Project #7. F.64a - "Laced mourning coat of cloth for a woman"

For project 7 I'm tackling a gown which has many stylistic similarities to the bodice and skirt of Project #6, with the exception of a 'sack' back. The back is cut all as one with the train, instead of a separate doublet back and skirt. (In the translation in the book they title it a "coat", but I refer to it as a gown. Potato, potato.)

There are two variations in the book, one cut from the wide 'cloth' similar to Project #6 and another version (f.65) cut from the narrow silk fabric seen in the layouts of some of the other projects. I'll be using the pattern layout from f.64a (the wider fabric), however the text for this pattern layout is very brief so I'll be augmenting that with some of the expanded instructions from f.65. For example the text for f.65 explains the use either a full false bodice back cut from another fabric, or part bodice back (side strips) that can be set into the side seams and laced across the back in order to make the bodice front lie close to the body.

Fabric
Alcega states that this pattern requires a piece of cloth 4 1/3 ells long x 2 ells wide, or 364cm (approx 11' 11") long x 168cm (approx 5' 6") wide. The fabric is folded in half lengthways, with the fold at the bottom of the diagram.

Some mathematics and dimensions
Many components of this gown are identical to the previous project, the "Skirt and bodice of cloth with puffed sleeves", with the exception of the gown back. The skirt front, bodice front and sleeves are identical in size and shape, so that is a big yay! from me because it means I can reuse some of the work I have done previously. (And apologies if any of the following seems repetitive.)

The piecings are a little different however, on account of the different fabric layout. There is no mention of nap in the fabric layout, but I think it's worth noticing that like the same width of fabric in the previous project all of the pattern pieces are lying in the same direction, as if the nap is running from right to left. The skirt front and gown back are cut along the fold, and the gown back is shaped to allow for the curvature of the upper back.

The skirt:
The front of the skirt (on the left in the pattern) is the same dimensions as the skirt front in Project #6, "bm" or 126cm (approx 4' 1 1/2") long, with a waist of "t" or 28cm (approx 11") and a bottom hem of "b", 1 full ell width or 84cm (approx 33"), without any godets. The back of the skirt is formed by the lower part of the gown back and train.

The bodice and gown back:
The bodice front is identical in dimensions and shape to the doublet from Project #6 and very similar to the doublet size and shape from Project #2. The bodice front is shown as "QQQ" or 63cm (approx 2' 1") long, the side seam is "Q" or 21cm long (approx 8 1/4"), and both the shoulder seam and the front neck opening are shown as "s" or 14cm (approx 5 1/2"). Unlike the previous project, this bodice includes a collar and it is made up of four pieces, two front "s" sized pieces and two back "o" sized pieces. Unlike the doublet in Project #2 the collar back is not cut as one with the back of the gown.

The gown back shoulder is also shown as "s", while the back of the neck opening is unlabelled but is presumably "o" or 10.5cm (just over 4"), which is the same as the back collar piece and other doublets in the book. The length of the centre back of the gown back is "bbm" or 2 1/2 ells, 210cm (approx 6' 10 3/4"). There is no specific length given for the side seam including godet A, but the length from the shoulder seam to hem must be equivalent to the length of the bodice from shoulder to waist plus the length of the skirt front side seam from waist to hem. In other words "Q" + "bm", or around 147cm (just under 4' 10"). There is no specific measurement given for the arm hole, but as in the previous projects it can't be larger than the sleeve head or the sleeve will not fit.

The sleeves:
The sleeve has a very distinctive shape, with a large curving back seam and a shallow curved sleeve head. The sleeve head is not labelled (but is most likely "m" or 42cm (approx 16 1/2") as per the same shaped sleeve in other pattern layouts). The sleeve length is "sb" or 70cm (approx 27 1/2") long. The wrist opening is shown as "t" or 28cm (approx 11"). The layout in both f.64a and f.65 requires a fairly large piecing in one side of the sleeve back, which is marked as B in the layout.

Developing the pattern
This was a comparatively easy draft as I could trace pieces from previous projects for all but the gown back. For more detail on drafting the bodice front and front collar piece please have a look at Project #2 the "Silk doublet for a woman", and for more detail on drafting the skirt front and sleeves please have a look at Project #6 the "Skirt and bodice of cloth with puffed sleeves". The back collar piece was simple to draft, the bottom edge is the same dimensions as the neckline back, "o" or 10.5cm (just over 4") and the height is the same as the back edge of the front collar piece. (The height of the collar is never given, so presumably that's a matter of the wearer's taste and/or neck height.) I then sliced along the sleeve to form the piece B required for this layout and I was done with all except the gown back.

Rotating the back piece.

For the gown back I used the doublet back from Project #2 and first placed it on the centre back line so that the top half of it was angled upwards sightly, to create the slightly curved upper back. I then traced around this shape and extended the centre back line down to the centre back hem. I then pivoted the doublet back on the outer shoulder point so that the underarm side seam matched the angled side seam of the gown back, and extended this out to the edge of the pattern piece. It was then fairly simple to grab another scrap of paper and continue the hem curve and side seam out to form godet piece A. I then double checked that the side seam including godet was equal to the length of the doublet back and the length of the skirt front side seam. A bit fiddly but helped by having these other pattern pieces I could lay out on the paper and rotate into place.

It's worth noting that in Alcega's layout godet A is actually flipped over, so if you were making this in a fabric with a right and wrong side (such as a fabric with a nap) you would need to swap the godet pieces between the pieces cut on the top and the underside of the folded fabric, so that you had right sides and correct nap direction.

Putting it all together
Before I put the gown together I went looking for as many portraits from the period as I could find, and actually struggled to find any that appear to show this exact sack back style of gown. If they exits, and I'm sure they do, I sadly couldn't find any. (Google-fu fail.)

