Saccoccia of the 16th Century Friends!

Hi All

Still working on the Lavender Blue gown should be done in a week, but I hate what I did to the skirt, so I am trying to figure out how to take the trim off and try again, I thought adding a pretty motif while I sewed it down would be fun...it was not and it is not pretty so I am holding off.

I need to make a couple gifts so why not do it now?

Saccoccias are pockets for ladies to carry their stuff in either close to the body or out in public. About 3 years ago I won some really love pieces of silk damask, for like $10.00 plus shipping via eBay and I have made a few things from this. So from the stash again inspiration comes.

Kat's Purple files on Florence is a really great site to find many things and ogle and drool over She is wondrous in the extreme! She had me thinking about making some of these pockets for some Italian persona friends.

So this is what I did;

I took some regular paper and a plate and then I measured how big my wallet is and that gave me the dimensions of 15" X 13".

First I did some embroidery work in a black Fleur de Lys because my Bestie likes them just as much as I do, this silk damask is in a lovely yellowy gold, so she would have liked this to have been in gold for the Fleur de Lys but I thought that was a little too much.

Once Myst finished the embroidery, I ironed it and cut the lining which will be linen. I marked a like of 7 1/2" or just 1/2" from the top of the Fleur so that it would not be damaged with the opening and closing of the Saccoccia.

I sewed 1/4" around the line, which will be my slit, shown here and then I pressed and folded the fabric back and pressed again. Thank the Gods for a good iron!

The decorated side, will have more fabric in the front, this is to make sure you have some give in holding things so the front will have 4" extra. Shown here:

The back is what I want the finished piece to be plus seam allowance, so first I sew around the whole thing and then trim and pink the edges so it will turn out nicely, and then once again? Iron...then I fold the top pieces in and then iron this and sew it across, you could also add additional embroidery.

So this next step is to work with the front, you will need to iron the lining and fashion fabric to match the back which I use 1/4" then sew it all together. and again turn the top fabrics inward and iron and sew.

1" from the top of your Saccoccia sew a very small seam you can also zig zag for extra support around the entire bag. Turn out to the right side and iron.

Now match the ends of the Saccoccia, and pin then knife pleat the extra and then sew down. 1" down from the top you have just closed, sew another straight line.

Thread ribbon or rope or cording or whatever you have through the Saccoccia's top, this should be your waist plus 20" to tie.

Okay so there you have it! It is done and it looks wondrous! This is my Hubby showing off the pocket, he was trying to be a women with large breasts, he is so funny!!!

I will be making more of these? For 12th Gifts for some friends, I have bits and bobs of different damasks all over the place and some serious silks, who knows, if i know your device I might be able to

May 9 2011~ My Bodice and Skirt

I have to wait until tomorrow to have someone give me the final fit on the bodice. So onto the skirt! How can I make sewing 3 panels of fabric sexy? The panels are also lined in Linen so it is 6 panels, I was going to do them together but then when I add the trim it will show on the underside and that is not sexy.

When my hubby gets home? I will begin his toile for his outfit. Yep there will be embroidery on it as well, I have 3 yards and a little of this non waled Cord from a while back and I am going to embroider it and I don't think I will be doing any on the pannions. First I need to finish my Gown then I can work on the Men's stuff!

Cilean

I HAZ Sleeves ARRRGH!

Blog Entry May 4th (May the 4th be with you, I know silly but still funny) through the 8th, 2011. To all Happy Mother's Day.

So with the Myst up and running for embroidery? Why not do something with the silly sleeves? So I used the sleeve pattern from ....wait for it..... Simplicity something I really hate to use but people kept asking me about the things and they are not Elizabethan, they are Italian early Florentine from what I can figure out. They scoop at the bottom I can't find 1 remark or portrait saying this is something good ole Englishwomen did. I did want use them, I will not use the pattern it is incorrect to my eyes. This pattern has a bottom and a top so I did this with the top:

And I used a machine sewing technique from Renaissance Tailor and bound seam. I did each freaking sleeve 4 times before I got them right but as soon as I finish them and iron them I will take another photo. I am just glad they are done! Oh me!

I was further gratified to have someone ask me what are my goals within the SCA/Faire Community, This is the first year I will be working on a gown for Northern Faire and Upper Class for actual Faire, it will have to be approved by the Powers that be and everything. In the SCA you make what you want, if you want a Purple Gown with Orange Sleeves and Green Slime lining well it is all about you! So I am quite in a tizzy getting to put my fabrics together and such for the Faire.

But it was in the SCA, a lady not too long within our midst, and wearing my castoffs, was asking me what inspiration I had to make lovely gowns still. So I showed her across the campsite to a group who walk about in Jewelled splendor and every hair in place, with 4 costume changes day and each more lovely. I told her this is the level I wish to be, and thought I was already there, which really made my ego zoom! I also told her I could help her make her own things and that everyone had issues with this or that, why she was wearing one of my disasters. She loved that gown so she said that if this was my worst how can she compete. I told her with her own successes, it is how we learn!

So yes it took 4 tries to get the sleeves working, I did not stop and I learned a lot for next time!

and Mother's Day was lovely I got a pair of Amethyst Earrings, and a shoping spree (small) at Sephora.

I need another fitting for the bodice of this gown and then I need to do the first mock up for my hubby's Jerkin in Grey Linen and also Teal Sateen.

More later!

Cilean

Lavender Blue Line Gown Embroidery

Well I have been busy. I purchased Rowena Charlton's Elizabethan Designs I think a couple years ago as a Birthday Gift for me. While I played with them...I did not do anything, until Yesterday I had the thought to make the Lavender/Blue Linen pop! With embroidery on the bodice. So I put in the heart shape and played with some of the colors and well here is what I came up with:

And here is the finished embroidery, with some bead work to make it really stick out!

Now I am working on the Sleeves which will have a Fleur de Lys and Tudor Rose in Silver (or Argent as it states on my Device).

I will have pictures as soon as Myst finished with it!!!

Beltaine Was So Much Fun!!!!

I was so happy at Beltiane! It has been a full year that I have been unable to wear any type of garb, due to the pain in my shoulder and this was the first event, I did not have to take meds just to be well there!

I made a cake for the Royals, I did not know King Jade's Birthday was a couple days before but I wanted to make something smashing, so this is what I came up with, my family made the leaves and roses while watching the Royal Wedding (which was stunning).

So I have another dress in the works it is I would call it Lavender Blue Linen. I am machine embroidering and then adding some bling to it afterwards, pictures to come this is for the Mists/Cynagua War On the 15th. We are day tripping and I hope to have 2 tables done as well as the poles for the Shade so it can make it's debut as well!

Cilean