I would think variation in thread colours is period accurate. One would likely attempt to have enough material/thread from the same dye lot - but for a common person making a garment that is not meant to be their “best” outer garment I expect you use what you have and can get, mistakes will happen, and estimates will be off. As for salvaging thread from the material... I’m betting it’s related to the issue Abby Cox explains with modern linen vs the linen available in the author’s time. :( oh well. At least we can afford fabric to do these things.
That’s amazing that you drafted the pattern yourself AND hand-sewed the whole thing! It turned out beautifully. And I thought your buttonholes looked lovely :)
I’m a terrible hand sewer but my one thing is baste... I followed the Burney and Trowbridge sew alongs and the big thing I learned is to baste, baste everything. Abby Cox also said baste everything. I haven’t bitten the bullet to make a kirtle yet, it’s on my want to do list... I know this is an old video really in modern times. I am babbling inanely. But I saw this video, I too have watched Elin, and, Morgan. I must come back and rewatch the button tutorial some more. It is a beautiful piece.
Currently paused on my own kirtle first mock up, I am quite chesty and so I want the supportive aspect and trying to do the first fitting on myself was so not working. (I tried to explain to my live in sister how to help me with the fitting but I’ve never fit anything on myself or another and sewing isn’t her jam and she refused to accept that she might pin me and that would just have to be fine...so in the end not really anyone to help, although she will probably be willing to pin up a hem...) anyways I paused to get a bootstrap dress form started up so I can hopefully get closer when next I tackle it. My point is thank you for one more bit of realistic inspiration, I particularly enjoyed the “I did this labor intensive task for a while and then took a break” and “helpfully seem ripped the wrong seem”
Y. Of course Y. I can't think of a single reason why one shouldn't accept a refreshing/tasty-looking beverage from the friendly neighborhood witch. Beautiful kirtle!
Lovely video and well done. I think a kirtle is a real achievement of historical sewing. I like your method of achieving the fit of bodice and sleeve. That's how I've done it, and I'm a trained pattern maker. I would rather drape and sew 6 mock ups than attempt to draft a flat pattern for a kirtle! It is my belief that in the medieval period they did indeed drape on the body (with the final fabric) wherever possible (tight kirtles would have been a garment more associated with more affluent people), using the aid of another person. A looser fitting garment could perhaps have been bought 'off the peg', made to a standard size and shape, similar to today.
"I have no idea how that happened" sounds like the daily mantra for me and my co-worker ... LOL Love the video, though!! We learn better from mistakes than perfection, as my Freshman Writing instructor taught us. Rather than bringing in published works to show us what Editors are looking for, she brought in the drafts that had been rejected so we could read the comments and suggestions ourselves!
I'm going to make myself a lot of modernized kirtles in different materials for layering. I will be moving up north permanently and having some stomach surgeries and dresses are so much more comfy than pants. I have a hand crank vintage sewing machine with me for the interim while waiting to move. I'm not sure I want to hand sew everything heehee
Cheesus! The Merida inpersonation at 14:16 nearly gave me a heart attack! It looked waaay too cool! I'm so jelly 😩 One would think that snappy in a green dress would at some point look like Merida but I was still taken by surprise! I hope she doesn't get mad at me for saying this (I imagine she gets it a lot). But she really makes me want to screenshot her and stare for hours...
Fun! Turned out pretty cute! Most of the time when patterning something new it can take a few goes before getting everything perfect. So I think you did well as this was your first sew through of this dress pattern.
I like kirtles. Medieval enough to be good for an event, but still something I wouldn't feel self-conscious in running errands. It's merely a somewhat plain dress. Especially without a headdress.
I have found that you can get away with only having white, black, and a couple of shades of grey thread. For the most part it will not show. If anyone is looking close enough to see that the thread doesn't match, they owe you dinner.
Yep. Especially if your thread stash includes a variety of warm and cool greys. I added darts to my partner's burnt orange corduroy skirt and was able to use a fairly dark, warm grey and it didn't show. Likewise, I altered a deep sapphire blue velvet jumpsuit with a dark cool grey thread. Especially if your stitching is very even (I always hand sew because sewing machines make me nervous) and you're always using hidden stitches, you don't really need the thread to match perfectly. The seams have a little bit of a shadow so I normally match my thread to the color of that shadow rather than the fabric itself.
