I couldn’t resist making a hat out of the last fabric scraps from my two piece suit project. I made a pattern out of paper.
When I had got the shape I wanted, I stabilised the fabric with “Guterman extra stable”. I have no idea if milliners do it this way. đ€Ș
Then I stitched the pieces of crown and the pieces of the brim together.
After handstitching the top to the crown, I hand stitched the brim in place. Then I added some trim that I found in my stash.
The hat turned out pretty much as I had hoped. Afterwards, I wonder, though, if I should have used stabiliser on both layers of the brim, as it quickly looses the rounded shape on the backside.
Today we went to the wonderful Astrid Lindgrens VÀrld, to take pictures in Törnrosdalen. We went there several hours before the first show, but there were already other visitors there, enjoying the beautiful scenography. As you might see, I am quite awkward when posing among people. Therefore there is no portrait with the hat.
Two years have passed since we last visited the Medieval Week of Visby and we have missed it much. Last week, our neighbour town hosted an event called “The Happy Middle Ages”. As our son suddenly has grown a strong interest for both fairytales and magic, this event felt as if it had been created for him. His older cousins were interested as well. The two teenage girls could borrow my dresses (that don’t fit my 9 month pregnant body very well at the moment), but both of the boys needed new kirtles and my husband’s 12th century kirtle needed some adjustments. I had leftovers from that same woolen fabric and as my boy only would agree to wear an identical garment as his idol cousin, I spent the week sewing two identical kirtles. My boy also made it clear that he would only accept the kirtle if they would suit his new fairytale heroes, Ronja and Birk, so he chose folklore clasps from his pirate treasure (originally rescued from an old cardigan). Thanks to the well known pattern with rectangles and triangles, the last garment was finnished the night before the event. Unfortunately, I must have counted wrong when creating the pattern for the older boy, so that his kirtle was a tad too tight under the arms.
The basic rectangle, with opening for a triangular gore mid front and back (and in the sides).The finished bigger kirtle, with cardigan clasps.Very content with his “Ronja outfit”, worn together with monster slippers
I was sorry to have to stay at home, but my dear husband sent many wonderful pictures from the event, which seemed to have met every expectation. There was magic, juggling with fire, combat, wonderful company and hotdogs. Our boy has talked much about it afterwards and I do believe that even his older cousins appreciated it.
Det har gĂ„tt tvĂ„ Ă„r sedan vi besökte Medeltidsveckan senast och vi har saknat det mycket. Förra veckan hölls en medeltidsdag i VĂ€stervik, “Den glada medeltiden”. Eftersom vĂ„r son nyligen utvecklat ett starkt intresse för bĂ„de sagor och trollerier, kĂ€ndes det som om detta evenemang hade skapats för honom. Hans Ă€ldre kusiner var ocksĂ„ intresserade. TonĂ„rstjejerna kunde lĂ„na mina klĂ€nningar (som inte passar min nuvarande 9-mĂ„naders-graviditetskropp sĂ€rskilt bra), men bĂ„da pojkarna behövde nya kjortlar och min mans 1100-talskjortel krĂ€vde nĂ„gra justeringar. Jag hade kvar lite av samma blĂ„ ylletyg och eftersom min son bara gick med pĂ„ att ha pĂ„ sig en identisk drĂ€kt som sin kusin och idol, spenderade jag veckan med att sy och justera tre drĂ€kter i samma tyg. Sonen hade Ă€ven klargjort att han bara skulle anvĂ€nda drĂ€kten om den liknade nĂ„got som Ronja eller Birk kunde ha haft, sĂ„ han fick vĂ€lja folklore-spĂ€nnen frĂ„n sitt piratskrin, som vi fyllt med knappar frĂ„n en gammal koftor. Tack vare det vĂ€lbekanta mönstret med rektanglar och trianglar sĂ„ lyckades jag göra klart den sista drĂ€kten kvĂ€llen innan evenemanget. TyvĂ€rr mĂ„ste jag ha rĂ€knat fel nĂ€r jag gjorde kusinens mönster, sĂ„ det var rĂ€tt trĂ„ngt under armarna.
A fairytale creature climbing the cliffs.
