Part of the issue with this miniature is the artist’s style. He highlights *everything* in gold. Every picture has the same style of gold highlights. Chances are the fabric was not striped in gold.
Looking closely at the sleeve on the left, there is a series of gold bows and knots along the top of the lower sleeve as well as the bows holding the sleeve around the arm.
The sleeves are made from fine, wine colored wool with very similar hand to the fabric of the body of the dress. It is a twill while the body fabric is a tabby, but they look alike. The sleeve pieces consist of three layers; the wool, the purple linen lining, and a layer of white medium weight linen as an underlining. I considered using a slicker lining fabric – I bought some heavyweight silk for the purpose – but I’ve done that before and had trouble with the sleeves pieces always making a break for it down my arm. With a linen lining closely held around a linen chemise, I am hoping they stay put more readily from friction if nothing else.
The lower sleeve piece has the ties sewn in.
The sleeves with embroidered and ribbon detail.
Edited to add the shoulder knot details.
The laundry room is also looking pretty good. We had a window bricked up behind where the cabinets are now, then we did the interior construction of the wall ourselves. Daylight is provided by a new Solatube in the ceiling. We also added two ceiling spots and under cabinet lighting, doing the electrical work ourselves. Since this picture was taken, we added a base cabinet next to the dryer and are working on replacing the doors on a pantry cabinet, that they no longer make in that size so we had to keep it; and transforming an old built in ironing board shallow cabinet into storage.
Glad you pointed out the gold bows on the forearm sleeve. I noticed similar gold ‘knots on the upper sleeve closest to the shoulder and at the elbow on the left arm, and then I noticed gold lines that go over the elbow and shoulder puffs. Could these be lacing that attaches to each sleeve section and the shoulder? In paintings of German Renn by Lucas Cranach, you can see these lacings easier since he uses black for them. This would keep the sleeves from making a mad dash to the wrists. You could use ribbon and tack it down with a couple stitches.
I think you’re right, Severin, about the lacing between the sleeve sections and the shoulder.
Artists are the curse of Costumers. They fancy up the plain and simplify the fancy! There is a lot of choice with the gilding between what is texture effect by a painter and what is actual objects/ ribbons.
I like the decisions you made about bows versus highlights. They will add sparkle, be more functional in the gold ribbon and not *constantly* untie themselves. Is that a little metallic embroidery at the elbow seam? Nice!
All this and a Fine Laundry room!
Yes, there is one line of metallic embroidery around the elbow and the neckline. If I get a chance, I’ll add another row to make it more prominent. I’m also thinking of doing a line of the metallic embroidery around the waist seam to give me that sparkle from pic without going into either a welted seam or a belt – which are the other two options.
Those are going to be more of the gold ribbons running through eyelets/buttonholes on both the armscye and upper sleeve pieces and decoratively knotted on the top to prevent them from slipping back through. That’s this afternoon/evening’s part of the project.
Edit – If you look closely, there is a gold ribbon knot on the shoulder at the armscye from where it ties on the sleeve.
Now if I could just decide what the frack the gold around the waist depicts….
Look up in the post to see the shoulder knots. I’m adding in a pic of them as apparently I can’t post pics in the comments.