I'm starting a capsule wardrobe for this time period. It's going to be my daily wear especially for winter time. I'm going to modify them for my modern use though. (Like a leather purse with a cell phone holder and modifications like that for good usage).
Thank you! I think pattern-drafting can be a lot easier than I make it, if you have the proper equipment (a dress form, and/or a person to help you fit). If you want to get your feet wet, try drafting something like a shift or smock!
way way after the fact here but for future projects, a pro tip for linen and other fabric that really doesn't like to hold still so you can cut it on grain nicely: after you prewash, dip it in liquid starch. hang to dry and iron. it will make it behave far better and washes right out
Omg I did all the things wrong that you did!! Lol I used the same sources and was like yeah I'll make the more complicated thing as my first major project. It's hella fitted and works well as an underdress but I think I need to add some piecing into the sides at some point
Thank you! Yeah, strange fit problems just seems to be part of the process? I read somewhere that Medieval clothes look simple but in order to function, they had to fit much more precisely than anything we wear today.
For anyone who is discouraged by this video to use linnen thread salvaged from your linnen fabric: You CAN do that. As long as you stick to the thread at the weaving selvedge (that is the one uncut side of the fabric that is woven differently than the rest of the fabric and hence also stretches differently over time, so it is very recommended to not use it and cut it off instead. For some printed fabrics it is easily recognizable by being not printed). That thread is much more even and stronger, due to how it was treated during the weaving process. As for the thread from the rest of the woven fabric: You can actually use it too, when you twist 2 or more of those threads together carefully in a wet state, but only when you keep them rather short and work very carefully. I would not recommend, as the salvage gives you enough thread to sew a complete dress with backstitch, including cleaning up all your raw edges, at least twice.
love it! never questions sleeves!! it is pure magic when the come out right :D i think wool for a kirtle would be a) more historical and b) easier bcs it is a bit stretchy and that makes fitting it tightly easier. but i think yours turned out really beautifully!
@@dianesawyerdooley4424 yes, layer closest to the skin should always be linen, but this dress goes over a shift. and exactly, linen relaxed with your body warmth which is not ideal for a tight fitted look, that V was going for. my point was, that it is easier to make tight fitting garmets from stretchier fabric, like wool. Linen is not stretchy, it "relaxes" which is not the same thing.
Having looked at the dresses in the Luttrell psalter, and read the CrowsEye blog, I am wondering about the scapular like garments worn over the loose own underneath the apron. Do you know anything about the item I am talking about. I admit to liking this era because the gowns aren't fitted tightly yet so are easy to make and comfortable to wear. I do like your kurtle, especially the colour, but fitted garb doesn't suit my figure. I also hand stitch my clothing, very relaxing.
Upon a quick google search, they look like surcotes? But less stylized than the high-fashion sideless surcotes of the period. Glad you liked the video!
Shall continue to see the overgarment as if it's a modern scapular then, which is certainly how they appear in the Luttrell Psalter. I find that they not I only keep the garment/dress be n each cleaner but as I try to ma l e plain dresses and pattened surcoats or scapulas it is East to make many different outfits from a few items. Many thanks and I look forward to seeing more videos from you.
Depends on whom you are referring to as "they". While the 14th century is 'only' 100 years long, there have been different kinds of customs to wearing veils all over Europe. Or within a country, actually, depending on your social standing. It could even depend on your age, marriage status and/or closeness of your family to the (catholic) church. Face veils did exist, and they were worn, but by FAR not by every woman.
Oh no, I missed your comment somehow! Recent favorites have been the new Emma, the 2018 PBS Little Women, and Penny Dreadful specifically for some really great historical detail in the costuming.
Oh I know this one! [ANSWER REDACTED TO PRESERVE MYSTERY] /14th c geekery (also yes I'd totally drink your witch's brew!) (also also, your kirtle looks fantastic!)
