RowanTree Workshop - making medieval

Video update
My first video on the German Renaissance capsule wardrobe has now had over 3k views, and so many positive comments. I am SO happy people have found it good and useful!

The next video will be how to Make Your Own Hatblock, because this is the highest ranking page on my website. I did the script ages ago, and we are in the middle of filming it.

Then I plan one on German noble clothes - but not Cranach(!) and only 3 outfits. First I need to finish off the green silk (interrupted by the current filming), and then repair and enlarge one of my older gowns. Hopefully that won't take too long. (I'll do another on Cranach gowns sometime in the future).

Then a video on drafting and fitting bodices, because I have had a LOT of questions about that. And then maybe sleeves, because I love patterning sleeves :)

There have also been a lot of request for a video on warm weather middle class wardrobe ideas, but a look through my wardrobe shows how very worn out my current versions are! I need to make several things from scratch, which will take a while but needs doing anyway before summer comes around again, so I have something to wear. Time to step resting on my laurels ;) and get on with the list...

And in between, I'll be making things and posting about them, as usual...

Unterrock - pleating the skirt

32 pleats makes it easy to divide the bodice and skirt evenly, and are a nice proportion. I marked the pleat widths on the bodice lining, then pinned on the skirt in quarters. For an outer gown, I'll start with an inverted pleat at centre front to hide the opening (and add a hook and eye) but for an underdress less bulk is good and the split will be hidden by the overlayer.

I worked on each quarter, pinching up pleats and whipping the skirt to the bodice, through both silk and linen linings.

I often use my thumb as a measure for full box pleats, but here I have cheated the top of the skirt - making it smaller than 3x waist, so the greater angle increased the hem length. So I'm dividing the skirt down to match the bodice marks, with slightly smaller pleats.

Once I've whipped the skirt on, I go back for a second pass, squashing the pleats and whipping them down to keep in place. Even if the pleats are not all the same size, it won't show on the outside, so long as my first round matched the bodice marks.

The finished pleats look good - on to the decorative hem!

Unterrock - skirt facing

I've now felled the facing down. picking up just a few threads on each stitch so the stitching is barely visible on the outside, then removed the basting.

The next step is to pleat it onto the bodice...

Unterrock - skirt facing

With the bodice finished, it's back to the skirt...
I'm not lining this, so it needs a facing along the top, so I can pleat it onto the bodice.
I've cut a linen facing to match the curve along the top, pieced it together, then sewn along the top.

I've turned the facing and basted it in place along the top and at the base, ready for felling.