Monthly Archives: August 2007

So I realized that TRF starts on October 6th.  Which gives me about 40 days to finish a very, very insane undertaking.

I want to finish at least-

• One Paire of Bodies
• 1 low necked smock (already half finished)
• 1 high necked smock (not even drafted)
• Redo the Farthingale
• 3 Silk Kirtles
• 2 Silk Gowns
• Sundry Sleeves
• 1 Italian Bonnet
• 1 Tall Hat

Do I think I can do it….of course I do.  Then again I have more faith in my abilities than is probably merited.

Its all a question of dividing the time available into workable units.  And so begins, the Miranda Calender.  I used something like this to work finish all the needed stuff for Dickens.  It worked mostly.  I was a bit off, but things like machine buttonholes. I have since learned that I can hand make button holes at about the same rate of spead, and be much happier with the results.

This is my first published calender, which may add to the accountablity. 

This weekend I hope to finish the Pair of Bodies.  I imagine about 12 more hours will be more than ample.  This is my project for tomorrow night. 1 hour on the machine finishing channels on the right half. 1 hour to stuff reeds into those channels.  The other 10 hours will go to finishing binding and eyelets.  This is something I can work on at night when I can’t actually work on the machine for fear of waking up the neighbor’s kid that sleeps in the room under my sewing room.

Saturday morning is devoted to washing and dyeing the Farthingale, and then restructuring it with wire rope. The rest of Saturday and Sunday is shirtness. 

Next week and weekend is going to be spent on the Silk Kirtles.  Which will put me at Sunday, 09-09 with about 27 days left to go, at which point I will assess the progress, and begin phase 2.

Stay Tuned Gentle Readers!

Tim and I are in the final few hours of construction time before the Dudley Trunks absolutely have to be finished.  I have to bind the leg holes, attach the waist band, sew on the codpiece, and make about 4 eyelets to hold the pants on!  Not to mention putting on some buttons so Tim can wear his suspenders with the trunks until we can attach them to the doublet.

Building a codpiece has got to be one of the most ammusing experiences of my costuming career.  I will not go into the jokes that were made, but a worldly person can imagine.  I will say I got in trouble with Pete, Tim, and Stefan for using the codpiece as a pin cushion, as I was working on it.

Tim and I are working on a possible 16th century clothing podcast in the future, which will probably come out sometime in September.

Also being outlined is my project schedule “Countdown to TRF”.