The Tudor Revolution

Recently I've been working with people newer to the aesthetic and sewing of the 16th century. I'm an unapologetic bibliophile and find that collecting books & materials for research is as fun as making garments. This list is meant to get you started doing & making things. At a later date I will do another list for more in depth research. As you can see from part if my library, I'm always up for a book chat. All of these are currently available on Amazon and the respective authors' websites. Enjoy <3 Patterns of Fashion 3 and 4 by Janet Arnold If you are new to doing research on this period let me introduce you to your new patron saint, Janet Arnold. This wonderful woman was able to visit collections of historical garments and took detailed notes & photographs of the garments and their construction. Short of being able to handle the garments yourself these books will get you amazing first hand information. Book 3 will focus on fashionable garments...

Tonight let's chat about a really fun piece of jewelry I found years ago while browsing the British Museum's online catalog. This ram pendant is similar to many other beautiful pieces of jewelry using baroque pearls, typically dated 1550-1600 by many museums. This one in particular has always made me smile as someone who works with textiles. Pendant Details Now imagine my glee as I walked through Hobby Lobby a few years ago with a friend & found an almost identical pendant in their offerings. We each purchased one of the cuties and decided to make jewelry  with them. I've worn it on a ribbon, strung it with beads, etc but never quite liked the look until I found a fancy chain in the costume jewelry of a local thrift store. I picked this one because it speaks to the fancy chains found with the Cheepside Hoard in London, dating to the same time as the pendants. V&A Chains from Cheepside Lesson: With a little creativity you can imagine pieces for your ensemb...

On April 15th of this year I had the privilege to be guided by friends in El Paso alion the historic Mission Trail. The history in these buildings reflect the determination of the communities they have serviced for centuries.  They have stood since the late 17th Century and been rebuilt and in one case relocated after a flood. In many ways it was magical for me to see how the traditions of painted church ceilings and grand alters from the previous century were interpreted in the New World. Our guides informed me the ceiling beams & decorations date to the original construction of the respective buildings.  Even more special walking through those buildings that day was all of the support and prayers being said for Notre Dame of Paris. Enjoy some pictures I was allowed to take of the missions and consider stepping back into history a bit on your next trip. Visitor Website for El Paso Mission Trail

In one of my recent posts I mentioned that about 2 years ago I was given the opportunity to move tyo Denver, Colorado. One of the many things I have come to love about this city is the world class museums we have. Currently many collections are in storage at the Denver Art Museum while the finish an expansion, but some works are still on display. Earlier this year I went to the traveling Doir exhibit the museum hosted & found this amazing exhibit of British painting through the ages. Notably I was able to see my very first Holbien in person in baby Prince Edward's portrait. The insdtallation is running through July 2020, so please check it out. I'm  including some of my pictures as teasers for you! https://denverartmuseum.org/exhibitions/treasures

Below is my documentation of one of my competition pieces earlier this year. I got side tracked by other projects and will be posting an update later with the finished cuffs. Currently I have 1 cuff 3/4 of the way done. Wish me luck and happy reading. Punto in Aria Lace Cuff  The Honorable Lady Isabelle de Calais  Kingdom Arts and Science Competition 2019 Punto in Aria Cuff from late 16th Century Venice During the 16th century intricate lace work became increasingly popular. With the increase in popularity the methods of creating laces diversified to include plaited laces such as bobbin lace, and needle-based laces such as punto in aria and reticella. These laces could be added to linen undergarments and housewares. One of the most popular uses for lace in this period was on accessories such as veils, handkerchiefs, ruffs, and cuffs. Making the Lace  Pattern Books vs. Professionals It is easy to assume that all lace was made by professional artificers in ...

Another Class Handout. This class is typically hands on and we demonstrate creating these hairstyles using this as a reference tool and for notes. I discovered Roman hair dressing while living in Arizona and playing in the SCA. There were many events where even indoors it was too hot to function with more than a sheet on. I learned a bit more about ancient and imperial Roman clothing and hair dressing as a way to beat the heat. One of the most fascinating rabbit holes I have fallen down in recent years is how many of the styles reappear during the Italian Renaissance. Imperial Roman Hair Dressing The Honorable Lady Isabelle de Calais Tudorrevolution.blogspot.com During the later periods of the Roman Empire women were dressing their hair in elaborate hairstyles. In the capitol the Hair Styles could change quickly among the elite depending on political situations, etc. This class is meant to be an introduction to basic techniques used in Roman hairdressing. Tools of the ...

Women’s Hair in in Mid 16th Century Florence  The Honorable Lady Isabelle de Calais  www.tudorrevolution.blogspot.com To most of Europe in the Renaissance, Italy was seen as a source of learning, culture, and beauty.. While many women across Europe were covering their hair under hoods and coifs, the Italians had a long history of elaborate hair dressing which was embraced with zeal as the continent explored and revived classical learning. This class will outline some of the basic tools, techniques, and accessories used to create Florentine hairstyles from 1540 to 1590. Tools of the trade “Dirty Hair”- Many popular shampoos we used today are mean to achieve modern straight silky hair styles. To make your life easier when creating period looks use products without silicone and parabens. My favorite shampoos to use prior to period hair are from Lush Cosmetics. If you are using shampoos with those ingredients in them please don’t wash your hair for a day or two prior to styli...