I was especially keen to see if I could find alternative sleeve treatments to the one I used in Project #6, such as the front slashed open from armhole to cuff for example. Sadly I couldn't find any portraits that showed that style of opening in this style of sleeve, only in larger hanging sleeves of a different shape. (Please let me know if anyone finds a portrait that contradicts this!)

Infanta Isabella of Spain, showing 2 curved sleeves and one large open fronted hanging sleeve.

Margaret of Austria, another horizontal front opening sleeve.

So, the same style of horizontal opening it is then.

Sleeve piecing detail. Click to enlarge.

As with all the projects so far the first step was to add the piecings to make up the main pattern pieces. Once I had added the sleeve pieces B, and the back godet pieces A, I then dealt with the curve of the upper back.

The back of the gown is cut on the fold, and there seems no evidence or reason to believe that this fold is then cut open to create a seam. (That would create an ugly seam running down the centre of the train, just for starters.) In modern sewing we would use a slightly curving dart to create this upper back curve on a piece that doesn't have a centre back seam, but darts in this period are a pretty contentious issue. There seems very little evidence that darts were understood and commonly used to shape fabric around the body as we use them today, and when something resembling a dart turns up in period clothing it's always cause for much discussion. I would conjecture that this back curve was probably cut out while the fabric was still folded, and then closed up with a small seam allowance. Because I am working in such a small scale I had to use a dart however, there just wasn't enough fabric at this scale to take any sort of seam allowance.

I sliced open the fold of the front skirt piece to create the centre front opening and turned back a small seam allowance to neaten. After a bit of pinning on the mannequin, I decided the easiest way to deal with the front of the gown would be to sew together each bodice front and skirt piece, so then I could assemble to main body of the gown by sewing a long seam from under the armpit all the way down to the hem.

Gown front, comprising bodice and skirt pieces. Click to enlarge. 

The skirt front is not shaped to allow for the curve of the low pointed bodice front, so it is assembled by overlapping the bodice on the skirt. So I finished the front and bottom edges of the doublet by turning under the seam allowances before adding the skirt front. I pinned the waist of the skirt to follow the line of the bottom edges of the bodice at the sides sides, and then allowed the front of the doublet to overlap.

Inside detail of the gown front. Click to enlarge.

A bit clunky to explain, so hopefully this inside view will give you the idea. If you were making this up full sized you could mark a line around the bottom of the bodice and trim the skirt front down to a seam allowance and attach, but there is precedent in period for this skirt excess just being left behind the doublet front.

Checking the fit. Click to enlarge.

I then closed the long seam from under the armpit all the way down to the hem, and pinned it on the mannequin without the sleeves or collar to check the basic fit. The bodice will have lacing strips added inside so that it can be laced across the back, so I pinned the bodice to conform to the mannequin's shape and you can see the shape of the "sack back" starting to take shape, which is the main feature of this gown.

It was then fairly straightforward to add the collar and sleeves. The collar is made up up of 4 pieces, 2 back and 2 front, and has an outward flaring shape. Once I had sewn the 4 pieces together I matched the seam lines to the centre back and 2 shoulder seams, and eased the straight edge of the bottom of the collar around the neck curve. I inset the sleeves in the same manner as the previous project, taking care to make sure the piecing was on the inside of the arm where it was less obtrusive.

Inside back lacing detail. Click to enlarge.

One of the more unusual details of this gown is the back lacing inside the gown to create the sack back, and still allow the bodice front to sit nice and snug. There is a more fulsome description in the next gown in the book, f.65 the "Laced morning coat of silk for a woman". According to the translation in the book, Alcega states that false bodice pieces can be sewn to the side seamlines of the bodice front and fastened at the back, which would make the bodice front fit tightly like a real bodice. Alternately, an entire false bodice back can be made from another fabric.

I made two doubled fabric strips that were fairly wide, but less than half the back width, and the length of the bodice seam from armpit to where the skirt joined the bodice. I sewed these to the seam allowances inside the gown. I then used a strong thread to mock up some lacing.

Laced back interior detail. Click to enlarge.

Once the gown was on the mannequin and I had temporarily whipstitched closed the bodice front (in lieu of teeny tiny buttons), it was fairly easy to lift the back of the gown and draw up the lacing until the bodice had a nice snug fit. In the photo above you can see the lacing pulled tight, and the garments underneath are the underskirt, farthingale, kirtle and doublet I made in previous projects. I like the adjustable nature of this back lacing rather than inserting another false back, once laced initially it would only need minor adjusting when the gown was worn, and it would ensure a perfect fit every time.

Bodice side and underarm detail. Click to enlarge.

The bodice sits beautifully across the torso and then becomes the volume of the back. A lovely effect.

Gown front, with skirt shown open. Click to enlarge.

The end result is lovely. From the front it looks very much like Project #6 with the addition of the collar and a slimmer fit over the hips due to the absence of a cartridge pleated skirt.

Gown back. Click to enlarge.

The back is quite dramatic however, with the volume of the sack back and train. In this pic you can see the upper back seam also, and the red line under the sleeve is the piecing used to make up the full sized sleeve.

Sack back and train, with skirt godet shown. Click to enlarge.

Eleganza! I think this is a lovely gown. Imagine sweeping into a Court wearing this little number in a silk, damask or beautiful rich velvet. You can see from the images at the top of this post that garments similar to this would be highly decorated with braid, tabs, embroidery, pinking and slashing, decorative buttons... you name it. Not the sort of garment that would call for too much restraint. Unless of course you really were in mourning?...then who can say what would have been considered appropriate.

