cleves progress

I’m taking a short break now from hand sewing. I have cohesive bandage to lay down as I think I’ll need it.

Anyway. I forgot how annoying and fiddly it is to hand sew  a piled fabric to a fabric that is springy but without a pile. Thread just stretches and the turn under moves. Like moves moves. I am not sure I can adequately measure so I have to eye it.

I also think I’m doing it wrong. It’s absolutely right going by portraits but every single extant example has a narrow braid/twists of thread to hide what is likely a raw edge. Because yes, velbet has always been a PITA to work with. My best work involved making card templates and pressing and steaming my velveteen over it and still unpicking every single hem at least once.

I cut my guards to shape. 8cm wide from one selvage for the fronts and then I laid the fabric over my right sikirt front and pinned at regualr intervals 8cm for each guard. SO far so simple. But the velveteen has a nap. Which means turning and turning the remaining fabric to make sure the pile goes up- so the velveteen looks the most rich.

Then I lined up left over to the back centre which means piecing at the sides. This is based mainly on what Alcega has to say- actually all the Spanish tailors. All piecing is at the sides. Like everything. Or under arm, but basically sides are a mess, underarms next, CF and CB pretty much untouched. The Austrian tailors also show piecing in places we may not automatically think of.

I suspect it has everything to do with expectations. We expect no piecing- we limit most pattern pieces by the width of fabric. this is mostly okay when you can top and tail perfectly shaped pieces. But historically really special fabrics were narrow. So it was expected that they would not be wide enough so vertical seams at regualr intervals were expected. And ad they tend to be near the side seam it is a handy place to add any piecing as ther eis already an expectation of seams there.

So Centre Front and Centre back being, usually, cut with the selvages are expected to be continuous.

There are obviously exceptions. But this is the rule.

Anyway, so after matching fabric I was even able to follow the curve to cut my neckline guarding. And then was able to make strips for arm guarding.

I only hand sew while sitting cross legged. SO I do have to stop every so often to stretch. But knees make for a very handy “frame” to stitch. Also you can adjust tension by just moving, and also it only take a pin at each seam being worked on.

I’m not 100% convinced on the source being accurate. but I basically have two two portraits to go by otherwise, and they do confirm wide bands. And later examples show at least one wide band about the width of one of thee, and lots of religious paintings where it’s basically zero guarding. I think this is an acceptable variation in terms of colour, texture, and width of guarding. I like the tone on tone, the original is black on pink but it looks so Saxon. I love Saxon, and Cleves did have Saxon influence (Sybilla married the Duke and kept up correspondence with her brother so yes, very definitely an influence.)

So there is heaps to go and I have to pace myself or risk not being able to go to the event at all. I can work on hems while there as I have my linen kirtle and silk frock. So you know. I am set to just pack. But I want this dress and hat. And then I can upload my resources.

So i think I should do some stretches and call it an evening.

 

Also I have to get to the city some time soon. I know I have a reference for Jocabaa wearing frocks that outshone brides and also got numbers of how many cows brocade cost…

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so pink and crimson works

Yesterday was a bad luck day. It started with a health wobble (very old one, and it was definitely a whole lot better than it used to be) Mr Carlo going missing, rain, pale mamma duck lost one more duckling, I couldn’t find the glass jars I know one of the cheapie stores in Westfield or outer shops has, then my rheumy appointment was cancelled as I was already out there and finally Spotlight did not have any black velveteen which is what I wanted my pink Cleves gown trimmed in.

But they had a very dark maroon-crimson which actually I really do dig as a tone on tone type of deal. The colour and texture is definitely found in inventories- mainly as sleeves- and also in some illustrations. So I really only am unsure if that specific combo is okay. But the Duchy of Kleves, Julich, und Berg was much brighter and more in the Saxon mold than Cologne which was a free city and thus did not have any aristocracy and so portraits tend to show much more sober colour schemes. But I have seen a sort of lilac, lots of warm and cool red, and even a yellow gown on figures representing real people. Religious figures then to have much more

It also ended in Mr Carlo rushed to the vets as he was dealing with septicemia. He is a tiny kitty, about half the weight of any other cat I have met. So he is more delicate than he thinks and injuries are a lot harder on him.

 

Today we were hit harder by the storm and pale mamma lost all her babies in the wind. But she has just brought them around again a few hours later. Mr Carlo is a lot happier, he is liking pats and even tummy scritches. So today is much better.

