ELLA'S COPPER VELVET NOBLE

Noble Gown for Ella to wear in the 2008 Faire season will now be similar to the Red Silk Kirtle gown I made her last year. After much discussion, it is her favorite dress and fits her beautifully. So, why not another? I want her to love this gown and aim to make her happy with it.
Drawing from page in my book 'Patterns for Theatrical Costumes' by Katherine Strand Holkeboer.
Bodice attached to the skirt but open in front with a center front panel beneath. Much like SaFaye's Noble gown without shoulder rolls or tabs. Laced in back. Maybe a trim around the skirt hem of gorgeous Gold/Black checked duipioni with a raised embroidered pattern.
In my stash now, 7 yards of 100% cotton copper velvet. Purchased from http://www.fabric.com/









































Forepart and sleeves out of a beautiful embroidered silk from India I found at my local Island Fabric store. At $37. per yard, it is the most expensive fabric I have purchased.... ever. I will budget out another yard worth. It will need to be backed with felt on cotton duck/canvas to give it strength. I have been searching online for something like it for two years now. Feeling very fortunate to have it show up in my village . It is sumptuous and pretty without being vulgar and too busy. Ella loves it.











She hasn't decided on a silk for the lining, sleeves, or bodice yet. Possibly a delicate yellow wool twill also in my stash that she likes. Something breathable that won't add weight or heat under that velvet.

April 27, 2008

Feeling fidgety to do something so cut the bodice out of cotton canvas duck and the copper velvet. Marked the fabric with a note indicating which direction nap I'm using. Don't want to mess up and waste valuable velvet that can't be reordered. Laying out the skirt pattern pieces in different ways to get an idea if I'll have enough fabric. I think I'll go with eight pieces in an A shape skirt. That would give about a 208 inch skirt circumference at the bottom hem with just the velvet panels, not including the forepart. That seems like quite enough. Waist measures 128 inches to be pleated onto a 28 inch waist. Both measurements take into account a 1/2 inch seam allowance.
















The direction of the nap gives the illusion of leather suede. I love it! Hope Ella does as well!
There is going to be a lot of fabric left to play with. Joy joy joy! Usually, I use every little scrap and sweat bullets to have enough for all the do-little thingy's I like to make. This time I may make another bodice separately. That would be awesome! A doublet style after all! Maybe.

April 28, 2008 Monday

Slept poorly to not hardly at all. Puttered around the house until 5am and snuck upstairs to get online and research. Got totally inspired by Jen Thompson's site and of course 'Featured Attyre' and all the places online that taught me to sew.
Dove into the velvet in a big way. My shoulders and neck are speaking to me now for the indulgence, telling me to stop for the day.
So much accomplished in 12 hours!






























Bought the extra yard of Indian Embroidered silk and three spools of Gutermann thread to match the velvet.
Worked non stop on the bodice and skirt. Got the boning channels on. Using bias binding ironed out flat. All 13 of them. Flat lined with stiff cotton duck. Channels on top of the duck. Bodice was cut large and is pinned together and awaiting a first fitting on Ella. Plenty of room to adjust a perfect fit.
The skirt took a long time to prepare.











First, applied wool flannel padding to the top edge of each of the eight skirt panels for padded cartridge pleating. First time for me. I read about this years ago on 'Seamstress' dress diaries. It stayed with me and now I'm going to try it.
The wool flannel is from scraps I saved from the Kinsale Wedding Cloak of Ella's. Special wool. Put to a good use.
It took most of the day to complete the eight panels. I zig zagged each raw edge of each seam. Joined the panels by two's and now they are all connected, clean finished and ready for lining, trim and the front facings. I'm tired and resting. Talked to Ella by phone on her lunch break and twice by e-mail. She is excited Mum is finally working on her new Noble!















This is a daunting vision! Those eight skirt panels all spread out, reach across my entire living room! I have to cartridge pleat those suckers onto a 28 inch waist! Ella is going to have to wear a butt load of velvet in August! Hope she is ready for this. It is all so heavy, I have a hard time maneuvering it in my lap or around the sewing machine.

