Making a 1480's Florentine Outfit
I live in the Canton of the Towers, within the borders of the Barony of Carolingia. Within our group, we have a little Fiber Arts Enthusiasts group that meets one Thursday evening a month. Led by our Lady Elena Hilton (Jeanne Clifton), who will soon be joining the Laurels this April!
Starting back in May 2017, this group decided to run a series of classes on "Making a 1480's Florentine Outfit". The first meeting was to work on the pattern for the undergown - the Gamurra. It's a very fitted bodice, so we worked on mock pieces out of muslin, sewed them together, put in lacing strips to try them on, then made adjustments to the pattern for a proper "fit". The muslim didn't seem to work right for me, so I went home and remade another mock using a stiffer fabric - coutil. I have plenty of it around here.
At another meeting, we had another fitting and I got my final adjustments for the gown. Since I had tons of purple linen leftover from the Golden Seamstress, I used that fabric for the Gamurra.
About this time, I put the project in "time-out", as I had Pennsic sewing to finish up so I would have enough clothes to wear for the two weeks.
Then, when the theme of the Fashion Show for Birka 2018 was announced (Show off your Kingdom Colors), since I had chosen purple for the Gamurra, I just needed something gold - for the Giornea for the Kingdom Colors - purple and gold. So, I took the project out of time out and got to work.
I used my mock up as one of the inner layers of the bodice, after using it to cut out all the layers I would need for the bodice of the Gamurra.
Once I had my layers sandwiched, I began the tedious process of pad stitching. Thanking god occasionally for using the machine instead of handstitching. This project was not for an A&S project/display, so I have no qualms about using the sewing machine for inside seams. I do, however, plan to use handstitching for finishing seams, hems, etc.
Finally, finishing the padstitching the two fronts and the back, I sewed the front pieces together along the side seams, then started the process of pinning the lining pieces to the outer fabric layer, after trimming the lining to exclude the seam allowance (in white lines).... like this:
By the time I had all the pieces pinned in place, I was calling this part of the project "Death by Pins". Then I handstitched the seam allowance of the outer layer as a rolled hem over and to the lining.
Eventually, I won over the pins and the end product looked like this:
Then I attached the skirts, leaving an opening down the front to allow some ease into getting into and out of the final garment. Then came the handsewing of the eyelets down the front for the lacing.
I used an awl to make the holes and used 20/2 purple silk with buttonhole stitch to finish the eyelets. Almost done. Now, I need sleeves!
I was running out of fabric by the time I got to the sleeves for this project, so full sleeves was out of the question. Lady Elena displayed her Gamurra with had pieced sleeves that were laced together where there were gaps in fabric. I tried my hand at some needle lace - the Oya/Armenian knotted technique. Incorporating the Basket pattern and the Lovers' Knot pattern to tie the two sides together. Eventually getting something looking like this:
The sleeves were then pinned to the shoulder strap.
Now, on to the outer gown, the Giornea. I found a nice golden drapery fabric and with some metalic DMC floss, began doing more needlelace around the neck opening and sides of the gown. The gown is open on the sides, so, NO SEWING! You cut the fabric and it's done. Ideally, the gown would be lined, so, some sewing. I felt the weight of the fabric, and the other layers would be enough - I could get too hot wearing the outfit!
So, some progress of the needlelace - row by row.
Starting back in May 2017, this group decided to run a series of classes on "Making a 1480's Florentine Outfit". The first meeting was to work on the pattern for the undergown - the Gamurra. It's a very fitted bodice, so we worked on mock pieces out of muslin, sewed them together, put in lacing strips to try them on, then made adjustments to the pattern for a proper "fit". The muslim didn't seem to work right for me, so I went home and remade another mock using a stiffer fabric - coutil. I have plenty of it around here.
At another meeting, we had another fitting and I got my final adjustments for the gown. Since I had tons of purple linen leftover from the Golden Seamstress, I used that fabric for the Gamurra.
About this time, I put the project in "time-out", as I had Pennsic sewing to finish up so I would have enough clothes to wear for the two weeks.
Then, when the theme of the Fashion Show for Birka 2018 was announced (Show off your Kingdom Colors), since I had chosen purple for the Gamurra, I just needed something gold - for the Giornea for the Kingdom Colors - purple and gold. So, I took the project out of time out and got to work.
I used my mock up as one of the inner layers of the bodice, after using it to cut out all the layers I would need for the bodice of the Gamurra.
Once I had my layers sandwiched, I began the tedious process of pad stitching. Thanking god occasionally for using the machine instead of handstitching. This project was not for an A&S project/display, so I have no qualms about using the sewing machine for inside seams. I do, however, plan to use handstitching for finishing seams, hems, etc.
Finally, finishing the padstitching the two fronts and the back, I sewed the front pieces together along the side seams, then started the process of pinning the lining pieces to the outer fabric layer, after trimming the lining to exclude the seam allowance (in white lines).... like this:
By the time I had all the pieces pinned in place, I was calling this part of the project "Death by Pins". Then I handstitched the seam allowance of the outer layer as a rolled hem over and to the lining.
Eventually, I won over the pins and the end product looked like this:
Then I attached the skirts, leaving an opening down the front to allow some ease into getting into and out of the final garment. Then came the handsewing of the eyelets down the front for the lacing.
I used an awl to make the holes and used 20/2 purple silk with buttonhole stitch to finish the eyelets. Almost done. Now, I need sleeves!
I was running out of fabric by the time I got to the sleeves for this project, so full sleeves was out of the question. Lady Elena displayed her Gamurra with had pieced sleeves that were laced together where there were gaps in fabric. I tried my hand at some needle lace - the Oya/Armenian knotted technique. Incorporating the Basket pattern and the Lovers' Knot pattern to tie the two sides together. Eventually getting something looking like this:
The sleeves were then pinned to the shoulder strap.
Now, on to the outer gown, the Giornea. I found a nice golden drapery fabric and with some metalic DMC floss, began doing more needlelace around the neck opening and sides of the gown. The gown is open on the sides, so, NO SEWING! You cut the fabric and it's done. Ideally, the gown would be lined, so, some sewing. I felt the weight of the fabric, and the other layers would be enough - I could get too hot wearing the outfit!
So, some progress of the needlelace - row by row.
Many hours later, it was finished. Then grabbing some white linen, I mean, who doesn't keep stock of white linen lying around, I quickly made the Camicia. Well, not so quickly. There was lots of hand sewing involved to finish the seams so they wouldn't unravel during washing.
Then it was all finished and I dressed up and went to BIRKA!
Here are some pics of me in the completed outfit at Birka.
Alas. Since the time of the initial measurements were taken and the mock up made, until I wore the completed outfit, I lost over 25 pounds. So, the bodice of the Gamurra will, eventually, need to be taken in for the tight fit that this gown requires. All the other pieces of the outfit are fine.
Again, please feel free to leave any comments, suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Until the next project!
Seashelly
AKA Chelsey of Gloucester
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