tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-361323222024-02-20T17:52:43.263-06:00A Dressmaker's WorkshopThe dress diaries, research and documentation, and various arts & sciences projects of Catrijn vanden WesthendeCatrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-41561630384010188782022-12-06T09:45:00.003-06:002022-12-06T09:45:25.027-06:00Bara doublet collar Collar fitting Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
Two years ago I said: "I'm learning a lot about late period tailoring, construction and finishing. But there have definitely been some wrinkles. So, I guess, go in with some caution, and if something doesn't seem right to your purposes, you don't have to just trust it."
So yeah! The straight front women's doublet in MMv2 has a collar Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-40851934000802529332021-01-31T21:58:00.003-06:002021-01-31T21:58:28.262-06:00Please do not mind the zombie post Finished late 16th c. Kirtle Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
So, what could get me to write a new post for a dead blog? Did you guess irritation/frustration?
I'm very slowly working on a project to extend my wardrobe into the end of SCA period, around 1580-1600. I'm primarily using M. Gnagy's Modern Maker series (books and videos) for patterning and construction, with portrait Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-55562214038000014512017-08-10T14:30:00.000-05:002017-08-10T14:30:09.161-05:00Secret Project: Intarsia Pillows Two finished pillows Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
This was one of 2016-2017's secret projects - a pair of pillows in sewn intarsia.
This was initially conceived as a no-occasion gift for a dear friend, whose heraldry includes a red mermaid on a white background. The original design featured only the mermaid. However, when she was announced for the SCA's Order of the Pelican, it Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-9873045159158580322017-07-10T10:04:00.000-05:002017-08-10T14:30:25.346-05:00A little something to tie you over "Finished medallion" Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
The secret projects are done! I even have pictures of some of them, I just need to get organized and find some time to write posts. This is a medallion I did for a dear friend - fine silver with cloisonne enamel. The outer wreath is engraved and filled, so it might be considered champleve.
Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-34533906245877579642017-03-24T15:08:00.000-05:002017-03-24T15:08:26.809-05:00Burgundian gown pattern layout Burgundian layout Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
I've been meaning to blog this forever: how I cut my Burgundian gowns. And since I was cutting a new one, I finally have a picture of my layout. Obviously, there's some distortion from creating the panoramic, but you can get the idea. My back panels are cut like a 4-panel supportive kirtle, with flared skirt. Laying them on the Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-11353923815549435222017-01-17T18:37:00.000-06:002017-01-17T18:37:00.282-06:00What was I doing in 2016? Pin smoothed and polished Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
As I alluded to earlier, there were some projects in 2016, despite the lack of blogging!
Sewing: aside from the brick stitch pouch, I made myself some basic, everyday wear. I made two more pirihan for my Persian wear - shirts were by far the limiting factor on how many days I could wear this style. I expanded my male clothingCatrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-1970073612784960652017-01-14T09:57:00.003-06:002017-01-14T09:57:47.411-06:00So this happened... 2017-01-07-2161 Originally uploaded by Verla Herschell.
Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-90873255943169740902017-01-05T11:40:00.002-06:002017-01-05T11:40:53.971-06:00Elsewhere in blog landThere have been some really good resources put out lately, these are a few that I recommend:
Fur primer at Cotte Simple. This overview includes a lot of different fur types, not just vair, ermine and gris, and has great images for examples and recognizing different types.
Women's Headwear 1480-1520 at Clothing the Low Countries. A subject near and dear to my heart!
Overview of 16th Century Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-46173604482416040392016-11-18T09:49:00.002-06:002017-01-05T11:41:10.236-06:00The finished brick stitch purse Finished brick stitch purse Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
Well hello there! Things have been happening, but not making it to the blog. I haven't had any large clothing projects to encourage me to post, and a fair bit of my crafting time has diverted to metalwork and enamel.
The last picture of this was just the embroidery, flat. The next step was lining. I fully backed the Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-7662684978492355492016-02-01T16:39:00.001-06:002016-02-01T16:39:37.830-06:00All the brick stitch So much brick stitch x_x Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-34641328581459414492015-10-02T18:39:00.001-05:002015-10-02T18:39:52.152-05:00September challenge: Brown Persian salwar Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
For the brown challenge, I made a pair of salwar to wear with my 16th c. Persian clothes. They are made of a lightweight, block-printed cotton from India that was originally cream with black, which I then overdyed to brown. The pattern is incredibly simple: two tapered tubes. They're held up by a separate cord or thin belt. The cut is the Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-46174885689206474162015-08-18T09:22:00.000-05:002015-08-18T09:22:06.610-05:00Running to stand stillI have been making things, but none of it has really felt ... blog-worthy? I made a wool hood for myself, very basic. I felted another hat - this one went a lot more smoothly than the first one. Both of those were tied to the HSM July challenge (accessories). The brick stitch pouch is death by a thousand stitches (and then another thousand, and another...). It's halfway through August, and Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-3970746263665178712015-07-22T09:51:00.000-05:002015-07-22T09:51:44.962-05:00Historical Sew Monthly: not going as planned Still too small embroidered pouch Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
I think I'm falling off the HSM wagon. I did make an entry for the June challenge - men's 14th c. braies and hose, but they didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped. Usable, yes, and they look decent (although late in the day I had a *lot* of sag in the hose), but there are definitely things I'll change when I attempt Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-73609772027695260222015-05-28T14:42:00.000-05:002015-05-28T14:42:32.236-05:00Practical sometimes means boring Early period under-tunics Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
Practicality is ... replacing basics that don't fit even when you'd much rather sew something interesting. Since I normally hang out in the 15th century, anything before the mid-14th c. is "early period" to me. I use those eras a lot, though, especially when camping, because they are simple and fairly uncomplicated. My Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-64234648987650143832015-05-05T15:41:00.002-05:002015-05-05T15:41:40.552-05:00Next time: remember to take pictures 2015-04-11-0163 Originally uploaded by Verla Herschell.
