I’ll be using the Period Pattern no. 46, view V for this. At first I planned on using a different gown pattern, but the fabrics I have lend to this more flowing style. I began my planning and mockup construction on June 11, 2022.
Pattern selection.
Fabric Choices. Russet for the gown, Gold for the accents, Patterned for the Plastron. Both of the linens are from fabric-store.com.
An image of a friend’s gown I used as reference as well.
First thing I did was cut out and iron all of the pattern pieces. I then transferred them to pattern paper including all markings.
After washing and ironing, I cut out my muslin pieces to begin construction.
I went through a couple of tests, initially using the pattern exactly to see what needed to be changed. I decided to alter the back pattern block to take in about 2” from the neck to follow the natural curve of my upper back.
Sleeve planning. I ended up scrapping this idea, but I might revisit it.
Testing whipstitching to install a curve into the fabric. It’s super effective!
The curve holds!
Pinned the plastron to see the look.
Fit check! So far so good.
Installed the sleeve as dictated by the pattern. Ended up scrapping the idea. Very hard to mount the sleeves with adequate movement for my jobs. Further, it instructed the plastron be installed in the left seam of the bodice. Decided here that wouldn’t happen as there would be no where to install the rings (ft. Rex)
Exactly the amount of fabric I needed for this skirt panel. It NEVER happens this clean.
Mockup pinned together. The skirt confounded me so I decided to create and pleat it first, then pin it in place and attach it. I believe the additional structure will help.
The plastron was the first thing I constructed for the gown because it was definitely the easiest.
Finished Plastron. I installed two layers of duck cloth for added stability, pre-ironing each of my seams to make it as flat as possible. The linen squirmed a little so it’s a breath crooked at the top corner, but that’s okay. It will most likely be stitched down on the inside.
Below is pictured the finished Plastron, Bodice shell, and partially finished lining shell, which is constructed of heavy weight linen.
Backstitching the center-back seam of the bodice. The sides were attached with 1/2” seam allowance rather than the full 1” the pattern dictated for a little more ease under the arm. The seams were backstitched.
Sitting on the porch, whip-stitching the bodice edges to ensure they lay properly.
Watch me whip. My goal was 3-4 weft threads between each stitch.
The pattern dictates that you attach the plastron in the seam of the front left edge of the bodice, but I didn’t like how that looked and there would be no where for the lacing rings to be hidden. So from the mockup phase I chose to make the plastron separate as well as the sleeves, and I will simply attach the plastron later if I so choose. I backstitched all the bodice seams for the most strength, did the same on the lining which was heavy linen (seen above). All seams were pressed flat, the side seams facing backward and the back seams open. The curves were clipped and turned and pressed.
The entire bodice edge was to be whip-stitched into place. I made sure to hold the fabric how I wanted it to lay, so the majority of the stitching occurred on my dress form. I was able to get it to lay very naturally with no additional structure!
All that’s left is to whip the armsceyes
Fit check!
Using banding ribbon I bought from Joann’s, I backstitched it down with waxed thread before installing the lacing rings, starting 1” up from the bottom of the bodice. Those I used a buttonhole stitch with waxed thread doubled over for the most security possible. After putting it on, I have decided I’ll need probably another set of rings above as well. I’ll use hook and eyes to close the bottom of the bodice where it meets the skirt.
The lacing rings I used were from an etsy shop called Avalon Naturals, which had these 1/2” solid lacing rings.
FIT CHECK! I’m so thrilled.
After adding another set of lacing rings
The skirt is a mostly simple process which I didn’t document a ton of, unfortunately. I cut the skirt out, adding 20” to the fullness. I did a running backstitch for the skirt seams, felling the raw edges and ignoring the selvedge. When it was time to pleat, I used 3” of duck cloth to give it some stability at the top, using the selvedge edge to face the bottom so it won’t unravel in my skirt.
For pleating, I marked 1/2” in the duckcloth the entire way around and then an identical set of dots just below it. I did a standard basting stitch to pull all of the stitches together with artificial sinue. Then pulled it taught! It was a time consuming process and I anticipate actually affixing it to the gown evenly will be the longest process so far.
For added stability, I might insert a waistband of duckcloth on the bodice
To attach the skirt to the bodice, I matched the right sides together and just pinned and pinned until it looked right. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to get it to line up properly. But once I had it figured, I pinned the top pleat to the bodice and stitched it down. This left a little bit of the bodice under the pleats, the bottom pleat pressed along the bottom edge of the bodice.
I’d like to go back and finish the inside seam and perhaps stitch the bottom pleats down as well, just for added stability. I would like to definitely go back and re-stitch the top pleats, just to make sure they’re solid. But presently, this means that the bodice edge acts like stabilizing for the skirt and helps distribute the weight of it around my waist.
I did make an error with the artificial sinue, and I tied it off in the wrong place, meaning I had to cut it to make the pleats sit correctly. This will need to be fixed by pulling a length through and tying it off under the skirt.
I then let the skirt hang for 24 hours in the hallway (a spooky sight in the night, I assure you) and I measured and cut the hem. Having the dressform sit at the correct shoulder height for this was imperative, as hems are notoriously difficult for me. I cut it a little short at the front center, draping longer towards the back. Once I had the majority of it cut on the form, I laid it flat and trimmed up any issues on the floor, then put it back on the form. Folded it in twice for a 1/2” hem, and did a running stitch to keep it down!
Here are a couple of fit tests as I got it done just in time to wear to the rennaisance festival!
