HSM16: Challenge 5 - Holes

I had bigger plans for this challenge, but at least I finished something that fit with the challenge. My 16th century project is going slow, but in May I did finish the undergown.

The pattern I used and instructions for how to make it was taken from Katafalk's amazing tutorial.

 Since the pattern doesn't have too many complicated curves I didn't copy the pattern but rather just drew it straight from the measurements onto my scrap fabric, with a lot of extra seam allowances. Thankfully I'm more or less the same size, but with a smaller bust, than the original pattern so I hardly made any alterations.

It's not clearly visible but this is what my pattern looks like, with a lot of notes written straight onto the fabric so I will remember it for the next time.

The bodice itself went together fairly easy. I did have to make some alterations so that I cut it lower, 16th century fashion has a really neckline. I used what I think is an old, heavy linen curtain for the lining and a thin wool for the outer fabric. If anything the wool was too thin, but it will be nice to have a fairly light undergown. The bottom of the bodice is hemmed, but all the other edges are turned in towards each other.

The skirt is full widths of the wool fabric cartridge pleated together. In order to get even pleats I used the marking board I made for the 16th century shift, but I only used every second dot. I made two rows of dots, pleated them together and whipstitched the skirt to the bodice.

The undergown just reaches my ankles, my dressform is shorter though that's why the fabric pools on the floor.

As for the holes, after all that was the HSM challenge. The holes are my handmade lacing holes. I used a strip of the same linen as the lining, but folded in double. I also added a piece of synthetic whalebone to each strip so that the lacing would be straight. I then handstitched the holes with a buttonhole stitch.

In the end I sewed the lacing strips to the lining of the bodice, so that they are invisible on the outside. If it had been an outer gown the guards would have helped conceal the lacing and I could have attached them to both the lining and the outer fabric.

The Challenge: May - holes
Material: 1 m of heavy linen, 4 m of thin wool
Pattern: https://katafalk.wordpress.com/2014/04/06/patternmaking-for-the-kampfrau-dress/
Year: ca 1520
Notions: thread, synthetic whalebone, lacing, buttonhole thread
How historically accurate is it? The pattern is good, but the wool is too thin and I used a sewing maching for the side seams and skirt seams, so somewhere around 40%
Hours to complete: 20
First worn: Not yet
Total cost: The cost of the wool -  around $40