New Quandary

So, period Turkish pieces seem very rarely to be solids - most of the outfits that I have seen are patterned. (just for the record, I tend to keep away from patterned fabric in all my clothes, mundane or otherwise.)

Anyway - looking around at various examples brought the realization that I can't have a plain kaftan - it has to be patterned in some form or another. 

Which 'form'?  Well, I am not very good at beading or embroidery - no way would that amount of work be done in 5 years, let alone by next January - have no idea how to couch and the card weaving is usually restricted to trim. 

However, applique' comes to mind - especially after I saw this: 

hhmmmmm  ;o)   I don't have the silk (silly spending limit), but I do have the heavy blue linen AND some cool looking damask curtains that have been hiding in the garage since Linen N Things went out of business. 

The plan (revised) - Cut out 60 or so 5x5x7 triangles (plus fold-over allowance) and sew them onto the blue, and then line it with the tan linen. Definitely a winter coat.  ;o)  If I am lucky - I may have enough of the curtain fabric to line the sleeves and neck of the kaftan, so as to be a bit more 'showy'. 

The dilemma - Do I sew the triangles onto the fabric and cut it all out and sew it together?  Or cut out the pattern, sew the triangles onto the main parts, sew the fabric together and sew more triangles onto the seams?  (matching patterns has never been my strong suit)

I am thinking the latter, but am open to any suggestions.  ;)

Thought for the day

Here's a little hint for anyone taking on a sewing project of any magnitude - Do not, under any circumstances!!!! jam your thumb into a wall (on purpose or otherwise) and rip off every teeny-tiny, painfully attached bit (except the cuticle) of your nail.

Really doesn't help.

Just sayin'

On to Layer 2 (sort of)

So Layer 2 will consist of a dress, a pair of pants and a robe.  The dress will be an off-white, recycled cotton that used to be a set of drapes (the drapes themselves are made from recycled cotton, so we have all kinds of cycling going on here).

Unfortunately, I have to rip out all of the current hems, so it will be a bit before I can start to sew.

I did, however. find some other drapes that I haven't used (sensing a theme here?) that make work as decoration on my kaftan   :o)

Layer 1 - almost done

Started on the underpiece (Layer 1, shift, chemise, gomlek, whatever)  yesterday. I chose the fabric for a few reasons

1. I had it already
2. It wasn't doing anything productive other than taking up valuable space in my closet 
3. I loved the way it feels and thought it would be a great 'next to the skin' layer

Holy cow - what a pain!!  It is like trying to sew a cloud together.  Fluffy, sticky, floaty obnoxious material.  This whole time I have been telling myself that it will be worth it, it will be SOOO soft to wear.
Man, it better be.

The other reason it has been so difficult is that I am trying a period pattern from here:  http://forest.gen.nz/Medieval/articles/Tunics/TUNICS.HTML

LOVE the way it is going together (the pattern, not the fabric).  I decided to try this pattern on this particular piece because if I screwed it up, I hadn't blown any gorgeous fabric and any screw-ups I decide to keep won't be terribly obvious to anyone but me.

So, my first challenge piece is hanging up, waiting for me to finish frenching one set of seams and then slap a hem on it.  Oh, and finish the sleeves.  But still - you get the point.  It is 85% done.  My original plan had been for short sleeves, since I really don't like bulky clothes. But, long sleeves seem to work better with the pattern.  Now, I have to decide how narrow they should be.  The fabric wants to be all floaty and bell shaped, but this is the bottom layer and light or not, there is going to be a lot **** on my arms by the time I am finished.

Well. . . .

Haven't sewn a stitch.   Bad, I know, but I actually wanted to have a relaxing holiday  ;o)

I did, however, order (received, washed and dried) 3 yrds of black linen for the robe.  I also ordered 2 yrds of sheer white linen, which may or may not be used in the challenge.  I know it is period, but I have serious issues with wimples, veils and such.   Just not my thing.

I have a pattern in my head for the chemise and have a pretty good idea of what it and the dress should look like.  I even know what kind of weave and braid I want to do for trim.  

Now it is just a matter of getting to it.

Ha!