Reproduction eye candy. You've been warned.

[gem]

Since 2007, Plimoth Plantation has been recreating an early 17th-century embroidered jacket, and it was finally completed and revealed to the public this week.  My needlework buddy Robbin actually participated in the stitching.

Enjoy!

Article from the Boston Globe

Blog with tons of pictures (and you can follow the progress if you want to go back through the older entries)

A little teaser:

[LadyShadow]

Oh wow that is soooo beautiful.

[Jessi]

WOW!! That is AMAZING!!

[Anna Iram]

So pretty. I'd wear that today!

The spangles were a surprise to me. I wonder what they would have been made of in period?

[Lady L]

Wow, that's gorgeous! 

[Kate XXXXXX]

Faith indeed.  Isn't that beautiful.  Thank you. 

[Margaret]

A friend of mine posted that over on Facebook last week.  I have been drooling over it ever since.

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Can you ever imagine how long that would have taken? I have an understanding of handwork so beautiful. No wonder, it was only the  Royalty and the Nobility that could afford such beauty.

Gorgeous!!!

[Anna Iram]

I wonder what that might have (comparativly) cost in it's day.

[Kate XXXXXX]

Remember that is wasn't just the very rich who could afford to pay professionals to do this work that had things like this.  Those lower down the income levels frequently did such embroidery for loved ones and for themselves.  Ladies who had sufficient funds to have help in the house usually had a few leisure hours in which to embroider, and it was a fashionable passtime.  You would, if you paid a call, find several of the ladies of the house embroidering while someone read them the latest poetry.

Those of lesser income would also use wool on linen rather than silk on silk.  The embroidery was still very fine.

[DragonWing]

OMG, the work that went into that. The embroidery is amazing. And the fine lace that is on it. Just amazing.

[Syrilla]

I need a towel for all of the drool.

[operafantomet]

So pretty. I'd wear that today!

The spangles were a surprise to me. I wonder what they would have been made of in period?

I think they used thin, thin metal for spangles. Some of the early and mid 17th century garbs in the "Modelejon" book has spangles, and I think they are described as metal (but I need to check to be sure!).

That is one amazing item!

[Tygrkat]

*swoon*

Positively Stunning!

[Lady Rosalind]

Wow!!!! Thank you for sharing that link! I am in awe, and find a sudden urge to learn to embroider again (my mom tried teaching me when I was 9, but I was too busy playing outside to sit indoors long enough to embroider!).

I just lost 20 to that site without even knowing it!