All the pieces!

Waistcoat madness continues.

One of the most interesting portraitures I have found is of Sir Henry Unton's Narrative from 1596. It shows some women at a Masq at his house.

For more information I reccomend reading Medival clothing and textiles book 2 on elizabethan waistcoat, it is the last chapter and is quite good. Just chock full of information.

Near the right hand corner you can what looks like to be a feast of some sort going on, Its actually a masquerade
"The scenes in the centre of the right-hand side of the composition show Unton’s life at Wadley House; he is depicted sitting in his study, making music, and presiding over a banquet while a masque of Mercury and Diana is performed "

 You can see near the center left hand side of Lady dressed in her masq costume, which is complete with embroidered waistcoat and skirt, her hair is down, and most assuredly perfomers are following them around.

In England Masques were held in defiance of the stuarts rule during Queen Elizabeth's the 1st reign. Each lord and lady would be given a part, but it was taboo for them to actually act, so the players acted for them and the lords and ladies dressed up, as part of their part.  A bit confusing; but over all it makes sense.

However in my long journey I often look at the Margaret Layton portrait and wonder at it, because obviously she isn't wearing it for a masq, but in a rather informal setting; but neither was the waistcoat and design considered courtly garments either. So I am scratching my head at this. I am sure in a year, I will have two theories, one is cemented the other is still a mystery.

So without further ado, I have inked out the rest of the waistcoat panels, and have them dressed and ready for the slate frame when I get ready to work on them. After this right front panel is finished. I will be more than 50% of the way through this project.

Also Note, I have ordered this from the SCA stock clerk. It was written last year by Aimee Kratts.

 

Here is the summary.   " A monograph for costume historians and historical re-enactors. Author abstract: “Images of English embroidered jackets are available online and in print, but to date no one has published a comparative study of these jackets or a reference book of the shapes.  In this document, I have gathered information about twenty-five late sixteenth/early seventeenth century jackets and jacket fragments to compare the shapes, embroidery patterns and construction details.” Illus with b/w photos & line drawings. Bibliog, list of reference portraits, notes. 58pp, perfect bound. SCA"

 I cannot wait to dive into this new information and read up on it. Finding information and good portraits and paintings is like gold with this project. Each piece I seem to find is like a large puzzle, and sometimes a huge mystery awaiting to be discovered.

 Right front panel - In progress.

 Left front panel finished.

 Back panel finished - Needing some minor rewording for the back gusset.

 All the small pieces, this will most likely be the quickest embroidered pieces that I will ever do. Includes, the collar, sleeve cuffs, gussets and wings.

 Right Sleeve Panel - Marked with an R up at the top. For easy indentification

Left Sleeve Panel.

The sleeves will most likely take the longest, as they are some of the largest pieces of embroidery to this entire project.


Until then,

Happy Embroidery.
Heather

Polychrome Waistcoat - Left front panel finished and more Progress shots

Finishing the left front panel!
Hey I finished that panel in February 2014 YAY!
A spool and half of gold thread and 8 grams of Spangles.

.

And now I have started the Right front panel, Almost all of the multicolored silk work is nearly done. I'm working on all of the greenery right now and making MASSIVE amounts of notes, and a few adjustments here and there.

Meanwhile, I am sorting through and acquiring more research for the documentation that surely has grown a life of its own by now. So MANY tidbits and sifting through is like a taking a sugar shaker and sifting through it.

Surely I would like to do a style timeline, because waistcoats shapes and designs have changed over a few very short years believe it or not; and silk woman still makes me scratch my head as I am almost sure, that there is a connection. But I am still debating on it, actually. I really want this project perfect, when I am done with it. I want to be 100% happy with what I am making.

I understand no one is a more harsher critic than yourself. That's totally true.

So what I have been doing lately? Besides stitching and listening to ALOT of audio books, and Marathons of Game of Thrones.

Ive stopped and taken a few costuming commissions, and then researching my waistcoat. However Ive gotten a bug, and decided to draw out and ink in the rest of the pieces of this waistcoat. Which will save me time later. If I am going to push myself and finish this project this year, It's a good idea.

However, I've messed up a bit and thought to do all the smaller pieces on one panel, which would make sense, then forgot that I had to have 5 small gores, and thus I lost space. So I need to redo that panel. I did however, draw and inked out both sets of sleeves. I rechecked them about six times to make sure I have room for the sleeve allowances, and to make sure I am embroidering the right sides without freaking out, and embroidering the wrong side, only to find out too little to late.

I'm a little paranoid that way, SUCH a large project, and the LAST thing I want to do is to think I have finished the sleeves and find out that I didn't and did the wrong side. How depressing would that be?

Left sleeve, You can see that I accidently drew outside the pattern line, but I can fix that when I sew it together. The lines will be covered with Plaited Braid stitch. So its not that big of a flub. At the very top, I marked, L and R. To define which sleeve is which, in case people ask me about it.

Both sleeves inked out.

I'll update the blog a bit later, with the final panel of the smaller pieces. In total, it will be six panels. But these sleeves are HUGE. In hindsight, I should have done those first, instead of the back. But It always seems when one is learning to do something, it seems to me. I do them backwards. But still, this is a wonderful learning project; and I am utterly and very proud of myself with sticking with this project.


Until then, Happy Embroidering.

Heather