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Janes-Wardrobe — Kitty's Kirtle
Published: 2009-01-03 21:01:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 4307; Favourites: 41; Downloads: 0
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Description
Mid - late fifteenth century English kirtle.Made from 100% pure new wool, lined with natural un-bleached, un-dyed linen.
This kirtle is made with six almost straight strips of fabric, shaped slightly for the waist, bust, armhole and shoulder. The fullness is created with the insertion of triangular gores.
The front is spiral laced, ie a single cord is passed in a spiral manner through a series of eyelets. The eyelet are offset to allow the front to close smoothly and be even top and bottom. Each of the 22 eyelets are worked by hand with silk thread. The holes are made in the fabric with an awl and then held open with the sewing. This makes a much stronger eyelet than if a hole is cut or punched into the fabric.
Just as I was about to save a composite of four views of this kirtle my Photoshop crashed - I will upload the composite but right now I want to get an image on line for Kitty.
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Comments: 29
Beautiful design, it seems so simple, economical and functional - yet looks so elegant. Some abominations of modern couture could take a leaf out of the history books I guess...
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Thank you - I just love historical clothing - 15th C clothes really are comfortable to wear and as you say - elegant...
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Thank you. It is a very simple yet elegant cut, those medieval folk were pretty clever!
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Nice! this just brought something to mind: have you seen [link] ?
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Thanks, 
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*sigh* I would love to have a so perfect shaped gown... mine (from the beginning of 14th) is done with a very simple pattern, and is large... I look 10kilos heavier!
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Thank you - we should take a look at the shapes for a 14th C gown - they should be fitted and beautiful too and this cut is very similar to the 14th C gowns - honest!
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I've followed the explanations on the book (Medieval Tailor's Assistant) and I think the design is verrrry basic.
The problem is I've some womanly boobs, and a 'small' waist. So, my gown is large enough for breast, but too large for my waist...
Maybe I could unstitch it, and then change the line... With an opening in the center front, I could be able to wear it
Breast vs Waist is my major trouble in my dressmaker cursus ~sob~
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Indeed you do have a '
I'm sure you could re-shape the one you have made to make it fit more nicely.
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I think the dress is large enough to be cut in the front middle and be closed with buttons.
But... I'll wait because I've a large amount of work
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Luvly m'dear. Was there a style of jacket that could be worn with this? Any plans to make one if there is?
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Thank you. Actually no, not in the 15th century. The kirtle would have been worn underneath a full length gown.
However I made an 18th century frock coat early last year out of the same fabric and I had both on the tailors dummy and they looked fantastic together (don't ask for photo's
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I would not have guessed this to be an undergarment, I suppose I should have googled 'kirtle' before sticking my foot in my mouth.......*sheepish grin*.
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Well it's an undergarment but not underwear!
It's the absolute minimum a woman would be seen in and it would be worn over a linen shift aka smock or chemise. That is the true underwear- the garments worn next to the skin are linen so they protect your woollen clothes from the grease, dirt and sweat of your body and it is the linen undergarment that is laundered frequently. The kirtle is rarely, if ever washed, just te mud brushed off when dry and spot cleaned as necessary!
Not 100% sure what would come up on a google search for kirtle - by the 16th century the kirtle is a very different garment.
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I love how I learn a little something every time I read your comments. This is a lovely dress.
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Thank you - just trying to share the knowledge
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Awesome!
So by using an awl, are you just separating the threads instead of cutting through them?
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Thanks, and yes, it's a bit tricky and I enlarge the hole using a big (5.5mm) knitting needle. That may sound big but the threads always shrink back a bit and the final hole is really quite mall and neat. Also by doing the eyelets this wasy they don't 'grow' in use. Obviously they do get a bit bigger but if you cut a hole first there is a tendancy for the hole to get quite big even though it seems neat to begin with.
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Thanks for the info
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Well much as I'm not a fan of your method, if all the metal is completely covered then you have a nice neat, fully functioning, strong eyelet!
At the end of the day most of us do this for fun and we all have our personal levels of how far we are prepared to go to get the look we want. Maybe I should do a tutorial on how to hand work eyelets - though I think ~Kathelyne already has.
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Mostly I haven't done hand-bound because I was worried about the strength of it, I thought you had to punch a hole. I'll check out her tutorial, thanks
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If you check out my tutorial on how to set grommets I use the same technique for making the holes for hand worked eyelets.
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I agree with the above. It is lovely and yet more inspiration to continue costuming on the small scale I am at the minute!
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Thank you - and completely different from the 16th century kirtle you've just done - can you see why I think they should have different names?
Historical costume provides a completely different challenge to other dressmaking projects, keep it up and enjoy the challenges.
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This is just what my tired eyes wanted to see. It's lovely.
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