14th Century Italian Women's Outfit

In 2023 I lead a Revenge of teh Stitch Team, Dags for Days. The team had six very talented crafters: Caitilín Inghean Fheichín, Caitilín Inghean Uí Ruaidhrí, Fiore al-Rumi, Lilit of Stierbach, Marta de Lyon, and myself. Everyone had such a positive attitude and worked so well together, that we found ourselves awake at 4am and still ready to work. Together we made a supportive chemise, a red bias cut wool dress, a blue overdress with dags and pearls, a blue hood with dags and pearls, a pair of soled hose, silk garters, a necklace, and fabulous hair do.

Prior to the Competition

Beginning in January of 2023, I started working on patterns and research for this competition. First a I made a supportive underdress and then began patterning the middle layer. Concurrently, I patterned soled hose.
The goal was three full dresses, however I knew that we needed to reduce the number of buttons and eyelets. Both buttons and eyelets are very time consuming and are often required before hemming. In 14th century manuscripts we see many images of women in dresses without visible closures. One theory is that these dresses were slipped on over the head. I chose to try this style and to bias cut wool flannel for added stretch in a dress with a tight fit. I made a full purple wool test dress, and found I didn't need any openings to fit into the the dress.

During the Competition

Marta Weaving Garters

Caitilin Fitting Soles

Fiore Making Buttons

Supportive Underdress - This garment was the first one I cut out. Caitilín Inghean Fheichín and Lilit completed most of the construction seams and finished the bodice portion of sleeves by hand. Caitilín completed the eyelets as well.

Bias Cut Dress - Marta and I cut this dress after a midnight cup of coffee. Lilet sewed most of this dress, added silk tape to the neck line, and couched the cold thread on the cuffs. I also helped contruct this dress.

Overdress with Dagged Sleeves 8- Caitilín, Fiore, and Marta completed much of the construction of this dress. This wool was fulled and seams didn't need to be finished. Fiore cut the dags. Marta added silk tape to the nickline and buttonhole side of the opening. She also made buttons and completed the buttonholes with wilk thread. Fiore, Marta, and Lilet added pearls in the last 10 minutes of the competition.

Soled Hosen - Caitilín, Fiore, and I constructed the wool portion of these hose by hand. Caitilín fitted them and soled these toward the end of the competition.

Stitch Guide - by Marguerite de Lyon

Garters - Lilet and Marta worked to warp these silk garters. They traded off card weaving throughout the competition.

Necklace - I made a beaded necklace as the soles of the hose were being fit (see photo of hose with hand in bead container)

Fingerloop Braiding - Braided by Fiore al-Rumi

Hair - Fiore al-Rumi did my hair in the inspiration of photos.

Dagged Hood - Caitilín Inghean Uí Ruaidhrí patterned the hood, did all the hood construction and finished most of the hood herself. Fiore al-Rumi cut the dags and Marta jumped in at the very end to help hem the face opening. Fiore, Marta, and Lillet added pearls in the last 10 minutes of the competition.

Additionally Torse and Galfrid provided snacks, fetched dinner, lunch, and anything left in a tent or car. They set up our tents and took them down with impending weather.

Since finishing this competition, I have worn all of these garments multiple times and loved all of them