FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
Granuaile
(click images to to enlarge)
Outline the story …
The inspirational character I chose is Gránuile (or Gráinne Mhaol, or Grace O'Malley). When my daughter was younger, my husband often read her the story of the Irish pirate queen. The adaptation he read was by Ann Carroll, called "Granuaile - The Pirate Queen". Granuaile is the fairy tale Queen every child deserves. Her refusal to stick to societal norms leads to her becoming a famous (or infamous) pirate queen. My husband's family come from County Mayo, where Granuile originally comes from, so this story holds real meaning for our family.
Although the inspiration for my entry comes from this story, it is very much a fantasy version. Granuile was a figure in history, however this costume is historically inspired rather than historically accurate. I have been wanting to make this bodice since I first got "Patterns of Fashion 5" and the competition this year seemed the perfect reason for making it. I've had this fashion fabric for about ten years and again this seemed like a great project for it. I decided to add the couching as the original in POF5 is embroidered and I thought it would make it just a little bit more special.
I wanted to make a really big skirt to go with this bodice, so of course I had to add some bum padding. I added buttons and loops to the front of the skirt so that the front of the skirt can be lifted to enable more swashbuckling adventures.
Outline the construction…
For the bodice, I used POF5 and seventeenth-century women's dress patterns for pattern and construction. For the foundation of the bodice, I used some cotton ticking and boned it using cable ties. For the fashion fabric, I used a brocade fabric which I couched on silver cord, following the pattern on the fabric. The bodice is lined with black satin. I also used silver satin ribbon for the lacing and on the sleeves. I made the eyes using the thickest jewellery making wired I could find, as I couldn't get hold of eyes big enough at the time. I hand sewed everything, baring the boning channels. I had help in the Stitchlings group for the fit.
I used POF4, page 111 for the smock. It was made using an old cotton bed sheet. I attached lace to the collar and cuffs. I machined the long seams and attached the binding by machine and then finished it by hand. The skirt is 4 panels and cartridge pleated down onto a cotton twill tape waistband. I made the bum pad out of scraps from the smock, following instructions on the website elizabethancostume.net.
I had never made anything from this era before, therefore I found getting the fit right really tricky. I had to teach myself to couch as I've never done this before. This was also the first time I have covered a foundation using a fashion fabric, which was a fun learning journey.
That bodice is just amazing, and I love how the colors and pattern of the fabric is similar, but not exact. Gives it more visual texture. Really cool!
Thank you. It is all the same fabric, I couched the silver cord on the bodice fabric. For some reason it creates the appearance of a different shade of fabric, so it’s completely accidental.
Okay so, fun fact: Grace O’Malley is the literal best pirate of all time. I believe this so sincerely that I did an entire semester’s worth of college English glass work studying her so I could write my final essay on that very point. You do her INCREDIBLE justice here, and I am thrilled beyond measure to see her represented here. I could only be more pleased if you had stolen a castle for your background. 😉
Oh isn’t she just. Thank you so much. Unfortunately we were in lockdown so no castle adventures but I’m tempted to put it on and get it photographed again when we can.
The snow photos are amazing! What a great dress.
I love those sleeves, and the skirt, and everything looks so well fitted !!
Badass and beautiful! I love it
Wow, I love this! That fabric is awesome! Thank you!
Yum. Sleeve pleats for dessert, thank you.