The Prize Play Cotte: Part 1

EDIT: This entry has been edited as of 2/22/08 @ 10:50 to clarify things where I was vague or incomprehensible before *G*
EDIT: This entry edited as of 3/8/08 @ 1:00pm to add pictures and details.


That will be the official name for the cotte I've been working on for a week. (It's been more than that, like two weeks, but I'm not counting the hair-pulling days prior to my receiving the proper tools for the job and coming to my senses on pattern development.)

Roger is going to the CSG Prize Play this weekend. It's a ... thing. For the scholars of the CSG (and RMSG) and there's a dinner? Presentation? thing he wanted the cotte for the actual prize play, cause it's a ... thing. A spiffy thing with historical undertones? And Roger wanted a 14th century cotte to wear. I happen to be housing some 25 yards of black wool and linen for denk_mal and promised her the labor to make whatever she wants out of some kick ass velvet she bought, in exchange for 5 yards of each fabric.

So. Um. I have never made a cotte, and originally, during those days of which we will not speak, I had taken a cotte that had been made by http://www.revivalclothing.com/ and used it to sketch out a pattern. That cotte was made of raw silk, and thus shrunk, so Roger couldn't wear it anymore. I was going to just scale it up. Which I know better than to attempt. And also, with all the love in the world to Nicole at Revival, I'm not fond of the shaping [which is a result of the clothes being made in standard sizes and intended for general purchase, as opposed to custom fit, which I understand.] And I don't think the poofy sleeves look good on Roger at all, and add to that, he is interestingly proportioned in general, with broad broad shoulders, and rather barrel-chested, and arms that are long in general flex and stretch and get bigger around. His range of movement makes for interesting musculature-movements, which tugs on fabric in interesting ways.

So attempting to modify a pattern that I wasn't pleased with in the first place, that I wasn't entirely sure of my patterning in addition, and trying to take into account the movement the garment would need to be able to pull off, proved to be a bad bad, shameful idea.

But! I have Google-fu and found some ideas on how to get started. In order to make the pattern I referenced THIS SITE. Specifically, I utilized THIS TUTORIAL on fitting a cotte for a woman, with a front-curved seam.

( Making the pattern. (mom, click here) )

( My next step, because I am a paranoid sewer. )

( The Sleeves )

Now I had a verified (mostly) pattern and a better idea what I was doing, so with a bit of panic and worry that I was going to cut it out ALL WRONG I set about laying out the fabric, figuring out the best way to keep everything on the same grain and maximize fabric usage. I cut very very very slowly, and measured everything three or four times, and always walked away for a few minutes before the cut. In then end, everything was the same, nice even cuts, and I still had a bit of fabric left over.

By which point I promptly couldn't think about the cotte anymore and had to take a break. I started playing around with a hood to wear over the cotte, and I'm hoping to have enough time to finish it before he leaves tomorrow.

And now I've taken my 15 minute break to give my back a break and I need to go finish some seams. Woot.

Continued in Part 2...