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.