Project Planning for 2021: The Compton Wardrobes
The tabardo in progress
Update: as of February, I've had to re-do and think this through a little bit. This is not the original list, but it's what I'm going with for now. I did not expect how hard 2021 was going to sap my energy. The big take away is that if I really want to accomplish this volume of work, the sewing machine is going to have to be involved.
As we all unfortunately know, I'm an obsessive planner who needs schedules and deadlines to keep motivated. In 2020, one of my unofficial goals was to prep sufficient garb for Pennsic. This... didn't really happen, because Pennsic didn't happen, and there went my deadline. I instead found Spain and threw myself into getting through that during COVID thanks to Tempore Atlantia happening.
In hopes of Pennsic 2021, and really in hopes of ANY events in 2021, I do need to focus on establishing an actual SCA closet. Ideally, this clothing will largely match my intended persona as she develops and grows throughout the year.
Currently, I have the following items:
3 usable undershirts (2 thinner sleeved smocks, 1 camisa)
1 set of calzones that don't fit great
3 base dresses, one of which also does not fit well (the Tudor kirtle, and then I have the green/red kirtle and the tan saya)
1 tabardo (court quality, work in progress)
2 sets of finished interchangeable sleeves (1 green, 1 tan matching the saya)
2 caps (1 St. Birgitta, 1 cofia)
1 knitted shawl
1 nalbound pair of mittens
1 apron
There are a few issues here. First- that Tudor kirtle does not fit well at all, nor does it bring me joy to wear. I will likely end up deconstructing it as I did with the navy gown and green (unfinished) gown recently. So that leaves me with the green and red kirtle and the saya, both of which I like wearing and are good in both warm and cold weather. However, I'm planning on being at Pennsic for a total of 9 days in 2021. Two dresses just aren't going to cut it, nor is three shirts (ideally I'd have one for each day but I don't think I'll make it there even in 2021).
So my projects planned for 2021 focus on fixing these significant gaps in my wardrobe. I currently have them planned out by month, with a little bit of detail on what and why. I plan to write a monthly update on this sewing list project at the beginning of each month- I've added it to my planner AND started drafts of blog posts already so it's a real thing and it's happening. This is a really ambitious list, I know, but I'd rather set ambitious goals and push myself to get more done than I otherwise would.
January: From the February update- this all actually happened!
Finish any necessary details on the tabardo.
Repair the green/red kirtle. There are some damaged areas at the seams on the green side that need fixing. I'd like to get this back into top shape before moving on to new projects.
Finish the red sleeves. When I got the fabric for the green/red kirtle, I bought enough for sets of sleeves to go with each color (or rather, be contrasted with each color). I finished the green sleeves, but the red ones aren't finished. One of them is but one is still in progress (i.e. promptly forgotten about in my stash of WIP's). I'd like to finish those sleeves.
Start Salome's cofia. I miss embroidery and I'm in the mood for blackwork. I also need more headwear. So it's time to take the plunge and start on Salme's undergarments. I can build a cofia in the course of a weekend, so that's not a huge deal. The embroidery on the cofia is fairly straightforward so I think once I bang out the simpler projects I can manage this in January.
February:
Re-do the calzones. The resultant calzones from this really do not fit well. However, I learned so much and will be able to do better next time.
March:
Make a second and third camisa. The second should have sleeves relatively the same size as the first, and the third should be a little larger, for a nicer camisa, but not full on Salome's camisa width.
Finish Salome's cofia.
If you have the energy to, embroider some blackwork the collar on the third camisa.
April:
Begin a second saya. I know this saya pattern works relatively well, so it's time to duplicate it. I'm thinking of doing some sort of gray-blue, probably wool, like one of the paintings Beatriz uses in her slides.
Start a 14th-century Spanish saya/gonela. There are sketches and a few paintings of particolored dresses, with short, upturned sleeves, and some awesome plaids. I want to do one of those, maybe in my colors (maybe green and white plaid on one side, and gold on the other ). Plus, it can work with the thinner sleeved camisas as well as the flowy ones. This will likely be patterned on the 14th century kirtle pattern I have.
