Ponderings

Hmm... you know, looking at loads more pictures, again with the working class 16th century. I think I might make something like that out of the pale yellow linen I got together with the bliaut fabric. I mean.... I do want something similar, something useable for every day purposes. And I got five metres of the linen, which would be quite ample for this type of dress.

Things I wrote down about it:

No corset, corded support built into the bodice.
Front lacing, alternately side-back lacings, but front lacing more practical.
Wool, linen-lined.
Wool guards in a variety of patterns...
Laced on line sleeves.
Apron, and I have a rough sketch in mind for it.
A shift, or a shirt with collar or possibly a small ruff.
Hair, pulled back and braided then coiled up in a bun at the back of the head.
Caul to cover it possibly.
Drawstring pouch from belt.

I may want to make an English version, not Italian though... I have two fabulous sources to choose from:

English version:
http://freespace.virgin.net/f.lea/index.htm

Italian version:
http://homepage.mac.com/festive_attyre/research/workdiary/page1.html

Things to consider.

Score!

Yep - I went downtown and by all the fabric stores I had time to before they all closed. At Olsons - the trusted remnant bins had today been augmented with a table full of linen!!!! I got two cuts of a blueish green, dark, 2.5 metres plus 2.3 metres. All for 230 SKR. Which, if you consider the price I paid for the yellow linen (5 metres @ 99 SKR/m = 495 SKR), is a sweet deal.

I also held in my hands a much paler green, significantly more, but the hand felt odd to me. Very stiff. Not that it couldn't have washed out. But, with no steady income and a knowledge of how the darker would turn out after washing I decided to be frugal and just bought those two cuts of dark green instead of the light. I was tempted to just get -all- of it, dark and light green, because the store was actually officially closed, but again, the economy issue. Plus, I don't exactly have firm plans for it.

What I was really out looking for was good wool fabrics! I can't seem to find any at reasonable prices. The cheapest one so far is  the extremely sheer red fabric at 150 SKR/metre. And again, to cover all of  me, I need around 4 metres.