Det tog emot att stanna hemma, men min kÀre man skickade flera underbara bilder frÄn evenemanget, som verkade uppfylla alla förvÀntningar. Det bjöds pÄ trolleri, eldshow, medeltida krigskonst, ypperligt sÀllskap och varmkorv. VÄr son har pratat sÄ mycket om det efterÄt och jag tror att Àven kusinerna uppskattade det.
Together with the magician ArkadiaThe last freezing picture from the event. I think they look pretty amazing. đ
Earlier this summer, I also made this kirtle for another cousine, who felt like a princess in hee new dress. Perhaps even that family might be converted eventually.
Tidigare i somras sydde jag Àven denna kjortel Ät en annan av kusinerna, som kÀnde sig som en prinsessa i sin nya klÀnning. Kanske kommer Àven den familjen omvÀndas sÄ smÄningom.
There was a vacuum after the competition gown was finished, so I just had to sew a medieval kirtle for my little niece. She was so happy! This was done in a few hours, so I needed yet another project. I have some beautiful whitework embroidery saved from pillow cases, which I believe were made by my husband’s grandmother. As I also recieved an old curtain with a pretty floral print, screeming Regency, I knew I just had to make a regency dress for another niece.
I incorporated the embroidery in the bodice and the poofy arms.
The embroidery piece is stitched to the bodice piece.Then the fashion fabric (or rather, the old curtain) was sewn onto the front of the bodice piece.Embroideries put in the mid front and in the arms.
I made an interior bodice with lacing in the back, in order to leave room for some growth. The fashion layer has drawstrings in the neckline and under the bust.
The back lining close with lacing (perhaps there should be boning inside the eyelets?). The eyelets are hand sewn and the strings are also hand made from linen thread.The two sections of the back close with drawstrings in the neckline and under the bust.
Aren’t these embroideries adorable?
Now I am eager to see whether the dress fits the pretty maiden.
Photo Shoot In The Valley of Cherry Blossoms
The dress fits my niece so well! I’m so proud of this intelligent, pretty young maiden and her wonderful family.
As you might see, there was also a pregnant seamstress lurking around.
Ugnstorp really is the most beautiful place in May
This Saturday was hectic and lovely. After a couple of hours terrible sleep, a was awaken by my happy two year old boy. We played for some hours and then I left for singing and playing the violin at a wedding. The road led through a beautiful autumnal landscape and the sun was shining over the church and the lake. The wedding was filled with love and I felt very honored to play for them (even though my violin untuned itself again and again because of the freezing cold). After having played a folk music march, down the stairs and leading the company to their refreshments, my fingers were numb. I went back by car in a hurry and was so happy to arrive in time for changing clothes in time for the Regency Ball!
Denna lördag var hektisk och hÀrlig. Efter nÄgra fÄ timmars dÄlig sömn vÀcktes jag av min glada tvÄÄring. Vi lekte i nÄgra timmar och sedan Äkte jag ivÀg för att sjunga och spela fiol pÄ en vigsel. VÀgen ledde genom ett vackert hötlandskap och solen sken över kyrkan och sjön. Vigseln genomsyrades av kÀrledk och jag kÀnde mig vÀldigt hedrad som fick spela för dem (Àven om min fiol stÀmde ur sig gÄng pÄ gÄng pÄ grund av kylan). Efter att ha spelat en gÄngmarsch, gÄendes nedför trappan och ledande gÀsterna fram till deras förfriskningar, hade fingrarna tappat kÀnseln av kylan. Jag skyndade mig tillbaka och var sÄ glad nÀr jag insÄg att jag skulle hinna byta om i tid för empirbalen pÄ Storebro HerrgÄrd!
Regency Waistcoat
I made a new waistcoat to to match the new black tailcoat. After several months of dithering, I ordered a beautiful silk fabric from Renaissance Fabrics. I really wanted to buy all of their fabrics… I drafted my own pattern, consisting of two lined front pieces with pockets, two back pieces and a standing collar out of two pieces of fabric, as in this sketch. I will upload some better pictures later.