April 29, 2008

Got started early again today. It took three hours work to cut, piece, pin, and sew the partial lining to the skirt. Used a yummy duipioni silk called 'Tequila Sunrise' bought a year ago on sale at one of the online fabric outlet's. Forget which. Maybe it cost $8 per yard.
I didn't know what to use it for until this morning. There was enough for the front skirt panels and all the way around the inside about 6 inches deep on four side panels and 10 inches deep on the back two panels. All seams clean finished with zig zag stitch and a narrow hem. None of the lining will show, but Ella and I will know how pretty it is underneath it all.
















It is now just about 10:30am and time to break, rest, and eat something.

Cartridge pleating is going to be an all day affair. I need to find a *BIG* needle and matching upholstery thread.


11:45! Wow! It took me less than 45 minutes to run four rows of inch long stitches! Used my two and half inch long upholstery needle and the only thread that I had, dark brown. Pulled it all up and they look good.



















I can still apply trim to the skirt front or hem edge later either by hand or machine. No big deal. This was such a big job and it went easier than expected. Already time for lunch and then maybe I'll put a hem binding on the ravelled edge.
























After lunch, dishes, laundry, and puttering in the greenhouse, decided I wanted to make a sample trim ribbon of the Gold/Black checked duipioni silk. I bought 4 yards from www.Fashionsfabricsclub.com/ some time back at $14.00 per yard, a real indulgence and splurge. I planned on using it for sleeves or trim on a Noble outfit. This is the outfit. Cut three inch strips, folded then ironed under a check on either side. My sample to show Ella turned into a production of eight strips so far! I love how they look and now I'm thinking about weaving them for sleeves. As a trim for a skirt guard, they are pretty as is. They also could be edged with something else. Going to ask Ella what she thinks and check my stash. This is a valuable gown already so I don't want to buy anything extra for it. Everything has been going so easy and been fun too!















Played around late afternoon today making a ton more ribbon strips. Then I started wondering about how to make the forepart attached to the petticoat that will be attached to the under gown. *WHEW* It will be tricky to put it all together. SaFaye's gown still isn't done and this area gave a lot of trouble and aggravation. A few things I'll try different this time.
The Indian Embroidered Silk is too too costly to mess up. I barely had enough for the pattern piece. I knew this might happen so planned on having a guard on the hem anyway. The silk is too fragile for outside Faire wear without one.


I am going to mount it on a sturdy piece of linen/cotton canvas. Too tired to start that tonight. Tomorrow will be a new fresh day. The hard part of the skirt went so smoothly, nothing is really scaring me about this gown. Loving the fabric's and enjoying working with so much lush and scrumptious prettiness. Its a fun change up from the Mumsy woolsies.


April 30, 2008












Mounting the silk to a sturdy base involved piecing a web adhesive iron on stuff I used a lot of in my hat making stint. Can't remember what the name is.


My iron has to be hot and spewing steam for it to work correctly. I tested on a scrap of the silk beforehand. After it cools a bit, peeled off the paper and a tacky surface remains on the linen/cotton base. If I was going to add trim or beads to the silk, that would be before this step. The bonded fabric is too stiff. Also, beading and trim first then bonding would cement the loose threads of the trim or beads. Might be a lot trickier though.












Worked quickly and smoothing the silk carefully before ironing. No pins because they leave puckers and wrinkles. Once it bonds, no going back. I used a scrap of muslin as a pressing cloth for the edges to keep glue off my iron. When the piece was cool, I trimmed the excess off the edge.












Getting to the fun part of construction. Decoration and trim! All of the things I make tend to be very understated as far as 16th century aesthetics go. The sisters are slightly built and tend to think very much in 21st century fashion sense.
I on the other hand would dearly love to embellish the living jeebies out of these gowns! Alas...no. Plain plain plain. Ella does want to add beads and bling I believe to the bodice.That means she needs to get started on it before it can be lined Trim on the skirt would be wonderful but too much can add a lot of extra weight. It does need something. The Elizabethans liked to show off their wealth by wearing it.


























Played around with different trim options to get Ella's approval or input.


the front turned back three inches can use the lining as an edge guard with ribbon trim along the edge.


