Elizabethan townswoman or humble puritan, who just stepped off Mayflower? A perfect chance to make your Halloween historical or give a tribute to Good Omens story and dress as Agness Nutter. The costume consists of the jacket and skirt. The jacket is made of linen and is fully lined. The red elements are traditional for 1600-1620 English fashion. The jacket closes on front hooks and loops. The skirt is made of woolen fabric and is also lined. The girdle is corsetted and can adjust on the figure and make it gracer. The costume is to be worn with period undergarnments, such as chemise, corset and bumroll. The in stock costume will fit the following measurements: Bust 90 cm - 101 cm / 35 1/2'' - 40'', fully closed on 93 cm / 36 1/2'' Waist 71 cm - 80 cm / 28'' - 31 1/2'', fully closed 76 cm / 30''. Model's height is 174 cm / 6' 8 1/2''

A woman's smock, 1560-1580, British; Linen embroidered with red silk in a design of strapwork and flowers

Bath Museum of Fashion, late 16th century jacket - inset gusset of plain linen under arm. (c) Fashion Museum, Bath & NE Somerset

Woman's waistcoat, 1610-20, English; linen embroidered with coloured silks, metal thread, altered for masque costume, 1620s

*** Finally! The "Kirtle of Perpetual Procrastination" is complete! I'm now one step closer to finishing that elusive fitted gown outfit that I started planning an embarrassingly long time ago (like, an absurdly long time ago...to that point that it's getting ridiculous). I first sketched out this version some 3 years ago, but I now know that so much about the outfit --from the materials to the colour scheme-- isn't supported by historical evidence, and as a result it's languished a bit. It seems historical-ish on the surface but I can't find much evidence of a kirtle in this colour, and the material (a mottled wool cashmere) is definitely off for the period. BUT...I had already purchased the fabric --it's been taking up room in my stash for years-- and so I finally decided to commit to finishing the outfit, historically correct or no. In the end I'm really glad I did! It actually turned out much better than I had hoped, and as my first all wool gown it's at least more historically correct in that sense (compared to my earlier outfits which relied heavily on linen outwear). Eventually the kirtle will be worn under a brown wool over-gown (in a darker version of this same wool cashmere fabric) or with separate, detachable sleeves. However, one of those sets of sleeves will be made from the remains of the aforementioned dark brown fabric and so I'm waiting until I finish the over gown to cut those. My second choice would have been to use the grey linen I used as trim, but in the end I only had enough left over for one arm. So for now I remain sleeveless... *** *** This kirtle is very similar in shape and construction to my earlier brown linen kirtle, so if you're looking for a blow by blow Dress Diary please check out that earlier post. Right now I'm just going to focus on areas where I deviated from that process, or go further into depth on steps that I've glossed over in the past...so this might be a bit of a hodgepodge and I apologize in advance for any confusion. First off, a brief history on the evolution of the pattern for kirtle...especially the bodice. As you may remember the pattern for my previous kirtle was adapted from the Tudor Tailor pattern for the Dorothea Sabina von Neuburg corset/bodies I made a few years ago (which I had, in turn, adapted for front lacing). Please ignore the cat...but you get the general idea. Basically the point has been significantly reduced and the straps widened, most noticeably over the shoulders. Almost everything else, including the boning pattern and shoulder placement remain the same. I liked the fit and line of the new bodice, but after a day out at Faire I started to develope some lower back pain. I think this was due in part to the way I divided the skirt pleats (with too much fabric --and therefore weight-- at the centre back) and partly due to the fit of bodice...and especially my posture while wearing it. Of course like most people who work at a computer all day I have terrible posture, but this was not helped by the construction of the bodice and the way I was lacing myself into it. I realized that as I was lacing myself up I was bending over quite far to see the lacing holes, extending my back muscles in the process. Not only that, but I was effectively lacing myself into this