SnappyDragon Fun fact: the place I first learned this story was a book I read in grade school called Quest For A Maid. The geekery goes back a lonnnnng way.
Blaming all disease spread on the religious...that's...problematic. I realize this is a friend-of-a-friend, but considering your close ties to your Jewish heritage I'm surprised. Edit: I hope you realize this is said in love. 🥺 I'm not trying to hurt feelings, but let me know if I do!
There's a video on that coming soon! Short version is, I tied a "fillet" (linen band) around like a headband, folded one edge of the veil under, and pinned it with straight pins. I was absolutely mystified by this too until I tried it. Yes, I was expecting the Brave comments . . . I almost made this dress in *any other color* to avoid them, before remembering that people call me Merida 'cause of my hair even though I'm not really into Disney. Glad you liked it, though!
I would think variation in thread colours is period accurate. One would likely attempt to have enough material/thread from the same dye lot - but for a common person making a garment that is not meant to be their “best” outer garment I expect you use what you have and can get, mistakes will happen, and estimates will be off.
As for salvaging thread from the material... I’m betting it’s related to the issue Abby Cox explains with modern linen vs the linen available in the author’s time. :( oh well. At least we can afford fabric to do these things.
Thank you so much for sharing this cool video AND for including real captions so that D/deaf people can enjoy it too!
That’s amazing that you drafted the pattern yourself AND hand-sewed the whole thing! It turned out beautifully. And I thought your buttonholes looked lovely :)
Aww that's so sweet! Thank you
I’m a terrible hand sewer but my one thing is baste... I followed the Burney and Trowbridge sew alongs and the big thing I learned is to baste, baste everything. Abby Cox also said baste everything. I haven’t bitten the bullet to make a kirtle yet, it’s on my want to do list... I know this is an old video really in modern times. I am babbling inanely. But I saw this video, I too have watched Elin, and, Morgan. I must come back and rewatch the button tutorial some more. It is a beautiful piece.
I came here to say this! Basting in and then coming back in and sewing the pieces in can do wonders!
Ahhh you look amazing in this look!!!!
I love your buttons. The first flat part is called a yoyo, its used in all kinds of sewing and craft projects.
Currently paused on my own kirtle first mock up, I am quite chesty and so I want the supportive aspect and trying to do the first fitting on myself was so not working. (I tried to explain to my live in sister how to help me with the fitting but I’ve never fit anything on myself or another and sewing isn’t her jam and she refused to accept that she might pin me and that would just have to be fine...so in the end not really anyone to help, although she will probably be willing to pin up a hem...) anyways I paused to get a bootstrap dress form started up so I can hopefully get closer when next I tackle it.
My point is thank you for one more bit of realistic inspiration, I particularly enjoyed the “I did this labor intensive task for a while and then took a break” and “helpfully seem ripped the wrong seem”
I also like the thumb nail, everything need a mock up
Y. Of course Y. I can't think of a single reason why one shouldn't accept a refreshing/tasty-looking beverage from the friendly neighborhood witch.
Beautiful kirtle!
Good job. Anything looks good on you!
I'm lucky enough to know Tasha from la côte simple so I got a customised pattern for my asymmetrical body! Yours turned out so pretty!
Lovely video and well done. I think a kirtle is a real achievement of historical sewing.
I like your method of achieving the fit of bodice and sleeve. That's how I've done it, and I'm a trained pattern maker. I would rather drape and sew 6 mock ups than attempt to draft a flat pattern for a kirtle!
It is my belief that in the medieval period they did indeed drape on the body (with the final fabric) wherever possible (tight kirtles would have been a garment more associated with more affluent people), using the aid of another person. A looser fitting garment could perhaps have been bought 'off the peg', made to a standard size and shape, similar to today.
"I have no idea how that happened" sounds like the daily mantra for me and my co-worker ... LOL Love the video, though!! We learn better from mistakes than perfection, as my Freshman Writing instructor taught us. Rather than bringing in published works to show us what Editors are looking for, she brought in the drafts that had been rejected so we could read the comments and suggestions ourselves!
The cloth buttons are so cute!!! They look like little peas!