Jag sydde en ny vÀst som skulle matcha min mans nya empirrock. Efter flera mÄnader av beslutsÄngest bestÀllde jag till slut ett vackert sidentyg frÄn Renaissance Fabrics. Egentligen hade jag velat köpa alla deras tyger! Jag hade inte goda erfarenheter av det vÀstmönstret frÄn Reconstructing History, som jag anvÀnde förra gÄngen, sÄ nu ritade jag ett eget mönster. Det bestÄr av tvÄ fodrade framstycken och tvÄ bakstycken, samt en stÄende krage, som pÄ denna skiss. Jag ska ladda upp nÄgra bÀttre bilder pÄ vÀsten senare.
My magnificent husband in whole!
Min stilige man, i hela sin hÀrlighet!
Reticule
The last day before the ball, i quickly made a reticule to hide my cell phone. I had some help from my son.
Dagen innan balen sydde jag en retikyl för att gömma min mobiltelefon. Min son hjÀlpte till.
The company prepares for the ball
Ten years ago, a couple of friends and other Jane Austen fanatics attempted to sew regency dresses, using the hardly decipherable morning dress pattern of Recreating History. My sister and I made our first regency dresses. Caroline made this lovely yellow dress. My sister did me the honor of wearing the velvet dress, that was inspired by Kiera Knightley’s in the Hollywood version of Pride an Prejudice. Her daughters wore the white bed sheet dress and the one I made from leftovers from my sisters regency dress.
För tio Är sedan hade vi en studiecirkel dÀr jag och nÄgra andra Jane Austen-nördar sydde empirklÀnningar, med hjÀlp av det svÄrkodade morgon-klÀnning-mönstret frÄn Recreating History. Dessa var min och min systers första empriklÀnningar. Caroline sydde denna fina gula klÀnning. Min syster gjorde mig Àran att anvÀnda min sammetsklÀnning, som jag sydde utifrÄn Kiera Knightlys i Hollywoodversionen av Stolthet och fördom. Hennes döttrar anvÀnde den vita lakan-klÀnningen och klÀnningen som jag sydde av stuvbitar frÄn min systers empirklÀnning.
My niece is a styling pro!
Min systerdotter Àr ett styling-proffs!
I am quite proud of the fact that I have sewn all of the outfits, except for Carlines dress. I wore my YWU competion entry dress.
Jag Àr faktiskt ganska stolt över faktumet att jag har sytt alla drÀkter, förutom Carolines klÀnning, som jag dock ocksÄ var ganska involverad i. SjÀlv anvÀnde jag mitt tÀvlingsbidrag till YWU.
At the ball Thank you, Ellen, for arranging such a lovely evening!
As my only practical regency dress is now too big for me, I wanted a new, washable dress. Once again, I used the simple model with drawstrings at the neckline and under the bust, just as I have done with the girls’ dresses. I remembered to have seen a dress with smooth waist at the front, but I have not been able to find that picture again. Has anyone else seen this picture, or did I make it up? Probably, the back should be open and closed by drawstrings, in order to be truly accurate.
Eftersom min enda praktiska empirklÀnning endast passade under graviditeten, var jag sugen pÄ att sy en ny, tvÀttbar klÀnning. Jag anvÀnde modell som flickornas klÀnningar, med dragsko i urringning och under bysten. Jag mindes att jag sett en klÀnning dÀr tyget lÄg slÀtt framtill, under bysten, men har sedan inte kunnat hitta bilden igen. Har ni sett den, eller har jag hittat pÄ? För att klÀnningen skulle vara tidstypisk, borde den egentligen ha haft en öppning i ryggen, som stÀngts med dragskorna.
This was how I made the pattern smooth over the waist. Then I trimmed away the excess fabric in the neckline and armpit. The back of the bodice is just broad overall.
Back of the bodice at the top. Front at the bottom.
After sewing the front and back bodice parts together, I attached the skirt. In the front it lays smooth, while it is gathered in the back. At the waist seam, I added a waistband, where I hid the drawstring. At the inside of the neckline I also put a drawstring. I made a simple, straight arm. Last, I stitched the rolled hems by hand.
