Clearer Project list

Now that I have a little bit of a clearer head after getting home this weekend.  I thought I'd make my future project list a bit more clear for my sake.

Collwyn:
New Red Pants (current ones don't fit right and are just one layer of linen)
Fancy Blue stripe pants
2nd pair of black linen pants
2 more fighting shirts (get pattern measurements from Rhiannon)

Brenna:
Bliant (need to figure out what colors, embroidery?, etc)
German underdress
Green linen cotehardie
Fancy cotehardie (teal wool or persian coat fabric?)

Ainsley:
Additional underdress

Misc (need to learn how):
German Hat
Coifs
Utensil bag
mug bags
Bin covers (before BAM)
Hanging bag cover (Before BAM)

I'm sure I'll be adding to this as I go

Home from Gulf Wars!

Had a fantastic week and was thankful to get all the sewing done before we went.  I need to take pictures of the German dress completed, but it needs some changes before it's perfect.  I now have a list of things I need to do to get ready for next year.

I need at least 2 more linen cotehardies since it's hot during the day and those are very nice looking and comfortable.  I think I'll make one with short sleeves and lacing just to be different.  I also would like to make a kiten (Sp?) for the really hot blazing days.  I'll be visiting with Isabeau sometime this year to work on a bliant since she has a fantastic pattern already.  After that I should be better prepared for next year.

Also I realized that I really need to repair what we have so that we stop blowing out buttons and seams.  The man has to have more pants that fit right so that he is more comfortable as well.

German Dress

So  in response to German Day at Gulf Wars this year, I decided to make myself a German dress.  Thanks to Mistress Rhiannon, who fitted the bodice to me, I have a german half done.  My first ever!  I have the bands sewn on the skirt and now the band is tacked down on the bodice (looks pretty good in my opinion).  Next I just need to attach the skirt to the bodice and the sleeves.  I hope to have this project done by wednesday or thursday so that I can finish packing and clean house before we leave on Sunday.  No last minutes sewing for me this year! (I hope)

Well Lots of projects have been accomplished

Ainsley now has a new wardrobe ready for all weather at Gulf Wars.  I have a few minor things to finish, mostly hand sewing, and she will be done.  I even had her helping me with some of the projects :)

Viking underdress - One Flannel and one Linen
Saxon overdress - she helped with this one and sewing 80%
Viking Apron
Blue Italian overdress

For the man, i finished the following

Teal linen doublet with sleeves
Wool jerkin with lucet cord trim
Additional linen shirt
Black Venetian pants

I've been so busy that i haven't been able to blog about the progress, but I did take some pictures during all the projects.

 Teal Linen doublet for under the Wool jerkin

 Here is Ainsley working on her saxon.  She picked out the fabric and trim.  She cut it out, and sewed everything except the neck hole.

 Here she is pinning the sides in preparation for her to sew.  She still uses a ton of pins, but it makes her feel like the fabric is secure

 Here is the final saxon that she is proud of :)

 This is the measurements and layout design of the viking underdress we use.  The layout and pattern is very simple so I had Ainsley do a little more complex dress than the saxon.  I helped draw out the pattern on the fabric and she helped cut it out.  then I had her sew each piece together.  This underdress requires a specific way to lay it out and which pieces go to which so I helped her get it all pinned together and she sewed it.

 This is the flannel underdress as it was going together.  I always have a hard time making sure the seams are all on the same side so it takes a little longer to put together.  Ainsley did a really good job getting it all together.  I sewed the wrist hems since those are tiny and require a lot of moving and the neckline :)

 This is the blue Italian I made Ainsley.  I was given this fabric and knew she would look fantastic in it.  I took a section of the fabric and cut it long ways as an insert in the skirt to make the skirt long enough for her.

 Front view

Back view

I'm done with the major projects for Gulf Wars which is just a few weeks away.  I'd like to make myself a German dress, but I'm not sure if that is going to happen before then.  I'm scheduled to go sew with someone this weekend so we'll see what happens.

Making Progress!!!

So I made some major progress on the wool jerkin I am making.  It is now all together finally after a ton of hand-sewing.  I looooove the way it's turned out, however it took a lot longer than I thought it would. 

