Project #10. F1.6 - "Women's silk skirt and bodice with full-length pointed sleeves"

This is Project #10, which is quite similar in style to Project #6 the "Skirt and bodice of cloth with puffed sleeves", but with the exception of long pointed sleeves instead of the curved back sleeve of previous projects.

This pattern is one of a small collection of 6 patterns in the book which are all laid out for the narrow silk fabric but because of the size of the garments are very wide patterns. In order to fit these on the page they have been presented on a double width fold out page, 3 to a side. The scale of the drawings is also a little smaller than the other patterns in the book, and the pages show some damage with folds and tears. Unlike the other patterns in the book they have had minimal cleaning up to make them legible.

The Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia, by Federico de Llano.

Isabella of Valois, by Sofonisba Anguissola.

Fabric
Alcega states that this garment requires a length of silk fabric 18 2/3 ells long x 2/3 of an ell wide, or 15m 68cm (approx 51' 5 1/4") long x 56cm (approx 22") wide. The fabric is folded crosswise, so the full width of the fabric is used.

Some mathematics and dimensions
Read from left to right the pattern pieces are the skirt front, godet A for the skirt front, godet B for the skirt back, the bodice back, the skirt back, the front side of each sleeve, the back pointed section of each sleeve and the bodice front. The bodice back and fronts are a little hard to see (especially as the front is disappearing into the spine of the book).

F1.6 pattern as presented in the book.

I did some minimal tidying up of the pattern a little in photo editing software to try and make it as clear as possible, removing some of the fold marks and drawing in a line over the tear. A few of the codes used to show the sizing are quite hard to read, but can be extrapolated.

F1.6 pattern cleaned up a little.

Many of the pattern pieces are the same size as in Project #6.

The skirt:
The front of the skirt on the left in the pattern is "bm" or 126cm (approx 4' 1 1/2") long, with a waist of "t" or 28cm (approx 11"). The bottom hem is shown as "b", 1 full ell wide or 84cm (approx 33"). The fabric is only 56cm (approx 22") wide, which means that the bottom edge of godet A must be "t" or 1/3 ell, 28cm (approx 11") wide.

The back skirt waist is "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 B, which also takes the full width of the fabric. The back length of the train is "bbb" or 3 ells in total, 252cm (approx 8' 3 1/4") from waist to hem. As the fabric is folded crosswise, there is no centre back or centre front fold and so a seam runs down the centre back of the skirt.

The bodice:
The bodice front and back are tough to see but appear to be identical in dimensions and shape to the doublet from Project #6. 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 run off the edge of the pattern into the spine of the book but are most likely both "s" or 14cm (approx 5 1/2"). The back waist is also shown as "s", and although the shoulder and back neck opening aren't labelled they are most likely "s" or 14cm (approx 5 1/2") and for the shoulder and "o" or 10.5cm (just over 4") for the back neck opening. (Instead there is one dimension given for the total width across the upper back, "Q" or 21cm long (approx 8 1/4") wide, which is consistent with the other patterns.)

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 other doublet and bodice patterns, it can't be larger than the sleeve head or the sleeve will not fit. It is very difficult to see because a fold line runs through the middle of them, but it is also clear from the armhole of the doublet back that there are 8 tabs detailed for the armhole as in Project #6.

The collar:
There is specific mention of cutting the collar from the excess fabric, so although it is not shown in the pattern I'll use the same collar pieces from Project #6.

The sleeves:
Each sleeve is made up of 4 pieces, 2 pieces of each sleeve are detailed in the pattern layout and are cut double as the fabric is folded crosswise. The sleeve head (where it attaches to the armhole) is shown as "Q" or 21cm (approx 8 1/4"). Doubled this makes the sleeve head "m" or 42cm (approx 16 1/2"), the same size as the other sleeves in the previous projects. The front sleeve length from armhole to wrist is "QQQ" or 63cm (approx 2' 1") long, the same as the sleeves in the silk doublet. The sleeves are made up with a godet, godet C. The front edge of the sleeve, from the wrist to the bottom of the point on godet C is "bm" or 126cm (approx 4' 1 1/2") and the back curving edge is "bQQQ" to the point, or 147cm (just under 4' 10").

