17th Century, Free Motion Embroidery, Goldwork, Hand Embroidery, Hand Sewn

A Green Linen Apron and some 17th Century Goldwork Embroidery Projects

April and most of May was a very stressful month for me. All my sewing projects went on hold and I tried to take the time to put myself and self-care first when I could. I’m starting to feel like I have more energy now, I’ve gotten some hand sewing done and started a few embroidery… Read More A Green Linen Apron and some 17th Century Goldwork Embroidery Projects

15th Century, 16th Century, Black Silk Taffeta Kirtle, Costumes, Elizabethan, Hand Sewn, The Week in Review

WiR: Hand Sewn Silk Sleeves Done!

16th-Century Handsewn Silk Sleeves This week I finished the silk sleeves, yay! The last few steps ended up being very fiddly, as I needed to change the curve of the underarm section of the armscye and take it in by an inch. The last few steps ended up being very fiddly. I needed to change… Read More WiR: Hand Sewn Silk Sleeves Done!

16th Century, Costumes, Elizabethan, Juan de Alcega Tailor's Pattern Book, Patterns, The Week in Review

WiR: A Pair of 16th Century Silk Damask Sleeves

The main project this week was revising my 16th-century sleeve pattern and making up a pair of test sleeves. I was not happy with how my sleeves turned out in the caramel wool petticoat bodies. Some of that was from how thin and lightweight the fabric was, and some of it was from the pattern… Read More WiR: A Pair of 16th Century Silk Damask Sleeves

16th Century, Black Silk Taffeta Kirtle, Costumes, The Week in Review

Week in Review: Silk Taffeta Kirtle and Passementerie

This week I finished pad stitching the silk taffeta kirtle interlinings and basted the outer fabric in place. I popped it on the dress form with pins holding it together to see how it looked. The 3 layers of canvas at the front (which may be overkill) plus the pad stitching gives it lots of… Read More Week in Review: Silk Taffeta Kirtle and Passementerie

16th Century, Costumes, Juan de Alcega Tailor's Pattern Book, Undergarments

Juan de Alcega Tailor’s Pattern Book: Manteo or a Skirt of Cloth Part 2 – Construction

After way too long here is part two of the manteo or petticoat (part 1 written in 2014 can be found here), to recap here is the layout suggestion I ended up using from Alecga. Since my fabric is 60 inches wide I did not need to piece the “B” section and was able to cut it… Read More Juan de Alcega Tailor’s Pattern Book: Manteo or a Skirt of Cloth Part 2 – Construction