Why a new blog
Well, primarily, I wanted a place to talk about stuff that seems too dull for http://kass-rants.livejournal.com Stuff over there is supposed to be funny. Or at the very least, it's supposed to be...
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18th century Stays pattern -- the tentative RH 820
Bob did some cover art for me last night for the 800-series stays pattern. The rough drafts of the instructions and the historical notes are done. All I have to do is grade the base pattern into sizes...
View ArticleSuccess! RH403 and RH404
I've done it! I've done it!Last summer, I took RH403 and RH404 (Polish Delia and Giermak, respectively) out of print because I couldn't get them to print properly. Sometimes when it's overly hot and...
View ArticleNew printer!
Well kids, the new printer has arrived! After close to four hours of taking the old printer out, bringing the new printer in (the movers must hate me -- my printers are on the third floor!), directing...
View ArticleNew Patterns
Okay. I'm thinking about it. But I need some feedback.Turkish patterns. Ottoman. 16th century. What do you think?You see, I did Polish patterns a few years ago. And there is a strong relationship...
View ArticleThoughts over the weekend
As is typical for me, while I was finishing up production on the first patterns in the new 800-series (1740s-1790s), I began to think about something completely unrelated -- common people's clothing in...
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Okay... maybe not "next week"...
I'd like to announce two of the newest patterns COMING SOON from Reconstructing History: Elizabethan Sea Dogs and the Netherlandish Working Woman's Outfit.The Elizabethan Sea Dogs pattern includes...
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I See Tits! Netherlandish Working Women Part 1
So I've been staring at the pictures of mid-16th century Netherlandish working women by Pieter Aersten and Joachim Bueckelaer for some time now and I'm finally ready to share some of my thoughts and...
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Netherlandish Working Women Part 2 -- The Reconstruction of the Bodice
I have some ideas about this reconstruction that may clash wildly with anything you have ever seen in period clothing. However, my construction is based on extant garments I have personally examined,...
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I Like Big Butts and I Cannot Lie -- Netherlandish Working Women Part 3
Detail from Joachim Beuckelaer's "Making Waffles"One of the most notable features of Netherlandish Working Women's clothing as seen in the works of Aertsen and Beuckelaer is big butts. Actually, I...
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Netherlandish Working Women Part 4 -- The Accessories
Let's start from the inside and work our way out. The first element we have to examine is the smock worn under the dress. In a few paintings, (like Aersten's "Christ and the Adultress" from 1559,...
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One Thing Leads to Another
So Octoberfest at our local Faire is coming up, and my thoughts have turned to German stuff. I have a lovely Kampfrau Gown (shown here without Wulsthaube or partlet), but I'd rather wear something over...
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Hemp Helps
Yesterday, I was trying to figure out how to better stabilize the edges of my Cranach Gown without using modern dressmaking "cheats" when my husband reminded me that I have hemp webbing in stock.. So I...
View ArticlePattern Development, the first stage
I started this blog to give you all insight into the pattern development process. But since I started it, everything I've spoken about has already been in development. So I really haven't taken you...
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Early Tudor Project Part 1 -- the set-up
Okay. Today I got inspired. It's not the first time I was planning on doing something completely different and got sidetracked. The slow season is coming up, and a friend of mine suggested that I do...
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Pattern Development, stage two
In September, I posted about two lady's riding jackets that I was musing about and intended to make into a pattern. Today I'm ready to start getting more specific and talk in detail about one of the...
View ArticlePlaying with Dyes -- Safflower and Saffron
And now is the time on RH when we dye!As I mentioned in my previous post, I believe this German lady's riding doublet was dyed with safflower. I have not seen the doublet in person (or even any colour...
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Early Tudor Project Part 2 -- the mental gymnastics
Since I first started looking at this picture of Katherine of Aragon with a view to reconstructing her outfit for 12th Night, one thing has been on my mind: the middle layer. Ninya Mikhaila and Jane...
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Early Tudor Project Part 3 -- prep work
Well, today was the day that I stopped staring at pictures of Katherine of Aragon and started working on the outfit. In line with my own preaching, I decided to work from the inside out. I started with...
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Early Tudor Project Part 4 -- the yellow undergown
Well kids, I must apologise to you today. I worked on the yellow undermost gown for my Katherine of Aragon outfit yesterday and intended to post with photos of my reconstruction this morning. But my...
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