I know why, but oh my gosh. I just am obsessed by this.

Possibly Maria Eleonora, Antoinne Caron.

I have always loved it in a “but it’s so stripy, why horizontal stripes? why????*” kind of way but now I really am thinking that my silver braid would be a better option than my silver ribbon.

Let’s dig in my archives to find the image of my braid…

I have 18m of this, or about 20 yards. I was thinking of using it on my Valois gown to make it over into a more general gown (given the original gown was a silk satin with the pearls on a velvet ground- not obvious until long after I cut my fabric!)

But I am also seriously thinking of cutting my Valois sleeves down in to Manga redonda, maybe even get a set of mangas casaca. But I really want to make the sleeves into the sleeves and bodice that started the Spanish affair to begin with:

Maria of Spain, Anthonis Mor

I was obsessed with this portrait long before even this level of detail was available. Her manga are closed and she has her hands go through them properly! Also look at the undersleeve, so lovely.

Anyway. I am only wanting to maintain the gown as she is now because I want to wear her more often. And I only don’t want to redo all the pearls if I feel the main gown is not correct. The whole black on black detail work is magnificent when you see these portraits in person (we have a few early 17thC painting here in Auckland) but get lost in scans. They are also pretty much painted using texture for texture, it’s amazing.

Anyway. I am going to just text how much braid I have, and also see how much is left over. I may have enough for another set of sleeves or a skirt hem.

*the other possible use of the braid was for a Mantua petticoat, which also has those horizontal stripes!