unnatural position. This was further exacerbated by the placement of the shoulder seam, which had a tendency to want to slip from the top of the shoulder to the front of my shoulder head, thereby pulling my shoulders down and pinching them inwards...which by extension put more strain on my back. So I moved the shoulder seam to the back of the shoulder head and widened the straps at the back to offer more support. I was also careful to keep my shoulders arched back as I was lacing myself up. The difference is not hugely apparent, but I think you can see the slight change in posture, especially at the shoulders and bust-line. This is much more comfortable! I also converted the back panel to a single piece (as opposed to two pieces with a centre back seam) and curved the straps so they more closely resembled the kirtle pattern found in The Tudor Tailor. This curve will be more evident in later photos of the bodice when laid out flat. Okay! On to the construction! As with my previous version I pad-stitched the layers together, only this time (since I knew I wasn't going to be removing it later) I didn't do such a piss-poor job of it! Also, there are only two layers of fabric as opposed to three, since Hemp Traders finally got their 10.5oz twill back in stock. Pad-stitching is completed on front and back pieces. Boning channels are sewn in at the front, back and sides (though only the front will contain actual bones, the rest are just for extra quilting and support). The boning pattern is also a little different, with the "cups" being smaller and a little shallower than before... I found the cut-out area was too far down my torso in previous versions. The stitching is then removed from the boning area (front pieces only). Now it's time to insert the boning. This is a step that I sort of glossed over before, so I took a few more photos of it this time around. As with the corset and previous kirtle the two channels on either side of the lacing area are boned with 7mm plastic coated spring steel (pre-cut to length). Those are inserted without alteration. The rest of the bodice is boned with 5mm synthetic whalebone, cut to length. The bones are then filed down with a fine metal file (it's best to do this outside or in a well ventilated area...and do wear a mask if possible, you don't want to inhale plastic dust!) They are then checked for fit and inserted between the two inner layers. And here's where things get vague again... The rest of the construction is pretty much identical to the linen kirtle. The outer fabric is basted to the inner shell... ...and the pieces sewn together. The seams are clipped, turned under and stitched down with a tight herringbone stitch. Lastly the hidden lacing strip is added (no photos of this bit, but there are lots on the previous post...and I did correct the eyelet spacing error I made last time!) and shoulders joined. Finally it's time to add the trim! The kirtle is guarded in medium weight (5.5-6.5oz) grey linen. I don't think trimming a wool garment in linen is supported by evidence...except perhaps in the form of woven tape. I really tried to source some silk or wool that I liked as much, but in end I didn't find anything that was as nice a colour as the linen, and since we've already covered the historical issues above I didn't worry too much about it! The bodice is trimmed with 3/4" bias tape, stitched down with a tiny fell (vertical hem) stitch. With the bodice complete it's time to finish the skirt. Like last time the skirt is made up with 3 panels (which is still probably one more than I truly need) but this time they are shaped rather than rectangular. So whereas the last kirtle had a top and bottom circumference of just under 180" this one has a top circumference of about 90" and a bottom of 165" (making each panel 30" at the top and 55" at the bottom). The skirt is attached all around with 1/4" cartridge pleats and hemmed with a strip of self-basic bias tape. Again, please see the earlier kirtle post on how to cartridge pleat to a pointed bodice. EDIT: Actually, DON'T see that earlier post! Or at least not yet...because I botched the skirt rather badly and it ended up a good 2" shorter in the front than the back. The skirt has since been removed and re-leveled but I never explained how I fixed it. I'll do so now... (though I don't know if this way is 100% right either, but it did fix the problem) I didn't take any photos of this process (or none that I can find) so instead