Eleanor of Toledo's Red Silk Dress

Okay, I haven't done a planning post in a while. This is what I want to make next. Or maybe not exactly next, but soon. I'm thinking about this dress as a possible Pentathlon entry. It's going to take forever. So, I might as well get started.

It will be made of red silk (as soon as I can find some at a decent price). I plan to figure out how to do the gold couching embroidery, and embroider the neckline, the waist "V", the sleeves, and the hem. The gold net partlet and caul are of course, a must. The red and black combination seemed to be quite popular at the time, so in order the give the dress options, I am also planning to make a black overgown, possibly of wool.

I love the combination of a side- or back-laced gown with a slightly open overgown. And the overgown sleeves, which their slashing and puffing, look like so much fun. I'll probably create a second pair of sleeves to wear under the overgown. I definitely want one pair just like Eleanor's portrait, for when I want to wear the gown by itself. I hope to get started as soon as I acquire some red silk, and fix my bodice pattern. Hopefully, which this project, I will remember to actually post in-progress updates. I'm excited!

More pictures from Gulf War

So, while at Gulf War, Natalie and I found some hawks and falcons.

Apparently, we arrived just at the right time, as we got to assist with some training exercises.

Basically, this was a childhood wish fulfilled. I've wanted to hang out with a falcon since I read My Side of the Mountain at about 8 years old. So awesome.

Also, there were puppies. A future gown-planning post soon!

Well dressed at War

I've been sewing, I promise! Look, I made another Venetian!

This one was for my Dearest Friend in the Whole World, Natalie. I wanted something with a high Awesomeness Factor to wear at Gulf War. And, as I was making this with Natalie 2,000 miles away with no opportunity for a fitting, I thought the open-laced style of the Venetian would be very forgiving, if I didn't get the size exactly right. But it turned out fabulously, and Natalie looked beautiful in it. It's made from about 6 yards of copper silk shantung Fashion Fabrics Club.

I love working with that fabric. It's light, but not sheer. It has a sheen, but not as much as satin. And it has a few slubs, but not as many as dupioni. My original plan was to purchase some in red, but after placing my order, I was informed that they were out of red. So I got the copper color instead, and I'm glad it worked out that way. I think the copper adds a lot of interest, while not being outside the realm of possibility for colors in 1570s Venice.

The bodice pattern was modified from the pattern I used for Natalie's red 1480s Florentine. I just lengthened the waist and changed the front opening. It has only two cable tie "bones" per side. The skirt is simply a big rectangle, cartridge pleated to the waist.

Of course, the sleeves are the pièce de résistance for this gown. I tried slashing!

I snagged the pattern from The Purple Files. Many of the slashing patterns on the sleeves of the Venetian dresses I saw looked much more complicated. But this one looked doable. Easy to lay out, and not difficult (though still time consuming) to cut.

Here they are in progress. Like Katerina at The Purple Files, I cheated and used an iron-on interfacing to stabilize everything and prevent fraying. I then used a straight-edge to draw out a grid on the back of the sleeve. Then, a diamond shape was cut where the lines intersect, and slashes were cut in between. They're attached to the bodice with buttons and loops.

A chemise and underskirt create the undergarments. She's accessorized with a pearl necklace, earrings, and girdle, a partlet, and a flag fan. I was very pleased with how everything turned out. Here we are as we're preparing to process in with the Caidian royals before Grand Court at Gulf War. I'll post more war pictures later this week. I think this post is already getting photo-heavy.