Frock plans - thinking out loud

Salmon wool. Lots of it.
Want simple for Festy, but along the lines of the green - middle-ish class, dressy but serviceable.
Do I want big puff-balls for sleeves? Maybe.
Or do I want to make a sexy coat to go with this, and play with a theory...
The girls recorded in this manuscript, I reckon, are in many cases wearing a 'kirtle' (for want of a better word) like the lower classes are showing. Probably with no sleeves, possibly with a small sleeve.Then, they get to wear a nice high-necked jacket, with the big puff-ball sleeves. So many of the outfits have 'tops' that don't match bottoms. And aprons that match the tops.
So, the good news about this theory is that I can lace up the front with impunity, have a simple 'kirtle' frock, and a really sexy jacket. The sad news is that it's often not cold enough at Festy for a coat. I'm going to scratch the big coat of doom off my Festy list, in fact. Now, I do already have 3 little jackets - two I would happily wear with this middle class stuff. So do I need more? I think I do. I think I need a brocade one.
Ok. Simple salmon 'kirtle'. Front lacing. Short sleeves, very short in fact - the whole thing along these design lines but with front lacing. So now do I get to plan a jacket? I might do a little more research, but it will probably be high-necked, big shouldered, stop a the waist line, hooks and eyes, blue brocade.

Also have been considering Fz's doublet. Not sure that I like it. Might make him a second one, with a higher neckline, pickadills at the shoulders (the little folded under ones, like loops) and baggy sleeves for tying in. Like this guy. He looks so comfy. IN brown wool, but lined with something bright...wonder how much green I have left?

Skirt's on bodice. Looking good. Hanging for a few days - so much bias in there, needs a good hang.
Found boy shirt, started to do more machining prep, getting it ready for easy hand sewing...only I hadn't finished all the previous handsewing. Back into hand basket.
Started the silk ribbon coif. Tacked down at the meeting point, 2cm space between. Will not put beads on it - too tizzy and naff. Only lined in another layer of linen. Should be floppy. Lattice looks great.
Have a piece of smocking from C - should be able to halve it and get two new aprons. Will start that today.
Finished a partlet! Actually, needs two sets of ties on the front, and then it's done. But when I finish a thing, I can start a new one! Hence the hat. I'm happy with the concept of whipping the collar on. Works nicely, neatly. The whole think looks beautiful. Weee!

Achieved socks! Yeah, well, that was easy.
Have finished ruff collar, in process of whipping it onto the partlet. Sleeve holes to do on that one, and ties, and it's complete. Although...think I need to cut the arm open, to get it over the ginor-mouse sleeves.

Socks nearly done. So fast! Machining is the way to go - and I can machine the whole thing, and still keep the hand finishing neat, rather than having to hand finishing certain seams before machining any more. Wizz! One top cuff left to do. They look great, even if they are very fine linen. He will be cool and comfy.
Flannel sewn and pressed into waist of green skirt. Pleating soon.
School is back today, so let's see if I give this all away again. Sewing lost to Teh Tired and school work after midwinter, mostly because I found the stress of building the gold frock to be too much. It wasn't fun, so I didn't want to keep on doing it. This time 'round, I'm enjoying myself, and have a 2 month goal/work period. I think there will be more sewing.

Bought cotton/linen from Greenfields for boy socks. It's a little more delicate than I'd like for him, but he will have some very sexy legs, and be very comfy. And I bought too much, so hello extra smock for me.
One sock is nearly complete - top hem left to do. Other comes to BBQ with me.
Partlets are coming along slowly - the inbetween projects project. I've hemmed the neck on one, and will whip the collar into place when it's complete. Might take that to BBQ too, and see what I can do. Have pinned and sewn one ruff.
Interior skirt seams are finished. Will line waist with thin wool, if I cna find some...hang on, there's some cheap flannel in the boxes somewhere, that could work. Soft, but full.
Bought 4 packets of fishing rings online yesterday. No idea how much the shipping was. Have Dad and Em on the hunt in shops for me too, getting the best prices.
Considering turning the new salmon wool into a small-sleeved frock. Simple. Round-fronted perhaps, black trim with an extra thin line of trim next to it...maybe. Planning to happen.

These are a little bit funky. Shame you have to buy 50,000 of them to get 30 for a frock though.

New wool colour

Only took three different kinds of dye - onions included - to move from the beige to this. Bah. Never buying Dylon again - it sucks.

Sleeves on bodice

Bodice is almost a finished thing - 2 more rings and finished arm holes and I'm good for skirting. No, my bodice doesn't fit this dummy. Clickly little pics for bigger pics.
Yes, I'm disgustingly proud of myself. No, I don't think I'll look like Snow White hiding in a pine forest.
I'd like to get the skirt cut today. How will I finish the inner seams? By hand is dumb - this is a quick and easy frock, not a taking forever frock. Then again, I could do the folded-over flat-felled thing - one line of hand sewing per machine seam. Hmm. French seams on the brocade didn't come out as neatly as I'd have liked, and the bulk in the waist seam/pleats was a bit much. Hand done it is.
Oh yeah...and the sleeves are so big, I'll have to cut my new partlets under the arm and tie them on. HA!