I'll demonstrate what I did with the original kirtle and then illustrate where I went wrong. First I placed the bodice on some graph paper and traced the curve from the centre back seam to the front point (A). Then I traced a line across the back seam, and down at a right angle to the point (B) Now, this made good sense to me at the time since the instructions I was using were based on a bodice pattern in which the bottom back and front centre lines were perpendicular to each other. The only problem is that my front and back lines were NOT perpendicular (on account of the bottom back seam being slightly curved). This can clearly be seen once line B is superimposed onto the original placement. The bodice front actually follows a slightly different angle (C)... This is the actual line I should have been using. However, what you DON'T want to do is this (continue the line of the back straight across to the front). This results in a waistline which is just below the bust (and thus clearly wrong). This is because the waistline and centre front should still be perpendicular (at right angles) but by tracing a line straight across you end up with a front angle which is much too acute and therefore too high. Instead you have to treat each bodice piece separately. So using the centre front a guide, draw a perpendicular line just as far as the side seam. Okay, now it's time to divide the skirt into sections. As with before you follow the waistline (Point A to the side seam and then from the side seam to point C), and make perpendicular lines down to the edge of the bodice....in this case I'm dividing the bodice into 2" wide sections. The only slightly tricky bit is at the side seam where the angle changes slightly... to get around this I measured to the side seam (about 1.5") and then continued on the other side (0.5") so that the total measures 2". So far this has solved my leveling problem, but I can't guarantee it will work in all circumstances (say, perhaps with more extreme angles). When you go back and compare line B and C you can see that the difference (D) accounts for the extra 2" I took out of the skirt at the waistline, which resulted in my original skirt being too short in the front Luckily the excess was just folded back rather than cut away, so I was able to take the skirt apart and re-level it using this method. Anyway, that's the fix! You can now reference back to that earlier post for the rest of the skirt pleating and attachment process... So having figured all that out the skirt is cartridge pleated to the edge of the bodice...properly this time. Because the seams are more obvious in this light colour there is no seam down the centre front, instead a 8" slit is made in the fabric. A thread bar is worked at the bottom of the slit to relieve strain at the bottom of the point and to keep it from tearing. Finally, the skirt is guarded with 2 rows of linen bias tape. The top is double the width of the bodice trim at 1.5" and the bottom is slightly wider at 2". Both are attached by hand with a fell stitch. And that's it! Kirtle done, brown fitted gown is next! (probably...) Final thoughts: I couldn't be happier with the overall fit of the bodice! The wool is very forgiving and completely hides the boning channels, creating a really smooth, even line through the torso. With any luck it will prove to be a very handy foundation garment and one that I can easily (and happily) wear on its own during warmer weather...I'm very glad it isn't still languishing in my fabric stash, despite all my earlier misgivings! As a dear friend often says "Done is beautiful!" *** *** Resources & Materials Pattern: -The Tudor Tailor (book and/or ready-made pattern) Fabric: -Dove Beige Cashmere/Wool from Mood Fabrics -Grey "Judy" linen (5.5oz) Gray Line Linen -Hemp/Cotton twill (10.5oz) and Hemp/Cotton "suede" (10.5oz) from Hemp Traders -Muslin for mockup (also from Hemp Traders, but any muslin should do) Thread & Lacing: -Brown silk thread (for channels and seams) -Grey silk buttonhole thread (for eyelets) -Grey silk thread -Linen tape (1/4" for lacing) from WM Booth Draper Boning: -7mm Plastic coated spring steel bones (4) from Vena Cava Design -5mm Synthetic whalebone also from Vena Cava Design Other Supplies: -Swedish pattern paper from Amazon. (This stuff is great! You can iron it!) -Pattern weights -Purple vanishing fabric marker -Blue washable fabric marker -Tapered tailor's awl -Eyelet tape (for mockup) -Small bulldog clips

