Mini-Distraction-Side-Projekt = Done!

My inspirations --






First, I cut a piece of canvas in a semi-circle, and sewed the ends to make the base. I then cut a long piece of cotton organza (3x longer than the circle.) I pressed the organza in pleats...


And then tacked one end of the pleats to the canvas 'frame'....


I then covered the canvas with the pleated organza, stretching the pleats a bit at the top, since it flares at the top...


Once the pleats were in place, the raw edge was folded back over once again, and tacked down...


Then, I cut a lining piece the same shape as the fillet, with 1/2" seam allowances. I tacked the tops and bottoms...


And the fillet before the barbette was finished...


Barbette, fillet, and my caul taking the place of a net (for now)...


And a back view...


And the front...


The barbette/fillet combo can be worn in conjunction with a veil, or without the net.

Finally Finished!!! (Caul edition)

I finally buckled down and finished the caul. It only took a few hours to do, just had to sit down and do it! There was one row in the middle that I missed a square, I redid it, and then noticed a few lines down that I had missed two more on that same row! Argh!


Finished!! Started on the cutting...


The pulled work lived up to it's name, and 'pulled' the piece smaller...it shrunk!


And, this is what the new 'fabric' looks like. I think it feels kinda cool...


First I pinned the quarters, then the eighths...


Then pleated between...

And now on to more ponderings, but of the usual garb-ish kind...(It's almost the next day!)

So I am thinking thoughts for teh "Red Velvet Italian -O- Doom". I'm trying to reign in thoughts to one thing at a time, so what I'm pondering at the moment is the camacia --


Here is the neckline. I am so dissapointed that we can't see the shoulders. I'm going to rely somewhat on another portrait of similar style, painted within 2 years of my inspiration portrait....


This gown neckline is positioned much lower than my inspiration portrait. I think it has a lot to do with the title; "The Seduction". She almost seems a bit en deshabille with the waist more wrinkly and puckered than one would expect, so I am going to assume that under normal circumstances, her neckline would be a bit higher. Maybe. Or at least that's what I'm telling myself.

Here are some initial questions on the camacia ..... what is your opinion? (I have come to the realization that not everyone sees in portraits what I *think* I see!)

-It looks like both camacias have a 2-3" 'solid' border around the neckline
Are these bands gathered and smocked, or is the body of the camacia pleated into a a solid 'neckband?
-It looks like both camacias have what seems to be a slit in the band
Does this slit stop at the band, or continue into the camacia body?
-It looks like the neckline of the on both of the camacias is rounded, and the neckline of the gown is square
Am I smoking something, or do you see it too?



-On my inspiration portrait, I'm having a hard time parsing out the button construction. On one hand, it looks like a plain round button (or pearl?) tied together with a thick-ish rope/ribbon/strip of cloth. (That's the bubbly part around the round center) On the other hand, it looks kind of like a floret-type button, with the ties running behind the 'flower' part of the button ensemble.
What do you see? One of the above? Something totally different?
Ok, on to the camacia cuffs and sleeves (The secondary portrait is of no help here--


I think I've pretty much nailed down the following: (Feel free to disagree and share!)

-There are thin-ish gold lines of embroidery running vertically up the length of the sleeve
-The sleeves are very full, and the fabric very fine
-There is gold embroidery around the cuffs of the sleeves
-The cuffs are tightly packed and smocked with gold thread
-There is a small ruffle edge hanging out the outside edge of the smocking

-The biggest question I have with the sleeves are the fastenings:
Is the fastening two gold buttons, tied together with black cord that has a gold aiglet, or is the dark parts shadows from inside the sleeve, and the gold is a button through a loop?

I have some more other different ideas for the gown sleeves and construction, but that will have to wait!

Even More Walnut Purse Envy....

OMG, it is teh cute! I dies of it!


Link:
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/objectid/O74994

The accompanying information is this:

Object

Purse

Date

1600-1650

Techniques

Walnut shell, covered in silk, embellished with metal thread, lined with silk, with plaited silk drawstrings

Artist/designer

Unknown

Place

England

Detail

T.57-1978 left; T.172-1921 right

Museum number

T.57-1978

Purses were associated with saving as well as spending, and this was sometimes alluded to in their decoration. Embroidered or beaded purses in the seventeenth century often included acorns in their pattern, an exhortation perhaps to 'save and prosper'. This early seventeenth century purse is made from a single nutshell, covered with embroidery and lined and hinged with silk. Barely large enough to contain a few coins, the purse was probably a novelty gift, but its maker may also have had the thought in mind that large oaks grow from tiny acorns.

Credit line

Given by Mr Peter Barker-Mill

(Emphasis mine)

I wish there was more information out there on these little guys. So far, I've found this:
http://www.employees.org/~cathy/walnut_purse.html

Dang, they're cute!


This one is definitely a shell. It's all scrimshaw-y 'n stuff. Also teh cute.

Link-y:
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/objectid/O78780

And the info:

Object

Purse

Date

1600-1630

Techniques

Mother-of-pearl, lined with brown silk, edged with plaited silk and silver-gilt thread, with a drawstring of the same

Artist/designer

Unknown

Place

England

Dimensions

Height 9 cm (including tassel at base)
Width 6.4 cm
Depth 3 cm

Museum number

T.197-1966

Object Type
In the 17th century, decorative purses such as this own were rarely used to carry money. Their wealthy owners engaged in few commercial exchanges requiring cash. In addition to serving as 'sweet bags' or 'gift wrapping', purses sometimes contained mirrors for grooming. Others functioned as sewing kits, holding needles, thread and tiny scissors.

Materials & Making
Mother-of-pearl, the iridescent lining of the shell of the pearl oyster, was considered an exotic material in the 17th century. It was used as an inlay for furniture and weapons, and carved into small objects such as jewellery, medallions, cameos or in this case, a purse. Here it has been incised in a floral pattern with two Tudor roses, a popular motif during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I. Drilled around the edge of each shell is a series of holes, which allow it to be sewn to the silk lining of the purse. The drawstring of the purse is made of plaited silk, with a pearl-shaped tassel of silk and silver-gilt thread.
(Emphasis mine)



Link
http://test.huntmuseum.com/search_objects2.asp?oSearch=Currency

And the info:
Walnut purse
Fruit -- Nut -- Walnut, Textile -- Silk
H (max.) 2.7 x W (max.) 4.4
MG 139/126
Costume; Currency
A walnut shell with silk ties for closing and securing the two halves. Possibly French.
(Emphasis mine. Also, lame description.)

T-24 (days)

Ok, do I want to bust a move on a new outfit for Coronation? If I do, do I want to to a fancy-schmancy? Like-a so --

(I know I want to do this as my next 'fancy' dress, I just don't know if I want to try and get it done in time...hmm...)

Or do I want to start stocking up on camping wear? Like-a so --

(I used to do this period almost exclusively, at least until the Italian Bug bit.....but now I need things to go camping in...almost all of my earlier stuff has gone the way of right socks the world over. A white jacket and a baby blue satin dress do not camping wear make!)

Once upon a time I had wimpoles, veils, hoods, and kirtles aplenty...where'd they all dissapear to?? At least they're not hard to make again. Just annoying.

Side-track Mini-projekt #4325

'Italian Pocket' (Saccoccia) = Finished