Need advice on making elizabethan garb with limited amount of fabric

[Lady Leo]

I have to bolts of fabric that I would like to make an Elizabethan bodice, undershirt, and overskirt. The first fabric is an teal with a diamond pattern that I only have about 5 1/4 yards of that I want to use as a contrast and forepanel. The other is a cotton velvet that is the same shade as the other fabric. I have 6.375 of that, but it isn't one whole piece there are 2 pieces that are about a yard each give or take. I'm not sure how much I would need for the overskirt. I don't need it to be HA. I have a McCall's pattern that I want to use for the bodice, but I haven't decided on a pattern for the under and overshirts. I need some advice.

[Lady Rebecca]

Are you planning on doing sleeves out of either of the fabrics? Also, you say there are two 1yd pieces of the cotton velvet. So are the rest of the 4+yds all in one piece?? If so, you should have plenty. You can make the overskirt out of the majority of that piece, and you should be able to get the bodice no problem out of the smaller pieces. And you have plenty of the diamond fabric, especially if you make your underskirt as a skirt with a separate forepart, which is what I recommend.

[operafantomet]

Sounds to me like you got more than enough fabric. As several has written about, people didn't use all that much fabric in the past to create a full dress. Here's one article on the subject:
http://www.elizabethancostume.net/fabuse.html

Whether you only want a forepart or a full underskirt of that teal fabric with diamond pattern, use the "primary cut" technique: use straight panels with inserted triangles. It looks like this when flat:
http://www.festiveattyre.com/research/diary2002/images/skirt2.gif
http://www.festiveattyre.com/research/diary2002/images/skirt4.gif

For a forepart only you can also cut it into shape from one large panel. Here's how a forepart will typically look:
http://www.festiveattyre.com/gallery/moroni/moroni10.html

The back and sides will be covered by the overskirt, and you can use whatever underskirt you like and tie or otherwise fasten the forepart to that. Using a forepart rather than a full skirt is perfectly period and will save you a fair chunk of fabric. If you make a forepart of the diamond fabric, you'll have a lot left for sleeves and for example shoulder rolls, which in turn will allow you to use the "plain" fabric for the actual gown.

I would try and construct the bodice from the one yard pieces you have, plus maybe a bit from the rest of the bolt. For the actual skirt you can again rely on the "primary cut", I.E. straight panels with inserted triangles. The benefit of this is that it gives you a bell shaped skirt which is rather full at the hem, and with less fabric in the waist. Here's two other examples of such skirt construction (they're Florentine, but this way of constructing skirts were common in most of Europe in the second half of the 16th century):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/layouyedt1562.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/layouypisadress1560s.jpg

[Lady Leo]

I don't have any plan for sleeves at this time but that could always change.

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

It was not uncomon in the day to have Sleeves made from the fabric as the same as the forepart. That way, gowns took on a different look.

Either way, your gown will look lovely.

[LadyFae]

Sounds like plenty of fabric to me!  =)  Have fun and keep us updated with lots of pictures!  =D

[Lady Leo]

I ordered some patterns from Margo Anderson last night and once I get them and I really get started I will keep you updated. Thank you for the help.

[Lady Leo]

Below it a link to the bodice pattern that I had planned to use. I have already altered the pattern to lengthen it by 4" so that it will fit properly. View C is what I've decided on. If I choose to add sleeves any suggestions on the best way to do that. I have not yet started cutting anything yet I want to be sure of the direction I'm going before I start, but the fabric has been washed and pressed and is ready when ever I am. I won't lie I'm also a bit nervous. I've never undertaken a project like this before.



http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m4107-products-1009.php?page_id=493

[gem]

Lady Leo, as others have said, you have plenty of fabric!

But, a couple of warnings.

First, that McCall bodice pattern runs HUGE. I would select a size two sizes down from what you typically wear, and then MAKE A MOCKUP!! Or you'll for sure end up wasting fabric! It also has princess seams that aren't period, and give the wrong sort of silhouette (=no support at all and will fit funny over a corset), so you might wish to draft those out since you're making a gown. But other than that, it's a pretty easy and straightforward pattern to work with (it was my first bodice pattern, too).

Second, be aware that the Margo Anderson gown pattern is a FABRIC HOG, particularly in the skirts (it's something like 6 yards for the underskirt alone). As Anea pointed out, gowns were routinely made in period with far less fabric (which was much narrower and more costly than it is today), so take a look at the cutting diagrams she posted to see where you can conserve yardage.

Another great site for eking out as much fabric as you can is the Renaissance Tailor: Elizabethan Gown from less than 3.5 yards of fabric. She shows exactly how she combined two different fabrics to make one gown, plus provides the cutting layout she used for her fabric!

[Dinobabe]

I have made that bodice, I would not recommend it!  It is H-U-G-E and the princess seams really don't help anything.  I would draft a bodice, I've done it and it's not that bad.  I even used the McCall's pattern to get me going.
This will help, read this, especially Gem's post on the second page.  She really laid it out well!  I also posted my wearing pics in the thread so I bumped it up.  
Also, I use this pattern for my skirts, http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m4090-products-3107.php?page_id=493

[Lady Leo]

Gem I'm assuming that the pattern I've chose is similar to McCalls 4696 which is the first bodice I made. I went with a size 18 my first time out and your right it was huge so I made a 16 which fits well besides being short. It was early on in my sewing and before I was brave enough to alter my patterns. I have a really hard time with commerical patterns because I have a strange figure. Before I started sewing when my mom was doing my sewing the patterns I chose and sizes always seem to be too small.

[isabelladangelo]

More than enough fabric.  I don't think I've used more than 6 yards in any 16th century gowns.   

Try to draft out the princess seams in the pattern.  You can do that by cutting out two sizes smaller than it says.  Match up the notches on the tissue paper at the bust (it will have a slight gap and overlap, that's okay) and either trace or cut out the "new" front piece on a piece of muslin.  Cut out the rest of the pattern out of muslin as well, drafting out the darts, if there are any.  (Just create the dart in the tissue and trace around it.  It may cause the tissue to bubble a bit but that's okay.)  Try this muslin on first for fit and then cut out your gown.