A Burgundy Gamurra

Click to enlarge picture.

Click to enlarge picture.

Click to enlarge picture.

This dress is taken from a pattern on Period Patterns #41's set of Italian Renaissance dresses. I used view IV, the one on the lower right.

Materials used: one yard of blue jacquard fabric for sleeves, about five yards of linen/cotton blend for the dress itself, plus a yard of black cotton for the bodice lining. Many yards of gimp braid trim for the bodice top edges, plus along the sides and at the skirt's hem, plus small silvery seed beads used to decorate the braid all around. The sleeves are fastened on with black cord through 1/2" brass lacing rings sewn under the armhole. On top of the rings, where it shows, I've sewn 1/2" pewter-look buttons in the shape of a rose. It's quite a nice effect.

I do wish the camicia underneath weren't so poofy, but that's fairly easily remedied. It's made of hankyweight linen (originally sky blue, but I bleached the heck out of it). I used the bodice pattern for the gown to cut the neckline of the camicia, just a hair higher, and it does look good, flat like it's supposed to be (the gathered necklines seem to come later in the period than what I do). You can't tell at all, but the neckline of the camicia, and its sleeve hems, are decorated in very pale blue silk embroidery cross-hatching.

Click to enlarge picture. This was made with just some blue jacquard from the dollar store (I suspect strongly it's supposed to be a tablecloth), with the back seam cut open from above the elbow down. It closes with two silk ribbon loops around rose buttons, nothing to tie or actually button. It is lined in fuschia cotton twill for body, and it definitely does have lots of body. It fastens to the dress with three sets of cording (the armhole has lacing rings hidden underneath the fabric). You can just barely tell the rose buttons on the blue fabric at the joins.

Click to enlarge picture. This is a closeup of the shoulder.