EVIL FLU

The frock was not finished. The flu hit the week before the event and it became impossible to continue. Its probably a good thing though as it would have been a bit rushed.
The frock is still under construction but I'm gonna get onto it this weekend and get a bit more done. It will be a Yule frock now instead (although it might be a bit warm!) pics soon!

New Frock necessary - not much time!

I have finally started my frock for Rowany 25 - based on this gorgeous Catherine of Aragon dress (1518 ish).

So far I have half built the petti and patterned the Kirtle. Still lots to go and not many weekends till 1st September. But I am determined to have it done. Watch this space!

Tudor transitional French hood

Years ago I made my very first (and only) French hood. It looked alright at the time but I pulled it out and inspected it recently and the decision is – I need to make a new one. The dress it goes with is an early middle class Tudor based on a Holbein sketch. The dress itself is pretty good - I need to make it slightly bigger but the construction is not to bad considering. Well done me.

Really, the dress needs a gable headdress to go with it but given I have never made one of these before and I have extreme time constraints, I have decided to have a go at an early French hood.
To keep it more early Tudor looking I am going to try and base the shape on one of the Holbein sketches of Thomas More’s daughters as I think it will fit better with the dress itself then a later or more high court French hood.

I really like the fact that this hood feels very transitional and quite similar in shape to the gable headress.

The scary invasion of late german woman...

I have been plotting for some time to make some scary late German numbers. I am planning to make 3, with prototype C being my frock for Rowany 25. Its going to be big and foofy.



I have almost finished prototype A.


Prototype A is based on this frock:

but it is a little different in that I got inventive - I have cut back on the number of bands (to save time - its only a prototype and its all about the shapes right now!) and I am gonna make a more discrete ruff - (not ready for the head on a platter look yet).

I chose this frock as there aren't too many major elements to deal with all at once but the ones there are are a little tricky - i.e bodice shape and sleeve shape. I am making it as a tourney frock (only a prototype - I wanna get the shapes right before I throw any real effort and money into the project). I think I have finally got the bodice shape correct but in Prototype B I plan to bone it a bit more heavily (prototype A has minimal boning) . The next issue is the sleeves - which are a bastard. I have tried the cunning Janet Arnold plan of making a little buckram and boned cap to sit inside the sleeve to hold it up but frankly, I don't think its tough enough to deal with the likes of me (I've never really gone easy on a frock have I?). I am going to try another plan. Will tell you about it if it works!

I am hoping to have the frock ready for Rowany Baronial Invest in 2 weeks. We'll see eh? Will post pics of frock when it finally gets done