I even finally scanned my passport photos and finished my online application so that is great.

Also Mr Ginger Fluff is sheltering on my bed from the storm. He is finally starting to properly rest.

 

So I feel okay about sitting and sewing today.  It’s been a slow morning for the above reasons but it’s still productive.

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more clevische kleidung

Today I got my lining put together and pinned into the pink Cleves skirt, reshaped my hulle and steamed it into a nice curve (yep, millinery, so much steam and pressing and more steam and the stink of ammonia, and lanolin, and and more steam.) I have set it aside so I can make another pressing shape as my wulsts are really squishy.

And I did manage to tidy some of my inventory files. It’s still heavy on accessories other than hats and garments other than gowns. Which are you know, the most important part.

But I may also have a lead on looking for secondary texts. Gewand is used a fair amount so I’ve been brute force searching.

Meanwhile I do need to actually put those files in their proper places and transcribe them.

 

Of course the very best files are photos of documents but they are not of a resolution that I can read them. Which is annoying.

 

But, that is a lot of ironing of line lining and wool hat so… i’ll get that put away and get the files in place.

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a new hat

I am going full Cleves all the time 🙂 Ever since I read Anne of Cleves by Mary Saaler I have wanted to make all the outfits described as hers. I haven’t hit a jackpot in terms of a list of her wardrobe before she left for England but Hall cronicles her appearance enough. And I have gone and read a digitised reprint and it seems to ring true. But before all that I am trying to make a hat seen in my favourite protrait of her.

 

This was sold in London in 1930 and disappeared until The Rosenbach recently revealed that they had this portrait, https://rosenbach.org/blog/long-lost-triplets/ (Please note I have tried to adjust the perspective). This shows a gold coloured baret over a gold covered stickelsche with pearlwork (the colours can be identified in the Rosenback photos while the details can be seen in the copy from Saaler.

The St Johns University portrait. On the left from Saaler, on the right a photo directly of the portrait as per the Art Fund website. https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/anne-of-cleves-223303

 

The St John’s Portrait is the one that is was X-rayed and discovered that her nose was originally painted longer. Of course historians have take that to mean he nose was made smaller to flatter. I believe it to simply have been a mistake. The Rosenbach portrait is clearly the most sensitively and deftly painted of all these portraits.

 

There are a few files of the St John’s portrait that are of different contrast levels. However I do believe this to be a different copy. It is clearly different based on the fall of the shadows of the fruit and the gloves. The tacks around the edges of the painting are not in the same position as the St John’s painting either.

https://web.archive.org/web/20030315083403/http://www.asn-ibk.ac.at:80/bildung/faecher/geschichte/maike/bilderkatalog/tudors_stuarts/abb20p.htm

Most files are now over at: http://www.kleio.org/ except this portrait. So I do not know the provenance.

This is from a photograph at the Witt Library and is part of an article in Burlington Magazine, “A Portrait of Anne of Cleves” March 1992, issue 134 pages 172-175. This is the only copy that keeps the three rows of brocade of the skirt- the majority of skirts of this region overlap so the three rows make sense in this light.

And this is a copy at Hever Castle itself. https://www.hevercastle.co.uk/news/6th-january-1540-henry-viii-married-anne-cleves/

 

So that is five copies of this portrait from close to her time in England- though in absolutely classic dress from her home. The mix of Dutch and Saxon styles is particularly clear.

 

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more gear from mina

(Mina is the shortform of my SCA name and tends to be used just as a nickname for me- I like it 🙂 )

I just grabbed a set of a knife and fork from Trademe- mother of pearl handles, silver decorative join to the functional end. Not suse the content of the functional end.

They are really lovely, and fit what I wanted 🙂

I want to make a case for them. So it means having them in hand sooner rather than later 🙂 I am not entirely sure how they are made but I have a few options to work with.

So, why a knife and fork? Aren’t forks out of era. Nope.

My favourite set ever is Italian and is made with rock crystal.

http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O112430/cutlery-set-unknown/

It seems to have been redesignated later than 16thC but there are similar that are earlier.

http://gyujtemeny.imm.hu/gyujtemeny/kes/1434?i=1377

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wien_Schatzkammer_Deutscher_Orden_-_Essbesteck.jpg

So I originally tried to find modern cutlery I could adapt, but Most just cannot- I need each end to unscrew and have a core to thread crystal on to.. So a look around at further designs:

 

All from Bildindex, info in photos. All 16-17thC and across the states.

