While in search of fabric for a project on making a 16th century German Saxon gown (Cranach gown), I come upon some perfectly period in black, yellow and chocolate brown with “gold leafing” creating a diamondesque pattern. For as wonderfully period and obnoxious as it is, it doesn’t go with my main fabric for the German, and quite frankly isn’t really appropriate for the German anyways. However, I just had to have it! But what to do with it?
Reluctantly, I left it behind while I pondered. It screams Burgundian gown, but do I really want to do a late 15th century gown? I toyed with this while looking to get some other pieces and looking into the portraits and other documentation of the gown. While at one of my favorite places, JoAnn Fabrics, I found some lovely cotton fabric in a rust color with yellowish/golden leaves in the same diamondesque pattern, that would make a great version of the gown for my 15 month old daughter. So back to my question, do I really want to make a Burgundian gown? Of course I do!
So I have now called my source to get me the fabric I had left behind and have started on completing this latest project. (I should really work on some of the others I have planned, but this is too tempting and on the scale of my others, relatively simple.) I hope to document this for others who are interested, and am hoping that by doing so I’ll be motivated to complete it in a timely manner, as I often get distracted. Since I’m also going to be working on a similar dress for my 15 month old daughter, the progress will be a bit slower, but I’ll try my best to post the progress of it as well!
To start with, I needed a better idea of what the gown looks like, construction ideas, etc. A great place to start, and my main point of information for my whim Burgundian dress is the following http://cleftlands.cwru.edu/BurgundianCostume.pdf I know both Mistress Milicent and to a lesser degree her sister, Lyonnete, who penned this wonderful article. They are both wonderful people who take great care in their research, and while normally I would go all out and do my own, sometimes it’s just nice to go with it. Lyonnete also took some time to discuss this with me, so I feel confident in following her lead on construction and the various parts.
After getting some ideas on construction and the parts needed, I Googled several images and picked the ones I found to be the most inspirational for me, shown below.
Another great site with pictures of the various layers and the transition is http://www.uvm.edu/~hag/sca/15th/
Now, it’s time to get started!
Reluctantly, I left it behind while I pondered. It screams Burgundian gown, but do I really want to do a late 15th century gown? I toyed with this while looking to get some other pieces and looking into the portraits and other documentation of the gown. While at one of my favorite places, JoAnn Fabrics, I found some lovely cotton fabric in a rust color with yellowish/golden leaves in the same diamondesque pattern, that would make a great version of the gown for my 15 month old daughter. So back to my question, do I really want to make a Burgundian gown? Of course I do!
So I have now called my source to get me the fabric I had left behind and have started on completing this latest project. (I should really work on some of the others I have planned, but this is too tempting and on the scale of my others, relatively simple.) I hope to document this for others who are interested, and am hoping that by doing so I’ll be motivated to complete it in a timely manner, as I often get distracted. Since I’m also going to be working on a similar dress for my 15 month old daughter, the progress will be a bit slower, but I’ll try my best to post the progress of it as well!
To start with, I needed a better idea of what the gown looks like, construction ideas, etc. A great place to start, and my main point of information for my whim Burgundian dress is the following http://cleftlands.cwru.edu/BurgundianCostume.pdf I know both Mistress Milicent and to a lesser degree her sister, Lyonnete, who penned this wonderful article. They are both wonderful people who take great care in their research, and while normally I would go all out and do my own, sometimes it’s just nice to go with it. Lyonnete also took some time to discuss this with me, so I feel confident in following her lead on construction and the various parts.
After getting some ideas on construction and the parts needed, I Googled several images and picked the ones I found to be the most inspirational for me, shown below.
Another great site with pictures of the various layers and the transition is http://www.uvm.edu/~hag/sca/15th/
Now, it’s time to get started!