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Rare Examples of Extant 17th Century Clothing For most of us, paintings are as close as we get to seeing what 17th century fashion was like. They’re a wonderful medium, but like fashion magaz…

Déjà vu? It’s a well-known fact that fashions work in cycles. Sometimes the cycle is obvious, like the current resurgence of 1950s and 1960s fashion or the 1970s love of reinterpreting Renais…

The exquisite tomb of Lady Elizabeth Carey (d.1630, also known as Lady Danby by a previous marriage) by Nicholas Stone, one of the very best sculptors of funerary monuments and among the earliest effigies to show a realistic likeness of the deceased. The white marble effigy was carved in 1617-20, a few years before the death of the subject, who is believed to have posed for the artist, resulting in one of the finest, most delicate monuments in the country. Church Stowe is often referred to by the parish name of Stowe Nine Churches covering both villages of Church and Upper Stowe. It sits in a delightfully rural hilltop location commanding views over the surrounding countryside to the north and west. The building is an ancient one for much of the stonework in the west tower is Anglo Saxon, though the later alterations and rendering make this less obvious from the outside. The rest of the church underwent heavy restoration during the Victorian period which is far more apparent inside. Within the Victorian work is more obvious (as is the Saxon doorway into the tower) and the space is a little austere. However there is still much to enjoy here as the real treasure of this church is the superb group of monuments located in the chancel. Two effigies flank the sanctuary, to the north an early medieval knight (who was clearly rather tall) but to the right is the exquisite tomb of Lady Carey in white marble, a masterpiece of sculpture by Nicholas Stone and one of the earliest funerary effigies to bear a real portrait of the deceased. In the north chapel a further monument in the form of a huge Baroque tablet draws the eye. St Michael's is normally kept open and welcoming to visitors and well worth the hill climb to see it. www.crsbi.ac.uk/site/778/

Woman's partlet of linen, 1615-25, British, embroidered with coloured silks, silver-gilt thread

Pin, English, 1620-35

Different types of embroidery are known in the history of every single civilization. It seems that people liked to create beautiful personal adornments almost since the beginning of time. Cutwork is one of the newest styles of embroidery, and the first known examples come from medieval times.

I have a little treat for you today, at least if you like embroidery. My friend Caroline is an intern at the museum Livrustkammaren right now and she, lucky girl, gets to handle things and also take photos of them. When I saw the gorgeous pictures I asked her to guest blog here, but she declined and said I could post them anyway. All the photos you see her are hers, though and I think you should pop over to her DevinatArt page. She is a very talented seamstress! Gloves, thought to have belonged to Maria Eleonora, Gustaf II Adolf’s queen, dated 1620-1632. Made in golden brown goat skin. The collar is stiffened and covered with brown and purple silk. Embroidered with goldwork, red and white silk, spangles, pearls and gold lace. I don’t know much about these gloves, but they are to be exhibited with the ones above, so probably date to the same period. Multi-coloured silk embroidery and goldwork. The oddly modern looking red and white thing is something that decorated a horse at a tournament. I haven’t the slightest idea what to call it. Anyway, it is made of white taffeta with appliqués in silk, with some additional gold and silverwork. The fringed is made of silver and brown silk and it is lined with black linen. The colours are Maria Eleonora’s and it was made for her wedding to Gustaf II Adolf in 1620. It was made by the court tailor Baltzar Dinet and a man called Anders Pärlstickare (Pearl-stitcher). I don’t know why there are French lilies on it; Maria Eleonora was a German princess. A never finished jacket in chamois leather, embroidered with brown silk and unspun blue silk. I think it’s a men’s jacket that was meant for Gustaf II Adolf.

