At some point during the summer of 2022, I was cleaning out my costume closet and decided I could revamp my old 1570s French Valois Gown into something … my friend Loren of The Costumer’s Closet had made some very pretty gowns inspired by The Borgias (2011-13) TV show, and that gave me an idea.
Well, I wore the gown in England at our 16th-century feast at Blo Norton, a moated Tudor manor house. And I was much more pleased with the effect this time! I bought a gold choker necklace with black and red faux gems and pearls that coordinated nicely, and I did my hair up in big,
Was not overly pleased with the test-run of the Valois gown at March Crown. I’d tried it on at home the week before, and it looked fine, the only potential issue was the sleeves seemed a bit slippy on my shoulders. But when I put it on Saturday night, the whole thing felt an inch
The Valois gown is done! All trimmed, bodice, sleeves, and petticoat. No pix for you because, well, it looks a lot like the last two pix only with more of the same. Would look better when worn, and that probably won’t happen until May. Now, I could test it out at March Crown, ‘cept what
Figured I’d whip up the Valois petticoat, as I’d bragged I could do in a few hours. Famous last words. I did assemble it easily (aside from hemming), then I stuck it on the dressform with the gown and realized I hated how it looked. The pleats in the front were all wrong, fugly, bassakwards.
It’s officially a dress because it has sleeves. Sewn on even. The croissants shoulder rolls aren’t actually sewn on in these pix, but they are now in real life. The velvet trim is sewn on neither in the pix nor in real life, it’s merely pinned down to show what I’ll be going for. Colors
Just recording weeknight progress so it feels like I’m getting somewhere…
There’s a smell of fear in the air — I looked at the calendar. I realized I have way too many costumes to produce in a shockingly short amount of time… Motivation won’t come to me, I just have to force myself to get shit done. NOW. Thus, tonight I cleared away some sewing room
My fingertips and my back are keeeeeeeeling me. Hand-sewing all day (you may all laugh now, or check for snowballs in Hades since that means TWO full days of hand-sewing for moi). However, it looks like a dress now… Front picture shows where I always screw up the very front edges on a curved or
Good sewing progress, thanks to the fabulous influence (and cheezburgers) of Kendra and Sarah. I got the skirt of the Valois gown hemmed and cartridge-pleated, both by hand, as one does. Now I’m ready to attach it to the bodice, though I still need to prep the bodice edge. And I think I’d like to
Doesn’t look like much, but I’ve been at it all day, off and on, between errands and chores around the house and, of course, screwing around on the computer. Cut the skirt panels, shaped the waistband and hem (the front comes to a point and there’s a small train in the back), finished the top
Finally got something started here! I thought I’d just use the same bodice pattern I made for the black and grey 1570s kirtle — just needed to cut the back of the neckline squared. But when I did that, something changed in the fit of the shoulders, so I actually had to futz with the
I think I’d like to make this gown for the SCA 12th Night this year. I can use the same side-laced bodice pattern as the black and grey 1570s gown. If I don’t get it trimmed, I can still wear it plain. So it’s not as super-mega labor-intensive as my initial plan of making the
When I found this red and gold damask, I didn’t immediately know what to make with it. I’d lusted after this fabric for at least a year. It’s from the Christopher Lowell home dec collection at Jo-Ann’s, it’s 100% polyester, and it’s usually $19.99/yard. Now, I am not a fiber snob — I’ll use anything