Ambrogio de Predis (1485).

Portrait of a lady, Giovanni Ambrogio de Predis

1/27/2019

I was researching mantles in my Facebook sca groups. A few years ago, some one posted the details to a blog, Here. 

After reading this article, looking at more art and seeing half circle cloaks in person, it seems that a Sbernia is a half circle as well. Alcega's tailoring book (which you can down load here) has quite a few mantle patterns and lay outside in it. I'm having a small problem with choosing which pattern to use.

St. Catherine, Botticelli, 1475

Lady with an ermine, da Vinci, 1490

4/27/2019

After some serious thought, Mr. Badger and I made the pilgrimage up to the Washougal to hunt for some wool. 

Glorious, glorious wool. We bought two varieties for this sbernia project. The first  was one I wasn’t entirely happy with, and the second only had 3 yards. After washing the yardages in the washer.. the first piece came out beautifully. Lightly fulled and soft, with a beautiful drape. 

The second? Fulled to a big fluff. 

I’m going to end up using the first fabric. 

I’ve made a mock up, which I am relatively happy with... my couching work, however, is a different story. 

1/13/2020

this project has been in the works for so long that it has completely morphed! I'm using a historical Alcega pattern. I traced it onto my fabric with tallow soap, since Alcega mentioned using it in his book. 

I fold my fabric in half (long was)  and traced an egg shape. 

I cut each section along the line, and along the top fold. I machine sewed each seam with a straight stitch and hand finishing the edges with a whip stitch.

I have a nice gold silk that I will be using for the lining.  I will cut it the same way as above, but without the center back seam. I'll be felling the silk seams.

As in the Elenora di Toledo burial dress, I will be adding the lining in by folding in the outside edges, and whip stitching the two together.


3/30
Amid the pandemic quarantine, I have received my gold purl! I ordered 6 quantities from Here, which sells glut purl by the 50cm section. While the product is lovely, I think I will have to order more.

Camicia!

I've been needing to make new under garments for awhile, but have put it off for a year or two ( I really dislike rectangular construction).

So, I finally had a sewing day with some beautiful friends in my principality (SUMMITS!!), and they helped me math a pattern and cutting diagram.

(left)
My inspiration photo

(right)
My sewing diagram -
Front back panels - 41"
Sleeves - 41"
Gusset - 10"
Side panels - 41" L, 10" top, 20" bottom






I decided to french seam this undergarment due to to nature of the linen I was working with. It's the 2.8 oz IL030 from fabrics - store. I even french seamed my arm gussets! there's a tutorial on youtube for the process.

This is where Things Start To Go Side Ways.
Firstly, I ran out of thread half way through! Luckily, my big leaf
saved the day, and was able to give me some.

Then I sewed one of my side panels on upside down and backwards. I couldn't seam rip my fabric because it was too delicate.. I had to completely cut away the seam and start over.

So, all the french seams now being done.. I do a herring bone embroidery stitch as a seam treatment, copying the camicia of the woman on the right.

I then decided to Pull *ALL* the loose threads from the front, and tie them off in the back.
Only.. it wasn't the back.

***

While I'm taking a break from working on the body of the camicia, I started work on making a casing for the neck band. I had a pieces of fabric about 27" long by 17" wide. I pulled threads at every 3" wide mark, creating five 3" wide sections.

I sewed these together, end to end, and will iron them to form a casing ( like double fold bias tape).

***
I ended up just trimming the knots close to the body of the camicia, since I couldn't untie them. I sewed the casing to the body of the camicia, which was a persnickety process since the casing didn't want to stay put the way I ironed it. I sewed the back side of the casing first, then the front, so the front would look neater.

I added the neck band about this point. I sewed it on, and then folded them seam allowance down over it's self (trying to protect the delicate fabric as much as possible). I finished sewing the front side down

I pulled threads in the sleeves at the 1" mark, so I could have an easier time hemming.

I trimmed up the bottom hem (the bias in the side panels grew several inches!) And then stay stitches them to keep them from stretching again.


I then staystitched the bottom, and did a simple folded over hem.

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