So my theory is that we don’t just see sets of knives in the Trachtenbucher but possibly knife and fork sets.

Mostly the forks are long tined. I personally do not want to run the risk of poking myself in the face with them so I am fine with a smaller tine set further to the end. In the first image there is a case that may be associated witht he matching set.

But now for the cases:

https://www.bildindex.de/document/obj05227007 https://www.bildindex.de/document/obj05227006

These could well be wedding knife sets. There don’t seem to be a top end to the cases. And they seem to be silver.

These do appear to match the sets worn in the trachtenbuch.

These are from Weigel’s book https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Frauen-Trachtenbuch_(1586)

https://www.bildindex.de/document/obj00290368  and https://www.bildindex.de/document/obj00290368

These are from de Bruyn.

These appear on both unmarried and married women, so I think these are a status symbol- I found single knives in cases on working women though.

So, any evidence that these are knives and forks:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/210073?rpp=60&pg=1&rndkey=20140327&ao=on&ft=*&where=Europe&what=Knives&pos=38

This is later, but the case and cutlery are a match.

And

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?assetId=1477461001&objectId=35872&partId=1

c1600.

Yes! I can make a case like this from the scraps of heavy russet I have. I think I’ll need to learn some techniques from shoemaking as I’ll want really crisp edges. But I’ll be able to embroider the case 🙂 or… I still have diamon shaped brass stampings I used for my Valois ouches set. They could be shaped to fit.

Anyway. Yay! Now I need to find a matching spoon to carry in my purse 🙂

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another wrinkle sorted

I have been trying to work out a way to have fancy chemise sleeves as per my Cleves dress and just was getting very lost. Until I remembered that I already have the solution. pins!

This is my c1560s woolen Cologne gown. This is taken pretty much from the de Bruyn Trachtenbuch. So the skirt overlaps at the front to allow it to be worn open or closed. The sleeves are half length with matching hanging sleeves. The sleeves are actually half length and then matching hanging sleeves pinned on.

This is not totally interpretive. Hanging sleeves are listed separately in inventories and it is possible to see the pins in the woodcuts.

(A. de Bruyn, citizens from Cleves.)

Okay so they look more like thumbtacks here, on the far left, but that curvy line is also seen in obviously pinned on fitted sleeves (also found in inventories.)

Note also the watered silk lining on the far left. And what is a likely glossy lining on the far right. Note the turn backs of the sleeves and skirt. And the short sleeves over fitted sleeves. This is a fantastically modular wardrobe,

(A. de Bruyn, citizens of Cologne)

So you can see my wool gown is much more Colone in style but uses the Cleves plate for the pins information. I think other plates show pins used horizontally, which is how I use mine.)

The sleeves for my earlier Cleves dress are probably held on in a similar way. I’m assembling my current cache of images and documents to see if it does have support not just makes sense. It is also helping me figure out how to use my decorative under sleeves as well. No one puts brocade or heavy embroidery on something direct to the skin or part of a washing chemise.

So, very excited, I’ll be able to make more sets of hanging and under sleeves for my earlier dresses which makes them possible to be worn for a week long event.

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cleves overhaul continues

I am giving serious thought to changing the shape of my hembden (shirts.) There are enough finds and illustrations showing plain linen garments worn directly against the skin. It’s not a terribly easy task to figure out how I want to do this, but remodelling garments like these are seen also.

Given the Cleves region kept hold of the tappert style (houppelande) for so long, and the underdress, it seems likely that white linen goods may have as well.

The style is very much about curves, it’s somewhere between Saxon and houppelande (which sounds weird but there it is) so there is a fair bit of fit in the underbust to waist and then softness above and below.

A full hemd adds bulk to the waist so I need to at least narrow mine a bit. There are a few options. But the Lenberg finds show fitted linen goods and there are more.

This is a 14thC chemise from Kohler’s History of Costume. Not credited in the English version. I thought I had a copy of Practische Kostumkunde.. but I’ll keep checking.

This is from Der Renaissancefund von Poysdorf I may be able to get the full article on ILL, but if you live in the US you can get the full journal it is from from HATHI Trust, Werke der Volkskunst, vol. 1. It’s described as grey linen, and one of the many books my brain has chomped through suggested that grey linen was especially used in clothing for the poor, via the church. I’m sure this is a single layer skirt and bodice but with a very wide waistband- possibly created by turning up a very long seam allowance, possibly allowing for continued use from young age.

