Tent Stitch Tent stitch was a popular and easy to work embroidery stitch used extensively for creating richly decorated furnishings during the Elizabethan period in England. There were two main techniques for using tent stitch: This stitch can be worked in several directions. It creates a strong, hardwearing surface, both on the front of the work and on the back.…
Category: Sewing
Conjectural late 15th/early 16th century women’s kirtle pattern draft
This pattern draft will create a woman’s late 15th/16th century sleeveless unboned supportive kirtle. The bodice is made up of four pieces, the skirt is made up of four pieces. The bodice seams are at the side (as opposed to side-back). The bodice ends at about the bottom rib (natural waist). The center front seam of the bodice is curved.…
Back to (machine) basics
I am not an expert by any means.. but here’s what I know and what’s helped me over the years. It occurs to me that I’ve never written this stuff down.. and I have some tidbits that someone else might find useful. I also know that some of this stuff that I take for granted and feel silly for stating…
Asphalt grey men’s cotehardie
Fearghus’ grey linen cotehardie started October 28, 2019. Finished January 3, 2020. Now that I have a pattern I need to start thinking about how to put it together. I also need to keep in mind that I’m planning to teach this to a bunch of folks who just want a cotehardie and are not terribly interested in “perfectly period”…
The last 10% for women
This is a living document. As I do more fittings, identify fixable issues and receive more questions about fitting I will be adding that to this blog entry. Please let me know if anything here is confusing or if you have any helpful hints/tricks to add to this. – Sylvie The first 90% (see here for cotte pattern or here…
Conjectural late 14th/15th century women’s cotte pattern
This pattern will create a woman’s late 14th/15th century cotte/gown. Click here if you’re looking for the Men’s pattern. When drafted the pattern includes 1/2″ seam allowance on all edges. Because of the tight fit this will need some type of closure (rather than pulling it on over your head). For women, on a supportive layer I recommend you use…
Conjectural late 14th/15th century men’s cotehardie pattern
This pattern will create a man’s late 14th/15th century cotehardie without a collar with a hemline falling at just above the knee. Click here if you’re looking for the women’s pattern. When drafted the pattern includes 1/2″ seam allowance on all edges. Because of the tight fit this probably needs some type of closure (rather than pulling it on over…
Fixing fit problems: Armseye
One of the nice things about following more period correct methods of construction (ie, the methods laid out The Modern Maker series of books) is that the methods lend themself really well to alterations. That is, without very much fuss at all I can fix a fit issue (or make a garment fit someone else) without having to completely de-construct…
F*king pockets
A few nights ago my husband came home from fight practice and said we had to talk. He said that he was having a crisis of faith and was feeling that he was making no progress at his fighting. “I should be better at this,” he said. We talked for a while and eventually I told him about my problem…
Ease
There’s two ways (that I know of) where you talk about “ease” in sewing. First you add (or remove) ease on a garment so that it is larger (or smaller) than the actual measurement. An early period tunic has more ease than a late period form-fitting doublet. A corset is constructed with negative ease. Second you talk about easing one…