I'm going to make myself a lot of modernized kirtles in different materials for layering. I will be moving up north permanently and having some stomach surgeries and dresses are so much more comfy than pants. I have a hand crank vintage sewing machine with me for the interim while waiting to move. I'm not sure I want to hand sew everything heehee
Cheesus! The Merida inpersonation at 14:16 nearly gave me a heart attack! It looked waaay too cool! I'm so jelly 😩
One would think that snappy in a green dress would at some point look like Merida but I was still taken by surprise!
I hope she doesn't get mad at me for saying this (I imagine she gets it a lot). But she really makes me want to screenshot her and stare for hours...
Fun! Turned out pretty cute! Most of the time when patterning something new it can take a few goes before getting everything perfect. So I think you did well as this was your first sew through of this dress pattern.
I like kirtles. Medieval enough to be good for an event, but still something I wouldn't feel self-conscious in running errands. It's merely a somewhat plain dress. Especially without a headdress.
I have found that you can get away with only having white, black, and a couple of shades of grey thread. For the most part it will not show. If anyone is looking close enough to see that the thread doesn't match, they owe you dinner.
Yep. Especially if your thread stash includes a variety of warm and cool greys. I added darts to my partner's burnt orange corduroy skirt and was able to use a fairly dark, warm grey and it didn't show. Likewise, I altered a deep sapphire blue velvet jumpsuit with a dark cool grey thread. Especially if your stitching is very even (I always hand sew because sewing machines make me nervous) and you're always using hidden stitches, you don't really need the thread to match perfectly. The seams have a little bit of a shadow so I normally match my thread to the color of that shadow rather than the fabric itself.
I'm starting a capsule wardrobe for this time period. It's going to be my daily wear especially for winter time. I'm going to modify them for my modern use though. (Like a leather purse with a cell phone holder and modifications like that for good usage).
Really lovely dress. Hope you are keeping well in isolation. The mask is a nice touch :-)
Thanks, you as well! The masks are required where I live and it's a busy neighborhood, so I wear one anytime I leave my building.
SnappyDragon thank you! Seems like a good idea. I though it went quite well to be honest. Really enjoyed the video chat and going to sub
Well done, it's really cute. I'm not up to pattern drafting yet, maybe in a year or two.
Thank you! I think pattern-drafting can be a lot easier than I make it, if you have the proper equipment (a dress form, and/or a person to help you fit). If you want to get your feet wet, try drafting something like a shift or smock!
They really loved their buttons
way way after the fact here but for future projects, a pro tip for linen and other fabric that really doesn't like to hold still so you can cut it on grain nicely: after you prewash, dip it in liquid starch. hang to dry and iron. it will make it behave far better and washes right out
I love you so much I was just thinking about making a 14th century dress and there you are. hOw aRe yOu rEaDiNg mY mInD
the even funnier part is you made a 1780s inspired dress right before (the same decade I really like)
Omg I did all the things wrong that you did!! Lol I used the same sources and was like yeah I'll make the more complicated thing as my first major project. It's hella fitted and works well as an underdress but I think I need to add some piecing into the sides at some point
Looks great!! I tried a mock up out of an old bedsheet and ran into so many strange fit problems lol!
Thank you! Yeah, strange fit problems just seems to be part of the process? I read somewhere that Medieval clothes look simple but in order to function, they had to fit much more precisely than anything we wear today.
It's my dream to sew such dress, and I have never done anything like that... And now I'm kinda truly considering trying
For anyone who is discouraged by this video to use linnen thread salvaged from your linnen fabric: You CAN do that. As long as you stick to the thread at the weaving selvedge (that is the one uncut side of the fabric that is woven differently than the rest of the fabric and hence also stretches differently over time, so it is very recommended to not use it and cut it off instead. For some printed fabrics it is easily recognizable by being not printed). That thread is much more even and stronger, due to how it was treated during the weaving process.
As for the thread from the rest of the woven fabric: You can actually use it too, when you twist 2 or more of those threads together carefully in a wet state, but only when you keep them rather short and work very carefully. I would not recommend, as the salvage gives you enough thread to sew a complete dress with backstitch, including cleaning up all your raw edges, at least twice.
