MLS Designs

But not quite as pink as I'd hoped.



It's poly organza ribbon, so doesn't photograph well at the best of times, I tried photos with and without flash, and the pink is very washed out in both. Also, the hoops are wider in person, I think it's something to do with the angle?

While I'm at it, here are the fabrics and trims for my new sack. I won't be starting it till after my Elizabethan is done, but I just had to get everything out and have a play!
With flash:


Without flash:


I don't have a final trim plan yet, but I do know it will involve strips edged with the lace, laid on in puffs, like the ones on mummy's, but larger and stuffed. I'm not quite sure how I'll use the gold braid yet, and I may scrap it entirely, but we'll see :)

Also, I've realised I've not given any hints about my Elizabethan yet!



The dark brown at the top is my loose gown, the red is silk taffeta for sleeves, (I have stupid plans to do with the brown Russia braid and a chisel, we'll see if they pan out!) and I have a sari (poly I think, but looks like silk) in the exact shade of red that will be a forepart/underskirt. The goldish colour is actually a camel/caramel coloured wool melton that will be a doublet and over-skirt, trimmed with the wide gold braid (I'm not using the narrow gold/brown braid any more). I also need to make a shirt, ruffs, and a farthingale; and then shoes for both of us. Oh, and a hat for Mummy.

By the end of February.

I agree, I am insane.

I've actually been busy sewing, and not only have I made progress, I've even managed to get picture proof - and I'm posting them!!!!
Our first event this year is a Georgian ball our dance group is holding the weekend of Valentine's day. Mummy has said, that, while she loves wearing boys clothes, (and most of the time prefers them because they're so much more comfy) she does miss being a girl at balls, because she doesn't get to dance with the other boys ;) So I decided to re-fit my old sunflower sack for her. She helped me unpick all the trimming the other day, and the day before yesterday we did a fitting:



I unpicked the back pleats and undid the centre back seam in the lining, adding in a 3" piece at the top, above the eyelets, to let out the back shoulders. I've since re-pleated the back (only lightly pressing out my old pleats, I rather like the idea of the re-model being visible!) it's just waiting for me to sew them down.



She's wearing my hoops and under-petticoat, so I need to make new ones for her, but it's nice to know the petticoat or gown skirts won't need altering. The sleeves are much too tight for her though, and I had to make the arm holes larger. So I cut a sleeve mockup the same size as the old sleeves, with lots of extra seam allowance, and fitted them to her, noting the new seam line. I will unpick the old sleeves and piece in the missing width.

I've not quite decided how I want to trim it yet. I know I need to utilise the old trimming (but not the sunflower braid, that's gone back into the stash) but don't want to do the same style, so I'll have to do some playing to see what I can come up with. What I do know though, is she will be wearing black lace with it! I was thinking of putting black lace on the dress, instead of white, but I haven't found any examples of that, so the sleeve ruffles will be white, and she will have black lace in her hair, and a black lace fichu round her shoulders and woven through her stomacher (like the examples in the Kyoto book)

I'm probably going to wear my cross bared sack because I don't think I'll have time to finish my new sack in time, on top of all the other sewing I have to get done, namely, Elizabethan kit for a demo at the end of February.

I'm probably going to just wear what I made last year for Tolethorp, with a new shirt (I was wearing mummy's) although I do plan to actually get around to making some sleeves for my kirtle! Mummy, however, has nothing. Or rather, she had nothing until this evening ;)

We bought black wool melton and pink and silver silk brocade at the re-enactor's market in the autumn, for a black doublet with brocade sleeves, and some kind of breeches. They mellowed in the stash and I've since decided on paned wool trunkhose lined with plain pink silk taffeta from the stash (which just happens to be the most perfect match!) with wool cannions, and I'm planning to trim the doublet with silver braid and pink thread covered buttons. I think she's going to look pretty splendid!

As of this afternoon I had this:



Now all they need is a waist band, cuffs, and a finished front fly. Who knows, I might even get onto mocking up the doublet tomorrow :)