Gallery of Finished Projects

[DonaCatalina]

She will be so adorable wearing this.

[Captain Teague]

[Merlin the Elder]

THIS WEEKEND, STITCH!  ... sorry, didn't mean to scream...did I wake the wee one?

[LadyStitch]

BTW the baby Pink Pirate has matching carnation pink diaper cover that goes with it.  the PP insisted that she match even to the pants. 

[sealion]

I've been able to eke out a little sewing time over the past month, here is my red wool kirtle.






Hand sewn save for the interlining bits, finger loop braid for the lacing cords, self bound hem, hand bound eyelets. It is lined just in the bodice where I cut up an old shift that was about ready for the rag pile.

Nicely done! It's a refreshing change of pace to see simple garb that is beautifully tailored!

[sealion]

I hadn't made myself anything new in eons and Val Day was coming (a big deal in local SCA circles ) so I decided to make a new Florentine gown. I've learned a TON since my last projects so I did a few new details: There is no boning in the bodice, it's interlined with heavy canvas pad-stitched to a layer of felted wool. I used a strip of wool felt in the hem to keep it from wrapping itself around my legs and it worked quite well! I used a clipped bias edging around the neckline, cuffs, and hem. Hand-sewn (save sewing the skirt panels together). I spent five days on it.


IMG_7777 by sea95lion is trying to catch up!, on Flickr

clipped edging by sea95lion is trying to catch up!, on Flickr

infamous mirror shot! by sea95lion is trying to catch up!, on Flickr

[Anna Iram]

Sealion, I swear I was thinking of you just a day or two ago. Nice to see you.

Really love the clipped bias edging. Gives an interesting finish. Beautiful gown.

[Sev]

The whole thing is spectacularly gorgeous, every detail of it -- but I must admit I am most focused on the clipped bias edging, because I don't know that I've ever seen it before, or at least I never knew what it was! I absolutely love the detail it gives. Was there anything in particular that inspired you to use it on this dress? A portrait maybe? I'm wicked curious about this treatment now... and super inspired!!

That lace is delicious, too...

[sealion]

Thanks, ladies! That clipped edging and the wool in the hem are details found on Eleanora's burial gown as shown in Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion and in Mode a Firenze along with the red Pisa dress.
You can see the clipped edging in some of Bronzino's portraits:
http://www.wga.hu/art/b/bronzino/1/eleonorb.jpg
http://www.wga.hu/art/b/bronzino/2/panciat2.jpg
Or this one by Allesandro Allori:
http://www.wga.hu/art/b/bronzino/2/panciat2.jpg
More info in Signora Katerina's research article:
http://katerina.purplefiles.net/DOCO/construction.html
I'll be finishing my dress diary sometime this week and will post when it is finished.

Cindy known in the SCA as Signora Ciana Leonardi di Firenze

[Kate XXXXXX]

Lovely work, all you busy peoples!  I especially love Sealion's gown.  Want!

[Sev]

Thank you SO MUCH for the info and links, I really appreciate it!! <3

[flidais]

Cindy that is sooooo beautiful!!!! 
You are so talented.  Looking forward to reading the diary.

[operafantomet]

Sealion, that is a FANTASTIC dress!! The fabric, the colour and the overall lines, sure. But the details and the construction! Simply loving it. Especially the picture of you wearing the dress AKA the mirror one. Luv mirror pics.  Would love to see more pictures of you wearing it, cause the fit seems so good. It reminds me of this, without the trims:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/firenze3/flor1570sunknown.jpg

Sev, it's not known whether the clipped outer lines had a practical or purely aesthetical purpose. I think a mixture of both. Adding piping to the outer lines avoids wear and tear on the edges of the fine fabric. When the piping is clipped on the bias it won't unravel, but stays neat. But when clipped the piping is decorative too. The piping was usually of the same fabric as the main garment, it was seldom a contrast. So the clipping was maybe to add some contrast through texture?  Here's a closeup of a portrait by Alessandro Allori, showing the type of clipped piping:


(you can see that both the veste - the overdress - and the doublet has clipped piping)

I've written a bit about such clipped pipings in an article about stiffened Italian skirt hems - cause the appearance of the clipping seems to correspond with the new need of stiffened bodices and hems:

http://aneafiles.webs.com/renaissancegallery/doppia.html

[sealion]

Anea- Thank you for linking your article. I hadn't seen it before.
What I found interesting about the clipped edging is that it behaved just the opposite of what I expected- I used bias strips at the neckline and cuffs which frayed quite a bit while the straight of grain edging at the hem didn't fray nearly as much.

[amy]

Sealion that is just beautiful.   Your I love to see the historical tech tips in action with such lovely results.   Thanks for sharing.