Babbles and Baubles: Project 1: French Hoods

First of all, I apologize for starting this project without you. I technically started yesterday, and failed to capture any pictures of the first parts. Thankfully, I got maybe half an hour into the project when I was lured away by a hot breakfast cooked by Baron Babbles, aka, Hubby. As this post is still halfway under construction, I'll add the remaining steps and photos later this week.

Overview of the Project & Research:
The project is quite simple; I have a tudor-style gown that is in desperate need of matching headwear. While I have made due with a lovely piece purchased from the Anne Boleyn Files, I really do not feel complete until I have a perfect matching hood. Being this is my first serious foray into seamstress territory, I am very, very apprehensive. In fact, I expect this shall turn into a horrid mess that I will never wear. But! Sewing is not for the faint of heart!

The patterns I am using come from a mixture of places. I am not all that confident in my craftsmanship, so I am combining what seems to be the easiest of patterns. I started with a pattern from the Elizabethan Costume page (a FABULOUS resource page that I have often visited just to read). I also viewed as many other sources as possible, hoping to find golden nuggets of tips to help me. Here is a list of sites that I referenced heavily during the planning stages:

For the underlying hairstyle and ideas for attaching the hood: Lynn McMaster's - An alternate construction for French Hoods
For general construction step-by-step guide: Kate Dicey's Making a French Hood
Pattern for the hood (1545 version): Elizabethan Costume Page

So here's the game plan: I will construct a french hood (using the 1545 pattern) with fabric to match my gown in burgundy red slub silk, trimmed with matching billiments (Project 2). I plan to use a combination of hair combs and braiding my hair to hold the hood on my head, and I am still undecided on the veil. The due date for this project shall be Friday, October 26th - what a short time away!

Step 1: Planning, Pattern, and Supplies:
Coming from my science-y background, I'm the kind of person to plan everything to a T. This project, however, has sort of just come together despite my knack for planning. To my credit, though, when I originally thought about doing this, I purchased a yard of the fabric of my dress from an online retailer. The fabric has since gone out of stock, so how lucky am I? Apparently... Not that lucky. After 2 moves, I have misplaced said fabric. Now I face the arduous task of finding a suitable fabric in a relatively short time period. Thankfully, I live right down the street from Jo-Ann's, and cleaned up shop yesterday thanks to a lovely sale. The fabric I purchased matches the coloring of my dress, but the embroidered pattern is a large diamond instead of something floral. I hope it's not too contrasting with my dress...

I also used a black embroidered satin for the back of the hood - purely by mistake as I forgot to buy a different fabric for the back, and had this lying around. I bought the last 1 3/4 yards, so I should still be safe if I need it for other projects. Lastly, I picked up a sheer satin to use for the veil, if I decide to do that.

Step 2: The Base:
For the base of the hood, I originally planned to follow in the steps of Kate Dicey, using Timtex instead of buckram. To be honest, I'm still not entirely sure what buckram looks like, and after many confused looks received from staff at local craft stores, I almost gave up on the idea. I found some reasonably priced Timtex online through Amazon, but luck evaded me once again, and the shipment was lost at sea (or... rather, the sea of boxes at the UPS facility). I finally settled on a heavy interfacing. Because I'm planning to add plenty of heavy trim, I decided to double up on the interfacing, using a whip stitch to get them together. I used regular black thread, and must say I got quite annoyed at tangles. Next time, I plan on using silk thread or some beeswax to help keep the thread in line (pardon the pun).

Base of the hood - 2 layers whip-stitched together

The 2 layers of interfacing whip-stitched together

Stitching is not my forte. It's something I really need more patience to do, especially since I have this idea that someday I'll make wonderful costumes. Then you add trying to blanket stitch wire onto a curved frame, and I go a little nuts.To the right are examples of what NOT to do in terms of stitching. Marvel at the horribly uneven spacing! Cringe at the puckering and tangled thread! Although, to my credit, they did get more even as I got the hang of the wire. Note that the corners are a little crazy - I went mad making sure the wire stayed in place. I also opted for an extra strength thread designed for outdoor upholstery. It was quite fabulous, actually. It didn't tangle and seemed very sturdy. I am quite enamored with this thread at the moment, and will probably use it forever.