Although made from a polyester ‘silk like’ material, the body of the dress is fairly authentic in style.  I used a commercial pattern as the base and modified the final dress to match drawings in Katherine Strand Holkeboer’s “Patterns for Theatrical Costumes” for the 12^th – 13^th centuries.  I made the sleeves after one of her optional styled sleeve shapes, as I wanted to wear an undergown with tightly laced sleeves underneath later.

Another version, not pictured here, is made from a cream colored stretch cotton and has a higher neckline and tight lower sleeves.  It’s overgown is a sleeveless surcote of grey marbled cotton, trimmed at the neck with an off black velvet and a gold brooch.

The mantle pattern is from the same book, made of velvet and lined with a quilting cotton with a slight black and white design.  The clasp was something I had purchased years ago at the Puyallup Sewing Expo.

This was the first attempt at anything more historical than fantasy and I’m beginning to think I’m hooked.  I was given “The Medieval Tailor’s Assistant” by Sarah Thursfield as a birthday gift and it was very hard to put down.  I’m planning on trying out the fitting method on a close friend and going to town with more authentic fabrics and clothing shapes.  I highly recommend both the Holkeboer and Thursfield books!

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