I have plans for the long weekend. Not just any kind of plans, mind you. I have Plans. They involve grocery shopping, cleaning (not just tidying) the apartment, making an 'O', getting a start on the Elizabethan bodice, eating my body weight in duck, sleeping in, at least one pajama day.

Hmm, now that I've listed my Plans, it sounds like I may not have much time for couch slothing (re: sitting on the couch, eating really bad food and watching a succession of DVDs, or reading a book, or playing Settlers). I'm sure I can squeeze it in.

I've managed to find a HUGE copy of the dress I'm trying to make for My First Elizabethan. I want mine to look like the chickie on the left. The sketch is by Lucas de Heere from around 1570.

I also found a HUGE copy of The Fete at Bermondsey by Joris Hoefnagel, 1569. I'm now minded to make a rust coloured overgown, but I'm making this from stash (since everyone knows if it's from stash, it's free), so the speckled green wool from the Great Fabric Shopping Expedition of 2004 will have to do. Oh the sacrifices one has to make!

I've made the petticoat, hose and hat. Now I need to make the undergown (petticoat bodies), overgown, girdle (and I'm not referring to Nanna underpants!), and the suit of ruffs. If I have time, I'll make the required high-necked smock, otherwise, I'll make a partlet with a ruff and just attached the wrist ruffs to an old smock. There's still a lot to do. Good thing I'm planning to have it done for November!

Thinking on the colour palette I've selected for this dress, it's really rather boring. I'll try to get a pic of the colours this weekend. (Getting a picture on this blog relies on me remembering to take one in the first place.) But imagine it; red underskirt, tawny-coloured petticoat bodies with a black guard at the hem, dark green marle overgown with more black guards. A bit on the bland side, isn't it? Oh well, that's the English for you...