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    This was the third ever gown I made (though by this point I had made 5 costumes, two of which were for Jeremy Burrows). I was in the main extremely pleased with this gown and still am.

 Bodice:

~ This bodice fitted beautifully. It was originally made to be worn over that corset I made in 1546. The corset was so uncomfortable I had to remove it and wear the bodice as it was. The bodice was only hook and eye fastening. I should have had some kind of lacing strip hidden inside.

~ The puffs on the shoulders were very nice, but a bit loose - and I didn't manage to finish one. That is, still to this day, pinned together!!!!!

~ I was very pleased with the decoration - despite the cramp it gave me! It really "lifted" the gown.

 Skirt:

~ This was LOVELY! And I managed to crack that mental block of mine and DIDN'T stuff and inch or two of cartridge pleated skirt into the waist! The whole skirt was gorgeous, full and swirly. However, I didn't flat line it and I wish I had.

~ It is just as well I hadn't flatlined the skirt. On my first day of wearing it at Kentwell, I left the changing room to walk down the stairs to the parlour. As I swished down the corridor there was this ominous ripping sound! The air became bluer than the dress when I discovered a 4 inch right angled rip in the skirt! I was NOT a happy bunny!

~ Thankfully, the seamstresses station darned it beautifully for me. And yes - in ALL the pictures that rip is there! They repaired it well - didn't they?

 Partlet, Sleeves and Forepart:

~ These were made from an ivory silk dupion studded with tiny seed pearls (plastic ones though!) The fabric came that way - I was not going to be sewing on all those pearls! The whole thing was lined, including the partlet.

~ I can't really complain about the partlet, sleeves and forepart at all! The collar and wrists were "edged" with hand buttonedhole edged "pickadils" which would support the ruffs.

 Caul and Pipkin hat:

~ The caul was a linen one with cord placed in a lattice pattern and each cross section stitched together and decorated with a pearl. I was, and still am, very pleased with it.

~ The pipkin was made of blue velvet  with a petersham band inside to support the crown. The hat band was three strands of pearl and gold beads "plaited" together. A collection of white turkey and peacock feathers decorate the side of the hat.

 Ruff:

~ This set was far and away better than the first one. The neck ruff was a double one made of a fine cotton lawn. The wrist ruffs were single ones. The only problem is that I did not make a collar to the ruffs which could drop down into the collar or wrist.

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