1490’s Over Gown
The pattern for the overdress is the same as the underdress but the front is not cut on a fold and instead has a deep U-shape at the center. I started with 2 layers of cotton duck for both bodice fronts, the bodice back, and both straps. I then machine-quilted these layers together without any boning.
Once the duck was quilted, a quilting cotton lining was flat-lined on. The fashion fabric–cotton velveteen– was then cut larger than the inner layers and wrapped around the inner layers and stitched down on the lining, being sure not to go through all layers so the outer fashion fabric layer was not marred by stitches. The straps and bodice pieces were then whip stitched together.
The skirt was comprised of 6 panels. A left and right back; a left and right front; and two single-piece gores. I was unable to use one width for the gores as the fabric has a nap and is therefore directional. I have 4 right triangles leftover from cutting out my gores! The skirt pieces were attached to each other using machine flat-felled seams into a continuous piece that was left open at the center front. I used bias tape to bind the upper and lower edges of the skirt. The skirt was then pleated and whip stitched to the inside of the bodice.
Around the neckline of the overdress, I added a braided gold trim with faux pearls. At the terminals at the bottom of the U-shaped neckline, I added ouches to cover the raw edges of the braided trim. I also added lacing cords made from braided DMC floss to secure the overdress together at center front.
The necklines stack over each other. In the front, you have the camica edge visible beneath the under gown. Over the under gown, the deep U-shape of the over gown neckline shows the under gown bodice detail. In the back, you see each of the necklines stacked on top of each other.
In the full length, you see the skirts of the under gown showing at the center front from between the split skirts of the over gown with the braided cord ties at the bottom of the neckline.
