I started a bit backwards on this project by making the inkle band for my hose garters first. I just got a new loom and was itching to try it out, and had a day where I knew I’d be sitting with nothing much to do for several hours. I’ve never done inkle before, and I was surprised at how easy it turned out to be! Though that may be because I learned how to do tablet weaving first, so by comparison, inkle is extremely simple and quick.
I did have some trouble figuring out the pattern I wanted to do, so eventually I gave up on the book and just tried what I thought would work, and lucky for me, it did. It’s not quite the pattern I wanted, but it’s simple and I like the way it looks. It took me about 5 hours to make a band about 70″ long. That’s more than I need, but it was the capacity of the loom so I just decided to make that much rather than figuring out how much I needed and measuring the warp.
After finishing the inkle band, I started on the red supportive kirtle. I still need to finish my shift, but I’m procrastinating because I started it by hand so I feel like I need to finish it by hand. I’m hardheaded that way. It took most of the day to cut and assemble the kirtle, and I still need to sew the sleeves. I was getting tired and cold, however, so I didn’t get that done that night (my sewing space is a covered porch, and the temperature drops quickly as soon as the sun sets).
Instead of the sleeves, I sat on the couch and started working on my eyelets. I’ve never actually done eyelets before, but I’m fairly pleased with how they are turning out. I used an idea from Magistra Sylvie la Chardonniere to make a template rather than measuring each one individually. I like how simple it makes marking the holes. I did the math and it looks like I’ll need to do about 36 on each side. That is going to take FOREVER. I need to get it done as quickly as possible, though, so I can put on the kirtle and wear it around for a day to stretch it out and make any adjustments to the fitting before I can flat fell the seams and do the hems and such.
I’m still unsure how I’m going to close up the sleeves– in my inspiration, it seems as though the sleeves might be loose enough to go on without any kind of closure, with a cuff that gets turned up at the wrist. I had my heart set on brass buttons on the cotehardie, however. If I go that route, I obviously can’t use buttons on the kirtle sleeve. Perhaps hooks and eyes would work?
I’d love to see a closer photo of your eyelets! The red-on-red in the photo here makes them hard to make out as far as stitching detail….
Also, your inspiration photo doesn’t give us a sense of the pattern you’re likely to use for your kirtle, so I’d also love to see a sketch or even a photo of the kirtle on you as you’re wearing or fitting it, to get a sense of construction and sizing and such…
Hi Beatrice!
The kirtle is entirely conjectural based on the fact that she’s wearing *something* under the cotehardie. I will be posting a picture of it on me once I finish the eyelets and can lace it up. 🙂