Project #6. F.63 - "Skirt and bodice of cloth with puffed sleeves"

For project 6 I'm tackling the "Skirt and bodice of cloth with puffed sleeves". As I've mentioned before I unfortunately can't read the original Spanish text, so rely on the translation in the book. Even if it's an accurate translation (?) I find the "puffed sleeves" of the title a little misleading, because they are nothing like a modern puffed sleeve and more like a large curved hanging sleeve.

There are 3 variations of the same pattern in the book f.63, f.63a and f.64, with the only differences being the dimensions of the back train on the gown. The train lengths are 3 ells or 252cm (approx 8' 3 1/4"), 2 1/2 ells or 210cm (approx 6' 10 3/4") and 2 ells or 168cm (approx 5' 6"). Consequently each variation also requires a different amount of fabric, but the layout of the pattern pieces is essentially the same. I've elected to make f.63 which has the longest train, because let's face it... go big or go home.

This garment comprises a front opening doublet style bodice with large decorative sleeves and a front opening overskirt, most likely worn over an underskirt and a tight sleeved doublet as in the portrait below. Although the term 'bodice' has been used throughout the translation it seems to me that the skirt and bodice would be two separate pieces. Essentially a doublet and skirt. The large puffed sleeves on the bodice seem to always have some form of front slit opening to allow the arms to pass through, generally horizontal or in an inverted T shape, and with the lower part of the sleeve front pushed back to make a circular opening for the arm to pass through.

Anne of Austria, Queen of Spain by Alonso Sánchez Coello, 1571.

Fabric
Alcega states that this pattern requires a piece of cloth 5 1/3 ells long x 2 ells wide, or 448cm (approx 14' 8 3/8") long x 168cm (approx 5' 6") wide.

Specific mention is made of the nap running downwards in this pattern layout, and you will notice that the layout takes this into account as all the pieces are laid out with the nap running in the same direction (from right to left).

Some mathematics and dimensions
The fabric in this layout is folded lengthways, with the fold at the bottom of the diagram and the nap running from right to left. The skirt front and back are cut on the fold and take advantage of the full width of the very wide fabric.

The skirt:
The front of the skirt (on the left in the pattern) is roughly the same dimensions as the skirt fronts in Project #4 and Project #5, being "bm" or 126cm (approx 4' 1 1/2") long, with a waist of "t" or 28cm (approx 11"). The only difference is that the bottom hem takes advantage of the wider fabric and is "b" or 1 full ell wide or 84cm (approx 33"), without any godets. The back skirt waist is also the same as those in the previous projects, "m" or 42cm (approx 16 1/2"), and the full width of the back piece at the hem is achieved with a side piecing, godet A. Both skirt front and back are cut on the fold, eliminating centre front and back seams. As I will be making up the skirt as front opening, I'll then cut along the fold of the skirt front to make 2 pieces.

The bodice:
The bodice front and back are almost identical in dimensions and shape to the doublet from Project #2, the "Silk doublet for a woman", but with the omission of a collar (including the back collar cut as one with the back of the doublet). I find the omission of the collar a little curious, because although I haven't found many examples of this style of gown in portraits, those that I have found all seem to have a collar. I don't think it is an oversight, as all the variations of this style of gown are shown without a collar, and every other doublet style garment in the book seems to deliberately include a collar in the pattern.

The bodice front is "QQQ" or 63cm (approx 2' 1") long, the side seam is "Q" or 21cm long (approx 8 1/4"), and both the shoulder seam and the front neck opening are shown as "s" or 14cm (approx 5 1/2"). The back waist and back shoulder are also shown as "s", while the back of the neck opening is "o" or 10.5cm (just over 4"). The back length is shown as "m" or 42cm (approx 1' 4 1/2"), and although there is no side seam dimension given on the back, it must be "Q" also in order to match the side seam on the bodice front. There is no specific measurement given for the arm hole, but as in the silk doublet pattern, it can't be larger than the sleeve head or the sleeve will not fit. The other notable feature are the 8 decorative tabs indicated (4 front and 4 back) across the top of the armhole.

The sleeves:
The sleeve has a very distinctive shape, with a large curving back seam and a shallow curved sleeve head. The sleeve head (where it attaches to the armhole) is shown as "m" or 42cm (approx 16 1/2"). It's worth noting that this is the same size as the two halves of the two piece sleeve in the silk doublet in Project #2, so that would seem to indicate that the bodice armhole is also the same dimensions as the silk doublet. The sleeve length is "sb" or 70cm (approx 27 1/2") long, slightly longer than the sleeves in the silk doublet. The wrist opening is shown as "t" or 28cm (approx 11").

Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia (1566–1633) by Frans Pourbus II

The over gown in the portrait of Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia is of a different style, but the sleeves seem identical in size and shape to those in our pattern.

Developing the pattern

As I've mentioned, the bodice for this project is essentially the same as the doublet pattern I previously developed for Project #2 (with different sleeves and no collar), so that gives me a bit of a head start. You'll note the deviation from the pattern in the book in that my pattern for the front has a curving front to accommodate the prominent bust on my mannequin. (For the process and explanations of that part of the pattern please take a look at that project.) The bodice back is also the same as that in Project #2. In the diagram the shoulder tabs are indicated in the armhole. I doubt that these were cut as one with the bodice, but I think they are shown to indicate size, number and placement. I'll make these up from the scraps.

My pattern layout. Click to enlarge.

