Stimpzilla's Renaissance Dress Blog

Renaissance Gowns and Craw Fish yes they really do mix!

Ahh Saturday night...We went to a craw fish boil...It was delicious! Our friends had 100 pounds shipped from New Orleans. It was wonderful! And for once in my life I'm too full for candy!

Sewing has been going well. I ran up a few things fro my Niece and Nephew for Faire. We were supposed to go tomorrow but the weather says major thunderstorms all day. So we should be taking them next Saturday. Might still go to the faire ourselves tomorrow depending on just how bad the storms really are. If they are not too bad we will go.

Sherie's gown is almost finished, I should have it out to her the beginning of next week. Then I have a bit of organization to do in order to start Jody's suit. Plus there is another wedding gown that is coming soon and a lovely Italian robe to make that I am also very excited to do. Some how I need to calculate some time in there for a new Italian gown for myself as I will need it next month.

It's all going nicely! I'm a happy tailor!

And lastly here's a picture of Jo wearing one of the renaissance gowns from the ready to wear line...I think she looks mostly lovely and it's great to see how the accessories she chose and even her posture bring life to the gown.

It's Tuesday night...A bit late but that's not so unusual. I spent most of today doing boring things, but tomorrow I get to go fabric shopping. Turns out my Husband, Niece and Nephew have decided that because it's Pirate weekend next week at Florida Renaissance Festivle we all need to dress as pirates....A bit of short notice going on here. But since the kids have outgrown last year's Nobles, it seems just fine to me. Not certain if my 8 year old Nephew will be happy, as he has been reading Shakespere already and is very happy to dress in Nobles. But he will get to carry the pistol my Dad brought back from his recent trip to Check Republic. I have a feeling I'm going to have to make them Nobles for the following weekend....*S* My Niece Bonnie is pretty happy thoough because she already knows that there was a Captain Bonnie.

Yesterday I worked on Sherie's skirts so they will have to hang for a few days before hemming. So I have a smidgeon of time this week to attend to their needs. Though I do have some other things to do, I figure with a bit less sleep I can get everything done. And it gives me an excuse to see if the piece of fabric I have been lusting after for two whole years is still available. I'm really in the mood to splurge, but if your a betting gal, the odds are I won't buy it. *S*

From left to right are Stimpzilla..The very very sexy Knight, (OK I'm secretly married to him and I can personally vouch for him, he is very sexy.) Next are two nobles from France, they typically accompany the French Queen In Maryland, a friend of theirs disguised as merchant, and our own lovely representative of the Spanish Court.

Well here's a pic of the suit that I have been working on. The colours are fairly accurate at least on my computer. You may need sunglasses....The pics were late in the day so I could have been a bit tidier in appearance. The doublet is not buttoned all the way, as by then I had several beers, and was in a more "relaxed mode". OK it was only two beers but I am now a light weight drinker due to a year's hiatus due to an ulcer, that has thankfully gone away.


We had a great times yesterday. The last joust of the day was particularly fun. Our Knight managed to nearly unseat the opposing Knight several times. Lots of swaying and wobbling. Three lances were broken by several feet! Our Knight, Sir William was out for blood.

We enjoyed much fun at the Pub Stage drinking being entertained and generally enjoying all the information passed onto us by the Archers, who were all very nice.

The court was royal as always. Though Queen Catherine seemed very concerned about Henry giving her a male child. They are so young and in love, I'm certain they will produce a male heir.

Well there I was Thursday afternoon...the last stitches had been put into Jennifer's gown and none too soon, as my fingers were missing a few large pieces of skin from so much sewing. I was delighted! All ready to relax, catch up on some email. The house was fairly neat and tidy, so there was nothing to do but sip coffee and do fun things.

I decided I would wash my stocking for faire on Saturday. Be organized. Everything else was ready. Shirt pressed, shoes dusted, my new rapier had arrived. Life was good!

So I looked for the stockings. Then I looked more. I looked for three hours. I was almost in tears when my husband came home from work. The stockings were no where to be found. He helped me look, but they still didn't turn up. I had even tried calling various stores to see if they had any. No one did. I already knew they didn't, I had to order them from a store in Vermont in the first place. In Florida no one sells cotton stockings. Not even in black.

Where were they? I tried to back track coming home from the faire last weekend...I was too upset to figure out where the stocking could be. I even looked through everything in the closet from hell where everything is buried either by accident or on purpose. Nothing, there were not to be found.

There was only one thing left to do. Call Patty! Why you might ask? Because Patty is magical. Whenever I can not find something I call Patty, and shortly there after while we talk on the phone, what ever was missing would appear. Even If I had looked there 20 times. One example was when I lost my glasses for a week. patty found them. And she doesn't even live in the same state.

So I called her, and after 10 minutes the stockings appeared! They were wrapped into a white tee shirt that was some how stuck into the side of the bed. Ahhhh at last! they were found. I was soooo happy!

The moral of this story is....Treat Patty nicely. She can help you find things....And she might be able to hide things from you too. So send her silk! Treat her well and she'll tell you where everything is!

