Sorceress Nicci

The outfit is entirely hand sewn by me except for a few intact kimono seams/hems. I neither used nor made any patterns, following my typical methods of draping and “drawing with pins” (marking the outline of pieces onto fabric with pins according to my measurements and photos used as shape references). The kirtle is a medium weight black-on-black floral embroidered cotton suiting spiral-laced in front with faux leather cord. All medieval-style dresses I’ve made were loose or gap-laced, so creating a laced-closed kirtle was new to me. The overdress starts with a medium weight black linen bodice lining (as if making a polonaise) onto which I sewed the remainder of the black linen kimono. I cut the kimono front panel to match the lining, then shaped it to lie smooth with darts at the bust and side seams. It took a few tries to determine how to widen the skirt of the overdress using the fabric removed from the kimono front while keeping the kimono’s lines and incorporating “retroussée”. The free-hanging kimono sleeve pieces attach to the unfitted kimono shoulder edges. I whipstitched the beaded trim edges for a textured effect; the plain black organza ribbon is only attached along one edge for movement. The knot-and-loop bodice closure is a twisted grey-silver-white cord I then covered with black organza ribbon to look “antiqued”, as is the “buckle” for the separate black velveteen wired ribbon girdle. I deliberately used different textures and shades of black to keep it visually interesting.