Sneak Preview (sort of)

This is one photo from after the play. The costumes are just pinned together, and don't look exactly the way they will when they're finished. Tom's (on the left) looks pretty close to what it will, finished, but Justin's will look a bit more different. They're so silly and adorable... And I'm in the middle with my hair sticking out, looking like I was properly frazzled (which I was, but by that time I was fine, as you can tell by my huge tired grin).

Button, Button... And Doublet+Skirt pics

Which to use? These are all buttons that I thought looked good (of course, one has to be upside-down, what else?), although I think I'm leaning toward the left- or right-hand buttons. These are for the black corduroy Erik Sture doublet. What do you think?


I've finally gotten the doublet skirt attached!! To reduce bulk in the waist seam, I stiched the outer layers (corduroy and interlining) into one seam, pressing the seam allowance down. Then I hand-tacked the linen lining of the skirt, handsewing the body lining down after, with the seam allowance facing up. Below is a picture (see the rainbow? It's real, I promise).



And now, more pictures (because I love pictures) of the doublet, now with the skirt attached! In the picture of the side you can see a big ripple in the back of the doublet - this is because Tom's waist is long, and Matilda's is short. It actually is a bit short on Tom... Hah, and Matilda looks like she's falling over!

Erik Sture Details

I've been busy on this doublet lately, topstitching (I'm still not finished with it, as you can see on the shoulder wings) and sewing woven cord around the edges. I had originally machine-topstitched around the edges of the wings, but I decided I didn't like that and ripped it out.



The collar and wings are my own modifications from the original garment of Erik Sture. The original collar was integrated into the back pattern piece, and there were no shoulder wings, at least as far as I know. But I think I shall make detachable sleeves, and the wings will cover up the lacing strip while enabling the doublet to be worn without sleeves. The collar I cut on the bias, and it decided to ripple along the sides, so I topstitched it down the middle.


When I was cutting out the front pieces, I forgot to leave enough for a facing on the left side, so I ended up having to tack a separate strip of fabric onto the inside front of the lining. It looks a little makeshift, but oh well. Better that than having my buttonholes stretch all out of shape.


And soon, I'll have the skirt put on!!

Doublet Skirt (I love calling it a skirt - skirtskirtskirt...)

Em, yes. Well, I have actually been working on Tom's costume (that would be Erik, with a few modifications). I'm fingerweaving the trim (which was probably a bad idea to start with, even though it looks good, because now I have a lot of cord to weave...), so it's taking me a bit. Tonight I finished the trim for the doublet skirt, and sewed it up.

It's not impressive (actually quite unimpressive, just look at those wobbly edges!!), but this is what it looks like. I made it up in four pieces, so that I could have the pretty diagonal stripes going every whichaway. Which, of course, you can't see in the picture.

The above picture just shows how I clipped the edges; every layer is clipped separately. And those two long strings hanging out of the seam? That's my cord trim. I can't weave a piece long enough to go all the way around the skirt (the trim is just sewn on the very edge of the seam), so I made two pieces and sewed them into the seam at Center Back.


I think I posted this before, but I'll post it again. I learned how to fingerweave my cord from this article, on the Tudor Costume Page. It really makes a grand, sturdy, authentic-looking cord. And anything that looks authentic has a place in my heart... ;-)

Erik Sture fabric

I had to go buy it. I couldn't help myself, what can I say? Well, there was a sale at the fabric store too. I'm justified.

I've chosen black corduroy (I LOVE corduroy!) for the body of the doublet and pluderhosen, with a shiny pink/burgundy polyester taffeta for the general poufiness. The taffeta turned out to be a little more pink than I had hoped, but Tom saw it when I bought it and likes it, so I'm good. It's a more manly pink than some pinks, anyway. The lining will be either tan or black linen.


I've got an Idea!! It was inspired by all the pretty colours of shot taffeta that were at the store. What I want to do is make the 'poufs' (I really need a better name for them...) removeable. Then I could have them in many pretty shiny colours, and could change them when I wanted. Perk: this would also assist in the washing of the pluderhosen. Yes. I think this is what I shall do. Only problem is that with Erik Sture's pluderhosen, there are these funny waist panes/poufs. But I've been pondering this and I think may have an idea as to how to still make them removable. Perhaps eventually I shall draw a picture of my Idea, but I think I have to try it out first. ;-)

Paper Effigies...

I finished scaling up the doublet pieces for Erik Sture's doublet (which Tom will wear as Buckingham). And after scaling up, I decided to make sure all the pattern pieces matched up with each other. I doubled the size of the original pattern on the photocopier, taped the doublet pieces together, and stuffed the result with fabric scraps (which will eventually end their lives as the stuffing in a 1790s bumroll. Eventually ;-).


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I discovered a few potential problems. The collar acts funny in the back. I was afraid of this. The collar is very high, and the back neck piece curves quite a bit; I think I'll have to try this out in fabric to see exactly what it'll do. Other things to adjust are, the curving front (which will have to be significantly flattened) and the back doublet skirt (which slants in instead of out). The back might need a bit of adjustment across the shoulders, but I'm not sure of that.