The ribbon trim can be used singly or multiple rows. I have a lot of it.


Also I have in my stash, about 30 yards of Black Braid from http://www.cheeptrims.com/


Maybe a thin ribbon out of the remainder 'Tequila Sunrise' silk. Not much of it left. Maybe 3/4 of a yard. I need to come up with a guard for the forepart and petticoat as well. It will show an inch below the over gown. Maybe the copper velvet? Don't know yet. Still mulling it all over.
















Heard from Ella at lunch by e-mail. Brown and black are not really her favorite color combo. We have time to think about the trim. I got restless this evening around 6pm after dinner and decided to play with it on 'Little Misstress'. She is my antique dress form found in a little second hand mall in our village. Rickety and tilty but oh so tiny and has served me for a year or so now in the making of size X small costumes.

Put a small bum roll on the back and tied the skirt on with the pleating strings. Nothing is sewn, just pinned and draped to get a feel for the
gown. I think there is a chance it will turn out truly lovely!















May 1, 2008

















Nothing to do on the gown. Waiting for more ideas for trim. So decided last night to dig out a yard of fine cotton embroidered lawn I ordered from http:/www.RenaissanceFabrics.net/ to make a nice partlet or collar and cuffs.
This morning decided on a partlet with the Lynn McMasters pattern, cutting, ironing, and hand stitching every edge. Used machine stitching for sewing collar to body and channels on the collar for gathering.
I don't know why I didn't make a mockup first. Guess I thought how hard could a partlet be? Wrong thinking. It was hard. New patterns are always hard for me the first time. I had a hard time figuring out the pinning inside this and outside that directions and forgot to remove the pins on the inside before sewing. When I turned it all to right sides out, the pins snagged and tore a little hole in the back of the partlet. I can fix it with tiny embroidery stitches but *Crap*! It almost turned out first try! Oh well, live and learn. Its a decent effort and I'm just glad I didn't use expensive silk first.






















Couldn't find any white ribbon so used Copper colored. Gathers under bust, back and three channels on the collar.Ties under arms and at throat. I'll put some pretty lace on the edge of the collar and down the front edges by hand.











Nearly 6pm, haven't had dinner yet, and worked on this partlet ALL DAY! Bleh!
My neck, eyes, and head hurt. Barely had enough lace found in my scrap box. Found a little more and pieced it together. Hand finished the lace to the very edge and it looks nice. Still need white ribbon and maybe little fresh water pearls as dangles for the collar ties. I made little stitches to repair the tear and it is hidden in the folds on the back. No big deal. I'll make another of these if Ella wears it and likes it. This is a special item. Won't make it again for just anyone. Too many hours invested.












Above photo Partlet with collar open. I think it's pretty.

May 2, 2008

Talked a moment with Ella yesterday on her lunch break and discussed little ribbon bows down the front edges of the gown either out of the checked silk or something else. Maybe using jewels and pins for attachment and ease of removal for cleaning or change. She and I both recalled the first costume I made her for Faire. The Gold Gown with bows I made using bias tape and fabric glue! My, how my sewing has changed!
Remembered this painting of Queen Elizabeth I with use of bows and ornament.












The Armada portrait by George Gower.
The full sleeves out of the India silk and outer hanging sleeves of the copper velvet with Orangey silk lining would be beautiful on Ella. No shoulder rolls or tabs which would be overpowering I think.

May 4, 2008

After a fun weekend spent with SaFaye' and boy friend Eric, its time to work a little bit more on the gown.












Saturday night put a hem binding on the petticote of copper velvet. Made a checkered silk and copper velvet guard on the forepart, pressed all the seams.











