Sewing Through the Years

 Finished April 26, 2021 I followed https://gorgeoustangents.home.blog/2020/02/26/minoan-mycenaean-bolero-jacket/ pattern and tutorial, though I did use two layers of this fabric (by folding it in half, essentially flatlining it with itself).  I started with a 40"x32" piece of fabric which I folded to be 40"x16". I then flatlined and cut the triangle out in the same seam which, although a little fiddly, worked quite well! I hid all the edges of the triangle inside the flatlining, which I should have done for the rest of the rectangle as well. I braided some green acrylic yarn (chosen for color and quantity available) then applied it to the bolero, starting at the tip of the triangle and going all the way around 2 times total. This helped the bolero to fit a lot better, especially after I stretched the 'arm holes' a little bit. The tassel is made of the same green acrylic with 3 sculpy beads that I made, 1 purple and 2 green, in graduating sizes. The tassel, ...

 Finished April 23, 2021 I started with Peppermint Magazine x Paper Theory's 'Pocket Skirt'  in the largest size (with extra around all of the pieces) so that I could pleat the back. I made the pockets a bit deeper (as my fabric allowed!), and made the front and closure method be more 19-teens inspired.  The closure features 7 bars and 5 hooks (the two extra bars are on the side for differing sizes). They are all bronze colored and #3 size. I ran twill tape all around the inside waistband partially for a closure and partially for stability for my pleats.  This skirt used nearly 2 yards of 60" wide linen fabric ('eggplant' in 5.3oz via Fabrics-store)! and yet I still want deeper pockets! I am exceedingly happy with how this skirt turned out! It feels very 19-teens to me, between the closure and how it moves/hangs/drapes. The color is very fun too. 

 Mushroom skirt: less than 2 yards of fabric (via joanns), cut and constructed similarly to all my other skirts of this style but I did flatline this fabric with muslin due to its sheerness. The pleating pattern is 2 knife pleats on each hip for each panel & 1 8" box pleat at the center of each panel. Finished December 1, 2020. Black, Gold, & White Geometric skirt: less than 2 yards (via local fabric store), same cut and construction, same pleating pattern as mushroom skirt. Finished December 15, 2020.  Red wool skirt with 18th century style pockets: 1 yard of fabric (maroon wool/cashmere/nylon coating - Michael Kors - 60" via fabric mart online), same cut and construction, used 18th century style pocket bags, 4" box pleat in center of each panel and 2 1.5" knife pleats on each hip on each panel, bias binding turned hem. Finished April 15, 2021. 

 finished November 17, 2020 I pretty much just followed the pattern and the instructions. I didn't do the collar lining feature. I added gros grain ribbon ties at the ends of the wrap portions. I topstitched around, to keep the edge crisp (neither fabric ironed well).  Both the blue and black fabrics are of man-made fibers. I got both via fabric mart online. The blue is very slippery and shimmery. 

 finished September 2, 2021 I followed Opus Elenae's video tutorial   but this method of smocking is called North American, Canadian, or lattice smocking. You create a grid and create the texture by stitching in a particular pattern.  White cotton muslin, 30"x34" hem the lower 3 edges, then mark the fabric. I did ~1/2" apart both horizontally and vertically. I made 8 rows.  Using a black cotton thread I followed Opus Elenae's stitching pattern for honeycomb smocking.  I then attached the ties (4"x maybe 45"? I used a leftover piece and it is only just long enough to tie into a bow), enclosing the top edge above the smocking.  This turned out SO good! I'm super proud of it! I love how textural and dynamic the smocking is! It comes to my low calf, length-wise. The smocking was very easy to do, though a little time-consuming.  I wonder if other smocking patterns could be used in place of the honeycomb? That could be fun to try! Also, each row could p...

