Italian wardrobe

[melaniesuzanne]

I'm building quite a wardrobe of Italian clothes for Pennsic. I built my first gamurra and giornea last weekend and today I cut out and assembled fabric for three more gamurre.

	Peach linen gamurra Started 6/27/09. I'm more busty than Maud and the bodice looks weird on her. Oh well. At least we're the same height. ;)
	Giornea and gamurra belted as an ensemble. The giornea is red & gold mystery fabric lined with gold linen. Started 6/28/09.
	Gamurre: Blue, green, & pink Linen gamurre started 7/5/09.
	Marjoram, 7/5/09. Margie is heppin' in the craft room by weighting down the floor for me.

Some notes on construction: I use 5 yards of 55" to 60" medium weight linen per dress. The bodice and its lining are cut from one yard. The other four yards are box pleated into the bodice. Because the pink linen was so translucent, despite being medium weight, I added an interlining of natural colored medium weight linen. Then I thought, "Hey, more layers is more support!" and added that same type of interlining to the blue and green dresses.


While I spent Sunday afternoon cooped up in the sweatshop craft room, Hubbyfink worked on my clothes rack in the back yard. I think he enjoyed quality time with his power tools. We just might finish all these Pennsic projects on time.

Comments

[melebeth]

I must say I'm particularly fond of that last outfit. Dressed in it, you'll look all feline.

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

*giggle* Unfortunately, like most catsuits, that one is a touch too small. But she'll make a gorgeous pair of gloves someday.

[stitchwhich.livejournal.com]

Ohhhh! you didn't say "I was making ITALIAN clothing!" I'm going to enjoy just watching you walk by from now on. Pretty. Every time you post about your sewing I get this tiny urge to make some of the same style for me (I'm getting kinda tired of Norse, Norse, Hun, oh look! - Norse!) because you seem to be having so much fun with it.

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

Aw, you're so sweet. :)

You know, the gamurre are easy peasy to make once you get your bodice pattern down, and if you don't want/need it to be supportive, it's even easier!

[salviati.livejournal.com]

We could totally hook you up! Come to the Italian side, you know you want to... ;-D

[greta-k.livejournal.com]

"Margie is heppin' in the craft room by weighting down the floor for me."

'Cause goodness knows it's hard to sew when the floor keeps floating!

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

It is!

[dawnhutchings.livejournal.com]

Is the bodic only laced to the waist in the front of the gamurra? Looks really nice. I'll have to squint at you closer at Pennsic. :) Love the green dress that you have hanging up.

Also is there going to be a sniff and greet at Pennsic this year?

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

Yep. I could go lower, but there's not really any need. There another four inches or so of open seam below the waist line so that I can get the dress on and off. I still need to attach a hook and eye to that part so that I'm not scandalized by the steam flapping open when I walk around.

There's about three yards in the peach gamurra's skirt because I confused myself when math when I tried to do something fancy. I decided to go the straightforward route with blue, green and pink and they all have four yard skirts. (Well, the pink will have a four yard skirt when I attach the fabric tonight.

That green is the epitome of goose turd green. It's fantastic!

Yes on the Meet-n-Sniff. It'll be in pearlofvenice's camp ("Dancing Fox" or "Laughing Fox"... something like that). We haven't settled on a date or time yet. I'll keep you posted.

[sskipstress.livejournal.com]

Beautiful! Are you going to make sleeves for Pennsic or skip them 'cause they're warm?

Have you figured out how you're doing your hair?

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

I've cut out pin-on sleeves for each dress. They're in a pile under the sewing table. :)

salviati is giving me a pattern for an Italian coif. If I'm able to make it work on my head, I will most likely go with that.

[sskipstress.livejournal.com]

Fabulous! you're going to have so much fun in these clothes.

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

I'm looking forward to giving them a spin. :)

[shalandara.livejournal.com]

Love them!

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I do, too. :)

[chargirlgenius.livejournal.com]

I get it now - you just wanted short-sleeved dresses! :-D

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

But, but that would be scandalous!

;)

I actually have a pile of pin-on sleeves cut out upon which I can do the handwork while sitting around camp during the first week (if I don't finish them before Land Grab).

[salviati.livejournal.com]

They look great! I love the giornea fabric. And did I mention I have a gamurra that's almost that exact shade of green? Which looks really good on me for some odd reason...

Can't wait to see your spiffy new clothes in person! And see you this evening - thanks for the reminder!

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :) I purchased the red&gold at Pennsic a couple years ago. I think I was going to make a Charles de Blois cote out of it for Scott, but neener neener.

You're lucky that the green looks good on you. I would never wear that color in real life, but it's too perfectly period to pass up!

Thanks again for being so free with your assistance and guidance. I think Scott's poured over that Carpaccio book than I have; he loves the armor and spiffy hose! See you at 8:30!

[danabren.livejournal.com]

I get it now - Basil and MARJORAM!

I R SMRT...

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

*grin*

I've also had Clove and Sage (cats). The rats were Pesto, Sesame (Ses), Parsnip (Pars), and Corriander (Cory). :)

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

And Kit? She was named by my Mom. I didn't have the heart to give her a new name to stay with the meme.

[florentinescot.livejournal.com]

Just gorgeous. I've got a bodice patrtern like that that I hope still fits (but I'm rather skeptical -- I've lost 10 pounds, and it's still dropping ... YAY!)

Can't wait to see the gowns on!

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :) Congratulations on the weight loss and good luck with redrafting your bodice pattern. :)

[florentinescot.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

I'm sure it will be put on a muslin, pin, sew, try on again .... lather, rinse, repeat .....

[grazingtraveler.livejournal.com]

Where do you get your linen? I have found linen at my local fabric store, but I refuse to pay over $15.00 a meter. Do you know of any online stores that are reliable/reputable?

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

I usually get my linen from Fabric-store.com. Their prices are good and shipping time is fairly reasonable. Another place I like is Fabric.com. I haven't bought much linen from them, but I love their selection of wools, silks, and fancy fabrics.