Developing the pattern
The most unusual and dramatic feature of this gown is the sleeves. I was scratching my head at first as to how they went together, but when you consider the 4 pieces of each sleeve it becomes a little clearer.

The 4 pieces of each sleeve in detail. Click to enlarge.

I decided to draft the sleeve first and draw one half of it out on a single piece of paper to check the dimensions and curves. One thing I discovered was that unless I changed the angle of the sleeve dramatically from the pattern, I actually couldn't fit the front and back dimensions of "bm" and "bQQQ" on the double width of the fabric.

Sleeve pattern draft. The black lines represent fabric widths. Click to enlarge.

However, if I continued the front and back edges out slightly further past 2 fabric widths, and drew the sleeve back with a smoother curve, then I could accommodate all the dimensions exactly as written in the pattern. I think there is a small piecing required on the far right which has been omitted from the pattern, and it makes up the sharp point of the sleeve. It also explains why the point of the sleeve looks so cut off in the original pattern above.

The Mystery of the Missing Sleeve Point.

Once I had drafted the sleeves I moved on to the other pattern pieces.

Finished pattern layout. Click to enlarge.

The skirt front is the same as the skirt front in Project #6 and Project #7, with adjustment for the narrower silk fabric. The skirt back is almost the same as the one in Project #6, it's the same length but even though the fabric is narrower the large godet B means that it is actually wider at the hem. The waist size is the same however, so the angle of the edge that forms the seam to the skirt front swings out a little wider also.

The bodice front and back are also the same as the ones in Project #6, including the tabs detailed for the front and back armhole. There is mention of collar pieces but they are not detailed in the pattern, so I'll reuse the pattern pieces I developed in previous projects. I'll also add the missing sleeve point pieces to make up the sleeves.

Putting it together
I made up each sleeve in two halves first, sewing the small point piece to the middle piece of the three pieces, and then sewing them to the piece that makes up the front side of the sleeve.

Completed sleeve detail, with seams highlighted. Click to enlarge.

This sleeve has a large opening from armhole to cuff, so once I had made up all four pieces for the two sleeves I joined them in pairs along the curving back of the sleeve first. I then just joined the front in two small sections, at the top near the sleeve head and at the bottom near the wrist. Once I had done that I neatened the front edges by turning them under and sewing them down, although if I was making this as a full size garment this sleeve would have a lining and the raw front edges would be dealt with by folding under and having the lining attached.

I then made up the bodice in the same manner as the previous projects, sewing the fronts to the back piece by sewing up the side seams and then sewing closed the shoulder seams. I then made up the 4 pieces of the collar, and carefully matched the seams to the centre back and shoulder seams before sewing it on. I then turned under the front and bottom edges of the bodice and sewed them down to neaten.

In Project #6 I had made up the similar style of garment by attaching the skirt to a separate waistband, and making the bodice separately. I decided to use the alternate approach here and attach the skirt and bodice in this version, so it is one large garment that opens entirely down the centre front. I personally think a garment like this makes more sense as a bodice and skirt that are separate, but worn together. In terms of dressing, storing and cleaning the garments it just makes a lot more practical sense to me. I present this version as an alternative, but if making this up full sized I would opt for two separate pieces.

The completed gown. Click to enlarge.

I then applied the sleeves to the bodice, making sure that the front opening of the sleeve was roughly about mid way between the bust and the shoulder seam, so that the sleeve opening would be placed at the front of the arm. This then placed the back curve of the sleeve at about shoulder blade level on the back of the armhole which seemed perfect. It's worth noting that there is minimal shaping in the sleeve head (and both sleeves are interchangeable) so although the finished result looks fine and would give fantastic freedom of movement, you do end up with some folds and extra fabric under the armpit that does not happen with the shaping in modern sleeves.

Oops. It wasn't until I had finished the entire garment and dressed the mannequin that I realised I had totally forgotten the sleeve tabs for the armholes. They aren't a major construction point, but for more detail on how they look and are applied please have a look at Project #6.