Love it!
the self fabric buttons take aeons... I also do mine like you do.
love it! never questions sleeves!! it is pure magic when the come out right :D
i think wool for a kirtle would be a) more historical and b) easier bcs it is a bit stretchy and that makes fitting it tightly easier. but i think yours turned out really beautifully!
Linen actually relaxes A LOT as it warms to your body over the course of a day. And you’d still want linen next to your skin anyway
@@dianesawyerdooley4424 yes, layer closest to the skin should always be linen, but this dress goes over a shift. and exactly, linen relaxed with your body warmth which is not ideal for a tight fitted look, that V was going for. my point was, that it is easier to make tight fitting garmets from stretchier fabric, like wool. Linen is not stretchy, it "relaxes" which is not the same thing.
How do you dye your hair?
(Love the video) i have a strange want to constantly wear old pinafores
I believe the word you are looking for in the sewing of the buttons, is yoyo. Larger sizes are frequently used in quilt making.
Thanks about buttons!
Having looked at the dresses in the Luttrell psalter, and read the CrowsEye blog, I am wondering about the scapular like garments worn over the loose own underneath the apron. Do you know anything about the item I am talking about. I admit to liking this era because the gowns aren't fitted tightly yet so are easy to make and comfortable to wear. I do like your kurtle, especially the colour, but fitted garb doesn't suit my figure. I also hand stitch my clothing, very relaxing.
Upon a quick google search, they look like surcotes? But less stylized than the high-fashion sideless surcotes of the period. Glad you liked the video!
Shall continue to see the overgarment as if it's a modern scapular then, which is certainly how they appear in the Luttrell Psalter. I find that they not I only keep the garment/dress be n each cleaner but as I try to ma l e plain dresses and pattened surcoats or scapulas it is East to make many different outfits from a few items. Many thanks and I look forward to seeing more videos from you.
They had a face veil, too, I thought.
Depends on whom you are referring to as "they". While the 14th century is 'only' 100 years long, there have been different kinds of customs to wearing veils all over Europe. Or within a country, actually, depending on your social standing. It could even depend on your age, marriage status and/or closeness of your family to the (catholic) church. Face veils did exist, and they were worn, but by FAR not by every woman.
What are your favorite historical dramas/romances? I need more inspiration!!
Oh no, I missed your comment somehow! Recent favorites have been the new Emma, the 2018 PBS Little Women, and Penny Dreadful specifically for some really great historical detail in the costuming.
Oh I know this one! [ANSWER REDACTED TO PRESERVE MYSTERY] /14th c geekery
(also yes I'd totally drink your witch's brew!)
(also also, your kirtle looks fantastic!)
D: I was trying to keep it out of the comments . . .
(but of course you are right.)
I think the lemonade recipe is on my IG?
@@SnappyDragon Oh no! I misunderstood; I thought you were wanting us to guess in the comments. I'll go edit!
No worries! I'm fully aware how niche my music taste is, I doubt you *actually* spoiled it for anyone
SnappyDragon Fun fact: the place I first learned this story was a book I read in grade school called Quest For A Maid. The geekery goes back a lonnnnng way.
Lucky! I was not trained in my geekery.
Try to baste it together first!
Shame about the shitty distracting music
Blaming all disease spread on the religious...that's...problematic. I realize this is a friend-of-a-friend, but considering your close ties to your Jewish heritage I'm surprised.
Edit: I hope you realize this is said in love. 🥺 I'm not trying to hurt feelings, but let me know if I do!
How the heck did you pin your veil/cap thing? Also seeing you walk around in the kirtle is giving me major Brave vibes lol
There's a video on that coming soon! Short version is, I tied a "fillet" (linen band) around like a headband, folded one edge of the veil under, and pinned it with straight pins. I was absolutely mystified by this too until I tried it.
Yes, I was expecting the Brave comments . . . I almost made this dress in *any other color* to avoid them, before remembering that people call me Merida 'cause of my hair even though I'm not really into Disney. Glad you liked it, though!
Yesss, it’s so well-done!