 finished September 1, 2021 Museum number D10608 Cap 56cm size same linen as Viking Apron Dress and the 'Woven Into the Earth' dress: 'ginger' colorway 5.3oz washed in same load as 'earth' colorway both from Fabrics-store.com very fast project and very cute! I stitched the band together, then stitched the top to the band (overlapping the edge of the top higher than the edge of the band) and felled the top over the band edge. I folded the band in ~half and lightly whipped it to the previously felled edge. I will probably make another with the original band height. I did a prick stitch around the bottom (folded) edge.   My band was 56cm x ~10cm The top had a 9.85cm radius. 

 finished Aug 31, 2021 Museum number D10585.1 in 'Medieval Garments Reconstructed' by Lilli Fransen, Else Ostergard, Anna Norgard. same linen as for Viking apron dress: 'ginger' colorway in 5.3oz washed in same load as 'earth' colorway both from Fabrics-store.com I followed the pattern. I went with the Medium size with the Large's length. All of my gores were too long (some by 5"!) though the side panel fronts were ok (only ~1-2" too long) while the center gussets were way too long.  This is voluminous (and comfy), but the bottom flares out nicely, and is a good length (mid-shin). The sleeves fit me very nicely. I am very happy with how the shoulders and shoulder width fit me. The front slit (which I followed the pattern for) is a bit long for personal taste but shows off any underlays nicely.  I added pocket bags to the pocket slits, using the same linen as the rest of the garment.  Everything was flat felled. I did not deliberately follow any of...

 finished August 29, 2021 idea and schematic via http://urd.priv.no/viking/kostrup.html but I used my own measurements and numbers.  The linen is the 'ginger' colorway in their mid-weight 5.3oz washed in the same load as the 'earth' colorway both from Fabrics-store.com First I stitched the front pleats at the base of each pleat down the front (to about my waist height) then I stitched the pleats together from about my underbust region to the top, leaving about half of the stitched pleating free beneath.  Then I assembled all of the panels together. I ended up not needing to shape the back panel at the top.  The straps are folded like bias binding.  The length is good, but all 4 triangles/side panels's bottom triangle edge too long. The fit is skimming at the top then flares out very  nicely, good  volume in skirt. The straps are perhaps a touch long, but I won't know for sure until I get/make proper brooches. This took at most 2 yards of 60" wide ...

July-Aug 2021 Sprang pattern via " Enigmatic Beauty: The Decorative Headwear of Lengberg Castle " by Rachel Case, Beatrix Nutz, and Carol James. I followed the 'Tree of  Life' sprang lace pattern but the rest of the headwear pattern did not work for me, so I used the coif side panel from Margo Anderson's coif pattern  (out of some leftover white handkerchief linen) but I kept the original pattern pieces (made of white well-washed linen (from a linen shirt someone gave me that was starting to wear out in places) and hemmed) and used them as long ties. I finished off the front edge with a strip cut from my fabric.  For the sprang panel: I used some mystery cotton thread that my mom had and was willing to let me use. I calculated and warped for a 15" sprang panel. The original (and reproduction) seem to be half a sprang "weaving", whereas I wove to the middle as far as I could down the chart (I did not have enough space to sprang the entire chart) and ...

Finished December 8, 2020  These were all made from old linen shirts that were handmedowns.  https://maniacalmedievalist.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/pattern-your-own-simple-coif-unpadded-arming-cap/ one 'straight' front the other 'curved' front, 2 different locations for the ties- at the front and at the back The two above are made from the pattern linked above.  I also made a simplified St. Birgitta's coif (no center lace work). This was based on Morgan Donner's video about her coif .  I also found another pattern for a coif from Margo Anderson, but with a central panel and 2 side panels. I made 2: 1 with ties and 1 with a button chin strap.  I still need to figure out what my hair should be doing underneath, as having a simple bun seems to not quite work for some of these (except the St. Bridgitta's). 

Finished December 14, 2020  I used the same gray fabric as my gray Morgan Donner medieval shift dress as well as a green linen ("evergreen") via Fabrics-store. This is reversible.  rectangle: 41" x 13"  squares: ~10.25" I had to deepen the slit in order to be able to pull the hood back over my head. 

