Ok, so where did I leave off?  Oh yeah...the kind of fabric I used.

So, the undergown....

I started with a basic bodice pattern block.  I measured the distance between shoulder tip to shoulder tip in the front to give the shoulders the spot to sit according to the pictures. 

I should probably give you all a link to what I'm talking about.  http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net/library/analysing1.htm  This site will give you a general idea of the design and where the shoulders and neckline fall.

So, after some figuring and drawing, I came up with a pattern similar to what I wanted.  I'm running short of time.  I've now got 2 1/2 weeks until the Faire.  I found some nice green cotton in my stash to cut up a mock and make sure that my figures worked.  They didn't.  So back to the drawing board I went.  I used the mock as the start this time, took a little off here and there and finally came up with what I was looking for.  I then took the mock and used it as a pattern to cut the brocade.  I included a bit more for seam allowance in the brocade.  That was a mistake!

Once the brocade was cut, basted and generally 'start finish' I tried it on.  Too long in the shoulders and too wide around the underbreast.  This gown is designed to be worn without a corset.  The breast is suppose to fit in the 'shelf' of the bodice.  Off comes the brocade and I trim here and trim there, and resew it.  It fits, in a general sense.  The left side seam is left open for the lacing rings.  I used the mock as the lining and sewed it all together.  On to trim.

I used a nice pearl trim that is about 1 1/2" wide.  But it wasn't 'dazzling' enough.  So I get the brilliant idea to bead it up with more beads.  A lighter green seed bead and a beautiful yellow topazy looking glass bead.  We are moving into two weeks left.  I sit and bead and bead and bead.  I finally finish the trim with a week to spare.  You need to remember, I have a full time job, not to mention playing taxi to the youngest back and forth to ball.

With a week to go, I take the trim and the bodice with me and every spare moment sew it to the neckline.  Once that was done, I measured out my grommet spacing to 1 1/2" on each side.  I only went with three since it sits beneath the bustline.  The grommets went in smoothly.  With no sleeves in the undergown, it was complete.  Finally...done with less than a week to go.

The skirt was real simple.  Since I was running with a cotton brocade that was designed for drapes, it had the width I needed to just sew up the sides into one long tube.  I left about 3 inches open to help me get into the thing.  I pleated it to fit the bodice and found that with this design it made me look too pregnant to suit me.  So, I took the pleats out of the front three inches and then it looked much better.  So the main gown is done.  The only thing left was to really try it on with the Italian chemise I had made and see how it really looked.

AAAAAKKKKKK!!!!  There is a big gap in the back.  It doesn't sit right on the shoulders and the neckline rides along the nipple line.  NOT what I wanted.  One week to go, and I have to really reman this gown. 

With the help of my husband, we pin the shoulders up higher and pin the right side in to where it needs to be.  This is the easy part.  The hard part is picking off the neckline trim.  Once that is done, and once the side arm holes are picked out, I could fix it.  I took the shoulders up about 1 - 2 inches, and the right side in about an inch.  Sewed it all back together and hand stitched the trim back on.  Finally, it fit like it was suppose to....with the exception of under the bust.  I wasn't sure how to fix it.  And I had 3 days to figure it out!!  Not to mention, hemming the thing and doing an overgown.  Overgown???  HA!  I won't have time to do it.  The stress at this point is beginning to get to me.  Why do I do these things to myself??

Two days to go until the Faire.  I throw the gown across the room in aggreviation.  Thinking and thinking of how to fix the under the bust area is getting to me.  Not to mention I have yet to measure and hem it.  Hel, I'll just where the old one.

Day of the faire.  Saturday morning.  I now have 4 hours to get this thing done.  Not impossible, but improbable. 

After finally configuring what I was going to do, I remembered that I still need to close the gap in the skirt where it attaches to the bodice on the left side.  A hook and eye will do that.  So I manage to put the hook and eye in the right spot.  Just enough to pull the bottom of the bodice over to hold the breasts in where they are suppose to be.  The hem was simple, and so the gown was finished, with an hour to spare. 

I had Brian help me get the hook and eye done and it fit!  Like a dream!  I had soooo many compliments from the faire goers and the characters.  Many asked where I had gotten the gown and I was proud to say that it was designed and created by me.  What a thrill!

I will make the overgown for this eventually.  It was a fun gown to make and to wear.  I'll definately be doing it again, but I think the next time I do, it will open on both sides of the bodice.

I forgot to take my camera with me, so when I get a chance, I will put the gown on again and get some pictures of it.  I'm sure you will all like it.

Posted on MySpace May 14, 2007