SKirt Help

[nliedel]

 I posted this yesterday, but it's gone. I don't know if I did anything wrong, or it just went the way of the Do-Do. I'm making an Italian dress from aprox 1568 to use for my garb this year. I am making two versions of this dress, cause once I invent the wheel, I'm not reiventing it. The initital thought was that I would make a seperate skirt. The  bodice has a dip in the front an the fabric is a cotton jacquard drapery fabric you find in every JoAnn's in several colors, often on sale for 6-7 bucks. I am NOT good with cartridge pleating. I have four kids, three special needs, it ain't happening. I am going to knife pleat the skirt. The reason  I was going to make a seperate skirt, was that the dip in the front concerns me. I don't want the dang thing hanging too low in the front and tripping me, and I want it to look nice.

My bodice is going to have four layers in it and that means hand stitching, which is what bad reality TV is for. I've looked at the Toledo dress and she does have a dip in the bodice and a V cut in the front of the dress. Do I not pleat that part? A seam there is not possible. Well, it would be possible, but not look great. I'm flat felling the seams. I'm worried about finishing the bottom of the V so it does not unravel. This stuff is light, lovely and ravels like mad.

Any ideas would be appreciated. Grazie.

[operafantomet]

If I've understood the question right (my English is so-so at times...) you're making a pointed bodice, and you wonder how to best adjust the skirt to the point in front?

I seem to remember you wrote something about a Venetian dress in the last post, and if that is the case I would pleat/gather the front a bit, but maybe not as much as in the sides and in the back. Dresses from Veneto have full and delicious skirts, even in the late 1500's:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/venezia2/fasologreen1550s.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/venezia2/titianlavinia1565.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/venezia2/tintoretto1570s.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/venezia2/robusti1600courtesan.jpg

In Tuscany, on the other hand, they were more inspired by Spanish and continental fashion in the late 1500's, and the skirts are more gored (making full pleatings in the skirt less necessairy). So I  would assume Eleonora di Toledo's skirt was pleated in the back, but little in front; pretty much like the Pisa dress, which is described as also being made by Mastro Agostino, Eleonora di Toledo's tailor (page 74, "Moda a Firenze" by Landini and Niccoli).
http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net/workbox/extwomclo1.htm

If you cut the little V in top front of the skirt, you will both be period and avoid tripping on the forepart of the skirt... 

Are you heading for a front laced bodice, like the typical Venetian fashion?

[nliedel]

Back laced. I just can't get the front laced done in time and get it all else done too, kids and rehearsals. How do I make the point with enough seamallowance? Your English is delightful.