Traci Hunnewell

Traci, who is known in SCA circles as Lady Elizabeta di Valore della Rosa, made this stunning Saxon gown for the year's Steppes 12th Night. I was lucky enough to see this outfit in person, and let me tell you - it was even more impressive in real life! The silk velvet and embroidered and beaded silk guards had such a beautiful shimmer to them, and that hat was a complete show-stopper! It's no wonder that she won the "WOW!" category, or Best Overall in the costume contest for the event. Traci has kindly written up a description of the outfit, which you can find below the picture. You can also see more of her beautiful and diverse costuming work at her website, Crimson Vision.

I had been in love with Cranach's Magdalena since I first saw it as well as Alyxx's gown; here is my first German attempt. The gown is brick silk velvet and gold with red hand painted and beaded (by me) silk guards. The skirt has 16 gores on it and it is roll pleated to a separate waistband before being hand sewn onto the bodice. I used Kass's Reconstructing History pattern as a base but altered the bodice a bit. Plastron design is changed to include two black unicorns (I found with the help of Michela documentation of animals on German plastrons and wanted to include my signature unicorn) and a hat and beaded caul were added to formalize the look for the event. 10 natural ostrich feathers were hand curled for the hat. Hemd is semi- sheer white silk with hand smocked neckline and shoulders which you can see through the sleeve slashes and under the bodice lacing. Worn under the skirt is a moss green silk petticoat which matches the silk the cuffs are lined with to mimic the original portrait. Choker is made from the guard silk and embellished with brooches and crystal red drops. I would have liked to add a larger chain as in the portrait but due to SCA regulations where only Knights can wear large unadorned gold chains I left that out.

Things I need to work on; the lacing in the front is off as I had never done this type before; I tried ladder lacing but the bodice is unboned (lined with 2 layers cotton duck and one more layer of gold silk) and it pulled the front weird; will be spiral lacing as well as securing the rings more. The sleeves are a work in progress; I am making a new set with lined panes instead of the current one layer of bias cut slashed velvet. I also want to work with the waistband; you can see a hint of bright red at my waist which is the waistband turning up. :p