A Lily Pride Azure - Part 2: The Gilding

Click here to read Part 1: The Acquisition.

In Part 1 of our journey, we learned I was able to acquire 8 yards of blue cotton velvet, 3.5 yards of synthetic, but deliciously rich green and gold brocade, and approximately 1.5 - 2 yards of silk satin for the gown. While not all of these are period appropriate, the period correct fabrics are not currently in my budget. 

Most people might start with construction of the gown, when working on a project of this magnitude. Not I. Instead, I decided to start with the show piece. I cut a piece large enough for a stomacher, of the synthetic, but deliciously rich green and gold brocade with a medallion piece to embroider. I chose a cream silk embroidery floss (splendor silk) that matched the luscious wedding gown silk for the embroidery. I chose a split stitch for the design. Split stitch can be found in extant examples in Opus Anglicanum and is thereby, period-appropriate for 1560 England. 

About 1/4 of the way through the design, I decided the deliciously rich gold was not gold enough. It needed spangles. 

Now is the moment I will take to give a brief history/fashion lesson(ish): spangles vs. paillettes vs. sequins. This topic has plagued fashion historians for some time, as, from what I have found, there is no truly globally accepted, definitive definition for any of these terms. Generally, what I have found is "sequins" covers the gamut of small sparkly adornments which are individually attached to garments and other pieces of decorative fabric. Sequins can be metal or plastic; they can be round or square, or any other shape; they can be flat a faceted. Spangles are usually round, flat, and most often made of metal (again, this is not universal). Paillettes are also typically round and flat, but can be made of any material. 

 Back to the task at hand. I ordered spangles from Hedgehog Handworks (I'm so sad they're closing!). I ordered sizes #12 and #14. I decided to put #12's at the end points and #14's at the intersecting points. It was a ton of work, but also a ton of sparkle. And this project is ALLL about sparkle!!! The center medallion has approximately 20g of gilt paillettes. It was worth every hour of work, every stitch. 

My next step would be the trim. But, before I create the trim, I aught to determine how much I would be needing. So, I suppose it's time to create the gown. Though, if I'm going to be creating the gown, I may as well compile the correct documentation. (Yes, I realize how backward this is...now!) I suppose it's time for a trip to the University at Albany Library. 

A Lily Pride Azure - Part 1: The Acquisition

There is no denying my most recent project is a peacocking project. There is nothing subtle or subdued about this gown. It is, in fact, my most ostentatious piece. And, I love it.

As they say, the beginning is a very good place to start. for 4 years, I had plotted and planned an immersion Elizabethan feast event. I knew I wanted to create a new outfit to showcase at this event. It had to be amazing. It had to be blue, preferable with white and gold, as those are our Baronial heraldic colors. It would be a work of art. 

I had a general idea in my mind of the design I wanted. (I wish I had taken pictures of the many, many sketches and modifications I made to this gown throughout the process. There were SO MANY iterations.) From the onset, the idea was an overly ornate stomacher and forepart, with paned sleeves, an Elizabethan tall hat, and a train. I know, you're thinking, "that's definitely not what's pictured" and you're right. That was the first iteration. We'll talk more about this later. 

So, off I went to find fabric. First and foremost, let's talk about the correct fabric choices. From my 9 SCAdian years of knowledge accumulation, I've determined silk, wool, and linen were the primary fibers used in 1560 England. (For sources, open any book that discusses Elizabethan clothing, agriculture, merchant trade, etc.) I also know brocade and velvet fabrics were available at the time. ** Through my travels I determined silk velvet ($18.00/yard was the least expensive I found it), and silk brocade ($52.00/yard in a pattern and color I liked) were not possible. That said, If you have never had an opportunity to pet silk velvet, you absolutely need to do this. Trust me. 

Moving on, I was gifted some stunning green (acrylic?) velvet by Mistress Annastrina, with whom I am apprenticed. I absolutely love it, but it isn't the blue I was hoping for. So, I kept putting off the gown. And putting it off. And putting it off.... I got a message one day from a friend who was heading to an estate sale. Though, this was not just an estate sale. It was an estate sale for a civil war costume shop (bare with me here) that was going out of business. Well, if anyone was going to have the fabric at an affordable price, it would be them. Upon my arrival I immediately bypassed the 30 or so other bins of fabric, and headed straight for the lone velvet bin. They had brown, red (nope, I don't need to buy more red. I have plenty of red!), navy. I took out the navy to see how much there was. It was still not the ideal color, but we were now 4 months from the event and I NEEDED to start making this gown. There were only 4 yards of navy blue. I was sad, nearly defeated. There was an extra piece of brown under the blue. It seemed to be on the bottom. I picked it up to confirm.

There. Under the brown. A small bundle of a brilliant cobalt blue. This would surely not be enough to make a full gown, but I was once again hopeful. I took this 3 yard segment out of the bin. Then, the next bin over was labled "scrap velvet" THERE! More of the blue! a 4 yard "scrap" and a 1 yard scrap! This would be enough! I would make this work! I was, of course, hoping for 10-12 yards to make an appropriate fullness of my skirt. However, I would take the 8 yards and be happy. 

The next fabric I needed was that for my stomacher and forepart. I ventured out to Springfield, MA to head to Osgood's. After an hour and a half walking through the warehouse, I made my way to the clearance bin. I pawed through lots and lots of different bins until I came across this green and gold bundle of some kind of synthetic, but deliciously rich chenille and satin brocade. I picked it up  and said, This doesn't go at all, but I want to embroider and bead this like crazy! Mistress Annastrina, who had come on the trip with me, replied, "Why doesn't it go? Ignore your modern sensibilities for a moment. Put some white embroidery on it, and white trim on the gown. It will go beautifully." I thought to myself, "You know, I think she might be right!" 

The only thing left, fabric-wise was the trim. How fortunate am I to have such a kind and generous Laurel! She had a vintage cream silk wedding gown she was planning to use to trim her gown and said I could have a chunk of it for my gown as well! 

So, I had acquired 8 yards of blue cotton velvet, 3.5 yards of synthetic but deliciously rich green and gold brocade, and approximately 1.5 - 2 yards of cream silk. The total cost for all of this was around $40.00! 

Now, the real challenge would begin!

Click here to read Part 2: The Gilding.