German Brickstich Project

This is my first attempt using a pattern I found from this website:
http://www.wymarc.com/asoot/asoot.php?show=germanPatterns

Here's my work so far... I'm watching a star wars marathon right now to help pass the time :D

My new embroidery frame!

Created by a loving member of my family!

Parti-Coloured Plaid Cotehardie

I found this awesome idea! And I just happen to have material that will work for the plaid! It's cotton, but I think I can ignore that fact for this one. I'm now just debating if I should use a dark fabric or light to oppose the plaid. I was thinking a nice white linen...

My Award of Arms

Oooohh aaahhhh..............

Cotehardie Pictures... Finally!

These are the promised photos of the dresses I currently have and made (gave one away). I just ordered 5 yards of Royal Blue and Green Linen... so watch out more to come!

Red Woolen Cotehardie

So I donated one of my first dresses to a sweet little girl, and moved my pilgrims badges on this dress. I stitched the lacing eyelets by hand and most of the dress (info in earlier blog entry). I was rushing apparently too because I messed up on the lacing lol... but it does look lovely anyway! I really love how the four panel pattern fits so nicely over a woman's natural curves. Way better than the princess line!

Purple Linen Cotehardie

I'm wearing my two House badges for the SCA (ladies are not documented wearing these things lol). I LOVE how comfortable this dress is! My houses are; 'The Inn of the Tree and Cross' and the 'Hospitallers of Bordergate'.


Sideless Surcoat (Still a work in progress...)

I'll update on this project as soon as it's done! It's real rabbit fur too (made out of an old fur coat)! For now I have to get back to hand-stitching my heraldic dress! It's coming along nicely (just need to find time in my life).

Heraldic Cotehardie

This is my project coming up... as soon as my Device is accepted!

An Update!!! I just purchased 12 yards of silk! It's all white so I will have to dye each color. And I plan on doing this dress all by hand. Big project!!! :)

August, 2010

So... I finally have got around to starting my heraldic cotehardie. I bought 12 yards of a beautiful white silk, and then dyed it green, black and red for the fabric I need. I used RIT dye, because I can easily find it at zellers and it`s cheap!



Next, I began fitting of the dress. To my dismay, my lovely man did not feel inclined to help me further then taking pictures so I`ve done the fitting myself. I`m sure once the dress is pieced together there will be need of further fitting. The first pic is the pre-fitting, the second is more fitted. You can see how much I cut off from the body panels.



And then cam the fun part! I had to divide the front and back panels, and side gores into `Gyronny eight`...



Once the panels were cut, I traced them onto the black and white fabric. I then cut them out given each piece a 1/2 seam allowance. I traced each piece in order to later help when I am hand stitching this whole puzzle together!

I also cut out the applique that will be added on to the front of the dress. This is a sneak peak at how it will look! Of course the panels that are shown here are for the back. The front panels will have a deeper neckline. Also, I have yet to cut out any side panels that will extend the pattern giving the dress a voluptuous skirt. Much yet to do... but I'll post up more pics as soon as I progress further.



To do list
1) red buttons for sleeves and down the front
2) cut out front/side panels
3) cut out sleeves
4) sew the damn thing together :)



Night!

December 13th, 2010

I just received my new linen, one being a lovely green. So I have the purrrrfect material for two new cotes, one that will suite my heraldic dress nicely.

Cotehardies

The following are dresses I have created, just for your enjoyment :)

This dress is made of synthetic materials, and one of my first cotehardies I ever made. I still love it although the fit is particularly terrible and it gets really hot while wearing it (the material does not breath well). The second photo shows how I lined the edges of the sleeves and front with silk, which I intended to make buttonholes on. However, I never got around it, so the front and sleeves are simply sewn shut. I added some pilgrims badges and tokens that I purchased at an event. In case you ever wondered... (and also because I love research!), in Medieval France: an encyclopedia By William W. Kibler, it is noted that,

page 740

Also, nobility did take pilgrimages too! The following excerpt describes the purpose of the pilgrimages (because let's face it, you secretly do want to know...)

page 740

Here is a close-up off mine. Although they are not historically accurate, they create the same effect. Plus they're cute!

This next dress is made of purple linen, and it is FAR more historically accurate then my Golden Silk Dress, and the previous red dress. I used a wonderful pattern that uses the idea of block patterning to create the dress. I purchased the pattern on e-bay (yay for e-bay!) for a decent price.

Of course, linen is wonderful to work with but it LOVES to wrinkle.

With this dress, I included eyelets (handsewn of course) for lacing down the front of the gown. Eyelets a re really easy, especially if you include a metal grommet underneath your work! Lol! I used the grommets to reinforce t he eyelets even if this is not period, simply because it really helps keep the eye let in tact afte r lacing the gown a lot of times!

Here is a closeup on the eyelets and the method to make them.

The next dress is a current project. I made it of turquoise blue silk awhile ago, but I made it too small. Sooo.... I'm currently adding gores to the sides to give me more room. The thing I like about this dress is the gores in the skirt! There are eight and that's why is is incredibly wide! It looks absolutely lovely! I'll be sure to post a pic up as soon as it is done (and I'll wear it this time).

OK!!!! And my last but not least... My WOOL cotehardie! This one is by far my favorite at the moment! It is longer then my other dresses, and the sleeves are marvelous! They're bell shaped. I also crafted some buttons for this gown, however because it is so fitted to my body, I will have to make eyelets and lace it up the front. Here is the work in progess (very close to being finished). I've sewn down all the seams by hand (which I do to all my dresses), and all I have left is to hem it. The color is very rich, and it is very warm! Hurray for authentic materials!

Anyway! I'll post pics of me wearing my gown when I get a good pic at an event or something. Enjoy! Oh, and this is my little helper.... Nell. She's a Min Pin Jack Russel. Cutest thing ever!