No doubt some kind of informal wear has been around for a very long time, but as people opted to be portrayed in their finest clothes, they are seldom seen until around 1600. Then the English ladies started a trend to be shown in their more relaxed clothes, a jacket or waistcoat, with or without a matching petticoat. The clothes weren’t exactly simple, bot portraits and extant examples show lavish embroideries, silk, silverwork and spangles, but comparing to the formal fashion, these clothes were much simpler. They could be worn on their own, or with a loose gown over, paired with what kind of cuffs and collars that was fashionable. Linen jacket embrodered with black wool, dated 1610-1620 and skirt in fustian dated 1621-1640. They are abundant in portraits the first two decades of the 17th century, and then their popularity seem to have waned in the 1630's. Perhaps because the more formal fashion became simpler, the waistcoats from the 1620’s are cut in a way that points toward the jacket-like bodices of the 1630’s. The waistcoats could be either form-fitting or loose, the latter probably maternal wear. The embroidered linen jackets, either monochromes or in colour, seems to have been an English fashion, but there are several knitted waistcoats preserved as well, and they have also been found in Scandinavia. Given the climate in Sweden I think I would prefer knitted silk to linen, so perhaps that is no surprise I wish that the portrait of Lady Elizabth Howard was larger, but her jacket and petticoat looks very much like the extant example above. Lady Elizabeth Howard, Countess of Banbury by Daniel Mytens, 1619 Lady Anne Porter dressed in a similar way. Linen jacket embrodered with black silk and metal thread, 1610-1620 Linen jacket embroidered with black silk, 1600-1625 Linen jacket embroidered with silk, 1620-1625 Unfortunately there are no colour photos of this pink silk jacket. Waistcoat in pink taffeta embroidered with blue silk and spangles, 1610-1620 The following two portraits may not depict embroidred clothes, but patterned fabric, but then they also portrays the transitional fashion of the 1620's with a waist that is rising from its natural place and a more relaxed fashion in general. Lady Anne Montagu by Daniel Mytens, 1626 Cecilia Nevill, by Robert Peake, ca. 1617 Linen jacket embroidered with silverwork, 1610-1615 This coif has the same mebroidery as the jacket above. Linen coif and forehard cloth embroiedered with silverwork, 1610-1615 Two late examples from the 1630's. Fustoan jacket embrodered with silverwork and spangles, 1630's Linen bodice embroidered with silverwork and spangles, 1625-1640 Linen jacket embroidered in silk and silver, 1590-1630 Silk jacket, embroidered with silk, 1600-1625 The Layton jacket in linen, embroidered with silk and silver, 1610-1615 Margaret Layton, wearing the jacket shown above, by Marcus Gheeraerts, ca. 1620 Linen jacket embroidered with silk, 1610-1620  Portrait of a lady, thought to be Elizabeth of Bohhemia, circle of William Larkin Traditionally called Dorothy Cary, later Viscountess Rochford by William Larkin, 1614-1618 Amy Seymour by a follower of Robert Peake, 1623 Linen jacket embroidered with silk and silver, 1600-1625 Unknown woman by Roman Way, ca. 1605 Portrait of a young woman, ca. 1610 Anne Hawtrey by a follower of Robert Peake  Portrait of a lady by Marcus Gheeraerts the younger, 1615-1618 The Countess of Shirley by William Larkin Undated, but the hairstyle suggest 1620 or thereabout. Linen jacket striped with silver, 1605-1620 Knitted waistcoat, 1650-1700 Knitted silk waistcoat Knitted silk jacket, 17th century Knitted silk jacket, 1600-1620 Knitted in silk, last half of the 17th century Knitted waistcoat silk and silver-gilt wrapped silk, and lined with linen, 1630-1700 Jacket knitted in silk, 1600-1625 Another knitted silk jacket.

Painted c. 1620.

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Author Adrienne Dillard, who has done extensive research on Lettice's family, the Careys and Knollys, has written this excellent bio of Lettice. Thank you so much to Adrienne. Per Francis Knollys' Latin Dictionary entry,* Lettice Knollys was born in 1543 on the Tuesday present after All Hallows' Day, or November 8, 1543, most likely at the Knollys' family home at Rotherfield Greys in Oxfordshire. Lettice's brilliant red hair and pale complexion may have come from her close connections to the royal family. Her mother, Catherine Carey, was Anne Boleyn's niece and Elizabeth I's cousin. Some historians have debated whether Catherine was the product of Mary Boleyn's affair with King Henry VIII, but it has never been proven and rests only on circumstantial evidence. Lettice was the third child and second daughter born out of a possible sixteen, but more likely fourteen, children born to Catherine and Francis.

William Larkin is not a name that registers immediately as that of a famous painter - there are many who are much better known to us. But...