cleves bodice fitting

Wed, 11 Jan 2017 22:55:22 GMT

I started with taking a copy of my Braunchweig gown and a transfer of my “german” kirtle to make my two bodices.

This is the Braunchweig copy as it is regionally close but also able to swing into the more dutch bodice shape.

I did also keep the Mary of Hungary bodice in mind.

How this works is the edge is on the grain so you have to smooth and stretch the fabric from there under the arm and to the waist. So yes the waist is off the grain. This is how the Mary of Hungary gown works too- if the edge was taken off the grain you get stretch going around the neckline that needs to be stabilised.

The down side to this is it makes fitting the armscye a nightmade.

But I kept going.

Ugh, look at how that now sits. Oh the back fits beautifully but where the excess fabric is moved to shows I needed a longer narrower back to be able to support this open neckline.

So my options were to remake the back panel or put in a seam. I dislike putting seams in the CB of my German gear but I am also running out of this fabric!

But it worked.

Then of course I had to copy the seam placement from one side to the other.

Side back matching, and shoulder matching.

SIde front matching.

The silk has almost no give! So I also also had to do a few tweaks on the form. I smoothed the left shoulder up and pushed the excess to fold over the shoulder seam.

As can be seen the armscye is very tight in the front of the arm, this will be clipped but only after I have properly assembled the kirtle layer and have the support this gown needs.

So I may see if I can get the kirtle underneath already to fit the way I need it!

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Frock Chick

cleves bodice fitting