 Linen shift. handkerchief linen, keyhole neck with facing (new skill!), altered Morgan Donner's medieval shift pattern. Finished Nov 24, 2020 Gray herringbone overdress of unknown fabric content. keyhole neckline with facing, altered Morgan Donner's medieval shift pattern so that the underarms had more room and arms an inch larger around, bias hem finish. Finished Nov 27, 2020

Finished July 10, 2020 This is a tiered, gathered skirt with stripes of olive, brown, stripey fabric featuring all of these colors, and teal. This turned out a little shorter than I normally go for (just below the knees) but it is still very cute. This was all machine sewn and has no pockets. I made an embroidery-thread kumihimo for a drawstring.

finished July 18, 2020 This skirt features knife pleats and blue flower-print pockets. It took 1 yard of wool (~60" wide). This used the same construction and use of fabric as previous wool skirt (blue/gray check).  1 yard gray wool pindot flannel that I got via fabric mart online. 

Finished March 2020 Using only 1 yard, this skirt features inverted box pleats and blue pockets. First I cut one selvedge off for a waistband (probably 3 or so inches wide). Then I cut the remaining fabric in half widthwise, sewed everything together including the pockets into the side seams, as I typically do skirts like this.  Then I attached the waistband and a hook and eye closure, and it was done! The fabric is lapis blue/gray wool/nylon small check flannel coating-weight by Michael Kors that I got via fabric mart online. 

Finished in October 2019 I found a picture and schematic online of this vest, through some forum that doesn't seem to exist anymore (as of the publication of this post) I drafted out the schematic, checked the fit with paper then a muslin mockup, and used the muslin as interlining. I cut out the purple fabric for the exterior and some silver fabric (that used to be a sheet) for the inside. I sewed all the purple pieces to the muslin interlining pieces, then the purple pieces together. Then I sewed the silver pieces to each purple/muslin piece, with the muslin in between the two layers. Next time I would probably sew together all of the outside pieces and all of the inside pieces together then sew the two layers together. This still doesn't have a closure method, as I couldn't decide about buttons then put it away and moved and so it has sat for quite some time now. 

Finished July 4, 2020 I was given a set of red/brown variously patterned quilting cottons. I also bought a brown cotton/linen that goes well with the brown undertones of the red quilting pack. I cut all of them into a blunted triangle kind of shape, sewed them together, then box pleated over the seams at the top (as it was too large for my waist).  (Then I couldn't decide how to finish it, and then we moved so it sat for several months) I stitched on a waistband, attached a cute bow to the back, and ran a thin twill tape through the inside waistband to act as a drawstring. Then I hemmed it.  It's very cute and gives me like 'Stranger Things' meets an autumnal festival meets like 50s vibes.  I stitched nearly everything (except the waistband and bow) by machine!

Finished January 2020 This tree/aspen fabric came to me via someone at knit group. This skirt features inverted box pleats, otherwise it is exactly the same as other pleated skirts I have made so far. This has the same pocket fabric as for my 80s dark floral skirt. 

finished March 6, 2020 fabric given to me This has the same construction method as all of my skirts, though I gather-pleated the skirt to the waistband instead of just pleating it in knife pleats (or box + knife pleats). For pockets, I used the same fabric as the pockets for the aspen skirt.

I made 2 knife-pleated skirts. One out of a quilting cotton printed with fall leaves, the other in a (probably) cotton flannel also printed with fall leaves though more sparsely. I followed  https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Pleated-Skirt  to get the general formula for skirts like these. For the quilting cotton, I just used the 45" width of the fabric for my two panels, and cut a waist+seam allowance waistband.  For the flannel, I used a bit less than the width of the fabric because it was a (probably) king-sized sheet. Then I did 1" knife pleats across the panels, leaving a bit for seam allowance at the edges. For the cotton I did 2 panels and for the flannel I did one. There doesn't seem to be much difference in how the skirt acts in one or the other that is obviously due to number of panels. Following the directions, I then stitched these pleats down and sewed the side seam(s) down, leaving a ~4" section unsewn at the top of one of the seams. I then ...