Next Project: Elizabethan Burgundy Gown

So, I've been itching to start my next project. I've wanted to do something post-medevil for a while. I was originally planning something more Tudor, but when I moved here, I discovered that my new town has a (small) Renaissance Faire every summer, and it has an Elizabethan theme. And so, I shall make an Elizabethan court dress. The Renaissance Faire is this August, so hopefully it will be done by then. Here's the basic plan:



I can't really draw, but I find it helps to sketch my designs. Basically, a burgundy gown with a square neckline, partlet and ruff, padded shoulder rolls, a fitted under-sleeve, and open over-sleeve, and a split skirt with a kirtle showing through from underneath. Underneath layers will include a smock, Elizabethan style stays, Spanish farthingale, bumroll, and possibly a petticoat. I may change the sleeves a bit; the gown that inspired me might have been a romanticized version rather than completely historically accurate. I began looking at period paintings, and I can't find anything that has a square neck with padded shoulder rolls and an over-sleeve. In fact, most of the portraits of gowns with oversleeves have a high, doublet-style neckline. But I kind of fell in love with them. And I've since found some period portraits and sketches with similar styles, such as:




Here are my fabric choices, explained from left to right:



At the far left is a white linen/nylon blend for the smock. Linen was used at the time, but it's terribly expensive, and I found this blend on sale. It's over 50% linen, so I thought it was a good compromise. The next, slightly off-white color is for the stays. It comes from a thrift-store tablecloth. I'm planning to sew it with burgundy thread, and bind the edges with burgundy bias tape. The navy is a wool/nylon blend for the Spanish farthingale. From some of my research, I get the idea that in Elizabethan times, they didn't make all of their undergarments out of white, so I thought I'd throw in some color. The next five fabrics will compose the dress. The green (from a bedskirt and shower curtain from a thrift store) will go into the under-sleeves, and create a border around the sides and hem of the skirt. I was originally wary of the stripes, but after some research, discovered some period portraits with stripes, and decided it would be okay.



The embroidered stuff is from a comforter set found in a thrift store and seam-ripped apart. It will compose the kirtle which peaks through the front part of the skirt, and the lining of the oversleves. The burgundy velvet will be for the bodice and skirt, and the burgundy silky fabric will line the bodice and skirt. Both these fabrics were purchased from a fabric store (expensive; that's while I like to recycle thrift store things). The green and cream-colored trim also came from the thrift store comforter set, and will be applied liberally. The last piece of off-white will form the partlet. It may also make up the ruff, or I may make the ruff out of gross-grain ribbon. The gold beads and pearls will also be eventually sewn into the bodice and around the sides and hem of the skirt.

I've spent so much money on this already. I have such expensive hobbies. But I now have all my materials gathered up and the plan formulated. Sewing to begin soon.