Tudor : Fun with sleeves

[mandie_rw]

See, I said I'd sew something, and I did! Okay, it's not all that much, but hand sewing's slower than whizzing it out on the machine! And whatever's left to be done on this outfit has to be hand-sewn, as I do not have my machine at school.

Since I didn't have my 9am class today (the prof had optional conferences about our research papers, and I don't have any questions!), but I actually woke up for it because I had to turn in a portfolio for that Mists of Avalon project, I decided to just stay awake and actually do some sewing. Between that and my sewing time from last night I managed to finish the undersleeves for the gown.

   
They're made from the same fabric as the kirtle -- Devil Polyester Taffeta, which I'm almost annoyed at myself for using, then I have to remind myself that it's the PA Ren Faire, and who the hell says I can't use polyester if I want to, anyway? Are the Natural Fiber Police going to swoop down on me? No one tell them. Even if it's really obvious.

I used the pattern for sleeves in Norris -- by which I mean I looked at the shape of the sleeve and then cut the taffeta where I damn well felt like cutting it, and made a wild approximation of the size of the cuffs. In Norris, there are also more slashes on top of the sleeve for more fun little puffs, but I decided not to put them on mine because it would be more work for me and I'm lazy and hate sleeves.

Those little puffs of fabric? Total pain in the ass to tack down, by the way. It's just a big long piece of white cotton muslin (I can haz budget Tudor?) wadded up and shoved in the sleeve, then pulled through the slits in the bottom of the sleeve. I didn't even stop to consider doing that with the actual sleeves of my shift when I'm wearing the thing, because 1) that is way too much trouble to be futzing with those things all day, and 2) that shift is five and a half  years old, and really ratty-looking, so showing it off is not something I want to do! (Really, I know I ought to make a new one, but I only do 16thc for Ren Faire, and that's only once a year, so I'm just going to wear this one until it literally falls apart! I hate making shifts.)

These are seriously the most undynamic pictures ever, even considering that they're sleeves, and sleeves always look stupid when they're not attached to a garment and are just lying abandoned on the floor! When I wear them, they'll be pinned in -- either to the sleeves of the gown or the sleeves of the shift, whichever enables me to stab myself less often with evil little pins.

I need to sew something that makes for exciting pictures -- hmm, how about the right sleeve to the gown? It's kind of funny, really; I cut out all the pieces to both gown sleeves, then decided to put one at a time together. Made one and got bored. Typical.

Comments

[cleopatramwi.livejournal.com]

Tudor? Oooh, you've been busy :)
I like it!

[mandie-rw.livejournal.com]

I have indeed! And thank yer! :D