Building sleeves

The sleeve lining, with dags sewn on. Dags are backed in more green linen.

Outer 'puff' added at half-sleeve point. Box pleated for less bulk. Machine sewn down - velveteen band will cover the rough edges and the join.

Scary monster sleeve mouth! Argh!

Inside the outer 'puff'. Iron-on interfacing or moderate stiffness, and 'horse-hair' braid made of the purest plastic. Tacked very gingerly into place as there's nothing to hide the stitches on the outside.
The whole thing is looking rather spiffing, I must say. At this point I've got the panes cut out, and some are sewn and pressed, and the upper pleats are sewn in at the sleevehead. I'm a little worried at how careful I will have to be, sewing the whole sleeve to the bodice and keeping the pleats flat and pretty. And must remember to put the rest of the boning in BEFORE sewing the sleeves on!
This whole adventure took me most of today. And it's not over yet. Phew!

Note to self - front bonings are win.

Three partlets cut and machined. One almost all felled, another halfway through.
Bodice together and felled. Choice was velveteen. Cut and place today. Sleeve patterning? Perhaps.
Boy shirt pinned and ready to be tried on. Can't progress until sure it works. Waiting, waiting...
Think my new coif is a little too big in band. Will need to address this later.

Coif works well. For the next one, I'll put only interfacing in it, no voile. One finished item!
Also finished off the early period shirt. Tudor neckline on it, hemmed and cuffed. Two finished items!
Broken partlet has been unpicked for pattern pieces. I'll cut a new, higher neck tomorrow.

Monday's goal is:
Cut bodice pieces for green frock.
Make a choice on trim for green frock - black wool, black linen or black velveteen?
Cut a new partlet, making sure the neck is high enough.
Machine sew boy shirt sleeves on, ready for hand work.
Stick all hand work in the tidy handwork basket, ready for TV sewing opportunities! Woot!

I'm having a hat win!
I've decided to put the grossgrain straight down on the white linen, 3cm apart (that's twice the ribbon's width) and using backstitch. I did 7 last night while watching TV, and have a tiny bit left to do before I start on the other angle. It's not that annoying or time concuming...although I spose I did watch close to 2 hours worth of Gormet farmer and Torchwood.
It's lined with voile, but I found that it was all too stretchy still, so I ironed some light interfacing on it too. We'll see how that works out when I start to pleat it in.
I now own some thinner red ribbon in silk, and I'm yet to test the pinchy theory. Again, if it just isn't working, I'll still have some tasty red ribbon to put on coifs. And aprons.
Starting to wich I'd picked a linen scrap that can be ironed flat - this linen is dumb. I've never been able to get it smooth. Oh well, too late now.

I've had a partlet fail.
I've cut the neck hole a little too big. It means the collar won't sit against my neck nicely.
It was the last of that linen too, cut so carefully to make the most of it. And I've saved all the selvedge of that linen too, for ruffs, and and there's no more left to make partlets with...
I could just finish it anyway, but it's an open partlet always. Or I could abandon it. Feeling a bit pouty about it all.
Might go and do something different for a while.

Yesterday, I started...

• A new partlet for me, which will have an added collar and ruff. It's one layer of linen, and at this point I've felled all the inner seams, and hemmed the bottom and arms. Still need to starch the ruff strip and pleat it in. The collar will be 2 layers, to hide the bottom of the ruff. Outer layer of collar will be machined on, inner layer hand done. Might use ribbons to tie it on, as it's a snug fit and will stretch. Ties might make it less susceptible to stretch. I need to make a few of these.
• A boy shirt. Pieces cut out. I've take a little out of the body, but added more in the underarm gussets and neck pieces. The back neck is a very small curve, and the front is average. So far, the gussets have been added to body and sleeves, and the neck slit has been finished. Instead of a spider web, I've put two buttonhole stitch bars across, a bit like a ladder. Looks cute.
• Fixing the early period shirt I was making, to make it more tudor. The neckline's been recut, the sleeves shortened, and the side seam machined. It needs felling in the side seam, neck/cuff/hem hemmed. The sleeves are a little big at the upper arm, but it will suffice as an extra festy shirt.
• Steaming a boy hat. It was almost sodden, and I put it in the oven over an IKEA pot. It shrunk a little, which is good, and I got a good round shape out of it. It's had its sides trimmed, the back turned up. He can now play with it as he sees fit. It needs a feather, I think.
• Making grossgrain ribbon into little puckers. I'm not convinced that this will work as coif trim...it is a little bulky at the crossover points. There's not much space at the back of your head there, and I'd hate it to be all just too bulky. I'll do a few more, and get the linen ready for a test. It could work. Or I might need a thinner ribbon. This stuff's 1.5cm. Thinner could be great.
  

