After Bordermarch Autumn Melees I realized that my youngest really needed some new garb so this week I whipped together an Italian Ren from fabric that was given to me. I love getting scrap fabric (1-2 yards) from people, so that I can make garb for Ainsley. I always swore that T-tunics, saxons, and vikings are the easiest things to make, but now I've realized that a basic Italian is just as easy when you already have the pattern in place. I made the pattern for her a couple years ago and the bodice still fits ok. The pattern is wide enough that she will still be able to grow in it.
This is the back piece and when I made the original pattern, I forgot to make the top sleeve long enough so have to remember to add 2" to the shoulder piece. Thankfully I marked that on the piece otherwise I'd never remember! I really like using these paper patterns that I've drafted onto butcher paper instead of the old tissue patterns. This paper you can mark up however you need to and change as needed.
This is the front of the bodice. I think the next time I make a dress out of this pattern I need to shrink the back piece a little along the side so that it doesn't come out as wide.
To put the bodice piece together, I sewed the lining to the front piece (for this dress I just used the same fabric for both sides since I didn't have any linen this color) on both the back and front pieces, leaving the bottom and shoulders open. Next I inserted the front piece shoulder right side out and all ironed into the back piece shoulder that was still turned inside out. I sewed along the shoulder seam (several times since I didn't get one side of the front pulled all the way through) and then pulled the back side right side out to make an enclosed shoulder seam. I hope that explanation makes sense, once I did it the first time ever, it's an easy concept. The only issues I have with this method is making sure the shoulders are even. Sometimes it doesn't come out very pretty but it also depends on the fabric. Next I box pleated the skirt panels to the right side of both the front and the back and then hand sewed the lining down over the seam to seal it. I sewed the skirt panels together leaving a small opening on the side below the bodice and then hemmed the bottom seam. On the bottom seam, I decided to leave 3 inches extra tucked up in the hem to allow for height adjustment. The way Ainsley is growing she will be taller than she is wide for quite awhile so the hem is more important than the width.
Today I'm working on tacking on some lacing rings so that the bodice size can be adjusted as well if she needs it. Hopefully they don't make the sides too bulky but we'll see. After work today, I'll adjust a camica that I had started awhile back for me for her to wear underneath this. I need to finish the arms and adjust the hem a little since I had originally made it a little short for me. After tonight she'll have a completely new dress for this weekend's Yule event and it will have only taken me about 4 hours worth of work! I think that may be one of the quickest projects I've completed in awhile.
