Entries tagged with handstitched

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Mauve linen kirtle stitches inside and out.

More simple running stitching makes for a boring photo, but it gets things done!

A question in this week about the lines of stitching often seen on the outside of medieval re-enactors' clothing. It's not decorative, it's the reverse of the seam being stitched down.

Whether you fold an extra time to encase the raw edge, or not, you will see a faint line on the good side. Two lines indicate wool or a thicker fabric where the seam is opened and laid flat before stitching down.

My photo shows the seam in progress, unironed, with the stitching almost invisible from the good side. Stitching seams down affects the drape of the garment, as overlocked seams encourage the fabric to fold inwards along the seams whereas stitched down seams encourage the fabric to continue the flow of the fabric.

Later this week, stitching a hem! Who knew sewing was THIS exciting?!

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Daggues on a surcote

Marking out some decorative daggues on the bottom of a man's surcote. Time consuming, but the result will be worth it!

and here's the finished result...

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Fur fun!

I've been waiting for some fake fur to arrive for a surcote I'm giving a glow up, and it's arrived! It looks very promising!

I ordered from Temu and wasn't terribly hopeful, but quite a bit of their "high quality" crafting pieces are genuinely that... high quality. The thin strips I'm going to be using for the edges of the surcote are indeed just like actual rabbit and I'm very impressed. Some other stuff I got in a wider width for the hems is quite okay but not the same quality. It's pretty good for hems anyway, which will be dragged through the dust and the mud, so I'm happy with that. I may give it a very slight overdye to take the brightness from it so it matches the other fur.

The surcote it's to go on is wool from France, and a beautiful wine colour!

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The surcote in action!

Down where the water lilies grow, wearing my sand wool surcote for the first time!

Another photo from AROW, one of the very few which is usable. My thanks to my friend Nigel for taking this one.

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Fun with veils

Today at Phoenix Phestival I showed my friend Annette how to make this great new look for herself!

We didn't have everything we needed, but we both love the result!

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Kirtle sleeves in progress

Slowly slowly. The neckline has two rows of stitching now and I'm sewing the sleeves on. it really is the loveliest wool to work with and I really am a bit in love with it.

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Surcote neck reinforced

I had a little down time last night so I pinned the linen reinforcing strip to the inside of my new, sand coloured surcote, and since the movie wasn't quite finished, I started sewing it in.

I'm using a stab stitch for a firm result, and I did manage to complete both the top and the bottom. The strip itself has the raw ends folded underneath, making it neat and since it goes around, it provides extra stability over the shoulder seams.

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New kirtle progress

I've made some good progress on my next kirtle brought about by needing a bigger size. The back and side gores are finished, and the side seams are partly done.

The neck is cut and a small linen facing strip is pinned in place.

I haven't put the sleeves on yet to allow better access to the neck, but I'll make a start sometime this week.

So far so good, though, and the fabric is great to work with. Nice and light!

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Surcote decoration Holkham Bible style.

I've started on my next project already, but looking at the finished surcote I can't help feeling it would benefit from some Holkham Bible decoration. I absolutely love the geometric designs.I think there may be an issue though. I've seen them on gownes for women, and on overgownes for men and even what looks like cloaks, but... at this stage, not on any of the women's surcotes. They're all plain.

I've had a pretty thorough look and not a surcote. I am, however, making a gowne/kirtle in a colour that is represented which has red embroidered pattern, so that really may be what I do! I'm not a huge fan of red on woad blue, but it's not all about my modern ideas of fashion, it it?

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Laced medieval kirtles.

Even though it's not a new kirtle, some people asked about the buttoned sleeves with the front lacing. This is why. See that ridge right down the front of my surcote that no one mentioned to me for an entire weekend? This happens.

Many kirtles were worn under surcotes and manuscripts with the buttoned arms showing. The first time I wore a kirtle with buttons down the front under a surcote, I had a terrible case of "button boob"... a ridge right down the front where the buttons were!

We know gownes and kirtles might be laced either at the front or side, so to me it made sense that some of my kirtles should have lacing, especially if I intended to wear them as an under layer.

At this time it wasn't the fashion to have a contrasting lace. The lacing was supposed to be invisible and disappear into the dress like those concealed zips in the dresses we use today. Towards the 15th century as the Italian fashions became popular, gowns were cut smaller across the breast to expose the pleated chemise and dresses had fancier, visible lacing rings and contrasting lacings designed to be seen. Hello, Renaissance fashion!