The sleeve width is the entire width of the pattern layout, 1 ell wide or 84cm (approx 33"). Once I had the length, sleeve opening width and armhole opening width plotted it was fairly easy to draw in the extravagant curve of the sleeve. I then modified the sleeve head slightly to try and replicate the subtle change in curve between the sleeve front and back in the diagram, and checked to make sure the dimensions were still "m" along the curve. The underside of the sleeve requires a small piecing in this layout, where it overlaps with the godet A used on the skirt back.

The skirt front was an easy draft, as aside from the width at the hem change, and therefor the angle of the side seam also, it was pretty straightforward. I just checked that the side edges would be the same length as the skirt back once the godet was attached. The skirt back is very long, and was also fairly easy to draft. I drew in the dotted godet A indicated in the book, and then once I had traced that off onto a separate piece of paper made sure the angle and of the side seam would be consistent and the same length as the front piece, and that the curve continued the line of the train.

Putting it together
I first did a little prep work unrelated to this pattern by making some arms for my mannequin. I was a little frustrated when I made the doublet in Project #2 that the sleeves hung so badly because of the lack of arms on my little dummy. I just essentially made a very basic pair of rag doll arms of the right dimensions and stuffed them with toy stuffing. My mannequin's body is fully pinnable, so it was an easy matter to pin them in place at the shoulder, and then I can remove them in future for projects that don't require them.

Godet A.

I first made up the skirt, which was a fairly straightforward sew as it only has the one godet to worry about. Once I had attached the godet A to each side of the skirt back, I then attached the two front skirt halves to either side of the back. I then turned under a small amount on each side of the skirt front opening to neaten, and sewed down these edges. Then as in Project #4, the "Kirtle of silk for a woman", I made a small waistband to attach the skirt to. This skirt has the same waist dimensions, so similarly I kept the front of the skirt flat, and cartridge pleated all the fullness into the back of the skirt, starting at the side hips. The only difference being that I moved the opening of the waistband to the front, to accommodate the front opening of the skirt. By making the skirt in this way, it also means that there is some flexibility in whether the skirt is worn open or closed. In all the portraits I have seen of this style of skirt there appears to be a front opening, generally held closed with ribbon ties. Unlike the bodice and attached skirt in Project #5 where the angle of the skirt opening is fixed by the way it is attached to the bodice.

The completed skirt and bodice. Click to enlarge.

The angle of the curve on the side godet A tuned out well, making a nice transition between the skirt front and back train.

Side view, with godet indicated. Click to enlarge.

Once the skirt was completed I sewed together the bodice sides and shoulder seams, up to the point of adding the sleeves. I then made up 8 small fabric tabs to be added to each armhole from small folded strips of fabric, and basted them into the armholes. I've found the best way to do this is to baste them in place on the right side, matching up the raw edge of each tab with the raw edge of the armhole.

Sleeve and shoulder detail. Click to enlarge.

After adding the tabs, I made up each sleeve by folding each in half along the centre line and sewing up the curved outside edge. I then turned under the edge at the cuff to neaten, and sewed down this edge. I tested the hang of the sleeve on the bodice and marked a point equal to where the inside of the elbow would sit. I then cut a horizontal slit across the front folded edge, to allow the arm to pass through. (If I was making this as a full sized garment I would probably mark this point before sewing up the sleeve, and then it would be easier to turn under a small amount along the edges of this slit to neaten.)

The best hang of the sleeve seemed to be with the back seam placed at the back of the armhole, a little under the line of the shoulder blades, and so the front 'fold' edge sat at the front of the armhole, about a third of the way down from the shoulder. I then set in the sleeves, taking care to align the shoulder tabs as I went. Once the sleeves were in I folded under all the raw edges of the doublet to neaten and sewed them down.

Completed skirt and bodice back. Click to enlarge.

I love, love, love how this looks from the back. Those sleeves are major.

When I dressed the mannequin I kept the layers of the underskirt, farthingale and kirtle in place, and added the previously made doublet. I then added the skirt from this project, and I couldn't help myself but make some little bows to hold the skirt front closed. (Pretend they are neater and there are more of them, and the ends have cute little aglets.) I then added the bodice from this project, taking care to place the arms through the slits in the sleeves, and push back the front edge of the lower part of the sleeve to make a circular opening for the arm to pass through, as seen in the portraits above. I whip stitched the front of the doublet closed almost all the way to the top, but decided to leave some open at the tops so that a little of the under doublet and collar could be featured.

Side view full, with train. Click to enlarge.

This is clearly a fairly high status garment, especially in this version with the longest train. The portraits above give a good indication of the extravagant trims and fabric treatment that could be applied to this stye of garment. There is a mention in the translation of additional trimmings that can be made from the scraps, and I would probably include items such as tabs around the bottom of the doublet edge.

One suggestion for possible trim placement. Click to enlarge.

It would be lovely in a velvet, as seems to be indicated by the mention of nap in this pattern layout. I'm always a little surprised at how wide a 2 ell wide fabric is, wider than even modern fabrics are readily available in. Making this up as a full sized garment would require some modifications to the piecings required no doubt.

Project #5. F.59a - "Kirtle and low cut bodice of silk"

Project 5! 

I had a slight change of heart after the last project, and instead of using layout f.60 "Kirtle and low cut bodice of cloth rash for a woman" for this project, I decided to use f.59a the "Kirtle and low cut bodice of silk" instead. The skirt length and a few other dimensions on f.60 were different from the under layers I have already made, and so I decided to use f59a for the sake of consistency. This is the same garment, but with sizing consistent with the patterns I have made and a pattern layout very similar to the kirtle I just made in project 4 (but with the addition of a bodice, natch). 

Fabric
Alcega states that this pattern requires a length of silk fabric 6 3/4 ells long x 2/3 ells wide, or 567cm (approx 18' 7 1/4") long x 56cm (approx 22") wide.