Completed back view. Click to enlarge.

I then made up the front skirt panels by attaching godet A, and made up the back skirt by attaching the large godet B to each half of the skirt back and then sewing the centre back seam closed. I then attached the skirt fronts to the back along the side seams, and turned under and finished the front edges of the skirt front.

Skirt detail, with godets highlighted. Click to enlarge.

As I will be attaching the skirt to the bodice, I turned under the seam allowance of the waist and cartridge pleated the entire back before attaching it. I measured the flat skirt fronts on the mannequin and started pleating at a point on the skirt front where the hip was, all the way across the back to the same point on the other side. I then attached the skirt to the bodice, and I found the easiest way to do this was to overlap the bodice fronts onto the skirt fronts, and match the front opening edges of both, before drawing up the pleats and attaching the cartridge pleated section first.

Clunky to describe, but the end result is that the skirt edge and bodice edge are sewn together across the back from hip to hip, and the skirt fronts are tacked in place underneath the bodice point and sewn down firmly along the front opening. As I said, probably best to make this as a two piece garment, but there is historical precedent in existing garments for the excess fabric of the skirt fronts being left tacked in place behind the bodice fronts like this.

Completed gown, side view. Click to enlarge.

I think if you compare the finished gown with the portraits above you can see how extravagant this gown could be as a high status garment with trims and embroideries added, or as a more sombre garment with comparatively fewer embellishments.

I dressed the mannequin with the underskirt, fartingale, kirtle and doublet from previous projects, with the gown over the top of it all. I left the skirt open to show the layer underneath, but in reality it seems that Spanish ladies pretty much always wore the fronts closed. Some portraits also seem to show a row of ties or closures down the curving back of the sleeve, whether functional or purely decorative I'm not sure. I pinned the bottom wrist section of each sleeve to the doublet underneath, slightly up the sleeve in the manner shown above, which further opens out the flare of the front opening.

I'm pleased with the end result and I think the sleeves give a lovely alternative and dramatic effect when compared to the similar gown in Project #6.

My lovely friends clubbed together and bought me a half sized male mannequin for my birthday earlier this month, and have informed me that it has arrived from the U.S. at the same time that I am finishing up with the women's patterns in the book. Yay! So the next project will be the start of the men's patterns, and then once I have worked through those I will go back and see if there are any interesting or curious variations of the garments I have already made that are worth looking at.

Another Version of Project #6?

I'm currently working on Project #10, and while in the process of looking for images online I came across a portrait with what appears to be an interesting variation of Project #6, F.63 the "Skirt and bodice of cloth with puffed sleeves", worn in an English context. Spanish clothing styles became very fashionable in countries outside of Spain, and the portrait I found would seem to be the same garment worn by a fashionable lady of the English court.

The completed recreation from Project #6.

At the time I made the garment in Project #6 I was struggling to find other variations of the sleeve of this garment other than the horizontal opening I used above, but I felt like I had seen it worn with a vertical opening.

Lettice Knollys as Countess of Leicester, c. 1585 by George Gower

Well although it is styled a little differently this certainly seems like the same type of garment to me. (Only in this instance it is worn by an English lady of the court Laetitia "Lettice" Knollys, Countess of Essex and Countess of Leicester.)

Tight fitting, low point fronted bodice - check. Tabs at the arm holes - check. Front opening over skirt - check.

The sleeve certainly seems to be of the same size and volume as the example I recreated, but made with a vertical opening from the sleeve head almost to the wrist, instead of the horizontal opening. As in my example the sleeve is slightly longer than the under doublet sleeve, and you can see that in the unusual way Lettice wears one arm in the sleeve and one arm placed through the opening. When worn with the arm inside the sleeve the opening bulges and flares outwards slightly due to the extra length, and the other sleeve hangs slightly longer than the voluminous sleeves of the garment underneath.

The other stylistic difference is that the skirt is worn open to reveal the kirtle underneath, which is not generally seen on Spanish ladies.

What do you think? It certainly seems like the same garment to me...

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.