Efter att ha sytt samman fram- och bakstycke satte jag dit kjolen. Framtill ligger den slĂ€tt mot överdelen, medan den Ă€r rynkad baktill. Ăver sömmen under bysten fĂ€ste jag ett midjeband, som jag anvĂ€nde för dragskon. Ărmarna Ă€r bara raks tygstycken med Ă€rmkulle. Jag handsydde rullfĂ„llarna sist.
I am happy with the result. I felt like one of the Dashwood sisters. The only thing lacking now are long kid gloves. Please tell me if you find a pair for me!
Jag Àr nöjd. Jag kÀnde mig faktiskt som en av systrarna Dashwood. Vad som verkligen saknas i denna ensamble Àr ett par lÄnga skinnhandskar. SÀg till mig om ni hittar ett sÄdant par, snÀlla!
This summer was wonderful, but intense. At the first day of my vacation I realized that I would have to prepare three different repertoires for the four concerts in three weeks, so I understood that I needed to finish my sewing projects quickly. Said and done. In one day I finished a modern dress for my friend, I made a kirtle for my sister’s boy to wear at the Medieval Week of Visby and I also finished the regency waistcoat for my husband. The extremely simple regency dress was sewn in one day on sewing machine, but I finished the long roll hems the other day.
Den hÀr sommaren var underbar, men intensiv. Första dagen pÄ semestern insÄg jag att jag mÄste lÀra in tre olika repertoarer för de fyra sÄngtillfÀllena, fördelade över tre veckor, sÄ jag förstod att jag mÄste slutföra mina pÄbörjade sömnadsprojekt innan detta. Sagt och gjort. PÄ en dag sydde jag fÀrdigt en klÀnning Ät min vÀn, jag sydde en kjortel Ät en pojke som skulle med till Medeltidsveckan i Visby och jag blev Àntligen klar med en empirvÀst Ät min man. Dessutom blev sydde jag en ny, extremt enkel empirklÀnning, men handsydde fÄllarna för nÄgra dagar sedan.
Quick Medieval Kirtle
Last summer I helped my nieces sewing their own medievalish dresses for Söderköpings gĂ€stabud. This summer we had planned to take their whole family to the Medieval Week of Visby for a day, so now their little brother also needed a kirtle. I used a fabric that I found in a second hand shop and the usual “squares and triangles method”.
Förra sommaren hjĂ€lpte jag mina systerdöttrar att sy deras egna medeltida klĂ€nningar till Söderköpings gĂ€stabud. Den hĂ€r sommaren skulle hela deras familj följa med oss till Medeltidsveckan i Visby. DĂ€rmed behövde Ă€ven lillebror en kjortel. Jag anvĂ€nde ett tyg som jag hittat pĂ„ EriskhjĂ€lpen. Den Ă€r gjord efter “fyrkanter och trianglar-metoden”.These are the pattern pieces that I used.
Detta Àr alla mönsterbitar jag anvÀnde.
After having sewn the front piece to the back piece, I made the arms (which were way too long). I attached the square gusset for the armpit first, then I stitched the rest of the arm and last I inserted the arms into the kirtle.
Efter att jag sytt samman framdelen och bakdelen, sydde jag armar (alldeles för lÄnga). Jag satte fast de fyrkantiga Àrmsprund innan jag sydde samman Àrmen och satte in den i sjÀlva kjorteln.
Then I inserted the triangle gussets into the front, back and side seams. Last sew the hems by hand. I believe I made this in about four hours.
Sedan satte jag in trianglarna mitt fram, mitt bak och i sidorna. Slutligen fÄllade jag för hand. Jag tror att allt detta tog fyra timmar.
My nephew was most dashing in his new garment! Unfortunately the best picture was taken in front of some cars, so my mother helped me blend that picture with her picture of a medieval french castle. Isn’t it awesome?!
Pojken var vĂ€ldigt fin i sin nya drĂ€kt! TyvĂ€rr togs den bĂ€sta bilden framför nĂ„gra bilar, sĂ„ mamma hjĂ€lpte mig att sammanfoga den bilden med en av hennes bilder av ett franskt medeltida slott. Ăr det inte en fantastisk bild?!
And here are some pictures from the Medieval week.
HÀr kommer nÄgra bilder frön Medeltidsveckan.
