Eleanor through the ages

 A slightly different post –  mostly to honour one of my most loyal customers – or, to be precise, a customer who, though the years of stitching, fittings, events etc, has became a very close friend. Eleanor now has a rather full wardrobe of Prior Attrie outfits, from medieval to Victorian –  and  I am going to present some of them below.

 The first contact was made through Ebay – Eleanor wanted to purchase one of the frocks i was selling – but needed it shorter..

the houppelande on offer…

Shortening the gown was no problem, so we met at one of the markets and I have sorted it on the spot.. and that’s how it started… that is also how I met Ian from Black Knight Historical – but this i think will be another post… 🙂

the gown on Eleanor, as Margaret Paston here

 12th century

 A gown fit for a queen – clothes for Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine

kirtle in silk, dress in silk with ornamental borders, veil and wimple

 13th century 

 middle / lower class kirtle and dress in wool

 and another early 13th frock, here at the fitting – wool with embroidery

14th century

 a surcoat in cloth of gold – another queenly garment…

 and a bit more modest, a nun’s outfit – 13-14th century

15th century

 most of the work here was either kirtles for the camp or burgundian gowns – i have made 3… some of them below…

at Tewkesbury

Tewkesbury Abbey

16th Century

 here we started with an upper-middle class merchant’s wife..

at kelmarsh

 a bit posher…

at Blickling Hall, with a silk kirtle

and a silk velvet gown, for Peterborough cathedral

 An  early Elizabethan outfit – loose gown over a silk kirtle ( the same kirtle as above btw – it is reversible, plain gold on one side, brocade on the other….., coif and a cap

  17th century 

 alas, nothing as yet…. i think…

 18th century

 a pair of brocaded stays, silk petticoat and brocade jacket. event blog here

close up of the jacket…

 19th century

 Regency – a gown in silk – here as a Mrs. Bennett, with me as her daughter – more details of the event here

 Victorian

 a schoolmistress/egyptologist just a jacket by me. my first ever Victorian item too!

–

 was a 1883 suit for my wedding – Eleanor was my Matron of Honour:-)

then the mourning gown – work at Holkham ( blog  here)

1885 mourning gown

 and a 1884 evening gown, also worn for our Spectacular Ball

 I even did a Halloween corset and skirt for Eleanor – here worn for our Steampunk dinner at Coombe Abbey last autumn – not a best photo but we were too busy eating and having fun – so it is almost the only one I think…

  and for the time being – that’s it! Many thanks to Eleanor for being a perfect client and a perfect friend – hope you enjoyed the journey too!

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