<< I'm unsure about the pleating. Some sites insist on cartridge pleating but not all the paintings look like cartridge pleats. I'm thinking the front piece (Top part) is held in place with hook & eyes while the bottom is laced from side to side through concealed lacing rings.>>
This is because I know people use the term cartridge pleat to mean a great variety of pleat types, not just narrow firm pleats that jut away from the body. I think it's used by some to describe pleats that are not sewn into a waistband or between the layers of fabric for the bodice (shell and lining.) http://www.kannikskorner.com/infostitches.htm http://www.vertetsable.com/research_vocabulary.htm Descriptiosn that are probably the truest of the term. http://www.sewmuchmoreinfo.com/Sewopaedia.html This is the only reference I can find that suggests the pleats are merely rounded rather than lying flat. So it all depends on who is using the term;) http://costume.dm.net/pleats/ I have used very deep pleats on two German skirts and I love the way the pleats hang to the ground. http://costumes.glittersweet.com/sca The Anna Meyer dress and my 1570s Westfalen dress (still in progress.) For each top edge of the pleats seen 8 times the amount of fabric was used. This is really more suited to light weight fabrics though as it can get bulky. So I wouldn't want to use it on say a velvet or wool gown. In that regard the best bang for buck is to use a circular/gored pattern. The Bases Sg mentioned are basically a big circle. This means you have far less fabric at the waist to add bulk than you have at the hem, where you do want a lot of fabric. This is also the constuction of the Mary of Hungary gown;) http://frazzledfrau.glittersweet.com/mary I was kindly sent photos that show the back of the gown, and you can see there is some ease at the back that causes the skirt to hang in folds from the waist. There are a few very definite examples of circular skirts as well: http://frazzledfrau.glittersweet.com/1540erzherzoginanna.htm http://www.asn-ibk.ac.at/bildung/faecher/geschichte/maike/bilderkatalog/habsburger/abb10s.htm Both use sunray pleating, and indeed Anna's shows the direction of the grain of the fabric quite well. << Now another question, many of the portraits have a bodice style that while still having the piece in front also have a high collar. Could you make a jacket without sleeves rather than making 2 dresses, one with the collar and one without? I have seen what looks like a capelet with a high collar that gives much the same effect. >> I think you may be referring to a gollar and a gollar style dress? It depends on what you want. I wouldn't make what is essentially a vest, as it'll be very much more bulky than a single bodice. A gollar is a wonderful acessory as well, it does make a difference to warmth and is nice and portable. And there are a variety of styles, dependant on time and place. And as regards the bands at the back, I still haven't seen any, but I have seen low necks filled in with hemden: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/glittersweet/frau/7003224.jpg I would really appreciate any clues about the artwork that shows bands at the back, I'd like to be able to see them. michaela de bruce http://glittersweet.com -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.12.4/143 - Release Date: 19/10/2005 _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