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First project of the year!

I've had this gorgeous wool for some time now. It's double sided, so it's this beautiful tan on one side and a creamy oatmeal on the other. I bought plenty, as my plans were a matching hood and surcote, neither of which are to be lined since the contrasting colours seen in medieval manuscripts will be reproduced without.

Today I cut the surcote out, with side and a back gore and set about making a start on sewing the back gore in.

I've got other things to finish before starting a new project, but I'm feeling motivated, and enjoying it, so... I just want to work on something mindless that makes me happy.

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Little green peas!

These little green peas are all attached now and looking great!

I have a BUTTON MAKING TUTORIAL here if anyone should need it.

I've done this as a workshop a number of times with members of the public. It's always fun, and people have come up with the novel uses for their buttons! Re-enactors want to use them for clothing, some public also want to do this, but others have fun ideas like 3D frog's eyes on sock puppets, on a purse for decoration, to jazz up a Xmas jumper with a tree on it (they were going to add them where the baubles were printed on to make them stand out!) Anyway, for a fun craft idea, think outside the box and they could be almost anything!

And here they are in place!

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Green buttons progress

The pile of little faux silk buttons is growing and I'm finished!

I need to do the buttonholes now, and then attach them, and that will be another job off my To Do List!

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Roses curtains hooks

I'm delighted to announce that the biggest wall hanging which is often used for a bed curtain is complete with green woven band at the top and hooks to hand with. I have a rope which goes around the tent poles which the curtain hooks on to. Hopefully I have spaced them well enough to not sag, but f not, a hook in between each one will rectify the situation.

It's not totally the end of the project. I have some extra panels of curtains which I also will be finishing, but as a backdrop to something I want to use the weekend after this one coming, it's big enough as it is. I really do need to complete another project which has been lingering for an extended amount of time. The long-suffering kontusz, which, I know for a fact, the owned would be delighted to wear for the same event I want the roses wall hangings for.

And, as always, a number of other things on the go which must be dealt with- walking the cat, taking time to play with her in the garden, reading research books, food shopping, house inspections, cat sitters, packing for events, my actual day job, writing on the next few books, doing paperwork for my group to attend the upcoming events, social media, and I really want to get the three blog posts done for the three tooth care recipes we tried at collegium.

I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

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More roses wallhangings... will it ever end?

More of this between other jobs. The green band is sewn both sides at the top to really support the curtains. I'll be adding hooks on the back so I can easily hang these around the walls of the tent. At the moment I'm pinning them and I have a concern that the pins will wear holes in the fabric if I don't make the tops sturdier.

I've seen many manuscript images where curtains have a different coloured band at the top, which may be decorative or may be for this very reason.

Anyway, it's kitty-approved!

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Roses wallhangings, Part 100.

Is it part 100 or more?

I know this project has been ticking away for a long time, but it's getting closer to being finished. I'm still sewing the top band on but every bit I do is a bit more done.

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Striped surcote success!

My stripey 14th century surcote was a huge success!

So warm and snuggly and made from a 1950s bed blanket which was over-dyed! It was originally green and white but I over-dyed with a blue.

I've had it in my Work In Progress pile for years and earlier this year had it in my sale pile but when no one was interested, I had a rethink, and decided to finish it. It's not long like my others, and my plan was to make it my muddy days and early morning dewy grass toilet run surcote, and it was perfect for that!

I'm so pleased with this!

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Kirtle re-shaping.

The sadness you have when you reshape a kirtle and have to cut off all these little hand made eyelets from the front.

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Surcote neckline complete!

Success! Slow and steady and it's done! I am loving this surcote more and more as it's finished. I'm really glad I took it out of the To Do pile and finally finished it! I can't wait to get a photo of it on me!

Hoping to tackle bigger projects tomorrow!

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Surcote in progress

Inside seam of a rather thick, felted wool thingy? What is it?

It's a striped surcote made out of old blanket wool. I was going to sell this off, but after having it out, I decided maybe I'll finish it off and keep it myself. Anyway, I've been trying to finish the inside seams this week after work, and I'm down to the last seam. Because of the blanket I've made it from, it hasn't got the armholes shaped yet. I needed to see what fabric I had and how high it would go, but you'll get the idea.