Our family, looking like going on a roller coaster
Fair young maiden in a romantic ruin
I will soon make a new post showing off the summer dress, the regency waistcoat and the extremely simple regency dress.
Snart ska jag Àven göra ett inlÀgg om sommarklÀnningen, empirvÀsten och den extremt enkla empirklÀnningen.
These last few months have been crazy. I’ve had my internship at the psychiatric ward, which have been both thrilling and exhausting, as I have been working nights a lot more than I tolerate. At the same time I have been preparing clothes for a recency ball. In a weak moment I decided to even participate in dancing sessions before the ball, in order to fully enjoy the historically authentic ball (for those of you who don’t know me, I am not the dancing type). My dear nieces will accompany us for the dancing lessons and thus, there is need for one more regency dress, for a slender thirteenyearold. The younger niece will wear this dress which will be long enough after having removed the pin tucks. I made the quickest dress ever, with the least amount of material ever, leaving approximately five square centimetres of scraps. This is the result.Â
This is what fabric was left after making the dress. I’m quite proud of myself.
The new dress with floral print and the old white dress which has now been successfully lengthened by removing the pin tucks.
Toddler’s Dress
Our toddler will join the dancing sessions, off course. So he needs a kirtle. I made one in a few hours by machine. He should have a pair of trousers and a hat too, but there is no time and what does it matter, really? If you want some background about children’s clothing, see this lovely page.
Tired boy in the company of his best friends
Fall Front Breeches
I have been working on a new pair of breeches for my husband for some years, moments at a time. Now only the buttons remain. I have tried to solve the mystery of the construction of the elusive fall front breeches and drafted the pattern myself. This is how I have interpreted what I have seen in pictures.
1) putting together front, back and both sides 2) cutting slits by the sides for narrow or broad fall front 3) adding the pieces behind the fall front
5) adding fabric pieces to the fall front sides 6) folding the pieces around the sides in order to hide the raw edges 7) adding one piece more to the top of the fall front in the same way
After I stopped documenting this process – why, in heavens name? – I added a waistband to hide the raw edges at the rest of the top of the breeches. I hid the raw edges of the end of the legs in the same way. And at the very last I will add buttons and make button holes!
Shirt with Ruffles
I thought that he also needed a nicer shirt and cravat than the first set of clothes, so I made a new shirt with ruffles in the neckline and by the cuffs. Afterwards, I have found excellent tutorials for period regency shirt construction, as in Fabric and Fiction and at Your Wardrobe Unlocked. This one is obviously wrong in many ways.
I started by cutting the double length wished for, folded and cut a whole for the head and a slit at the mid front. Then I added two square arms with square gussets at the arm pits, with gathering at the shoulder and at the end of the arms. I also added ruffles at the slit in the front, although I found out later that the slit should probably have been 3-4 dm long and the ruffles should have been in one continuing piece, instead of one on each side.
I have no idea how this should be done, but this was my way of making the ruffles at the end of the arms: I had two pieces of fabrics in which I hid the raw edge of the arm gathering. After having stitched this in place, I added a folded piece of fabric with gathering, which I tucked in between the two layers in the same way as the arm gathering.
I believe that the opening in the from should have been longer, but then there would not have been enough of fabric for ruffles.
Ruffles sewn by hand and self covered buttons for the collar.
Tailcoat
My most time consuming sewing project ever must be his new tailcoat. I have used historical methods and made all of the interlining by hand – hundreds of stitches that no one will ever see… ? I used the fantastic pattern of Laughing Moon that I bought for the prize money for my win in the 2017 competition of Your Wardrobe Unlocked.
Now there is only a new waistcoat left to make the suit complete. And a pair of shoes, stockings, pocket watch, new hair etc… When starting to update the historical wardrobe, there is no end to it, especially as the family expands.
If I’m still alive by the end of the week, after two more nights at work, I look forward to see all of these clothes during the dancing session.
The dance training was featured in the local newspaper, with some nice pictures. This was what our family looked like. Alas, it was all too obvious that I had not made adjustments for the tail coat during the process, for it did not fit as well as I had hoped for.