Making a coif

So, for the big gold frock I wanted a coif like these. I tried to get the latticed effect with two strand of gold, and it looked good, but wasn't quite what I was expecting.
So I thought this time I might put all that grossgrain ribbon to work. I'm pulling the edges together every 5 cm, and I'll lay them lattice-style and see what happens.

I'm not convinced by it yet, guess I won't know until I've done enough to make some lattice. I'm worried it will be a bit bulky. Perhaps it would best be done with a thinner ribbon. Perhaps I need another visit to Greenfields...?

Shirt issues

So, when he put his new tasty foofy shirt on, it sat real funny over his shoulders. Looked well wrong. And I couldn't figure out why. But a read over Renn Tailor's shirt making page makes me wonder - How low did I cut the neck in the back panel? this could be the issue. I don't remember, though I'm not use to cutting out HEAPS, but perhaps I cut out enough to make it strangle him a bit.
So the plan today is to cut a new shirt, this time taking VERY LITTLE from the back of the neck, and a fir bit from the front. I'm also thinking I'll knife pleat the shirt into the neck band, to try and alleviate the hunchback look.

Finshed frocks, world of win

Arty ruff. I liked the coloured pins.
BROCADE:
Not too fond of the slight point in the bodice, possibly emphasised by the gap, possible facilitated by the slippery lacing cord. Was quite comfy everywhere but the armscry, and that might be fixable. Will have to unpick the binding I've put on the seams there, and try to minimise the bulk even further. Love the silhouette from the back!
Things that were unfinshed:
Partlet needs another button and loop, a hem and ties to go under the arms.
Chemise needs cuff closures.
Armscry needs attention.
Hook and eye on skirt needs to be moved, or perhaps an extra one added. Top one. Placket needs hemming.
Need to build a top hat and sleeves to fully complete it.

GOOSE BOY:
He was surprisingly comfy and didn't die of heat! This is very good news. Then again, festy is far more humid. He didn't make it to the doublet, sadly.
I'm not sure what I've done wrong with the shirt...it fits funny. He needs another, and I will have to figure out what I'm doing wrong, or odd, for the next one.
The pants were great. I think they need another button, just for the look of the thing. The hat was too small - still need to deal with the blue hat...starting with dyeing it a better colour.
M has offered to build socks, which is great. The whole outfit will be improved by them. His shoes work well.
The best bit was when H recognised the outfit as goose boy! Win!
Still need to:
Make points for doublet / pants.
Organise sock building.
Hat.
Overcoat. Not that I think he will ever need it...

Partlet joy

I'm knife pleating into the neck band, and it's so cute and neat and falls so well! And I plan to pleat the bottom edge too - to keep it neat under the frock. Looks like a real one!
Shirt just needs cuffs and ruffs. Today's goals!

Update

Brocade frock skirt and bodice have been introduced. Now hanging in bathroom, before C and I have a huge hemming party.
Doublet skirts are on. Taking much longer than I thought. Will need season 1 of Angel, I think.
Making large-sleeved chemise. Tasty swiss voile, french seamed all the way. Very thread-hungry work. Will need trip to KMart for more white thread. Hope whole thing will be done by tonight. Considering a little bit of lace at neck...not that anyone will see it. That way, I can machine the whole thing!
If I can get good time on the partlet today, I will consider a stoopid top hat. But only if there is time. Doublet, partlet and pants must be complete. Hat is extra.

Back on track

Sewing machine fixed!

Finished all the hand work on brocade bodice (although I haven't prick stitched the velveteen down around the neck...and might not. We'll see).

Two buttonholes on Doom pants. I suck at buttonholes. But all is made better when you see him put them on, and they look fab. Weee!

Doublet started - light beigy coloured wool, lined with terracotta cotton for a great colour match, and IKEA cotton for a bit more stability. I've bag lined the 4 body panels, and plan to finish off all edges, then whip stitch the skirt pieces and shoulder caps on. I'm hoping this makes them stick out in a cool way. The doublet will have little triangle shoulder caps but no sleeves, and small...say 2 inch skirt pieces...prolly only two, with a break at the back. Need to research this. Just in case. Although, I'm making a heap of stuff up with this, as all the groovy german boys are wearing jackets over their doublets, and making it hard for me.

Also - when bag lining, the way to get the outer fabric to 'overhang' the lining when all pressed? Seems to be best if you trim the seam allowance very close on the lining fabric before turning - not the outer fabric, which would make some sense, as it's thick and stuff. Am I wrong? I made the shoulder caps, and trimmed the SA differently on them, and one worked a little better...?

asplode

Sewing machine fizzled yesterday. My enthusiasm has been violently squished...so frustrated.

Kept doing bodice hand sewing last night, and made 2 button holes on Doom Pants. But I was most of the way around my skirt, french seaming all the way, when the machine died. Feel so unfulfilled.

Started making a dress yesterday too - IKEA fabric, 60s mod-style. Can't finish it now. Pants.