Gail Gavit

Once again, I find myself speechless! The amount of detailed embellishment on this noble masterpiece is just mind-boggling, and I can't even find the words to express how impressed I am with this amazing costumer's work-- it's simply stunning! Gail, also know as Lady Katherine Brandon in SCA circles, has kindly send along some info about the gown, and you also email her at ggavit(at)interconnect.net.

Although I have been a costume designer for many years, this is my first Elizabethan gown. It is from Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion, the Eleanora of Toledo burial gown. It is made of red cotton velveteen with couched Eurpoa gold braid in an open cutwork technique with the bottom layer of the design in burgundy velvet. I live in south Texas and it is very hot. I am learning to use breathable fabrics and hide ice down my corset. Sleeves are stitched in instead of tied in, as they are so specific to this gown I didn't think I could use them on any other. It is of course worn with a corset, bum roll and farthingale. The pattern is a modified gilly flower taken from a drawing from the 1600's featured in Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd (Janet Arnold) and I simply traced it onto the velvet with a sharp point that makes indentions in the velvet like carving wood. Then I outlined them with pen. The pattern on the foreskirt gets smaller as it goes up the front of the gown. All is accented with pearls. The hat is black velvet with a curled ostrich feather.