Some mathematics and dimensions
The beginning steps to this pattern are identical to my previous project, #4 the "Kirtle of silk for a woman". The skirt dimensions are the same, and similarly the fabric is folded across ways instead of lengthways when cutting the skirt. The big change however is that the bodice is cut from the remaining fabric which has been folded lengthways, and Alcega points towards this change in the diagram by reducing the remaining width to half in the layout.

So, based on the fact that the previous kirtle with an identical size and layout took 6 1/8 ells x 2/3 ells, or 514.5cm (approx 16' 10 1/2") x 56cm (approx 22"), we know then that we have around 52.5cm (a bit under 20 3/4") of the 56cm wide fabric left for the bodice. In the translation it states the recommendation that first you cut off a piece of fabric long enough for the bodice, and then proceed to fold the remaining fabric crossways and cut out the skirt. The bodice is cut with the front on the fold, eliminating a centre seam, and with the centre back of the bodice cut along the selvedge edge.

The skirt is the same length as previously, "bm" or 126cm long (approx 4' 1 1/2") long and with an identical generous waist size which can be pleated to fit (see Project #4).

The bodice is (as described in the title) cut quite low across the front and with a centre front that dips down to a point in a similar fashion to that of Project #2 - the "Silk doublet for a woman" and is cut a little higher in the back across the shoulders. The dimensions of the bodice pattern pieces are given as "t" across the bust edge, which is 1/3 ell or 28cm (approx 11") and "Q" across the waist, which is 1/4 ell or 21cm (approx 8 1/4"). The bodice centre front is "m" from the bust edge down to the point, which is 1/2 an ell or 42cm (approx 16 1/2"), and the under arm side seam is "Q", which is 1/4 ell or 21cm (approx 8 1/4").

The bodice back is "t" in length from the top edge to the waistline, which is 1/3 of an ell or 28cm (approx 11") and both the back waist and top edge are given as "s", which is 1/6 of an ell or 14cm (approx 5 1/2").

These dimensions would give a bodice with a finished waist measurement of 70cm (approx 27 1/2") which is quite small compared to the doublet in Project #1 for instance, which had a waist of 90cm (approx 35 1/2"). It's probable that the doublet and this bodice are designed for two different sized women, as 8 inches of waist compression would not be likely even in a stiffened and tightly laced bodice (or with some form of corset).

Developing the pattern
Much of this entry will relate to patterning the bodice, as the skirt pattern will be a repeat of that in Project #4 but with some changes in construction.

In previous entries I described the creation of a basic sloper, and then the process of removing any darts required in the sloper to try and achieve the best fit possible. Fortunately the low neckline of this bodice eliminates the need to worry about bust darts.

First attempt at draping the bodice back. Click to enlarge.

I decided to take a first stab at the pattern by tracing off the back and front of the basic sloper without bust darts onto paper, raising the armhole slightly and drawing in how I thought the basic design lines would sit on my mannequin and pinning it to the form.

First attempt at drafting the basics of the bodice front. Click to enlarge.

Straight away I could tell that a few things would need more work. I was concerned that if I drew the bodice front as low as it appeared in the pattern that it would barely cover the nipple line of the bust, so I initially cut it out with a slightly higher front. I knew that I probably didn't have the curve of the bodice front correct either, but I was initially trying to establish the height first. Also the angle of the strap is not right, creating a fold in the pattern, and on reflection I think the strap actually begins further back under the armhole and comes forward at more of an acute angle.

At this point I decided to go back to the pattern and I had a little play in photo editing software and duplicated and flipped the bodice pattern pieces from the book to see how the finished bodice pattern might look.

What becomes immediately noticeable is the way the front curves gently upward across the bust, and is in line with the bottom of the armhole. With a slightly raised armhole (compared to a doublet, for example) this would be low without being indecorous. Perhaps something closer to the neckline of this gown in the portrait of Jeanne d'Albret, Queen of Navarre (1570).

Jeanne d'Albret, Queen of Navarre (1570)

The other noticeable feature of the pattern is the acute angle of the strap on the bodice front, and how impossibly short the straps are in the pattern. I can't read the original Spanish text, and there is no mention of any extensions to, or fill in pieces for, the shoulder straps in the translation. Perhaps it is one of those things that was so obvious it didn't need to be spelled out to the tailors the book was intended for? Given the length of available fabric, and the placement of the pattern pieces butting right up against the fabric edge or other pattern pieces, I think it's fair to assume there was a separate connecting piece to be cut and added between the front and back, rather than the straps just being cut larger than shown. The excess fabric should furnish enough to make connecting strap pieces.

Bodice front, 2nd revision. Click to enlarge.

Front view, revised bodice. Click to enlarge.

I think this is an improvement, although I could still possibly curve the front higher. (You will also have to imagine this with a slightly flattened bust, as a stiffened and laced bodice like this would compress the bust somewhat and my mannequin has quite a prominent and unmoving bust line.) I'm still curious about that strap angle. I moved the strap slightly backwards towards the arm hole so that I could try and keep that angle without having the strap come too far forward (as if it was going to be a halter neck!). In my next version I think I'll curve the angle of the strap more as it comes up to try and hug the line of the armhole better. (Also, the straps are a little thicker than in the pattern, but that is the limitation of trying to work at such a small scale.)

It's interesting, in most other recreations of this bodice the designers seem to have made a more square neckline by changing the strap front to be almost at a right angle to the bodice front, compared to the very acute angle drawn in all of the variations of this bodice in the book. Such as this one by The Curious Frau, this brown wool kirtle by Centuries Sewing, and these beautiful examples by Mathew Gnagy. It makes a lot of sense if you are adding sleeves to a bodice like this, as unless the strap was perhaps super tight you would need some opposing directional force to the tendency of the sleeve to drag the strap off the shoulder. I'm keen to explore this pattern as faithfully as I can however, so I'm going to see if I can make this strap work as drawn, within the limitations of the shape of my mannequin.

