A Gold Silk Cotte

So if I'm going to have a fancy velvet houppelande then I'll need a fancy cotte to go under it right? 

Looking at my favorite manuscript, Très riche heures, mai, 1415. The lady in black at the center has a long red drapy cuff with fringe. There are more examples of this sleeve in the next folio of this manuscript along with a few les ostentatious ones in Le Livre des Femmes Nobles et Renommees 1403, like the one below. 

In this image from Roman de la Rose (MS M.245 fol.25c) the lady in yellow is shown to be wearing a fitted cotte with the drapey sleeves. Confirming these sleeves are a part of the middle layer. 

Here I choose a Indian cream silk with metallic gold, and a gold boullion style fringe.  You see many contemporary 14th century Italian images of gold silks that have a similar all over pattern, and are often referred to as tartar silks, they have fallen out of favor on lieu of larger motifs by the early 15th century, but given I'm not entering this layer into an A&S competition, it's close enough for me. It's bougie and fit the aesthetic without clashing with my skin tone too much, or my bank account.

In progress photo

I'm using an existing fitted pattern with an extra 1/4" ease in the seam allowances because this silk doesn't stretch. It's fully lined in linen, except the cuffs which are lined in white sill, because the floats on the back of the silk would catch and be irritating. It needed a bit of adjustment in the torso and bust which is pretty typical of every fitted garment. It's has side lacing because the fabric doesn't have enough give to be pull over, and pervious experience shown that I'm not a fan of the front lacing with this type of silk. This gown is machine sewn, with hand done where stitching is visible. 

While working on this gown, Petranella, a laurel here in Northshield, produced a similar gown and she advised a 3/4 circle. I played with some mock pattern for the length I wanted and came up with this pattern.

It's an oval shape, the circle matches the sleeve wrist circumference. The wedge at the top of the oval is what creates tension on the cuff and gives it the lovely flowy drape, while reducing the bulk at the top of your hands. 

I'm very happy with how the cuffs turned out! These are so fun with the fringe.