1540's Florentine Dress Diary

Inspirations:

This dress is for a new friend whose passion about dressing up and acting silly is along the same lines as myself. Thank you Larkin for letting me share my creativity and allowing me to make your new dress for you :)

First comes the concept art, then the fabrics that will be used and the pattern drafting and other really fun stuff....OH and I'm entering this dress and all of it's components in the IRCC3 Challenge! http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net/challenges/IRCC2013/IRCC3-2013.htm

 

 Finally got the dress dummy form done for my model and patterned out her corset. I think it fits pretty well just pinned on. Tonight, I'll make a couple of alterations, add the lacing strips and have her try it on for real tomorrow. This is a combination of the style of the effigy corset, but with the Dorothea straps for support. This will help me to pattern her bodice for her dress too if it fits well. I'm kind of not liking the front bottom. That's definitely gotta change to make it more 1545-ish.

   

Back view of the corset. I'm very happy with it, not too much bunching in the lower back.

Next will be the bumroll and Camicia.

Finally finished the roped petticoat. Just a couple tweaks and a final fitting and it's considered done.

CORSET UPDATE:

Mr. Mew is graciously flattening out my cable ties for me. Most of them somewhat pre-cut from our first corset attempt. It was getting a bit out of hand so I decided to # each boning piece for each corset piece as 1A, 1B or 1C accordingly. It worked out well because I was very distracted by the Graham Norton marathon I was watching On Demand.

Inside when all fully boned and pieces sewn together. damn pretty. The lining has since been added (it's the gray fabric on the upper right)

And the view from the outside. This is also her dress material. It will have a flat gold trim on the edges when complete and I will be hand sewing the eyelets.