Then I decided to sew. Tulls was spending the weekend sitting pathetically on the window seat in the sewing room, so I’d be keeping him company. I pulled out the Pink Florentine outfit. First, I sewed the oversleeves to the bodice.
Pink Florentine bodice & sleeves
I didn’t figure out how I’ll attach the inner sleeves yet. They’re pinned in right now, which would be accurate in the long run but potentially annoying. I’d kind of like them to be removable because then I could potentially wear this on hot days with just a partlet.
No matter what I do, I suspect that it’d involve hand-sewing, and I simply cannot hand-sew anything until I get new glasses. I have an eye doctor appointment next Friday, so it’ll be an few weeks until I get new lenses. My close-up vision is too poor for extended hand-sewing withoout ending up with a migraine.
So I moved on to the skirt. And was disappointed to find out I didn’t have enough fabric! All I could eek out was two panels. Feh. I got the fabric ages ago from a friend, so there’s no chance of getting more (and even then, you have dye lot issues). My inspiration image has a closed skirt, and Italian gowns tend toward closed skirts, or if they’re split, it tends to be a full gown over another gown, less of the separate forepart in the English style.
However, reading in Moda a Firenze, there are references to separate petticoats that are displayed below a gown. In fact, starting with the chapter on page 77, there’s a detailed discussion of petticoat vs. farthingale and prevalence of each. Petticoat without bodice is called “baschigna” in Eleanor’s records, after the Spanish “vasquina,” a highly decorated skirt to be worn with a bodice.
Also, starting on page 95, descriptions of the gown note that its skirt could be open in front to reveal the petticoat. Up until the 1570s, the “gamurra” refers to the closed gown. Starting in the 1550s, the “French style” of high collar and center-front opening and pointed bodice becomes popular, and this may be combined with an open skirt. This fashion was popular with younger women and lasted until the end of the century. I figure the Pink Florentine portrait is 1580s-90s, which fits in with that description.
Ok, so I have some justification for making an open skirt! Even though I have no choice, of course. I’d hoped to make this gown look more like the portrait, but oh well. No way around this.
There’s a Vecellio engraving of a 1598 young married woman in Florence wearing an open gown in patterned fabric over a petticoat of a different patterned fabric (can’t find it online but will scan it from Moda a Firenze later). I might use another pink brocade fabric for the petticoat … or I could use the pink silk that I’ve used for the inner sleeves and collar facings. I think the silk might look more matchy and nice (I love matchy!), but that fabric is also ear-marked for the MQoS pink dress. However, I think it’s actually not silk — it appears to be that Garment District silk that faked everyone out. When ironing it on high heat, the edges got melty! Feh. But I’ve already cut out the MQoS bodice and started applying trim. And I have 18 gazillion yards of trim and the pearls, though the trim isn’t my favorite. Ugh. I’ll hold everything up on the dressform and decide later.
Today, I prepped the overskirt. Finished the top edge and front sides (which required adding facings since I didn’t want to lose any width). Cartridge pleated the skirt — fabric is rather thick and knife-pleating was way too bulky. Started to lay it out against the bodice and realized, ugh, I have to finish that edge, which really should be bound as I didn’t leave extra length (not realizing I’d be cartridge-pleating, however many months ago I started this).
And I want something for hem guarding. Looked thru The Stash and everything is very contrasty. Hrm … Of course, it reminded me that I have some good stuff in The Stash that I really should make into costumes…