I didn't get any pictures of it?
The red 1490s gown is done. It's fabulous, if I do say so myself. And every time I want to post about, I go looking through my photos for which one captures the overall result, and I can't find any. I have no photos of myself wearing this gown. I don't know how that slipped my mind. I guess Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-11435562268356851592015-04-16T19:14:00.001-05:002015-04-16T19:15:09.590-05:00Bonus stashbusting flat cap 2015_04_11-v--00047 Originally uploaded by Vilhelm Lich.
Bonus HSM! Yarn stashbusting! This is my handspun, a 3-ply worsted in roughly DK weight. Hand-dyed with madder. The knitting itself is not too complicated - all stockinette, with increases and decreases, and just a little fiddly joining the brim layers. The hardest part was getting the rate of decrease right so that it sits Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-18038933431680171312015-04-14T10:34:00.001-05:002015-04-14T10:35:38.879-05:00Red dress teaser 2015-04-11-0324 Originally uploaded by Verla Herschell.
I've got a backlog of things to post about - I have actually been working on things, just not blogging about them. Here's a teaser for the now-completed red dress project.
Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-27876223097295905032015-03-07T20:19:00.001-06:002015-03-07T20:19:44.559-06:00Letting the fabric sing
Half-circle cloak Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
Have you ever dug through your stash and found yourself saying "Wow, I forgot I had something this nice"? This fabric is luscious and shouldn't be allowed to sit in the bottom of a storage container any longer. More than 10 years ago, I bought a bundle of remnants of coating wool off ebay, all black but not all the same fabric. 2 Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-44522767479155390402015-02-25T19:45:00.001-06:002015-03-07T20:19:54.794-06:00A blue, blue tunic
14th c. men's tunic Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
Slowly but surely. February's Challenge is Blue, and I had a couple of different stash fabrics to choose from. Most of them are already paired with a planned project, and ultimately the most practical one won out. Very occasionally, I get to participate in equestrian activities, and although I can ride in a dress, there are Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-3856059493844490892015-01-28T11:15:00.000-06:002015-01-28T11:15:31.662-06:00An 18th c. shift
18th c. shift Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
The first finished object of 2015 is a humble shift. January's Challenge is Foundations, and I interpreted that as the thing that comes first, the base layer. After the fact, though, thinking about the inspiration more broadly, I still like my choice. In my experience, correct underwear is one of the things that help me achieve not justCatrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-69753244737803391882015-01-12T12:36:00.001-06:002015-01-12T12:36:50.768-06:00Biting off more than I can chew: Historical Sew Monthly!I perpetually have the problem that my project ideas and ambitions vastly exceed my available time to work on them. This is only exacerbated by the fact that I enjoy planning and starting projects more than finishing them. At the same time, though, I love challenges and pushing myself. And this year, I want to dip my toes into the water of the Historical Sew Monthly. I have no idea how I'm Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-78421646887548453772015-01-05T10:25:00.000-06:002015-01-05T10:25:01.128-06:00Red overgown, first fitting Overgown back pleats Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
Testing fit of overgown Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
I spent some time doing handsewing over the holidays, so the red gown is starting to look more like a dress. Sleeves were mocked up in muslin before cutting - they're fairly basic fitted sleeves, with a flare at the wrist. With sleeves cut from some of the odder Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-11304397976409148582015-01-02T18:48:00.003-06:002015-01-02T18:48:59.824-06:00Getting the ball rolling on the red overgown Red overgown first pass fitting Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
The continental 1490's project has been languishing while I searched high and low for a lining fabric. I wanted something white or off-white, heavy enough to not be sheer, in natural fibers, preferably wool, priced such that I could afford to do a full lining. This was not to be. Plan B is to embrace the medieval mindset Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-55850092238806092742014-11-19T19:57:00.001-06:002014-11-19T19:57:38.170-06:00Mending season Darning a tear Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
Although the early fall is my busiest time for travel and events, by late October or November, I'm well into the slow part of the year. That means it's time to look carefully at my most used clothing, checking for anything in need of repair. Simple mending, such as repairing a seam where the thread has snapped, I do without even Catrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36132322.post-70923679179375572962014-06-08T16:02:00.000-05:002014-06-08T16:02:38.670-05:00A simple late 15th c. cap Late 15th c. cap Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
Wearing late 15th c. cap Originally uploaded by Catrijn.
This is an incredibly simple piece of headwear - but it looks right, so why make it complicated? I think of this style as primarily 15th c., although it's probably plausible into the early 16th.
Take a rectangle of fine linen, 22 by 12 inches. (These measurements fitCatrijn vanden Westhendehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193112806036194244noreply@blogger.com0