This is one of the Lenberg finds and this photo is specifically from the Academia online copy by Beatrix Nutz (huge thank you to all scholars sharing their works this way.) (edit- removed the garment that is a lining, so as to not confuse, see Marion’s comment below. There is so much work to be done on these finds, also there is a scrap of yellow silk that is juts.. I want it.)

Des braies et soutiens-gorge au XVe siècle… Une incroyable enquête au château de Lengberg. In: Histoire et Images Médiévales 30, 2012, 20 – 27.

 

So here we have all fitted, semi fitted plain linen garments. Basically controlled fullness is the aim here.

 

I do want sleeves to protect my garment sleeves,so I do need to figure that out.

 

Also, this is not quite the same but a pair of what i think are linen hose, the calf is very fitted, there is a waistband and the fullness is maintained where needed.

This is not really the best scan of this book, but there is a very clear under layer aspect to them, the fitted calves would would under boots or hose really. It’s still an example of a fitted and full section.

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cleves redo

I am remaking my linen Cleves/Cologne dress into a simple kirtle. To do this I removed the half length sleeves and turned the seam allowance under. I over handed the red linen and canvas layers to the canvas layer, then turned the seam allowance of the black linen lining and overhanded the edge to the previously turned seam allowances.

I also unpicked my overhanded waist seam to move the overlapping skirt edges to line up with the fastening end of the bodice.

I will need to cut down the neckline as the high curve is after 1550, while a slightly dipped square neck is more appropriate pre-1550.

Otherwise it’s very much the same- perfectly round waist, skirt fullness directed to the back. Side seams that appear to be in line with the back of the arm, very stable neckline.

Later the bodice appear to lengthen a little but it’s actually more to do with a more vertical bodice line- once you pull the body in tighter the bust is raised and the neckline creeps up. Narrower shoulderline completes the apparent lengthening.

Ideally that is 🙂 In reality bodies resist most extreme changes so I ‘m going to remove the hooks and eyes and add lacing rings so I can leave the kirtle open a little in front to soften the torso shape.

The skirt front gets an additional pleat that points to the back to reflect some of the artwork in costume books of the time.

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crafty cleves christmas

These times of the year are both intensely personal and about community. Today I will be spending time with my mum and with friends. And we will create 🙂

So far I have taken a pattern from my woolen kirtle to remake with a linen lining- this is based on on the extant kirtle in Patterns of fashion as it is very comfortable and I am going to try and see how to lay it out for best fabric use.

I also made a basic outline for my schaube, mainly to check I have enough fur to cut all in the same direction- it seems so.

 

After spending a day yesterday sorting out some of my many old Frazzled Frau files. I still have about 1000 distinct images to sort, I am going to see what pearl designs I have that can be used for my new Cleves cap. It will also be used to decorate a brustuck (oh.. oh! I think I have something to follow up here.)

So I need to set up my frame. I think I will want the full frame up so I can possibly pearl several pieces in one go. Or just my little ones… let’s go see.

 

Oh! And my linen bleaches super fast suggesting that yep it really is linen 🙂

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back to the cleves wardrobe

I’m going to finally spend some quality time with my SCAdian friends so I need a day dress that fits in with my new fancy frock. I’ve got my 1560s wardrobe mostly sorted (woollen dress, linen- it might get changed a bit to reflect newer research- sripy silk, velvet dress is in the process of being restored.) But this 1530s style is just so darn cute. Sadly the photographs I have do not do justice to my Anne of Cleves dress so I’ll be getting photos of my entire kit separately and get it online about the time I get my research up. I have two streams of research to get online and they depend on each other so there is a bit of a delay.

But I’m so keen to get this day dress sorted that I just cut the bodice and part of the lining now. And am about to cut a hat. Because pink hat to match pink frock is just too cute to pass over.

I’m hoping to get some linen to line the dress on Friday as I think I did spot some in a not terribly obnoxious colour. But I do need some nice plush velvet for the trim. I may be able to use heat n bond again to place the guarding and then hand stitch the edges down. The artwork doesn’t show a couched braid at the edges but all the extant pieces do. The Moritz von Schen schaube is especially nice for this. So I may see if I can find some narrow braid to sew down at the same time.

I’ll need felt to line my hat too. And I get to pearl it 🙂 I am ridiculously excited by this project again 🙂

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