Some portraits do seem to indicate that this style of acute angle is achievable.

Margaret of France, Duchess of Berry.

Margaret of France, detail with bodice and strap highlighted.

I know Margaret isn't Spanish, but I'm using her portrait here as the gown seems to replicate many of the features of this bodice and kirtle.

So, angles, bodices and straps, oh my. Time to move on to the rest of the bodice...

The bodice back, 2nd revision. Click to enlarge.

Back view, revised bodice. Click to enlarge

I also redid the back slightly; if you look at the pattern piece from the book the back also has a slight curve across the top edge and I wanted to make sure I had that, the angle of the back of the armscye, and the relative height of the back compared to the bottom of the arm hole correct.

Final pattern layout, with bodice and kirtle. Click to enlarge.

Putting it together
The skirt will be attached to the bodice, so up to the point right before pleating and attaching the skirt to a waistband the patterning and construction of the skirt for this project is identical to Project #4 - "Kirtle of silk for a woman". Also, with the exception that I will be leaving the front seam of the skirt open. Adding the godets, sewing up the side seams, and closing the back seam up to the point of the back opening are all the same.

According to the text Alcega states that the bodice front "will be in one piece" as it is cut on the fold, while the bodice back will have a seam. So I am electing to make this with a centre back opening to the bodice and attached skirt. Some reconstructions have an opening in front of the bodice, and there is certainly evidence for that in similar garments (as there is for either 1 or 2 side lacings replacing side seams). I'm sticking with what I think was the intention of the original pattern however.

Also, there is some evidence for this style of bodice being heavily stiffened itself, rather than having been worn over a corset (although the inverse may also have happened). I'm going to sew in a layer of stiff interlining to try and create a stiffened effect to this bodice. If you wanted to create a full sized version of this gown I would encourage you to research appropriate techniques for boning a bodice. It's also worth noting that the pattern layout places the side seams off grain, not quite on the true bias but enough that they would be subject to some stretch. Interlining, boning etc would all help to control this stretch and allow the bodice to be laced tightly without distortion.

Checking the bodice fit (without the skirt attached yet). Click to enlarge.

I cut identical pieces of interlining and the fabric outer layer, and trimmed the seam allowance off the interlining everywhere except the side construction seams, so that I could just turn the edges over and sew them down. If I was making this as a full sized garment I would first construct the stiffened inner structure, probably from several layers of stiff canvas with some reeds or boning added for extra stiffness, and then cut an identical inner lining and outer fabric shell. Because of scale I couldn't do much with the straps, it was just too fiddly to interline them and turn the edges under, so for the purposes of this reconstruction I am leaving them as just the raw top layer.

I'm pretty happy with the fit. If the mannequin was smaller or softer chested then the top of the bodice would not sit out quite so proud of the bust, but without any capability for compression in the mannequin then it will always sit out a little. I think the height of the front is good and not likely to cause any wardrobe malfunctions. Worn with a sheer partlet the effect would attractive and not at all scandalous.

Adding the kirtle. Click to enlarge.

I then sewed together the skirt, leaving the front seam unsewn, and I turned under the front edges to neaten. As Mathew Gnagy mentions in his reconstruction of a similar gown there is at least one extant example of the excess fabric behind the lower bodice front just being left there, or it could be trimmed away after the skirt is added to the bodice. By overlapping the top edges of the skirt front slightly and pinning them it place, it was actually pretty easy to establish an attractive opening in the kirtle front and then pin it to the bodice. It helps to have all the under layers of underskirt, farthingale and overskirt on your dummy so that you can arrange the hang of the skirt nicely.

Cartridge pleating and adding the skirt. Click to enlarge.

Once the skirt front is attached it's then an easy matter to cartridge pleat the remainder of the skirt on each side and sew it to the bodice side and back. (There is a nice cartridge pleating tutorial here.) If I was creating this as a full sized garment I would probably also insert a placket behind the bodice centre back opening and the skirt opening so that a neat finish is achieved when the centre back is laced closed.

Finished low cut bodice and kirtle. Click to enlarge.

I'm very pleased with the end result. In part because this is the first project that feels more like a complete outfit I think.

Bodice front detail. Click to enlarge.

I would like the straps to be thinner and neater, but at the scale I am working at that just wasn't doable (they are less than 1cm wide at this scale, or about 1/3 of an inch). I think they prove the theory behind the acute front curve on the straps though.

Armhole and strap detail. Click to enlarge.

The strap curves quite nicely around the armhole. I think it would probably not be as load bearing as a strap that met the front bodice at a right angle, but the interlining, boning and firm lacing of the bodice would make it largely self-supporting I would think. There are no sleeves detailed or mentioned for this garment in Alcega, but the resulting armhole is pretty much a standard armhole shape (although raised a little) so I don't think drafting a sleeve for this would be too onerous if one wanted to add them.

Bodice and kirtle side view. Click to enlarge.

I think the back height of the bodice is pretty good. The back seam is a straight edge that is cut along the selvedge, so does not allow for any curvature to follow the spine. You can see in the side view that it sits a tiny bit proud from the upper back of the mannequin. Any higher and it would sit out even further, as the upper back curves forward. On a real human being with real human shoulder blades it would probably not sit out much at all, but I would certainly not take it any higher and I think it would pay to watch this fit if you were drafting it as a full sized garment.

Kirtle and bodice back view. Click to enlarge.

