Wednesday, June 27, 2012

welcome back to me

Has been a while since I updated by diary.  After finishing the gown and coif, I took a break.  One of the reasons was I Took a wonderful trip to Italy.  Spent a couple of weeks clothes shopping and doing prep work to go, then went for 14 wonderful days.  I would go back to the Tuscany area.  My interest are more there then in other parts of Italy, but did enjoy seeing all the various areas, Amalfi coast, Pompii, Capri, Rome, etc. 

Since then I have been in the planning stage for a couple of items.
1st,  Bob's outfit.  I know I promised him the next outfit.  So I went shopping and found all the material I needed before I left for Italy.  That project is still just sitting there.    I did start on his shirts embroidery.  Since this was to be a Henry the VIII outfit, the painting shows his shirts embroidered in Gold.  So I sent away for 5 skeins of antique gold silk thread.  I started to do work on some evenweave linen from Jo-Ann's   I was not happy with the amount of slubs I found in the fabric.  So I spluged and got a piece of nice even weave fabric from Nordic Needle.  This fabric was much nicer.  Doing it on 32 count.  Maybe should have done it on 40, but the scale on this looks right.  It is A acron and cross (X) pattern from,  "Bands from Hans Hofer's New Formbuch'len Augsberg 1545 Lots 18"   Charted and plotted for reversible stitching by Linn R Skinner.  According to the author Hofer's books were printed using woodcuts and were illustration, not instructions.  The author has adapted them into reversible patterns.
2nd  My master work. 
I have cut out the top for my Master work gown. The fabric had some water damage on it from the flood and I had given up on it. I found that I was able to rescue most of it, So I am off, at a snail pace. I have fitted the bodice structure, but it sits there in needles. I need to comitte to the fit and start sewing.  The bodice is always the hardest part.
Had several people over laterly to do sewing, or get ideas:
Loaned a sewing maching out to Josh, so he could make Pennsic clothes for his little daughter and wife.  He's a good kid.  Gave him some basic sewing lessons a few years back.  He caught on quickly.  He not making fancy stuff, just needful.
Evelyn (Kristen) continues to work on a tunic for husband.  It is tough for her to find the time to come over.  I said she can work on it on her own, but she doesn't feel confident enough yet.  So the project linger.
Deb Ross wants more tunic and pants for Pennsic.  She is willing to make a couple of Kirtles also.  We went over the basic patterns, and went cloth shopping at Jo-Ann's.  Now she needs to do cut out and sewing.  Time is her enemy.  She needs to put this on a front burner.  She has two dress, two pants, and several tunic. 
Christine Woods came over last night.  She wants to make a Tudor Dress for her Handfasting in September.  The dress is a cream linen.  She has a beautiful Purple trim.  She has sewn before but has never tried to do something this complicated.  We went over various patterns/styles.  Looks like Early Tudor, Jane Seymore style.  Finding the underskirt, and arms parts to compliment/match will take a couple of shopping trips.  Looks like Puple and Gold fabric.  A trip to Loraine fabic is in the future.  OH Boy  :)

I have promised Bob a fishing trip today, but the weather does not looks like it will cooperate.  So will go out and find something to do with him.