Mar 1998 02:25:02 -1000
From: Brett and Karen Williams
Subject: Re: about hupalondes/chemises
I have a question about hupalondes/chemises/woman's t-tunic type throw over the head
dresses. What type of sleeve do they use? A set in sleeve? I have an old Simplicity
pattern for a very basic nightgown: center front seam,
> center back seam, set in sleeves, scoop neck. Would this be serviceable for a t-tunic
type dress/chemise/ base for hupalonde?
> Thanks in advance: Phillipa
I would use it for two purposes-- a lower class Elizabethan 'sherte' with no modifications
(conservation of fabric for less money invested in garment yardage) and, with some
fiddling, a houpelande.
The necessary fiddling would be threefold:
a) slashing and spreading the 'skirts' for a wider total lower hem, unless I were
after an early Italian-type houpelande, where the volume of fabric in the skirts
seemed to be less than that later in period and Parts West and North of that land;
b) slash and move the seam in the sleeve piece by taping the edges together such that
the seam is located..um..stick your hand as if you were warming it in your opposite
armpit, thumb pointing up outside the armpit on the front. Right where the tip of
your index finger lies is the place, rather than the very bottom of the armsceye like
the standard seam placement on a modern sleeve. I'll get to the reasoning in a moment.
c) Draft a collar to fit the neckline. If the scoop neck is lower than a
particular point, the collar won't look right. If my assumption about your pattern
is correct, you want to start with a high jewel neckline rather than a scoop. A band
collar that rises to a higher point in the center back is a cool houpelande collar,
as is the "Arum Lily" collar pattern from "Queta's Closet". I've thought of buying this
one but haven't yet-- anyone tried it?
The reasons for altering the sleeve seam are thus:
To the best of my knowledge, that's the way most sleeves with a sloping,
curving sleeve cap seem to have been cut in period.
If a long, flowing houpelande sleeve is cut with a center bottom seam, such as shown
in Hill & Bucknell, Holkeboer and the Costume Connection masculine houpelande pattern,
the sleeve will twist around the arm and 'break' incorrectly when the arm is lifted
up to chest height or higher. There are two Compleat Anachronists that contain reprinted
articles from Seams Like Old Times (Issues 39 and 40, IIRC) that discuss slash and
spread, houpelande sleeve drape and fixing an improper break, as does Jean Hunnisett in her new book. There's also a correct diagram of a sleeve in Koehler, page 281,
figure 350 (quite a lot of Koehler is questionable, but he occasionally gets some
things right). Figure 349 is the sleeve as shown in a garment-- which breaks nicely,
without twisting around the lady's raised arm. In a nutshell, you want the shortest part
of the sleeve to lie, at rest, right at wrist level where your arms naturally hang
at rest sorta to the front of your body. A center bottom seam location for the shortest
point drapes best on an arm that moves
straight into the body to a point where one's liver and lights reside. Ick.
More of Ciorstan's Bad Ascii Art:
If this is an armscye, with the top of the shoulder located at the top of the drawing,
then you want your sleeve seam to fall where the * is indicated, the widest point
of the armsceye. Likewise, you want your shortest fall of your sleeve to be lined
up with the opposite point of the armsceye, where the @ symbol is indicated. Stick your
thumb into your armpit. Where the soft web between thumb and finger touches your,
um, deltoid is the @ point.
__
/ \
*/ \@
\ /
\ /
-- <-- the center is where the standard modern sleeve seam is
located. Not what you want.
You end up with a really funky looking sleeve pattern (shown laid out in
Hunnisett in a graph ready to go), but by gum, it sure looks nice and elegant executed
in cloth. Try it on a 18" doll 'in small' like an American Girl (basic patterns are
found in every major pattern book in the fabric stores-- and when you're done, give
it to the nearest under-10 SCA girl if you don't have kids, she'll most likely be absolutely
thrilled) if you're reluctant to risk this method the first time in (possibly) expensive
fabric.
Me, I like to wear clothes, not costume. I probably sound picky-- but I don't want
to wear a houpelande that will bug me by twisting around my arms or needing a toss
over my arms to get them out of the way every time I lift them chasing my small kids.