My father does not care about clothes. This high quality shirt,  made of fine Egyptian cotton, was damaged while  carrying wood. It felt wrong to just throw it away. I thought about just using the unstained parts, but then only the back and the collar remained, so the shirt has been lying in my stash for one year now, awaiting the serendipity.
Pappa bryr sig inte om klÀder. Denna fina skjorta, i fin egyptisk bomull, blev sönderriven och nerflÀckad nÀr han bar ved. Det kÀndes fel att slÀnga sÄ fint tyg. Jag hade tÀnkt behÄlla de oskadda delarna, men vid nÀrmare granskning visade sig endast ryggen och kragen ha klarat sig. DÀrför har skjortan legat undangömd i vÀntan pÄ en uppenbarelse.
I often wore my historical clothing at home before becoming a mother. Now I have hardly worn anything historical for two years for fear of having it stained or torn and because of the impracticality (it is quite hard to crawl around on the floor and under furniture, wearing floor length skirts). One week ago the need for wearing something historical grew too great and I decided to wear Edwardian clothing for the Christmas dinner at work. Since I ended up sharing table with people who did not know about my interests, nobody understood that my strange hair and clothing was historical and I just felt awkward. I decided that it was time to make something historical that I could wear at home – practical for the sake of my son and nice looking for my sake. This was the perfect purpose for the damaged shirt!
Innan jag blev mamma hade jag ofta historiska klÀder till vardags. Nu har jag nÀstan inte anvÀnt nÄgot historiskt pÄ tvÄ Är, dels i fruktan att klÀderna ska förstöras och dels för att det Àr sÄ opraktiskt (det Àr ganska krÄngligt att krypa runt pÄ golvet i hellÄng kjol). Förra veckan blev abstinensen efter att ha historiska klÀder för svÄr, sÄ jag bestÀmde mig för att ha min edwardianska drÀkt till julbordet pÄ jobbet. Jag hamnade vid ett bord med folk som inte kÀnner till detta udda intresse, sÄ ingen fattade att klÀderna och frisyren var historiska och jag kÀnde mig bara dum och missanpassad. Jag bestÀmde mig för att sy nÄgot slitstarkt historiskt plagg som jag skulle kunna ha hemma istÀllet. Detta var ju det perfekta anvÀndningsomrÄdet för den redan förstörda skjortan!
I decided to refurnish it – I took everything apart and switched sides for the front parts, so that the worst parts were placed at the sides, about the hight of the waistline. The front parts were sewn together and then the armholes made a deep neckline, that I needed to hide.
Jag sprĂ€ttade isĂ€r alla delar och bytte plats pĂ„ framstyckena, sĂ„ att de vĂ€rsta flĂ€ckarna hamnade i sidorna, nĂ€ra midjan. Framstyckena syddes samman framtill. ĂrmhĂ„len bildade en djup urringning som behövde fyllas.
I used the pieces from the top of the back, to fill the neckline.
Jag anvÀnde delar frÄn ryggens ovandel för att fylla igen urringningen.
Since this blouse should not fit closely, I made straight seams in the sides and cut armholes. Then i started decorating the neckline with the help of my sewing machine. Because of the different layering along the neckline, the seams ended up very uneven, and I found myself masking my mistakes by adding more and more decorating seams.
Eftersom blusen inte ska smita Ă„t runt kroppen, sydde jag bara raka sömmar i sidorna och klippte Ă€rmhĂ„l. Sedan började jag dekorera runt urringningen med maskinsöm. PĂ„ grund av alla olika lager blev sömmarna ojĂ€mna och jag la till fler och fler sömmar för att maskera tidigare fel.Â
Then I gathered the top and bottom of the arms, so that the became poofy. I reinserted the the original cuffs, but shortened them and used the wrong side out, as this was less stained.
Sedan rynkade jag upptill och nedtil pÄ Àrmarna, sÄ att de blev puffiga. Jag satte tillbaka de ursprungliga manchetterna, men förkortade dem och vÀnde ut avigan, eftersom den var mindre flÀckig.
The stains remain, but you just see them when looking for them. As I made this blouse in a hurry, there is a vast amount of mistakes, but as I am to wear it at home, I am quite happy with the outcome.