The petticote is jarringly pinkish rose muslin. A drawstring skirt remade into the gowns forepart/petticote combination. I really didn't want to use it because it goes against my color clashing instincts but there is no way the petticote will show while the gown is being worn. Only the forepart and a tiny bit of the velvet guard. Just like in period. I wish I had the brown skirt Ella has but no way to get it any time soon and I have to keep motivated on progress in a timely manner.
The waist of the petticote has a channel already sewn onto it. I reused the bias tape as the gather pull and maybe I will put a few eyelets on a waist band to tie onto the under side of the gown. That gives the option of changing forepart/petticote combinations. We will see what Ella thinks.
Today also made 20 little checkered silk bows sewn by hand and just pinned to the front skirt front. I would like to apply jewels to the center of each. Another Ella decision.















http://pillagedvillage.com/ has a vast selection of jeweled buttons that would work in this capacity. We could order an amount to use on the gown and the sleeves.

May 5, 2008

Monday morning and lack of a good night's sleep is going to affect my ability to get much done today. Gathering up fabric and material for the sleeves, looking through patterns, and making a dozen more checked silk bows will be doable. Maybe weaving the ribbon silks and bonding them on a backing.

Page from Margo Anderson's Gentleman's package gives sleeve options I can use on this gown. The sleeves I made for SaFaye's gown were too big and have to be altered already. This time around I will try to be more careful with going too far before trying them on Ella.
















Took a quick trip to the craft store where the best selection of ribbon and trim in my area happens to be. Found a 1/4 inch beige velvet ribbon for tie points on the sleeve cap. No brown piping or bias binding. Picked up 6 yards of cotton string to make my own if it comes to that. Six yards of iron on Pellon to bond my sleeve patterns with for strength and durability.
Having a hard time focusing on sewing today. Pushed myself to get this far.











This is the 'Front Opened Curved Sleeve' circled above. It will not have buttons, but the jeweled bows to match the skirt. Lining is sewn, and clipped waiting to press. The velvet has the tie points sewn and the two pieces are pinned waiting to sew. After pressing seams, will pin and sew lining to sleeve leaving the top open for turning.











Lining and velvet together with bows just pinned on. Photo is a rough attempt to show how they will look. Very rough indeed.















The photo is of Left Curved Sleeve. They turned out better that the picture does them credit. Not finished yet. Need a binding at the sleeve cap. I'll hand stitch it to the inside lining. I won't attach the bows until a jewel has chosen for each center.

May 7, 2008

Took a couple days off from the gown and got interested in teaching myself Blackwork embroidery instead.
Found an online site with 16th century patterns and downloaded a few to copy off. Graded them in different sizes and used one called 'Rose' in a 3x5 size to repeat for collar and cuffs.
I know the basic concept of the 'Holbein stitch' which is reversible but I tried and couldn't get it tidy in back. All my threads are a mess and loose. I flat line everything and then line so it's no problem for my sewing or construction methods. Someday someone can show me how to do it proper. Until then, this is a close enough facsimile.
Working from 10am until 2pm finished the collar. Its kind of rough and lopsided but not bad for my first try. I am up for doing more. Practice will help I think.












May 9, 2008

The subject of BlackWork came up on Tribe's in 'Elizabethan Clothing' and this website http://www.blackworkarchives.com/ gave me the patterns, inspiration and research needed for this project. I list it here for my own personal use and no copyright infringement is intended. Sharing research is a wonderful way of teaching others and I give full credit to the creator of that site for anything shown here or borrowed from it. Paula Kate Marmor, thank you.

Detail of a BlackWorked cuff in a painting of Jane Seymour 1537 by Holbein.

Hello Friday and I finished the collar and two cuffs off my Irish Linen from Fabric.com. My eyes are buggy and today a migrain in my left eye. No pain just the wavy *looking through water* sensation. Had to rest for a few hours. I thought I could find white ribbon somewhere in this house by stealing it off something else. Nope! Had to use off white hem tape instead. The assembly of the collar and cuffs was a pain. Ripped stitches constantly. Put them together, took them apart more than twice and after looking at this photo ripped again! Grrr.... : <... I'll get it right eventually. Even with the mistakes in embroidery and uneven nature of the ruffle I like them a lot. I will definately do this again. I found an acorn pattern today online to make for David. It will be a surprise.











Ella is coming over tomorrow to try the gown bodice on and see it all for the first time in person. She is excited and so am I.

