Home > Warderobe Accounts > MAAS Embroideress

Started: June 8, 2011
Ended: September 16, 2011 (Gown trim completed February 2013)
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The Research & Inspirations

The event was Much Ado About Sebastapol, a renaissance faire with a strong historical theme, based around the 1560-70s. I was asked to portray an Embroideress, who was the wife of a wealthy merchant so she would be wealthy, but not necessarily gentry. This would be a new role for me, and that new role required a new historical garment.

The original intention would be to make it as historically accurate as I could in both form and fabrics. The reality of a limited budget required me to chose from my own stash of fabrics for the garments, but the form would still be based on what information I could find.

The original research images can be found on my blog here, with my final inspirations and sketch here. There was not one specific image I used, but a blend of several that fit the general look I wanted; a slender line, no farthingale, mostly black and red - common colors for women of that period, with a standing collar to support a proper ruff. I used portions of this effigy photo posted by Ninya Mikhaila to detail my gown beyond the basics, especially in the shape of the upper chest area into the collar, and the trim details.

The Red Damask Kirtle

The kirtle is made from a red cotton damask fabric. I originally did not want to use cotton as it is not a period fiber for Elizabethan England, but it is what I had in the stash that could portray the wealth of the woman and still be a wearable fabric during warm weather. The fabric design of scrolling ivy is also not fully period but was subtle, and approved by the costumer for MAAS. It is trimmed in black silk with both a hem guard and welt, which adds a little stiffness to the skirt drape.

I used the curved front seam pattern used in my Phyllis Writing outfit, adjusting the upper portion to sit higher with a little more curve to the center front - which in this case is sewn together. The bodice is stiffened with hemp cording, which gives a soft support to the bosom. The skirt pattern is my usual skirt panels taken from Margo Anderson's underskirt pattern, which is not too full. The sewing is a blend between machine and hand, depending on needs. The garment is spiral laced up the back.

The Black Wool Gown

The gown is a wool/cashmere blend that I had purchased on eBay for a low price some time ago. The bodice was draped & fitted over the curved front kirtle, with adjustments to the mockup front & collar with the help of a friend, Cherylyn C. The sleeves went through two mockups to get to the right shape. The collar is stiffened with both tailor's interfacing, linen & some bits of cable ties within the red silk trim. The red silk trim is made of bias tape, from a small amount of red silk charmeuse which I did purchase on sale. The skirt pattern is the same as used on the kirtle, using the full width of of the fabric in the back. The skirt pleats are supported by a length of wool flannel. There is no lining on the skirts to keep it cooler, but the bodice is lined in a light linen/cotton blend, with red silk for the collar.

The Coif

The coif was made from scrap linen fabric that was large enough, and was bound along the front edge in brass wire to keep the ear flap in place. It was sewn by hand. This was only meant to be a wearabe mockup for a future embroidered coif, but it works very nicely as a simple coif, once I got the dimensions worked out as I've a lot of thick hair to cover. I don't show how it was created, as that is given in the book Patterns of Fashion Book 4 by Janet Arnold.

The Whole Outfit at MAAS

I didn't have time to finish up everything I wanted before MAAS came around, so I pulled out some older items like my husband's shirt with the blackwork embroidery, and my husband's Italian bonnet with the bling removed and a simple white trim put on. I also didn't finish all the red silk trim, so I will post photos of the gown later when all is complete. As to the ruff, that also was not done in time, so I borrowed one from Noel G. which set off the outfit perfectly for my Elizabethan merchant's wife.

Photo albums that show the construction details are available from the images to your right -->

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