Tudor Bodice

6–9 minutes

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Here I go sewing again… The tech skill this time is the tudor bodice! This would be worn over the stay that was made in the previous post. I have fallen in love with Tudor fashion turning this unit – its so fun and flirty, espeically compared to Victorians later. Couldn’t imagine wearing this day in day out though! I was tired after trying it on. Interestingly though, I found it more comfortable than a modern day bra. With my condition, even with proper sizing, the combination of thin straps digging into my shoulders and collar bone alongside the metal boning sitting on the ribcage, it can really cause a flare-up, leaving in pain for days. Ridiculious really. ANYWAY ONTO THE BODICE!

Our pattern pieces (plus the jigger, it helps take strain off the stomacher) I believe this is from Jean Hunniset.
The process is really similar to the victorian bodice – 3 layers, and add in your boning channels
I picked this top fabric – it is absolutely not time appropriate, but I really wanted to use it towards something pretty.

Working with this top fabric really helped with my mood – It was so pleasent to look at, that it pulled me through. I have been struggling hard with the latest lockdown, and overwhelmed by many things in my personal life. One look at this fabric though and I’m excited to create again.

so satisfying to look at
My fabric wasnt quite tall enough, so I had to add in a little extra. One side I matched the stripes, and the other I mismatched to experiment – i love how both look.
It was impossinle to line up the sides, cause of how the pattern slants, so instead i took care to make the back and front match. Also, I could have just cut the back on the fold. I don’t know why I didn’t – I guess I just wasn’t thinking straight.

I did really try to line up the side panels, but alas, it was not to be. I don’t mind though – it’ll be mostly hidden by arms anyway!

Here I tacked in my stomach piece, with the front and back connected at the side seam
excuse the wonky eyelets here – I was using a hand based one, but it was far too painful to use, I ended up getting a tabletop lever one instead – I highly recommend this if yoou think you’ll be eyelet punching reguarly!

With the pieces tacked together, sewing it together was honestly a piece of cake. I think it felt so easy, because its just 4 panels (or 3 if you remember to cut the back on the fold…) and there is no mean curve. I’m looking at you, Victorian Bodice.

This is a traditional way of decorating, althought it would be heavily embellished. I place it, but I end up not liking this colour or size.
A lil test fit – Its not actually made to my size, just whatever the pattern came as, but I was able to squeeze my way in.
that pesky back seam… I end up reinforcing that, espeically at the waist.

I had to do a sneaky test fit – I have never worn anything that had the tudor style shape, so curiosity got the better of me. I kind of love it, and secretly want to dress as a tudor everywhere now… Maybe with softer boning in the corsets though…

This is two pieces of top fabric, and a layer of coutil – you sew with the two top fabric layers together, and then once you turn it rightside out, it encases the seams.

Epaulette time, babey! I had a lot of fun making these – they are just *so* extra, espeically once I put on what I’ve called “window panes” over the layers of tulle and voile. Quick note here though – I had polyester voile arrive instead of cotton voile. If I were to make this again, I would absolutely pick cotton instead. The polyester is bouncey, and a little weird looking. I think I got it looking managable in the end, but I do not recommend buying poly voile.

Beginning of the window panes! I pinched the top fabric a little, so that when both sides are sewn, and turned right side out, the top fabric wraps around a little, hiding the coutil.
Here is a piece of petersham unironed vs ironed, pulled into a gentle curve.

The shoulder panes… Or window panes as I like, were a little tricky, and I did have to re-do a couple as they didn’t sit quite right. I used coutil as backing, as per the instructions I had, but I think I would pick a slightly softer fabric next time – the coutil was just a smidgen too thick. Here you can see the petersham i decided on as well – I really like how the white complimented the lady’s outfits, rather than the dark mustard colour. I was trying to play with complimentry colours (opposites on the colour wheel) but I just wasn’t feeling it.

For awhile, I debated not adding the petersham here too, however, it just looked… not quite right with out it. I then bias binding the top and bottom, and herringbone stitched them down on the inside. From here on out, I only start finishing one side of the bodice – that is what is needed for the tech skills marking, and I started running out of time to do both sides. I think it could have been done, but I didn’t want to be panicking last minute. I will return to this to finish it off though, as I really love how it’s turning out, and I absolutely want to send it to a photographer to get some super fancy photos.

Gathering up the poly voile was a task – It was easy to bunch up, but getting it to sit right was hard. Again, definitely not using this fabric again.
I popped it all onto a stand and tacked on the yoke. I chose to leave my shoulder strap showing – I saw some covered, and some showing in photos, and thought “Well, it’ll be nice to show the asyemtrical patterned shoulders.”
A little herringbone stitch on the voile to the bodice – I flipped up the raw edge and then sew. Around the back and shoulder, I created a gap and stitched it down a few cms away from the top of the bodice, as it makes it look more like a complete chemise underneath.

I am doing everything I can not to make some form of egg pun, cause now I’m working on the yoke, and that sounds just a little too close to yolk for it not to cross my mind.

India taping the pleats into place – This should be on the inside, but again the voile foiled my plans, and it shifted about too much trying to sew underneath
For a little decorative touch to place over the india tape, I had a thin ribbon in a nice lilac grey, and used a pretty stitch on my machine.
Helps pull it all together!

Even though the decorative ribbon will be most likely hidden by a ruff in a real piece, it added a nice touch all the same.

A little wrist gathering, as a treat.

This part was difficult to photograph, as the dress net is so fine and soft. I bias binding the top of the sleeve, so that this piece can be tacked into the epaulette, and then changed later. After that, I began a french seam, leaving a space for the sleeve plackets. For the plackets, its a simple rolled hem, and then finish of the french seam to finish! I am tempted to try this sleeve again, with the voile, just to see how it looks.

Aaaaand here is it done! Well, sorta – Done in terms of tech skills, but I will be returning to these to finish the other epaulette and sleeve. The epaulette is also just tacked on (i used an invisible stitch) and so it too along with the sleeve can be changed up for different looks.

Oh hey theres a ruff here too?!? Luck you dear reader, the making of the ruff will be uploaded too – its not completely finished here, I still need to tack the figure 8’s into shape, but hoo boy, thats a task and a half.

Here I go sewing again… The tech skill this time is the tudor bodice! This would be worn over the stay that was made in the previous post. I have fallen in love with Tudor fashion turning this unit – its so fun and flirty, espeically compared to Victorians later. Couldn’t imagine wearing this day…

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Quill Vulkin is a multidisplined artist & costume maker. They use a mix of methods and media to create thought-provoking pieces, as well as re-creations of work for clients.