FlÀckarna Àr fortfarande kvar, men man ser dem bara nÀr man letar efter dem. Eftersom jag sydde blusen snabbt och slarvigt Àr det galet mÄnga misstag hÀr och dÀr, men jag ska ju bara anvÀnde blusen hemma och jag Àr nöjd med slutresultatet.
Two years ago, we planned on going to the Medieval Week at Visby together with my brother and my sisters family. At the eleventh hour, I noticed that we had booked the ferry ticket and hotel nights for the wrong week. Oh, the horror. We comforted ourselves by going to the beautiful castle of Tjolöholm instead, where there was a Jane Austen display. My nieces have been very keen on experiencing the Medieval week though. I had no vacation this summer, so Visby was out of the question, but I had time for a day at the medieval fair at Söderköpings gÀstabud.
With a tiny bit of help from me, my nieces made their own gowns – all from cutting to sewing. I am so proud of them! We used fabric from my stash. The green cotton was initially blue, but became green when I was trying to dye it black for the Scary Robe. The pink linen was a huge table cloth. The dresses are made from rectangles and triangles. As the fabric is so unmedieval, the girls went all in by using Tanzanian wooden belts fort decoration. I think that they look like fantasy princesses!
Linen kirtle and liripipe hood out of soft wool
They asked me several times what our boy would wear. Eventually I could not resist making a little kirtle for him, out of an old linen skirt.
Earlier, we worn the cheapest underwear, made out of old cotton bed sheets. At our last stay at the Medieval week though, I bought linnen. During my internships far away from home, I spent the lonely evenings hand stitching a new shirt and a pair of breeches for my husband. I made a new chemise for myself the last night, on machine. I am quite proud of that I succeeded in making alterations for my husbands cotehardie. I made it for him ten years ago, when he was quite slender. Since he began bodybuilding, he has not been able to get into these clothes again. Astonishingly, I seem to have been wise enough to save broad seam allowances, so that I could make both the torso and sleeves wider. After adding sleeve gussets at the shoulders, he was even able to move!
New underwear: linen chemise, shirt, breeches and a little kirtle for the boy
The day at Söderköping was cosy. Off course, it could not compare with Visby, but our boy was happy in the clothes (he had my liripipe hood because of the cold weather) and my nieces were happy to play with him for a whole day. The city is beautiful; the main part consists of pretty wooden houses from the 19th and early 20th century. The market was nice and I found a nice fabric for a new modern coat. All together, it was a nice day, in great company. Thank you, dear nieces!
I have a dear friend, who loves historic fashions and has swooned over my Edwardian lady outfit. She has had a really rough time, so I wanted to do something for her, and promised her that she would have the outfit. Then I decided to make a new blouse for her, that would have long arms to protect her sensitive skin and that she would be able to close by herself. I dug deep into my stashes and found some lace left from the tank top that I used for the regency chemissette, and a matching off white cotton from other recycled materials.
I layed out the pieces of lace on the mannequin in order to find the best design. Then I added the cotton fabric to fill the great voids. I used the same techniques as in the last high collar blouse:
I started with two rectangles of fabric – the back as wide as half of the bust measurement and the front 10 cm wider than the back
I stitched 5 mm wide pin tucks in the front, starting in the middle and working my way to the sides with 1 cm spaces between the tucks.
I stitched the lace to the fabric, then I cut the fabric away on the wrong side and hemmed from the wrong side.
Then I added three pin tucks more on each side.
First I stitched the piece of lace to the right side of the fabric, then I cut the fabric away from underneath the lace and last I hemmed the edges.
When this was finished, I stitched the front to the back on the shoulders and sides. Then I attached the great piece of lace and high collar to the bodice in the same way as the other pieces of lace.
Next, I made the very simple arms: I measured the circumference of the armholes, cut to pieces of fabric with this width plus 5 cm, made a rounded top and added lace at the gathered end of the arm.
After attaching the arms to the bodice, I put push buttons and hooks and eyes for closing at the side of the neck. Then the blouse was finished. I can’t wait to see my friend in this outfit.
– where you can see what I do – designing, sewing, singing, creating etc.