In my head I planned to whip stitch the back seam together on the mannequin with a contrasting thread, so it would look a bit like lacing. However, problems with my hand at present meant I kind of ended up with what can only be described as Fraken-lacing. Sigh. Oh well, let's just pretend.

The back sits nicely across the shoulders, and the back strap placement gives quite a nice design line I think. Once again I cartridge pleated the skirt, and with the kirtle from the previous project underneath (also cartridge pleated) I think it creates a nice line across the hips and back. A small bumroll could be used to change the look further, but there are varying opinions on if/with what/when these were used. I think this would work nicely without, providing the correct underpinnings were used.

Idea for trimming the bodice and kirtle. Click to enlarge.

I think this gown has all sorts of potential for decoration. I mocked up just one idea for braid trim, but a solid coloured underskirt would also be lovely, perhaps in a rich damask. The bodice and kirtle could be a rich silk or velvet (although anything with a nap would require a different fabric layout). The bodice could be richly embroidered and beaded with pearls for a very high status look as in the portrait of Margaret of France, above. If this was to be worn as an intermediate layer under any of the over gowns coming up in future projects, I would avoid shoulder rolls or any bulky sleeve and shoulder treatments, if not then they would be lovely additions. A very versatile pattern I think!

Next I'll be attempting f.63 - the "Skirt and bodice of cloth with puffed sleeves", which judging by the pattern looks pretty dramatic. What's not to love about a long train and puffed sleeves, I ask you?

Also, if you have any feedback and agree/disagree/love to bits anything I've done so far then please drop me a comment. I'm doing this as a learning experience, so if you have any feedback I'm more than happy to hear your ideas.

Some Frustrating News

Hi all. I got some bad news today, after a few weeks of having problems with numbness in my right hand I was diagnosed as having a combination of lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and carpal tunnel syndrome. This relates to the amount of data entry and typing I do in my daytime work, but unfortunately it also means I will have to moderate the amount of time I spend at the keyboard after hours as well.

You might not even see any change here, because I generally write these entries as I construct the garments, and type a little bit each time I sit down to work at each garment over the space of a week or so. If the frequency of the reconstructions slow a little it's just because in the short term I might be slowing the pace of sewing and writing. I start physiotherapy immediately, so I'm hoping this will be taken care of fairly quickly.

Some happier news, my next project is about 90% done already so it should be up in the next few days.

The Patterns: Progress So Far

Some of the patterns in Alcega's tailor's pattern book are very clearly identified by title as being for a man or a woman, although not all and not consistently. Generally the book seems divided largely into male patterns in the front and female in the back, but there are exceptions to this rule also. The book kicks off with a woman's doublet initially before a long section of men's and possibly unisex patterns. Some patterns that aren't identified by gender can be determined from a look at the pattern pieces, but others such as the cloaks and mantles are less obvious.

Here is my progress with the women's patterns so far, with some notes regarding repeats that I have skipped and the projects completed so far (or in progress) highlighted in red. With regards to the repeats that I have skipped, some of these are quite interesting because they use very different fabric and/or have unusual piecings to make up the garments, so I may come back and revisit some of these later as they might be interesting to explore. Time and enthusiasm permitting.

f.14 - "Silk doublet for a woman" [See Project #2]
f.14a - "Silk doublet for a woman, from open silk" (Repeat of f.14, with an alternate layout.)

~ Men's and various unisex patterns ~

f.55 - "Skirt of cloth for a woman" [See Project #3]
f.55a - "Skirt of a woman" (Repeat of f.55 but with slightly larger sizing and mention of nap of the fabric.)
f.56 - "A narrow skirt of cloth" (Repeat of f.55 using a slightly longer piece of fabric and less piecing.)
f.56a - "Skirt of silk for a woman" (Repeat of f.55 using longer and very narrow piece of silk fabric many piecings.)
f.57 - "Skirt of silk for a woman" (Repeat of f.55a using longer and very narrow piece of silk fabric many piecings, and the same length of skirt as f.55a.)
f.57a - "Child's kirtle of silk" (A child's sized version of f.58)
f.58 - "Kirtle of silk for a woman" [See Project #4]
f.58a - "Silk kirtle for a fat woman" (Repeat of f.58 using a longer piece of silk, and an alternate layout with larger waist and larger godets.)
f.59 - "Kirtle and low cut bodice of silk" (An alternate layout of f.59a, using slightly less fabric and with godet B made from 2 pieces.)
f.59a - "Kirtle and low cut bodice of silk" [In progress as Project #5]

~ More women's patterns, yet to be analysed and attempted ~  

f.67 - "Silk farthingale for a woman" [See Project #1]

~ More women's patterns, yet to be analysed and attempted ~  

Project #4. F.58 - "Kirtle of silk for a woman"

This is my fourth project, an overskirt for a woman. 

The patterns for "vasquina" or kirtles as they are described in the book seem to fall into two categories, those with an accompanying bodice and those without. Of those that are a skirt only, such as this one, the variations are shown as a pattern for a child, several for a "fat woman" (as it states in the translation) and several variations to allow for wider fabrics. With the exception of the child's kirtle, the skirt lengths seem to be pretty much all the same, with some small variations in the fullness of the skirt depending on the fabric widths.

There is no narration in the translation as to whether this skirt is worn as an outer or intermediate layer. In portraiture of women wearing high status clothes there is often an outer layer worn over the doublet and skirt or bodice and skirt, usually with a front opening skirt that is frequently worn closed. The centre front seam of this skirt would mean that it could possibly have been sewn closed as an intermediate layer skirt (over the farthingale but under any form of over gown) or worn open.

Anna of Austria by Martin Kober. 