May: This is going to be a light month because I expect a) poultry season to start here a b) we'll be moving.
I'll need to finish the 14th-century saya/gonela here.
Make a second set of calzones. Now that the pattern is figured out, this should be a no brainer.
June:
Make a set of interchangeable sleeves. I have some spare fabrics (more of the tan saya fabric, some saris, and some other random bits) that need purpose, so some sleeves seem like the reasonable choice. I understand that while hot as hell during the day, Pennsic can get really cold at night so some additional sleeves are a good idea. I think I'll be doing some sort of cut that will involve the camisa sleeves poking out a bit, but not full borachos.
Make a third set of calzones.
I'd like to have the first stocking finished by the end of June and start the second.
July:
Make a third cofia. More headwear is absolutely necessary for heat protection. I'll probably embroider this at a later date.
Make a casual tabardo. There's a post by Doña Aurelia Alfiata d'Alcaçova, linked here, that's a nice, casual, overdress. I sort of think it looks more like a loba than a tabardo, but once I start making something similar, I'll make the call on what to call it. Either way, something casual is the goal. I want a color that can go over the blue or the tan saya, so it'll probably be black, to use up the salvaged fabric from my Tudor kirtle, maybe with some gold cord to decorate but not too much. Either way, I don't expect this to be an extensive project.
August:
If I haven't finished the casual tabardo/loba by August 1, I'll start August with that. Ideally, it'll be finished by the time I get to Pennsic on the 7th (theoretically).
Start a goldworked manto. This is the outermost layer, and as an actual sewing project, is really simple. I want to do this in either navy or forest green and do couched goldwork on the border. There are several paintings, namely this one and this one, that have some lovely work on them that I want to emulate. I will probably go closer to the second one, as it is simpler, and I have never tried goldwork before. I expect this will take some time. I'll be pricking and pouncing the design on.
September:
I don't expect I'll have finished the manto in August. I plan to bring it, with the design copied on if possible, to Pennsic and work on it there, but I think it'll be slow going, considering my inexperience.
Make another set of sleeves. I'll want downtime from embroidery, and sleeves seem like a great way to do that. I don't exactly see myself running out of scrap fabric anytime soon, and these only take a weekend if I focus. This one will be full arm and thinner, but probably open at the back. I think matching them to the second saya is a good idea here.
October:
I want to make a quick red wool faldrilla in preparation for colder weather. This should be a short project at best.
Make the calzas. Calzas, as I understand them, are the sewn hose that go underneath the knitted stockings. It should be a quick sew.
November:
Make a sayuelo. I'm envisioning pairing this with either of the sayas and giving it a mid to low thigh-length peplum. The goal here is again, something slightly more casual, but warmer, and versatile for a variety of events. There's a painting of a light sage-y green one that I really like that I would like to emulate.
Knit garters. I'll be working on knitting projects throughout the year, but I'd like to have this smaller project started here. I'll need them for the knitted stockings.
December:
Finish all knitting projects, both the stockings if I haven't already, and the garters.
Start a habito. This is going to be another "aiming for 12th Night" project. 12th Night is a great time for particularly pretty stuff, and I think a fancier overdress for 12th Night each year might be fun. There are some paintings of hopas in a dusky rose color that I'm interested in.
So, by the end of 2021, I should have the following wardrobe (hello, I'm not sure if we've met, but I like garb and being extra):
5 smocks/camisas
3 sets of calzones
A complete set of footwear including calzas, stockings, and garters.
4 pieces of base headwear (1 cap of St. Birgitta, and 3 cofias)
4 base dresses (including accounting for retiring the black kirtle)
4 ish overdresses/outerwear (1-2 of which are court quality, 2 of which are more casual. I'm also not sure if the habito will be finished)
5 sets of interchangeable sleeves
2 options for warmer outerwear
