Finished sleeveless Kirtle

I have finished the sleeveless kirtle and made some pin on sleeves with the same wool blend plaid I used for the gaurd. I am also planning on making a  lillipre out of the same material. You can see that the dye on the kirtle itself is not very even, but considering it will be a working kirtle it is not an issue for me.

Don't mind the pic, the dark and light spots were floaters in front of the camera. But still not bad since my seven year old took the pic...

A Productive Weekend

So I was able to work some more on the embrodery on the green kirtle, almost finish my sleeveless kirtle experiment, fix a smock, repair my son's cotehardie outfit, add a couple of buttons to his undershirt, and went through my whole fabric stash and sewing area. I am now able to find everything!!!

My kirtle is finished except for adding the gaurd to the hem. I will also be making a pair of pin on sleeves out of the same fabric of the gaurd.

 So as for finding everything I found out I now have the fabric to finish some of the things I wanted to do.  Yeah!!!

Here is an update of my ongoing list of stuff to do....

• Repair my son's cotehardie outfit.  Done!!
• Line son's wool cloak, add laces to undershirt. Added  buttons
• Fix arms on green kirtle,  Done add trim, in progress and finish lacing holes. no fraying yet it can wait
• Finish sleeveless kirtle experiment.  (Just needs gaurds put on)
• I also found and organized the fabric I have for current projects. Knowing where the suff is located is half the battle right? 

Things I should do or wanted to do but now have the materials

• Another shirt, and pants for my son.
• A long sleeved under shirt and for my husband.
• Pin on sleeves and hose for myself.
• Another apron.

So updated list of stuff  to do over the winter before next camping event.

• Fix bodices on blue cotte, red kirtle, and an underdress.
• Finish green kirtle, sleeveless kirtle, and pin on sleeves.
• Line son's wool cloak, make an undershirt, and finish gray t-tunic.
• Sew tent
• Finish husband's Middle Eastern coat. Redo frogs on kaftan, and make an undershirt.
• A pair of hose or two for myself.

Stuff to do at a later date

• Redo waist band on gypsy skirt, and make a matching choli.
• Make son a gypsy vest, another shirt, and pants.
• Another apron, smock and underdress
• Cut lining for fancy purple kirtle, sew it, then embroder it.
• Make striped Kaftan for husband

Things I should do or wanted to do but need materials

• A hood and pants for my son.
• A long sleeved under shirt and for my husband.
• Gold patterned cotte once I can afford buttons.
• A Hennin, and a red or black hood. 
• A couple pairs of gloves for myself.
• A gray fur lining to make a cloak/mantle from a red/purple woolen material I have.

Gahhh!! Must fix most of my gowns!!!

So I have gained enough boobage to have to expand the bodice on all my fitted cottes and kirtles except the green kirtle (which I just fixed) and my wool one, and none of my under dresses fit eithier..... *sigh* More winter projects for me. At least my loose kirtle and houpes still fit.

Embrodery on Green Kirtle

So I have been slowly workiing on the embrodery on my green kirtle... just a few pics of the progress so far... I need to add some of the leaves yet, and have only done the front part of the bodice, but so far I am please with how it is turning out.

You can see how the sleeves are split. When I have the hooks and eyes on and closed them the split will lay better on the back of the arms, and then my underdress (I was thinking of making a pair of sleeves to go under, either a close fitting blue, or maybe a fine white gathered sleeve) will show through the split.

Updating the green Kirtle

The green kirlte I have needed some updates. The sleeves were always a bit snug on the forearms, and my bust seems to be growing again. I had enough seam allowance to let out the bust a bit, but not in the arms.

SO..... 

I split the sleeve up to the elbow. My kirtle now has hanging sleeves. I will be adding a couple of hooks and eyes near the wrist so the sleeves can be closed if I want to.

Now that I split the sleeves, I do not have enough trim to go around the split in the sleeves, and the neckline. So I have decided to embroider the neck line and the sleeves. You can see that I have started the outline of the embroidery in blue floss. Inside I will have a scrolly pattern with flowers and leaves, in purples and greens, with some touches of gold. I am debating about working a few dragonflies into the pattern.

Weekend project~ Plaid cotte

My friend was up here visiting for the weekend, and we spent a good chunk of time being sewing geeks. I was able to make a permanent kirtle pattern for myself, and for her. We also made a quick dress for my friend. She had several yards of a blue/green/white plaid fabric which we made into a gown for her.  The plaid pattern in the bodice will line up if it is ladder laced or fastened with hook and eyes or frogs. (The spiral basting kept pulling the gown up on her right side).

We were even able to document the pattern of the gown. This picture is from The Romance of Guiron le Courtois, A tournament. Evidently a plaid non-bias cotte IS period in 1370-80 Italy. Whether it was ever used one hundred years later in Ireland is debatable though. You can find the women wearing a blue and red plaid in the top left. The enlarged image is below. The neckline and the fit of the gown are definitely more pre -Tudor like than the ones in the images, although I did notice that a few of the gowns shown had very square necklines, including the plaid gown.

The following websites has many many images from The Romance of Guiron le Courtois among other manuscripts from the 11th thur the 15th centuries. Click on any picture to see a larger image.

http://manuscriptminiatures.com/search/?year=1380&year_end=1410&manuscript=&tags=&tag_mode=all&per=200&view=gallery

Update with finished transtion gown pics!

 Being a busy homeschooling, college going, homesteading mom, has been a big priority for me lately, so my sewing projects have been pushed to the back burner. Not to mention no room to sew, but my Mom has found her own place, so now I actually have a sewing room!!! I have been able to get many yards of 12 oz canvas, which will eventually be a tent. I also have been able to finally get some pics of the transitional gown and kirtle I made on my friend.