17 Century Sewing Challenge: Queen Henrietta Maria, 1633

First off - it's been way too long.  But, I made a vow to update my LJ once a week and have been doing pretty well with that, so now it's time to update the blog!  I'm just going to start fresh with new projects and insert old stuff that I've been doing as I go along.  So, on to the new!

I’ve been excited about 17th century costume for a while now, but just haven’t been able to get off the ball and get something made.  Imagine my excitement when I ran across the 17th Century Sewing Challenge started by Isis’ Wardrobe - a challenge to take a year and create any outfit you wanted based on artwork or extant garment dated 1600- 1699.  Here was the perfect challenge to get me started on making at least one of my planned outfits.  Except …

The challenge started in September of 2014 - so they’re just about done with the year.  Sigh.

Still!  Some people joined a few weeks ago, so I went ahead and asked to join the Facebook page.  And then I set about pinning all the images I could of dresses and bodices and skirts that I was interested in making.  Because, one of the requirements of the challenge is to make an exact replica in style and color, as close as you can.  And none of my planned outfits fit the bill.  Why? 

Van Dyck, 1635

I’ve been planning on making this dress for years, ever since I got my copy of Aileen Ribeiro’s Fashion and Fiction.  Right there on the cover was my dream dress - Queen Henrietta Maria in a green dress festooned with pearls.  I’ve been collecting pearls for years to re-create the design.  But, I’d decided a while ago to make the dress in blue.

Van Dyck, 1633

Then, during my great pin fest I found this dress.  QHM again, regal and beautiful in a blue dress, representing honor and wisdom.  I loved the trim, the collar, the hat, the whole look.  So, this is going to be my dress.

In the bit of research that I’ve done about this painting, I discovered that it’s in the National Gallery downtown D.C.  Woot!  So, I’m off to take a good long look at it this weekend and take lots of notes about details (like, is that collar all lace or is there a bit of solid fabric there? Does the dress have pinking as stated in Ribeiro, and I just can’t see it in the pictures?), and decide if the blue fabric I have is the right blue.

In addition to this, today I found this painting, showing what’s going on under the lace collar and gold striped scarf (so exciting!):

Sorry it's sideways.  I wish I could fix that.  Also, apparently this is also Van Dyck, but I can't find info on it.

Amazing!  So, I have all the details available to me about the bodice, as well.  Really neat.  And finally, I found out today that Maryland is named for Queen Henrietta Maria - I mean, it’s meant to be right? ;-)

So, here’s another project that I’m very excited about!