The Tudor Revolution

Museum Number  T.12-1948 , Victoria and Albert Museum A few years ago I posted some research on monochrome English embroidery. This was the kick off of a hand project I have been carrying around and working on periodically. In February of this year I finished my coif. This coif is made of the finest linen I could find and embroidered with silk died using period techniques which I purchased at Pennsic War. The extant examples were made from linen ground fabric and silk embroidery thread. Most of my embroidery was done using stem stitch  or satin stitch. The edge was treated with a long and short button hole stitch similar to that seen in some smocks and shirts of the time rather than with lace.  My design was inspired by a Schole-House for the Needle , and two extent coifs. the design was transferred from paper to the coif using a period method of pattern transfer called prick and pounce. the little dots were then inked using a fabric safe pen. I assembled the coif for weari

Eleonora di Toledo had an iconic look which she altered very little during her lifetime. This statement applies to her hair styles as much as the iconic dress style she popularized in Tuscany. Through her life, Eleonora would wear a jeweled hair net over her hair. Her daughters and other members of the court can be seen without a net. Instead these ladies would have jewels or ribbons in their hair. This tutorial is to help you style your hair in the Florentine fashion of Eleonora's court. Let's begin! Eleonora di Toledo by Bronzino. Currently at the National Gallery of Prague. Painted shortly after her marriage to Duke Cosimo di Medici of Tuscany in 1539. What you Need: Needle and Thread Snips Hair Bodkin with 1/4 inch tape roughly 2 yards is plenty Hair comb Hair net Elenonora di Toldedo by Bronzino in the Wallace Collection, London.  How to: Step 1. Comb out hair until smooth and part down center with your hair bodkin. Then twist bangs from your

Shoes from the Museum of London's collection. Materials: Paper and pencil for patterning fabric pencil 1 foot square of thick veggie tan leather for sole- Mine are made of buffalo since I found a scrap to experiment with 1 foot square of thinner leather for shoe upper- I used goat skin hole punch mallet exacto knife and cutting mat leather needles waxed thread pliers Step 1 First step to any of  project is having your plan, and in the case of  these shoes that is a pattern. My first step was tracing my foot onto a piece of paper and then drawing the shape of my shoe around it. Many of my friends who have tried to make their own shoes had toes that pinched, so my first pair are meant to have a wide toe as is seen on the examples from the Mary Rose. For the vamp and heel pieces I mocked them up with craft felt and paper to ensure I had the right shape. Step 2 Cut out pieces of shoes. Remember to make mirror of the shoe. Now is a great time to use punches or k