Why "The Tudor Revolution?"

Once Upon a Time...

There was an eager young girl in a small town that loved to learn about history. From the check wagon reenactors on school field trips, to women's suffrage, all the way back to ancient Rome. As this girl became a teenager, she began experimenting with her own dress because she was tired of trying to fit in and decided to have fun instead. She learned to sew, crochet, knit, and many other crafts, but there was always a curiosity and desire to know more about what had gone before. We have to know what has gone before in order to know where we are going.

In college, the girl joined a living history group that allowed for the study of several different time periods. The girl embraced her love of the renaissance and learning about the Tudors and Elizabethans. Several people wanted to tell this girl not to look up this time period because it is too hard, it is too expensive, or any number of other excuses. The girl considered their thoughts briefly, and then did what she wanted anyway.

2014 Phoenix Comic Con as a Panelist on Anne Boleyn
History and Pop Culture

This is my origin story coming into living history and historical costuming. Several well meaning people wanted me to make Norse clothing because that is what they liked to wear at events and I decided to go my own way. No one in the area was doing 16th century costuming at the time because it wasn't cool. I started a quiet revolution with my like minded friends to make the clothes we wanted to make and show others they can wear what ever they want too. We don't all have to have the same cookie cutter outfit, and events are far more interesting when there is variety. I have kept this revolution going in small but consistent ways everywhere I live. Study what makes you happy. Create what makes your heart sing. Don't be afraid to be the fanciest person at the ball if your clothes make you happy. You might turn into someone else's inspiration to level up their own game.

These days when I'm at costuming or living history events I am exceptionally happy, an that is because I wont my personal revolution to study and make the clothing that I love. Allow me to encourage you to follow your own passions and create the clothing you want to wear and see in the world.

1790's Round Gown from Summer 2020

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Pockets in the 16th Century?

So if you are new to my blog, Hello! I took July off to focus on work and realities of covid life. Thanks for hanging in there. This week we are doing to cover 16th Soccocia and their role toward the origin of pockets. People need a place to carry and keep their small items as they walk around. In the middle ages you might have a pilgrim satchel or a belt pouch. Some women in the middle ages had the brilliant idea to stop wearing their money purses outside of their over gowns and instead would wear them between their kirtle/sottona layer and over gowns. This arrangement still gave you access to the purse, but made it harder for thieves to cut your purse strings and run. Fast forward to the 16th century and we find the heirs to this practice in socaccia. We have some visual evidence of these in mid to late 16th century art out of Italy. This is a detail of Alessandro Allori's, Woman at her toilet, ca 1575-78. Currently in Florence, Church of Santa Maria Novella, Gaddi Chapel. J

Two Tone Lucet Cording

Hello Beautiful Humans! Today I have a brief tutorial for you on how I made the lucet lacings for my most recent renaissance dress. It is a craft that is hard to document in the 16th century, where I do most of my work, but I love how quickly this technique works up into fairly strong cording. This two tone technique is much stronger than a typical single strand lucet braid because of the extra cord running through the entire cord. I also love the possibilities for coordinating your laces to your outfits. My laces were made much longer than I needed them for this dress. Looking back I could have cut my lacing in half and been fine, but now I have all this extra if I should ever need it. Long laces also mean I can pre-lace myself into this dress with a spiral lace and then tighten it until I feel comfortable. For this particular style of lucet I used a hardwood lucet fork I purchased from an 18th century reenactor, a skein of DMC 6-strand embroidery floss, and a ball of size 10 cr

Voided Velvet Sleeves from a Thrift Store Scarf

Detachable sleeves are one of my favorite things to make for renaissance dresses, and always seem to be the last thing I think to make when I'm planning my outfits. These sleeves are made from thrift store fabric to mimic one possible way that "cut work sleeves" were made in the period. There are several theories, and my research has made me think that they all may have been in use at different points in time for different specific motifs. To make these sleeves I used a voided velvet scarf I found at my local thrift store and remnants of rayon velvet, silk shantung, and linen. Techniques I cover in the video include basting, hemming stitches, and how to easily sew with velvet. I completed the project using a mix of hand sewing and a modern sewing machine. I love wearing these Italian renaissance dresses at reenactment events or when I attend events for the Society of Creative Anachronism. Groups like this have helped me learn more about how period techniques and mate

The Tudor Revolution

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