The Lower Sleeves: Construction

The Lower Sleeves or 'Fore' Sleeves: Construction

To Start with I made a rough pattern by eyeballing the portrait for dimensions and gleaning some from the TT pattern. However, the TT pattern is for a later, wider sleeves, with decorative holes in it. The sleeves for this gown are more narrow and pleated for ease.

After I made a rough paper pattern I cut a toile out in the usual cotton duck (Don't ask, I have tons of it, or I did). I pinned it/basted it and tried it on. Fussing with it, it didn't seem right. So I drew lines on it where I expected the pleats to go. Once again it didn't seem right (the pleats slope quite a bit) until I put it on. Voila! Looks like the portrait.

References

Lorraine, Sarah
undated 'Boning Descriptions' accessed 15 November 2013 on the internet at http://www.modehistorique.com/research/boningdescriptions.pdf

Malcolm-Davies, Jane, Caroline Johnson and Ninya Mikhaila
2008 ''And her black satin gown must be new-bodied’: The Twenty-First-Century Body in Pursuit of the Holbein Look' Costume 42:21-29

Mikhaila, Ninya and Jane Malcolm-Davies
2006 The Tudor Tailor BT Batsford London