I had to find a collar pattern from another doublet pattern and had to adjust it 1 1/2 inches for it to fit right.  At first when I attached it, I thought I'd need to redo it since the ends didn't come to the front of the jerkin, but after the man tried it on, I realized that it was perfect that way so that it wouldn't choke him or overlap itself when the jerkin is buttoned. 

The gold and light blue lucet cord just looks fantastic against the teal of the wool.  I'll need to get a picture of him wearing the whole outfit in the sunlight to get better lighting.  To finish this thing, I just need to hand sew the lining at the arm holes and add buttons.  I'll be doing the button holes tomorrow afternoon so that it can go with me to Round Table on Saturday to be completely finished!

Wool Jerkin/Linen Doublet

So I finally made myself cut on the wool and start the jerkin and doublet this weekend.  Friday I had a friend come over to get fitted for a cotehardie (just had to modify a pattern to fit her right) and so cut out the linen doublet and sleeves while she worked on sewing her project together.  After I had the linen doublet all cut out, I cut out the wool and started hand sewing the lucet cord on the two front pieces.  I have to say this may end up being my favorite jerkin I've made so far and I'll be sad because he's only going to be able to wear it a few times a year.

This is the first part of the jerkin as I was sewing on the cord.  I ended up using a disappearing ink marker to mark the scallops and lines.  This worked fairly well except that i had to remark the other side after I finished sewing on the first half. The hand sewing of the cord didn't take as long as I was expecting so I'm happy to be finished with the main pieces this weekend.


 This is the first side which I finished Saturday night. (sorry for the dark picture)

And this is the finished front of the doublet.  I'm still debating on sewing cord down the outside of the buttons or not.  I do plan on putting a collar on, cord around the seam between collar and neckline, and then the bottom skirt will have cord as well.  I still need to cut out the bottom skirting, collar, and epilets.  I should have this whole thing done by next weekend if I continue to work on it. :)

Working towards Gulf Wars

Alright so now is starting to be crunch time for Gulf Wars.  Ainsley is now going with us so she needs a week's worth of clothes.  Gulf Wars is harder to plan for since we are never sure if it's going to be warm, cold, wet, all of the above?  Last night I opened my house to those in my Barony for a UFO (unfinished objects) night and I was able to cut out and sew together a viking apron for Ainsley.  I have been using the same pattern for years since my friend HL Christiana showed me how to make the pattern.  I use the pattern from Viking Apron dress by Vigdis (her webpage seems to be down so thankfully I have a printout).  I'll have to see if I can scan the pattern and post it somewhere for later use.

The fabric I used was given to me by a friend who got it from a family member.  it's a remnant piece of fabric from a person who makes curtains, slip covers, etc so it's a thicker  piece of fabric which will come in handy for the cold mornings/days.   One side is almost all orange and white in relief and the other side was mostly white with orange.  I let Ainsley pick which side she wanted to be the right side of the fabric

This is the front of the apron dress.  I still need to hem the top and bottom, otherwise it's completely done.  It came out soooo cute and she'll look fantastic in it.  Right now Orange seems to be the color she wants to wear since she has another apron that was given to us in the same color.

This is the back of the apron where the triple gore is.  This is the hardest part of the pattern to get all together, flat, and even.  For Ainsley's garb I don't worry too much about it being even, just had to make sure there isn't a hole at the top of the gore (have to go back and hand sew just a little on the middle gore to fix a hole).  Even with the busy fabric, it looks pretty good, not too wild.

 

 This is one of the side gores that ended up having a flower in the middle so it give extra detail :)

I'm very pleased with how it came out and can't wait to see it on her.

Men's shirt and Pants

So a few weeks ago I went to a friend's house to get help with a new shirt pattern and pants pattern for the man.  She has a husband who only wants period pants so she knows all the tricks of the trade.  I've had so many problems in the past with in consistent crotch lengths and waist fit issues.  I can't help that he gains and losses weight but the pants are either waaay too big or waay too small so it's hard for him to wear several pairs.  I have finally nailed down the crotch and leg length and just need to correct the waist band.  These venetians were also extremely easy to make and will take no time to repeat as needed.

Next on my list is the wool jerkin/linen doublet.  I need to cut out the wool portion of the jerkin (top piece, also referred to as a doublet) mark up where i want the lucet cord to go and hand sew it on.  I need to have this whole project done by the beginning of February so that I can make a german dress for myself in preparation for Gulf Wars.