My husband's very first garb was a houpelande-- I introduced him to the SCA by taking
him on a 'date' to Caidan 12th Night many years ago. He was surprised and very pleased
that though his long sleeves reached down to his knees, he did not have to push them
out of the way to use his hands.
ciorstan
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Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 02:35:49 -1000
From: Melanie Wilson
Subject: H-COST: Tanning Fur
This works up to about goat size.
DRY CURING
Remove skins from animals within 24 hrs of killing the best skins are from rabbits
6-8 months old, summer skins are not as strong.
Remove the inner skin Start at the head. Pin it onto a board, pin about every 2 inches.
Stretching slightly to a oblong shape.
Mix 2 teaspoons of Alum & 2 tsp of salt together well, rub into the skin. When this
has dissolved, remove pins & fold into quaters fur side out.
Put in cool place for 3 days.
After 3 days wash in lukewarm rainwater.
Wring dry and hang furside out in a cool place to dry slowly. Everyday whilst dryinmg
it should be taken down twisted, pulled and handled to keep it supple.
Run oatmeal into skin whilst drying to absorb grease & damp
When quite dry brush both sides.
WET CURING
2lb bran to 1 gallon (UK gallon) of water
Fold skin fur side in, immerse for 1.5 to 2 days
Hang on a line to drain for about 1 hour
Rub 2oz alum & 3oz salt mix in, fold in quaters and leave fron 2 days
If all the salt/alum mix is gone after one day rub in some more
Remove inner skin and hang on a line fur out to dry very slowly
Again handle every day
Brush
Mel
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From: MaggiRos
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 20:13:54 -1000
To: h-costume@indra.com
Subject: Re: H-COST: Elizabethan peasant clothing
> The artist's name is Lucas de Heere. He did a lot of 16th century color
> illustrations showing common people in various countries. His drawings of
> Irish clothing is invaluable.
>
... Although it appears unlikely that he was ever in Ireland. Still, that drawing
is one of the few we have, and he must have had some source.
MaggiRos
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Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 04:58:36 -1000
From: "Kelly A. Rinne"
Subject: Re: H-COST: Gibson Girl Hair
Richard Corson's Fashions In Hair, is pretty much the industry standard for theater
and film wig /haistylists.
Kel
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Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 05:14:02 -1000
From: Mike Newell <72123.411@compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: H-COST: Eleanora of Toledo
"The Pictorial Encyclopedia of Fashion" by Ludmila Kybalova, Olga Herbenova, and
Milena Lamarova (trans Claudia Rosoux). Hamlyn Books, NY,1968 (I own this edition)
The gown is has some form of gold cording applied directly to the gown to create border
bands, in fancy designs, and she is wearing a bavari
(partlet) of criss crossed gold with pearls set in the intersections. What
I find most fascinating is that if you look at her right shoulder, you can
see that the bodice fastens at the side front!
Also, anyone who wants to see a b&w photo of a piece of brocade that looks
amazingly like her black and white and gold gown, check out:
Boucher, Francois,"20,000 Years of Fashion" fig.463,of a chausable.Caption
reads:
"Spanish brocaded velvet.Mid-sixteenth century.Lyons, Musee Historique
des Tissus.
--Kathryn
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Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 12:25:53 -1000
Subject: Re: H-COST: attifet
-Poster: alysea@juno.com (Karen J Farris)
Donna, the pattern you drew out looks to me very strange. Ok, here goes again. Start
with a crescent (oine, you don't need a right and a left side). It should be about
Twelve inches from point to point, and about four inches at the widest part. With
me so far? Ok, wire the longer side of the crescent. When you finish putting the cap together,
you will find the center of the wired side, and put a little kink in it, pointing
down toward your forehead. this will create the "heartshape". Next, you will need
a band of fabric about two inches wide, and as long as the smaller edge of the crescent.
You may choose to wire the smaller edge of the crescent, also. Fasten the band to
the crescent. Lining this band will be a good idea. You will then, starting with
a circle about 15" in diameter, create a cap by gathering the edge of the circle. fasten
this cap to the other edge of the band. (Where the band stops, just finish off the
edge of the cap). So you will need three pieces--a crescent of fabric, a strip of
fabric, and a circle of fabric. You can play with the wired edge until it achieves the shape
you want.
Hope this helps.
karen Farris
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