Jennifer's renaissance gown update....I've been working very hard all week on Jennifer's gown. The fabric didn't arrive till last Thursday, and so I bought the trim on Friday. Since Saturday was Faire day, and Sunday was catch up on everything else in my life day, her gown was not started until Monday.

The fabrics are a celtic cross pattern in burgundy and gold and a fleur in the same colours, with a burgundy velvet ribbon with gold on the edges with a gold guimp sewn down on it. Then there are some other gold and burgundy trim. It's rather fablous.

Monday I cut the outerskirt and bodice. Layered the trim, then put the trim on the skirt and got it ready for the pleating. Then I started the bodice, putting the trim on and putting the various layers of fabric together. I had thought I would get the piping on but was just too tired.

Tuesday (while waiting on the phone for over an hour and a half) I cut the fabrics for the underskirt. Then I assembled the underskirt. Next I gathered the pleats for the overskirt and got that done. I also finished the arm holes off on the bodice. And made the sleeves and put the trim on them.

Wednesday...Today..I finished the bodice entirely, including all the little details, including the rings to lace the sleeves which I had almost forgotten. My fingers are sore! Ouch! And there is a chunk of flesh missing from one of them, which should make hand hemming the skirts tomorrow most fun.

I've been working so many hours in a row on her gown because it must go out for delivery on Friday as she has to wear the gown next week. I typically work 12-14 hours a day so it's not so unusual, but I can normally sort the work out so that there is not so much hand work through thick layers on top of each other. But, I am very pleased with the way the gown has worked out, so I'm still in a very good mood.

My fantasy is that the gown will be done tomorrow if my fingers hold up, and that I can get it done to ship by days end. But it can wait till Friday if it must.

Also....I did take a few moments out to purchase a digital camera! As many of you know, mine has been broken so, life will be much easier for all. Yippee!

Well the first day of Faire was a bit crazy as usual. Big hellos to everyone we hadn't seen for a year. Lots of mutual admiring of each other's wardrobe. Laughing and comparing which movies were watched during excessive beading marathons. Lots of last minute shopping for the little detail accessories for other outfits. Laying about listening to Generica and watching the dancer's dance.

And beer! Yes lovely beer! And sausages....

The weather couldn't have been more perfect. It was clear blue skies with a temperature that was cool in the morning and evening, and the day time temperature only reached into the lower 70's. We were having a cold snap. It was wonderful.

This year we have Henry and Catherine ruling, with The Holy Roman Emperor visiting as well as members of the Spanish Court. And...Our beloved Cardinal was promoted to Pope, and he is so gracious.

We only went on Saturday as I have a very difficult deadline to meet for a gown this week. Next weekend will be attending the faire more often, not to mention it's a three day weekend...yippee. Lot's more people to see, gowns to look at, and other renaissance past times to consider.

Victoriana.Com, Study Center: BEYOND THE FRINGE Shawls of Paisley Design

Well there is always a lot of talk about paisley patterns and if they are "period correct" during the English Renaissance period. So I thought to do a bit of research this evening on the topic. While this article concerns it's self mostly with shawls, the parts about pattern development have some interesting tidbits.

This particular paragraph from the cited information has stuck some interest "There are many theories about the boteh or pine motif; Paisley Museum's explanation seems perhaps the most logical. The pattern can be traced back to ancient Babylon, where a tear-drop shape was used as a symbol to represent the growing shoot of a date palm. The palm provided food, drink, clothing (woven fibres) and shelter, and so became regarded as 'The Tree of Life', with its growing shoot being gradually accepted as a fertility symbol".

So if the pattern goes back as far as ancient Babylon, and obviously spread through other parts of the world, it seems highly possible that it existed in Renaissance England.

Perhaps the later advent of the East India Trading Company importing shawls with paisley patterns, that were quickly recreated by Scottish weavers, has caused a confusion as to the date such a pattern could have been incorportated into fabrics of the 1500's.

The Renaissance fair opens today! It's pretty cold out, at least for us, but I'm almost wide awake and ready to get dressed. I'll post more later! Yippee!!!!!!

Well well well...The fabric showed up for Jennifer's Elizabethan gown today much to my relief. The gown must be shipped by next Friday so it's very helpful to actually have something to sew. Now tomorrow I can shop for the trim. Hopefully I will find something rather yummy.

Today I managed to make a corset for myself to wear with my suit. Since I cracked a rib my posture which is normally terrible has gotten truly horrible. So bad that I doubt I can wear a regular corset with boning in the back. And with faire starting Saturday it seemed necessary to make one with no boning down the back. So I made a nifty front lacing corset, I just have to but in the holes for lacing tomorrow.

Also made the arming cap for Jim today. I wound up hand quilting it and am very satisfied. I think he is too. Also finally put the codpiece on my slops. And plenty of other assorted details.

Yesterday with the help of my friend Mary, I tried to make my hair redder. It worked, but I should have left the henna in longer. The final results are pleasing so I am still happy enough, but still slightly disappointed. I suppose I'm going a bit overboard for Faire this year but I just can't help myself!

Well it's been a long weekend of making last minute renaissance gowns, gambesons and fabric shopping. I'm getting tired and season hasn't even begun. But it sure is good to be popular! Gowns for Queens, and nobles are being made as fast as possible, all seemingly more ornate than the last. A veritable joy of fabrics and pearls for me!

