Alys Peacocke

This beautiful Elizabethan gown looks so amazing on Alys, and I really love all of the embroidery on the stomacher and caul. I am so in awe of people with a talent for hand-work of this caliber! She was also kind enough to send some good photos of the beading and headwear, and there is a wonderful description of the construction below the picture on this page. If you have any other questions for this amazing seamstress, you can reach her at lyssa(at)shapersguild.org.

This was my first serious attempt at Elizabethan nobility. The pattern for the bodice was based on Herbert Norris' Tudor book, fig. 256. The overskirt is unlined, cartridge pleated into the waistband. The lace on the skirt I just put on because I liked it. As far as I know, it is not historically accurate at all, but I was nineteen at the time, so, you know how that is. The stomacher of the bodice is hand beaded with glass seed beads in a thistle pattern that I drafted based on the abstract floral forms of much embroidery of the period. The sleeves are detachable, tied in with ribbons at the shoulder, and button on the underside of the sleeve to let the chemise puff through the gaps. They are embroidered in a cutwork pattern in black thread. The partlet is the pattern from Drea Leed's Elizabethan page, made of linen with lace on the ruff. The headgear is my favorite part of any costume, especially since it tends to be neglected. The coif was worked freehand in double-running stitch blackwork, and the riding hat I made while taking Lynn McMasters' hat-making class, which was excellent. It is made from her "Women's Elizabethan Arched Brim Tall Hat" pattern, which is available on her website, lynnmcmasters.com. The only thing that I regret about this costume is the purple fabric I used, which is very obviously synthetic. At some point I plan to tear it apart and remake it with a different main fabric, but that fabric hasn't yet shown itself to me.