This is probably one of the best Medieval/Renaissance patterns put out by any of the big 3 pattern companies and the changes necessary to make it authentic are minimal. I’ve used this pattern twice both times for SCA wear. My first dress was View B. it was simple to make even though this was only the second dress I had ever made. I don’t know why they recommended organza for the underskirt, but I used a heavier fabric (the same fabric as the rest of the dress in a different colour) because I didn’t particularly want a transparent skirt, especially given the way the overskirt falls back when you sit down. You can’t see the underskirt in the photo, but when you walk or sit down the split opens and you can see the underskirt. The changes I made to the pattern were fairly simple, back lacing instead of a zipper, a separate chemise instead of the faked under-sleeves; the underskirt was mounted onto a separate waistband. I used the upper gauntlets from View A but lengthened them to wrist length, and attached them to the bodice using buttons and loops. Just over a year after the first one I made this dress again. It was a 3 days before an event and therefore, a rush job. I used vVew B’s bodice again but I drafted out the darts (I pinned the darts closed on the tissue paper and then traced the shape onto another piece of paper) because there’s no evidence that darts existed this far back. After looking at paintings from this era (Venice circa 1490-1510) I decided that this U shaped neckline really belonged on an under-dress so I made a closed skirt (similar to View C). When I discovered I had lost half of the skirt pattern pieces I just cut 3 rectangular panels to the length I wanted and calculated the pleats from there (the pattern calls for gathering but I like the look of pleats better). I also straightened out the upwards curve between the bust that is on the original bodice pattern; it worked OK when I made the split skirt but a closed skirt looks strange with that point in the front.
Elizabeth Walpole –
This is probably one of the best Medieval/Renaissance patterns put out by any of the big 3 pattern companies and the changes necessary to make it authentic are minimal. I’ve used this pattern twice both times for SCA wear. My first dress was View B. it was simple to make even though this was only the second dress I had ever made. I don’t know why they recommended organza for the underskirt, but I used a heavier fabric (the same fabric as the rest of the dress in a different colour) because I didn’t particularly want a transparent skirt, especially given the way the overskirt falls back when you sit down. You can’t see the underskirt in the photo, but when you walk or sit down the split opens and you can see the underskirt. The changes I made to the pattern were fairly simple, back lacing instead of a zipper, a separate chemise instead of the faked under-sleeves; the underskirt was mounted onto a separate waistband. I used the upper gauntlets from View A but lengthened them to wrist length, and attached them to the bodice using buttons and loops. Just over a year after the first one I made this dress again. It was a 3 days before an event and therefore, a rush job. I used vVew B’s bodice again but I drafted out the darts (I pinned the darts closed on the tissue paper and then traced the shape onto another piece of paper) because there’s no evidence that darts existed this far back. After looking at paintings from this era (Venice circa 1490-1510) I decided that this U shaped neckline really belonged on an under-dress so I made a closed skirt (similar to View C). When I discovered I had lost half of the skirt pattern pieces I just cut 3 rectangular panels to the length I wanted and calculated the pleats from there (the pattern calls for gathering but I like the look of pleats better). I also straightened out the upwards curve between the bust that is on the original bodice pattern; it worked OK when I made the split skirt but a closed skirt looks strange with that point in the front.