Fabrics that I like are getting harder and harder to find. I think the local shops are gearing up for prom, so they having been buying amazing fabrics, but none good for the renaissance. So as tempted as I am to buy stretch fabric with shear holes in it, so parts of the body can peek through, I just can't bring myself to do it. And how tempting is the silk chiffon ombre with small holographic oddly shaped sequins? Quite the dilemma! Finding trim too is difficult. I was looking for gold trim, shouldn't be too difficult, but nooooooooo, the only thing that would pass as nice was 15 a yard! Hummmm.....

Well the Husband's gambeson is completed, except for buckles. Can't buy any of those locally right now. Maybe he would like some nice period velcro! LOL

What is nice though, in fact incredibly nice is the Muse's Husband has mad me a great sword frog for my suit out of lovely burnt orange leather! Now that is one of the kindest things he could have done! I have a very big smile on my face because of that! He has also informed me that I must be careful walking about with the rapier as I might be inclined to wack people in the shins by accident with said rapier. I thought well...I am used to a large hoop so I should be just fine, but upon further thought it occurs to me I could wipe out tables of glass trinkets too, and that would not be good! So I am going to start thinking about being very careful, and only hitting people on purpose, in the event that I am so inclined.

Worked on a gambeson today. Washed the fabrics and did all the quilting. Nothing of any real interest. I should have it mostly finished tomorrow.

Did a few other odd and end sewing projects in the morning before hand and also spent time worrying over shoes for my orange and terra cotta outfit. The thing is I need to wear it on the 12th but managed to spend so much time focused on getting it done that I wasn't thinking about the accessories as clearly as I should have. And now the time is near and I am shoeless, and I have no stocking either.

It's all some sort of insane fair rush. I was determined not to be sewing in the car, but I may be cobbling shoes instead LOL

My sword is coming so I am quite happy it's from darksword armory. An Italian rapier with mother of pearl on the hilt, and naturally a matching parrying blade. They are great guys!

And on a sad note my Muse's friend Hammy has hurt his from paw....Actually it's a torn ligament. Apparently it makes a big thunk thunk noise. So Hammy has decided that he will be attending the faire as a pirate this year. It is what The Muse's Husband has decided Hammy most resembles. And he is making an outfit for Hammy now.
His picture can be found just below.

Also Hammy would like you to know that for several bolts of fine silk he will accompany Ladies to the Faire so that they do not go unescorted. Hammy I am sure will be giving the silk as a gift to The Queen Of All Silk Whores in thanks for her careful nursing that she has given him during his time of need. Hammy we hope has learned his lesson, and will never dive off of a table again in order to defend The Muse for the nasty squirrels. Hammy shall forever be known as "Hammy The Brave Protector".

Before we talk patterns, I just wanted to say that Sherie is making my blush....And I managed to finish her bodice while I ate the last piece of candy. It's really nice to have such wonderful clients to make gowns for!

I went to Office Depot today...I was on a mission for things to help organize my patterns and other assorted papers. Organization is very important. It's frustrating to have to search The Giant Box of Patterns for what I need, because nothing is very organized...Well OK was a little organized, such as all the different size gradings of like pieces are usually stacked together. The operative word there though is usually. Usually meaning that the occasional piece gets stuck somewhere else and then I get stuck with sorting the pieces, yet again, instead of just starting work.

What I do is draft all my patterns onto pieces of 8.5 by 11 paper, that I tape together, so it will all fold up into nice neat rectangles, and I carefully mark which size they are who they are for, and when they were made. And then they go into The Giant Box Of Patterns, in that some what organized, is the glass half empty or half full way I've been doing things for years. Putting the patterns into folders seemed like a good idea. It's seemed like a good idea for the last year. So I finally got around to it. I was very happy when I started this project this morning, thinking, yes it will be great fun to have everything in it's place and a place for everything. No more messes.

And it was a good idea. Everything is now lined up in the file cabinet, labeled and in alphabetical order. So I'm feeling pretty good about that. The only thing was I had to go to Office Depot first. Ahhh I thought it would be a pleasant trip. We actually have our very own Office Depot that opened up some months ago. I drove there in about 5 minutes and waited for a parking space which I got with in a minute or two of arriving. That made me very happy. I even got a cart with wheels that worked. Then I proceeded to look for what I needed and spent a few minutes looking a cool gadgets that I didn't need.

But I knew I needed to get moving or I would be sorting till 3AM, so I started looking. Well guess what? The store has two floors. But no one was on the second floor., and half the things I was looking at were not priced. So I kept having to drag the stuff down the stairs to check the prices. Apparently the people who work there do not like to check prices...They are all too important for that. Like most everyone else here, they are all going to models or movie stars. They are too important for their jobs. They were grumpy and surly at best. It put me in a very bad mood. Next time I will either just order everything over the internet, or I will cut some velvet before I go and leave those nasty little balls that come off of velvet everywhere in the store.

But I am very glad that after hours of work everything is all organized. Tomorrow will be very fun, as all my papers and patterns are organized. And that will put me into a very good mood!