Gallery of In Progress Projects

[Adriana Rose]

YAY the bodice is covered and the petticoat and under skirt are ready to roll! i still have to do the over skirt, the pickups are gonna be a beeatch to figure out but I can do it!

[Kathleen MacLeod]

My Elizabethan corset is all sewn and bound and ready for eyelets. The powers that be at my faire have just told me that my character is kind of a throwback, meaning I'll be more medieval and I'll want a longer, curvier corset. I'm fine making a new one, but I now have zero drive to finish my Elizabethan

[LadyStitch]

We want to see it NOW, of course!  And when the PP is done distressing it. AND when Baby Stitch is in it!!

Because Gem asked....


The PP hasn't done anything to it yet but it's a start. Once he is done doing the 'distressing', I'll put the girlie skull and cross bones on it and get the "pirate's treasure" embroidered on it.

[LadyShadow]

How adorable. Cant wait to see the finished project and with Baby Stitch in it.

[gem]

My Elizabethan corset is all sewn and bound and ready for eyelets. The powers that be at my faire have just told me that my character is kind of a throwback, meaning I'll be more medieval and I'll want a longer, curvier corset. I'm fine making a new one, but I now have zero drive to finish my Elizabethan

Kathleen, that makes absolutely zero sense! (Not your zero drive, the entire scenario). Where did they get the idea that a "longer, curvier" corset was remotely medieval? 

***
Lady S, that's ADORABLE!

[LadyStitch]

Lady S, that's ADORABLE!

I think she is going to look adorable in it, especially if daddy is carrying her around all his pink finery

I'm a little concerned about how I should do the embroidery.  Should I attempt to do it by hand, take it to the local embroidery shop? Or some how figure out a way to make my emproidery software from 6-7 years ago work on my Windows 7 machine.

[Kathleen MacLeod]

LadyS, that is cute as a button!

Kathleen, that makes absolutely zero sense! (Not your zero drive, the entire scenario). Where did they get the idea that a "longer, curvier" corset was remotely medieval?  

Well, they didn't say anything about a corset, just that my garb would have more medieval inspirations. However, assuming that something like this http://butterick.mccall.com/b4827-products-6120.php?page_id=385 actually is medieval, I'm going to want a corset underneath that that's long and curvy and smooths everything out, as opposed to my Renaissance one that stops at my natural waist and accentuates my love handles 

[DonaCatalina]

Well, they didn't say anything about a corset, just that my garb would have more medieval inspirations. However, assuming that something like this http://butterick.mccall.com/b4827-products-6120.php?page_id=385 actually is medieval, I'm going to want a corset underneath that that's long and curvy and smooths everything out, as opposed to my Renaissance one that stops at my natural waist and accentuates my love handles 

Any corset is probably not going to work under this type of medieval dress which is sort of late thirteenth century.
You will probably have to get something like this for undergarment support.
Actual medieval gown show below.

[Adriana Rose]

heres another one that isnt so umm binding..  http://mybabyjo.com/Corsellette-White-3352.htm

[operafantomet]

Well, they didn't say anything about a corset, just that my garb would have more medieval inspirations. However, assuming that something like this http://butterick.mccall.com/b4827-products-6120.php?page_id=385 actually is medieval, I'm going to want a corset underneath that that's long and curvy and smooths everything out, as opposed to my Renaissance one that stops at my natural waist and accentuates my love handles 

Any corset is probably not going to work under this type of medieval dress which is sort of late thirteenth century.
You will probably have to get something like this for undergarment support.

Yeah, I agree - corsets/stays does not belong to Medieval style. It would give the wrong silhouette - unless you go for something similar to what Kathleen linked to, or a Regency styled corset. The cone shapes appears in the 16th century, and the hourglass style in the 19th century. Before than there are many theories on how waist were narrowed and busts supported (bust taping, stiffened dress bodices, corsets, stomach bands, you name it) - but it is generally accepted that a corset would probably not give you the desired silhouette.

The exception being, as mentioned, Regency styled stays.