Isabella Clara Eugenia (1566-1633), Infanta of Spain,
by Pourbus, Frans the Younger (workshop of)

Fabric
This skirt requires a length of silk fabric 6 1/8 ells long x 2/3 ells wide , or 514.5cm (approx 16' 10 1/2") long x 56cm (approx 22") wide.

Some mathematics and dimensions
Alcega states that the fabric for this skirt is folded across ways rather than lengthways, resulting in pattern pieces that use the full width of the fabric, and therefore there is no centre front or centre back fold. The skirt front is cut on the left, and the skirt back is cut on the right. If damask or a fabric with a nap is to be used, the fabric should be laid so that the pattern and/or nap run in the same direction (presumably by cutting the fabric in half and rotating one half, rather than folding it).

The length of the skirt is given as "bm" or 126cm (approx 4' 1 1/2"), which the same length as the farthingale in project #1, and pretty standard for most of the overskirts in the book. (This is fairly long, but as I discussed in previous posts I think most of the patterns in the book are intentionally fairly large in size to allow for maximum fabric usage required, as the book is primarily a guide for pattern layouts and fabric amounts required.) No mention of a finished waist size is given, and the pattern pieces are shown with a half waist front of "t" or 28cm (approx 11") and a half waist back of "m" or 42cm (approx 16 1/2"). This results in a waist of 140cm (approx 55"), so presumably the waist allows for gathers or pleats to reduce this to the wearer's actual waist size.

No specific dimensions are given for the godets A and B which are used to increase the skirt's fullness. However, the hem dimensions for the front and back pieces include the bottom width of the godets at the hemline and as we know the fabric width we can determine this dimension. The front hem is given as "sb" or 70cm (approx 27 1/2"), and as we know the fabric is 56cm wide that makes the bottom edge of godet A 14cm (approx 5 1/2"). The back hem is given as "b" or 84cm (approx 33"), making bottom edge of godet B 28cm (approx 11").

Developing the pattern
The pattern for this skirt is pretty straightforward. The only issue I noticed is that the angle of the godets are drawn slightly off from the angle of the pieces they are attached to. Not majorly so, but it would result in a slight change of angle in the bias edges during construction. The bottom edges of godets A and B are not cut to follow the curve of the edges they are attached to, but instead hang down a little below the hemline. This is the same issue I noticed with the godets in project #1, and it is quickly fixed during hemming.

Godets A and B rotated into position. Click to enlarge.

No mention is made in the translation of a waistband or any other other trimmings. There is enough straight grain fabric on the far left, centre and far right where the curves leave a little waste fabric to piece together several pieces to make a waistband. There is also no mention of how this skirt is pleated or gathered, but a quick survey of this type of skirt in portraits shows a very flat smooth front lying close along the farthingale front. As there is a deliberately large waist, this could only mean that the fullness is dealt with at the back of the skirt.

Putting it together
Similar to the previous pattern I reconstructed, this is a fairly simple sew.

The finished kirtle. Click to enlarge.

The first step is to attach godets A and B to their respective front and back pieces. If the skirt is to be worn as an intermediate layer as I am constructing it here, the front seam is then sewn closed and the back seam needs to be left open at the top enough to be able to slide the skirt up over the hips once it is attached to a waistband. (Conversely, if the front is to be left open, then the centre back seam can be fully closed and the waistband opening moved to the front instead.)

Side, showing shape and location of the godets. Click to enlarge.

I had cut my pieces to the exact dimensions of the pattern, resulting in a little bit of curving side seam weirdness from the small change in angles of the godets. Not dramatically so, but if I was creating this at full scale I would either amend the angles of the godets as much as possible, or trim the pieces straight after the godets were attached. You would lose a small amount of fullness but only a little.

The cartridge pleated back of the skirt. Click to enlarge.

Once the main construction seams were all closed I made up a finished waistband, and turned the seam allowance of the skirt waist to the wrong side and tacked it under. I had measured the front of the skirt flat across from hip to hip and discovered that there was still a large amount of fullness to be incorporated into the back of the waistband, so I decided to cartridge pleat the back of the skirt. The easiest way to deal with cartridge pleats is to finish the edge, gather the fabric into regular folds with a gathering thread, and then oversew the edge to the finished waistband.

Cartridge pleating on a tiny (and slightly insane) scale. Click to enlarge.

I started the cartridge pleats at the side, but you'll notice how the first pleat or two pull forward towards the front. If I was remaking this, or making a full scale version, I would experiment with starting the cartridge pleats a little further forward and see if this eliminated this pulling. The important thing is to preserve the flat front, and to allow any doublet, jerkin or other over garment to sit flat over the front of the skirt.

One suggestion for trimming with braid. Click to enlarge.

In all of the pictures above I dressed the mannequin with the underskirt I made in Project #3 first, then the farthingale I made in Project #1 before placing this kirtle over the top. This could make an attractive middle class outfit in combination with the doublet in Project #2, perhaps done in a silk, linen, wool or velvet. Made up in a rich fabric, perhaps a damask, with heavy braid trim, this would make a lovely underskirt to be worn over an open gown or second open fronted skirt.

Next up we are still in the land of the kirtle, but this time it gets a little more interesting with the addition of a bodice in the "Kirtle and low-cut bodice of cloth rash for a woman". There are a number of kirtle and low cut bodice combinations in the book, but I've picked the "cloth rash" layout because it is unusual and interesting.

UPDATE: Oops, on closer inspection the dimensions of the "cloth rash" version are a little different, shorter skirt and much wider waist. So in order to use the underpinning I already have, I've decided to go with one of the other alternate layouts, F.59a "Kirtle and low cut bodice of silk". It is essentially the same garment though.