May 10,2008

Poor night sleep again, hurt all over so up at 5am. Soaked collar and cuffs in Biz last night to remove excess pencil marks. Partially dried on a towel overnight. Put missing stitches in the embroidery where I could. Ironed them while damp and took a new photo. It is through the photos I see the glaring mistakes. Some I can live with others bug me. Before these are put on a shirt, I'll probably have fussed with them a few more times. Some thing's, such as the poor quality of my work can't be helped. I can, however, live with it for a first effort. The uneven ruffle on one cuff can be fixed. After three tries yesterday, I gave up, worried about wreaking the linen. Sometimes I would rather just make another set, learning as I go instead of trying to improve something that should be left as is.
Need to tidy the sewing room today in preperation for Ella coming to try things out. Maybe she can pick out the jewels from Pillaged Village while shes here and I can order them! That would be progress. This whole outfit could be finished by next weekend! WOW! So much accomplished in 13 days! To think I cut the velvet less than two weeks ago! Even with the starts, stops, and constant interuptions of physical limitations. This surprises even me!


May 12, 2008

Ella got sick and didn't come. She and I both disappointed. Nothing for it but to put the gown on hold another week. Both Ella and SaFaye' sick. Crummy year for illness with my children.
She and I looked at the inexpensive jeweled buttons on Pillaged Village online catalogue and I think the one she wants is the smaller one more pearl and glold.
Wonder at sewing the shank to the bow or glue it on.
















May 15, 2008

Finished a smock over the last couple days. Used a pattern on Jen Thompson's site http://www.festiveattyre.com/ in her underpinnings list of smocks and shirts and my Margo Anderson shirt pattern for Gentlemen. It was hard and took all day to figure out the four gores and four gussets. Attached the collar and cuffs of BlackWork. Hand finished all raw edges with a flat fell seam inside and its done. Fits me. May be huge on Ella. Working with Irish Linen is a dream. Not very light weight for hanky weight but after washing and drying it three times it has become so soft and easy to sew.



























Late afternoon Tuesday started a caul from the Lynn McMaster's Elizabethan Blackwork Caul pattern. Traced the hatch design with pencil to fine Habotai silk. Not the way the directions say to proceed but I am impatient to do something different after the Smock.
Nearly finished half of it before bed. Couldn't find silk floss on the Island so used cotton and just doubled one thread into two. It is slow going and I'm trying hard to use the Holbein Stitch. The Habotai silk is very fine and I barely feel it brush my skin. Ordered it back in Jan. from Vogue Fabrics. Snags easily on the edges so I'm keeping my nails filed and sleeves rolled up. I have to take a lot of breaks as my head starts to hurt and neck stiffen. A few times felt like chucking it. Wondering what I'm thinking starting a project like this so late in the day after a grueling last few days with the smock. *BLEH*
Just keep sewing, just keep sewing, just keep sewing.....












Nearly 5pm and done for the day.

I can't even begin to say how many hours it took to do this caul. At least 15. Boring as anything. Follow the lines, cut thread, thread needles and stitch. Did my best at the Holbein stitch and made the back side tidy. When I decided to add the little red Austrian crystals it got all messy because of knotting the beads on. Oh well. It won't show and it is pretty so far. Too tired to make it up tonight. It needs to be gathered and some kind of ribbon or lace on the band. My head hurts and its time to rest and make dinner.

May 16, 17, 18, 2008

Picked up white grosgrain ribbon for the smock and it might work for the caul as well.
Pressed, stitched, and gathered the caul. Can't go further until I fit it to Ella's head.
Also brought home some wash away stabilizer to try on the next Caul. I'm thinking about making one for my friend Cassie with Gold floss and amber crystals or pearls to go with her Gold French Court Gown. Maybe the stabilizer will help me go faster. This will be a gift of love.
Started and finished the Acorn Blackwork collar and cuff's. It was quicker than the Rose pattern but turned out awful! The leaves and Acorns didn't come out like the pattern. My clumsy eye and hand cordination. So awful I won't even take a picture. *Gah* Will pick apart some of them and redo. Not today. Its supposed to be a record high in the 80's and the garden is gorgeous. Cherry tree is snowing blossom's, Rhodies, Azeleas, Sweet Cicely, and Sweet Woodruff in bloom. I need to be outside in the fresh air today. I think both lilac's are blooming and filling the outside with fragrance. Not a day to be stuck inside sewing!