[gem]

If you have the opportunity to wear something gloriously medieval like that, for heaven's sake enjoy your freedom and skip the shapewear! Believe me, I totally understand being self-conscious, but I think we can find you a medieval style that makes you feel absolutely GORGEOUS in it.

Check out this website for some of the most beautiful medieval-inspired garments I've seen.

You could, for instance, wear a sideless surcoat over that exact ensemble, or something like a cotehardie (I think this woman looks absolutely beautiful) or a gothic fitted gown... a bliaut is totally fun, with lots of opportunity for decoration with all the wrap belts and trim... and then there's the houppelande, which is completely gorgeous and flowy (you probably won't want a fur one, but how beautiful is that?!). And just for fun, here's a shot of me in my medievalesque Flaming Orange Chemise, which is flowy like a chemise but with lovely angel sleeves; a surcoat or double-wrapped belt could have made this look more suggestive of the period without being too revealing of my shape.

[Kathleen MacLeod]

Wow, thank you for all the links and ideas, ladies! My mind is swirling with the possibilities

I should've mentioned that my cast director told me "more medieval" than the rest of the court, but still with Elizabethan elements (which is damn near impossible, as the two styles are about as different as can be), so the basic idea I had in my head was a softer upper body with a big Elizabethan skirt. I'm still waiting to hear back from the costume director (who might balk at the idea of medieval costume elements at an Elizabethan faire and thrash the cast director soundly), so until then I don't really have much to go on

Gem, I completely understand what you're saying about taking any opportunity not to wear a corset! I was thinking about a corset because I've found that I actually prefer corsets to bras on faire days, but I guess I don't have any idea what my costume will end up looking like, so maybe I shouldn't put the cart before the horse.

[operafantomet]

Wow, thank you for all the links and ideas, ladies! My mind is swirling with the possibilities

I should've mentioned that my cast director told me "more medieval" than the rest of the court, but still with Elizabethan elements (which is damn near impossible, as the two styles are about as different as can be), so the basic idea I had in my head was a softer upper body with a big Elizabethan skirt. I'm still waiting to hear back from the costume director (who might balk at the idea of medieval costume elements at an Elizabethan faire and thrash the cast director soundly), so until then I don't really have much to go on

You could do a style similar to this, with a pointed bodice, but with wide, hanging sleeves:



The above picture is from Vecellio, and allegedly shows "Young Married Woman of the Norwegian Nobility". In the 16th century Norway had still one foot in Medieval style and one in the Renaissance. Drop the fur underskirt, though... I think that's an Italian's view of the cold north rather than actual style of dressing.

[CenturiesSewing]

I've been quiet but I've still been sewing, I started working on a 16th century shirt to practice refining my stitching.

Linen/cotton sewn with linen thread, 1/8 of an inch hand turned hem. I have silk thread on hand for eventual insertion stitching. 

The gussets are done and part of the body is hemmed.

[Kathleen MacLeod]

The cone shapes appears in the 16th century, and the hourglass style in the 19th century. Before than there are many theories on how waist were narrowed and busts supported (bust taping, stiffened dress bodices, corsets, stomach bands, you name it) - but it is generally accepted that a corset would probably not give you the desired silhouette.

The exception being, as mentioned, Regency styled stays.

The thing that jumps out at me on that first page gem linked to (by the way, I completely agree that those are beautiful!) is that the ones that aren't loose and belted in have a bit of curve to them--not a full hourglass curve, but there is a noticeable difference between the bust, the waist, and the hips. I get what you're saying about the hourglass not being the right look, but I have a pretty intense natural hourglass (there's an 11 inch difference between my bust and waist measurements, and a 13 inch difference between my waist and my hips). I *think* you're pointing out that it's a much more straight up and down look in those medieval dresses than an hourglass. I've actually found that corsets tend to give me more of that look, as they smoosh in my bust and hips, but there's no extra flesh to smoosh on my waist. Regardless of historical accuracy, wearing a corset actually makes me look more medieval. It defies logic, I know