Some updates

What I week...I got some sort of Summer Plague and have been on antibiotics and generally miserable for the last week.  No fun at all.  I did manage to make it up to the William and Mary library last week as planned to get my alumni library card sorted out (yay for university library check out privileges!) and pick up some of the books I need for my 30 Year research before getting laid out by the Plague.  It's been slow going getting my notes taken on the books, but I'm finally starting to feel better so I should be able to get caught up over the next few days.

The blue banded kirtle is done done done and looks pretty good.  I even finished a new shift to wear with it.  I'll need at least one more shift to be ready for Pennsic, with the new one I only have two with long sleeves and that won't get me too far.  I decided to go ahead and modify the pattern to make a seamless straight-front kirtle as well, which is almost done.  Modifying the pattern wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, it turned out to pretty fiddly to fit myself but I think now I have the general idea figured out.  Fitting the gown itself was much easier than dealing with the pattern.  The whole sewing of the dress has been slow going, probably because I've been sick, but all I have left to do is the sleeves, hem, hand-finishing of the seams and the eyelets.

I did all my pattern work for both dresses in cotton muslin, as that's what I had on hand, and ended up having to take the actual linen dress in a whole lot.  Like over an inch.  I've been taking patterns off muslins for a long time so I'm sure I didn't make that big a mistake in copying off the pattern and adding seam allowances.  The only explanation I can come up with is that linen stretches a lot more than the muslin does.  Or at least this linen does.  Oh well, I suppose taking in the pattern would be a mistake, if I ever make a gown out of less stretchy fabric.

Once I get the straight front gown done, I have two more gowns to do as part of a fundraiser for our local barony (along with some underthings to go with them) before I can get back to my Pennsic sewing.  In the mean time, I've got to warp up some dishtowels for my mom's birthday present.  I'm going to do a waffle weave, not period as far as I know but I think she will like them. 

I've managed to get a few other small things done, fixing my green kermit hose and making the fingerlooped cords for my kirtles (and learning two new patterns too).  The cloak is cut out, and I've decided to finish at least the front and neck edges with a narrow silk facing like those seen in the MOL book, which I have cut out and ready to sew on.  That should stabilize the lettuce edge and curved bit around the neck.  The bottom hem I will just turn up and stitch.

So, lots to do!  Now to get better, these afternoon naps are really not helping with getting stuff done.