May 21, 2008

Finished a second caul over the weekend. Used yellow floss and gold glass fauceted beads. It went quickly until the beading. I goofed up and had to cut lot off and redo.
Ella came on Saturday and we got the bodice fitted. Not many adjustments. Just need to get motivated now to finish.

Very disapointing to find out do to circumstances with SaFaye's needs in June we won't be going to the Greenwood Faire in Richland end of that month.

David and Ella will be going because they are under contract.

Worked on two hat bands today after finishing the cauls by sewing a white grosgrain band on the edge after hand gathering. The hat bands are for the two velvet brown tall crown hats I made a few months ago. I used silk ribbon and jacquard trim. Glued glass beads every inch around. I just didn't feel like sewing anything on today.



























The hat band wouldn't hug the curve of the hat so I ran a gather stitch on the top edge only and eased to fit. I could have sewn it on, should have sewn it on. Not in the mood so glued it instead. I may regret doing it this way someday. Oh well. Its just a hat. When the girls take possession they can add their own feathers or brooch.

May 2008

Got tired of making baby clothes and after a nice visit with David, Ella, and Jordan yesterday got back at the bodice.
I'm not sure what was eating me about finishing it. Lack of confidence on the last bodice not fitting correctly I guess. Anyway, after starting with the pinning, trimming seams and measuring, things are looking better. Ella left her Red Silk gown for me to do a little hem repair which gave the opportunity to measure the bodice carefully, stem to stern. Those measurments gave me the confidence to put the velvet together finally. It doesn't take much to spook me I guess.












Cut an inch and a half off the bottom edge and notched it all the way around. Now need to trim all the plastic ties to re- fit the shortened channels. I'm so glad I already numbered them to each channel with a pencil.













Applied the velvet piping to the edges and ran out! Wouldn't ya just know it! Memorial Day weekend so the fabric store won't be open until Tuesday. *Bah*
Well....at the very least I know I can have this gown finished very soon. This week some time possibly. Gives me an opportunity to paint the big board for Faire. This new project deserves a new blog!


May 29 2008

No camera to show the progress on the gown. Got the rest of the velvet piping attached yesterday as well as getting the fragile linen lining sewn together and onto the bodice. Poor choice, for its starting to deteriorate already. *ugh*
It should last a few wearings or more if Ella is careful with it. Spent the evening last night putting 16 button hole eyelets in the band for the inside of bodice. It will hold the ties of the petticote/forepart. This is period and Margo Anderson shows a way to do it in her manual that came with my Elizabethan Gentlemen's package.

Today applied ties to the waistband of the petticote/forepart skirt.
Put the binding on the edge of waist on the bodice and hand stitched it to the lining on the inside. All tidy and nice. No problems so far today.
Taking a break for lunch now at noon and then sew the shoulders together. All thats left to do this afternoon is attach the eyelet band to the inside of the bodice and rest. Maybe finish button hole eyelet shoulder bands to put under the shoulder straps for tieing the sleeves to. Tomorrow I can attach the cartridge pleats of the main skirt to the bodice and hem it. It may be done tomorrow except for Ella's hand bound eyelets for lacing up the back!

May 30 2008

Put the bodice and petticote/forepart together last night and it looks right but won't know for sure if it is right until Ella wears it for the first time. It will need a little tweaking for her personal comfort I'm sure but so far still no major problems.Turned under a 1/2 inch hem on the velvet overskirt last thing before bed as well by machine. Needs to be turned again and finished by hand.

So........today will start attaching cartridge pleated skirt to the bodice and its a gown!

An hour this morning with my large upholstry needle and a lot of muscling the gown onto 'Little Mistress' and then another half hour pinning bows to the front and fussing with the sleeves. There she is! Except for hemming and hand bound eyelets down the back she is done! I like it very much in fact looking at this gown makes me grin from ear to ear. The first wearing and photo could come the end of this month or sooner. I really hope it will fit.