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    This is a real favourite of mine. However, due to one very stupid set of mistakes (see Bodice below), I now can't wear this again for any length of time because it is now too fragile. Perhaps I will be able to get it cleaned and then try to repair it, but the doublet will never be quite the same.

 Bodice:

~ This silly, stupid person (me!) didn't bind the ends of the steel bones once cut, nor did she burn/melt the ends of the rigilene! Thus, the bones have all now cut through the beautiful waist of the bodice, just above the waist tabs, and have made holes! As it is velvet, I could probably pull the bones out and bind them and then push in and overstitch the hole, but I don't want to trust the bodice to me now! Stupid, stupid me!

~ I didn't take into account that the "button" step (hook and bar in this case) should have been a bit bigger at the neck end. Though I could close it, it wasn't brilliant and could have been far better.

~ The back was a bit long in the waist, but not so much that it caused any serious problems when wearing it.

 Skirt:

~ I love this skirt! Its really swirly and full - bearing in mind I was being very careful on how much I used! It is around 3 yards in total at the hem! Not bad! Unfortunately, it is a bit muddy now as it was worn by yours truly twice and then again by a friend who played my 13 year old daughter! 

~ I managed to use the technique of sewing the skirt pleats to the bottom edge of the waistband! However, I made this band quite wide and wish I hadn't! Now I would have stitched it to much narrower band and then stitched that to the inside of the bodice waist! Leaving the skirt and bodice separate made the skirt move independently, so the Centre Front opening didn't always line up with the Centre of the Bodice!

 Sleeves and Forepart:

~ The first year of wear, I was making a pair of sausage sleeves in an ivory and gold damask almost identical to the portrait, complete with a matching forepart. However it didn't happen and in the end I wore my 1569 pearl encrusted partlet with attached sleeves and matching forepart!

~ The following year, I made a pair of ivory silk damask sleeves with a Fleur de lys pattern on it. A matching forepart completed it. These were eventually finished!

~ Another huge regret is never finishing the over sleeves. These were lined in the ivory satin with the satin edging as well. One was nearly finished, the other is still pinned together even after all these years! And I only managed a nice pair of lace edged cuffs by the second wearing of the gown in 1600!

 Caul and hat:

~ I made a white brimmed, gold bead edged caul with a black velvet back which was beaded with tiny gold and pearl seed beads. I am rather pleased with it!

~ Over the caul, I made a black velvet tall-ish hat. My darling Dad, carved a head block for me and I used that as the base. I used millinery wire to make a frame and then covered it - can't remember exactly how though! The brim is wired so I can make it look like a "heart shape". The hat band is silk and caught in four places. The sides and back catches are decorated with a few gold beads and a pearl. The front has a beautiful gold and pearl brooch with a blue sapphire in the middle! It supports a set of feathers which are rather fantastic! I am rather chuffed with this hat!

 Ruff:

~ Two ruffs were made for this. One is very large and quite plain and made for 1600. I am pleased with it, but I am not keen on the really large ones, so the photos of me in 1600 show my not wearing it!

~ The second ruff is almost a replica of the ruff worn by Queen Elizabeth in the "Sieve Portrait". It is lace edged, large-ish but the pleat depth is not so large. I loved that ruff and it has a pair of matching cuffs too! Unfortunately, to stiffen the edge I used millinery wire - and the year I wore the ruff, it rained (as it usually does here in England!). The ruff turned an interesting shade of orange! I tried to wash it and more of the ruff turned orange - the stupid millinery wire RUSTED! Can you believe it? Rusty millinery wire - I ask you! Hummph!

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