Centuries-Sewing

Tag: how to make a kirtle

  • Sleeve eyelets done!

    Hand sewn eyelets

  • Finally an update on the MAaS kirtle V1

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  • Part 5 of the Elizabethan Kirtle Sew-Along Renaissance

    Four videos today, this weekend I’m going to shoot some more.

    Pressing and prep for the sleeve seam allowances

     

    Pressing the seam allowance with a seam roll when the sleeve is too narrow for the board.

    Sewing in the lining at the top of the sleeve.

    Hand sewing the bottom of the sleeve shut.

     

     

  • Part 4 of the Elizabethan Kirtle Sew-Along Renaissance

     

    Marking the eyelets out for spiral lacing

    Cutting out the sleeves (the wool is from my stash and the wrinkles would not steam out)

    First pass of sewing the sleeves together.

     

  • Part 3 of the Elizabethan Kirtle Sew-Along Renaissance

     

    Sewing in the lining around the top edge

    Clipping into corners and trimming

    Edge stitching the seam allowance to the lining along the top

  • Part 2 of the Elizabethan Kirtle Sew-Along Renaissance

    Pleating the skirt down with knife pleats and a box pleat in the back

     

    Basting the pleats in place

    Ironing the pleats down to keep things from moving around when I sew the skirt to the bodice

  • An Elizabethan Kirtle Sew-Along Renaissance

    Lucas DeHeere sketchbook #71 English women
    “Yeah, we look Awesome and Swag!”

    It has been 3 or 4 (mumble) years since I was going to do the kirtle sew-along. Life, family medical issues and changes got in the way.  My skill set has improved, how I break down projects has improved, but that does not mean I’m not still learning.

    So I set up the video camera, I balanced my tripod on the printer that-may-work-but-I-really-just-use-it-as-a-scanner, shoved my social anxiety into a box and hit record.

    I’m making kirtles. I’m making several kirtles that I plan to donate to Much Ado about Sebastopol. I don’t think I will get them all done in time for this years run, but there is always next year. If they get used, or auctioned off in a fundraiser, or end up in a school theater closet that is fine.

    I have several yards of wool, pattern blocks, and a chunk of time to make something out of it all.

    The playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTne9pSn75A&list=PL-5opaHvhlOkbr8K8buX1OpZm_4kHPPgU

    The first three videos:

     

     

     

  • Kirtle Sew-Along: Measurements and Adjustments

    Kirtle Sew-Along: Measurements and Adjustments

    Pattern Adjustments and Mock-ups

    To me this is the annoying and tedious part of sewing, but once it is done we will have a bodice pattern that fits and we can use for various projects. If you already have a block pattern by all means use it. I’m starting from the beginning because this is stuff I wish I knew when I was starting out.

    Materials:

    Pencil
    A small scrap of cardboard
    Tape
    Measuring tape
    A long Ruler
    Paper to trace your pattern on
    Muslin or calico for Mock-up(s)
    Scissors
    Narrow Elastic or Ribbon
    Tracing Wheel (optional)
    A pin

    Measurements:

    To start we need a few measurements, so take a second to change into a fitted knit top and if you wear extra support under your garb put that on too. I’m wearing modern jeans to show where where your waist is not.

    Natural  waist: ________ Take string or narrow elastic and tie it snug around your waist, wiggle around from side to side till it settles.  Make sure it isn’t twisted like mine is. This trick for finding the waist doesn’t always work, so a second way of finding it is to look at where your elbow falls, that will roughly tell you where your true waist is. (Thank you Elizabethan Costume facebook group for teaching me that proportional trick.)

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