The Anne of Cleaves Dress...
Or how to lose your mind in a few easy steps.....
A very good friend of mine, Mistress Rebecca with the Greyhounds,
has done so, so much for me over the years, that I wanted to do
something for her. She said she'd love some new garb and I told her to
pick whatever she wanted and I would make it.
It is a good thing that she is so awesome, because this has been the
hardest thing I have ever attempted. Hands down!  I have stared at this
portrait for hours on end and although I have done lots of searching, I
have not found anyone else that has made this dress in the SCA or
other re-enactment communities. In fact, Anne's figure at the wax
museum in London, is not even wearing this dress. It is wearing a black
and gold one from another portrait of Anne. Of course I am sure I will
get a flood of mails from people that have done it!

So, with much cursing, and study....the dress is being born. Did I
mention again how much I love Mistress Rebecca??

I finally figured out that the front of the bodice of the outer dress is not
unlike other German gowns and is laced up the front. You can see the
lacing and the metal rings just under her bust.
The skirt has an off-center opening and also took hours of staring at
Anne, and the way I finally decided to do this was with a wrap front
skirt. The skirt is sewn onto the bodice and when it gets to the open
front, it is sewn into a waist band that wraps and has hooks and eyes to
close it.
Rebecca happened to have burgundy velveteen and a gold fabric with
the diamond pattern that we see here covered in pearls. So....wish me
luck!
The intended "debut" is Gleann Abhann Kingdom A & S Sept 19,
2009....
Here is a photo of the trim
parts.
To make the YARDS
AND YARDS AND
YARDS of trim, Rebecca
had the perfect gold fabric
with the diamond pattern,
and then I bought some
gold braid with the gold
beads, and then I sewed on
the pearls. My fingers are
hating me from all the
sewing of the trim and then
sewing it onto the dress
itself.
So, here is the work in
progress.
I have the partlet done, the
kirtle done, and most of the
over dress done.
Still applying the trim to the
sleeves and then need to
make the ouches (the
decorative flower-like
things) that go around the
neck-line.
Also need to finish up the
belt and sew on the belt
clasp.
Here's a close-up of the
lacing rings and the trim on
Rebecca's gown and the
original...
Here is the partlet. It is
hankie weight linen with
lace. This has been entirely
hand sewn as well.
See a close-up of the
original below....the lace on
hers is really unusual, and
this was the closest thing we
could find to approximate it.
Here are the images from the other most
popular portrait of Anne.

It almost look like she is wearing the same or a
similar partlet, necklace and kirtle. .
This is at Rebecca's final fitting...

I still need to finish the trim and the
ouches  and a couple of other
things.

I think she looks lovely!!!!
Here is Mistress Rebecca in her new dress!

Although I failed to give the under-dress a good
tug before we took pictures! UGH! So there is a
wrinkle across the front in these pics.

But she looked beautiful! And she ended up
being the OVER ALL WINNER and was named
Gleann Abhann's Champion of the Arts AND
receiving her Diamond Chalice (GoA Service
Award).
I told her it was one lucky dress!!!!
The only other thing is that we ran out of
gold beaded trim and so the trim on the
cuffs did not get done. I am on the hunt
for more of that trim and I will do the
cuff trim as well.

Thanks to Her Excellency Mistress
Rebecca for putting up with me during
this process!!!