I’ve finished the underpinnings for my Elizabethan wardrobe. Eventually, I’d like to add eyelets to the straps of my bodies to attach sleeves, but that will have to wait for now. All in all, I think it turned out rather well.
Plain shirt, yellow bodies and petticoat
I managed to use my time productively this weekend and knock through a number of my sewing tasks.
I’ve completely finished my plain shirt, except for a fastening at the neck (which I’m not going to bother with right now since I so rarely wear it closed and I haven’t decided what fastenings I want to use). I’ve completely finished my yellow petticoat and bodies, AND I’ve hemmed my blue petticoat. My jacket lining is cut out, all ready to be basted and fitted.
Still, my to do list is getting much shorter. My goal is to have it all done by mid-May.
My thread arrived and I’ve finished the eyelets on my bodies (and will get to the ones on my yellow petticoat eventually). This means that I have the base layer complete, and can start fitting my jacket. I have a mock-up partly done, and I think it’s good enough I can cut my lining for final fitting.
My goal is to the the fill thing finished by mid-May.
I’m finally getting around to handsewing my eyelets, so I thought I’d put up a small “how to” post.
Step 1 – Make a hole. I use a bookbinding awl to make the original hole, and then spread it out using a knitting needle (I have used a large safety-pin and a chopstick in the past – the tools aren’t important). The key here is to spread the fabric threads apart, not cutting or breaking them. This helps keep your eyelet strong.
Step 2 – Baste the hole open. I use regular sewing thread.
Step 3 – Bind the hole. I like to use a buttonhole stitch, but it’s not necessary. The thread here is 18/3 Londonerry Linen
My shirt is finished for now. All that remains is the fastenings. I’ll sew eyelets on the cuffs, but I haven’t decided how to do the collar. Eyelets are a possible option, or laces, or even hooks and eyes. I generally wear my collar open anyways, so I’ll probably just leave it for now.
Here’s a picture of the shirt. I know gathering the neck ruffle is more appropriate, but I prefer the ordered look of the box pleats.
The cuff, sans eyelets.
The neck gusset with reinforcement.
I removed the gores from my smock today, and will sew up the sides like a man’s shirt instead. This will reduce the amound of fabric bulk along the hem, letting me wear it with trousers as well as skirts. I’ve been thinking of making some boys garb for myself for mucking about in, and this way I won’t need to make a new shirt for it.
I’ve finished the neck, so now all that’s left to do it pleat the sleeve ruffles and attach them to the sleeves, and then hem the bloody thing.
On a side note, I’ve been trying to decide whether or not to bone the full front of my bodys. I’ve using the Dorothea style, which had unboned… er… cups (*cough* this is hard to write while keeping the content work-safe). I definately prefer the look of the full boning, but leaving the top parts unboned is supposed to give a smoother line. I’ve already veered from the original, in that my pair will be front-lacing (yay for dressing oneself!). I’ll probably go for the full front. I can always cut the reed back if I change my mind later.
I finally manged to satisfactorily pleat the neck ruffle last night. This step always takes me a while. I also added the neck gores to the neck opening, and finished the sleeve seams. I’d take pictures, but it really just looks like a bunch of white linen.
Left to do:
The yellow bodys is all cut out. Next up will be chalking on the lines for boning channels and stitching those up in the linen thread.
Cold winters have been great inspiration for crafty projects at home.
Currently, apart from the knitting and weaving, I’ve been working on a new Elizabethan/Jacobean outfit from the skin out. I ordered the linen over a year ago, but with so much happening I never really managed to do much.
First up, a high necked smock of fine white linen. I’ve made good progress so far. The body is together and the sleeves are attached. All that remains to do is the collar/cuffs. This is the slow part as I’ve been having trouble getting the pleating the way I want it. I spent the weekend pleating and re-pleating, only to end up back where I started. I’m going to pore through the latest PoF this evening for inspiration before I go at it again.
Because I like to change up projects when I get frustrated (or bored), I also cut out the linen for my pair of bodys. I’m using a pattern this time instead of going it on my own. The outer layer is a mustard yellow linen, with the lining and interlining in white. I managed to find linen thread in the exact same colour, so I’ll be using that for all visible stitching. It will be boned with reed.
Once these are completed, I’ll be making petticoats of the same mustard yellow linen and sky blue. After that, a jacket in rose-pink linen.
A Day in the Life 