I have for some time, been eyeing off the Portrait of Maria di Medici by Alessandro Allori (1555-1557). I was lucky enough to obtain a detailed copy of this portrait (thanks Oonagh) giving much clearer details of the partlet. Following is the diary of the partlet. For initial research click HERE. October, 2004. I have left over linen, from my hand-sewn linen camicia, which I intend on making my partlet with. The three main parts of this partlet are: the partlet itself, which is gathered into the standup, embroidered collar, and the ruff which is decorated in the gold lace and pearls. Next step is making the pattern.

November, 2004. I have finally finished the bobbin lace for the partlet (R). After searching Innilgard for embroidery silks, finally a local store is now stocking Madeira silk. Huzzah! Matching the colours was not easy. I only have a few pictures of Maria di Medici, so I tried to match as best as I could (Far R). I have made a pattern for the partlet and cut it out of linen left over from my hand made camicia (I love stash!). Now to find time to sew it. For details of the bobbin lace, click HERE.

December, 2004: The Pattern:

Back	front	neck (fronts)

The Embroidery and beading.
The embroidery is being done in Madeira silk (now there is a place in Innilgard where I can buy it - huzzah)

The ruff - ready to embroider -sewn to the frame with linen thread.

January, 2005.
I have finished the ruff embroidery (I hope I have done it long enough to gather the amount I want.... this took approx. 56 hours to do.) over a two week period - argh!

the finished ruff. Silk embroidery on linen. the edges were sewn over a cord and the lot was sewn, with linen thread, to the frame.	Close up of the split stitch silk embroidery.

Sewing the collar.
I started hand-sewing the collar, with linen thread. I did not want to damage the bead work by machine sewing.... and I find the hand sewing strangely cathartic.

I trimmed the seam, folded it over and sewed it down with 2-3 mm stitches. (See An exercise in Authenticity) Linen thread was used.	L: the back of the seams. R: the seams from the front.
The embroidered collar pieces sewn together. I decided to add some small amethysts to the pattern. I just had to have some purple .... somewhere!

Jan 12th , 2005.

	I have now sewn the ruff to the collar. Again all is handstitched. R: is the back, sewing the stiching. Running stitch was sewn as top stitching for the seams, to help strengthen them.

Next, I sewed the body of the partlet together. I used backsttiched seams to increase strength. Again, they were flat-felled with running stitch for top stitching. The edges were turned under wtih an approx. 5mm hem (armholes and bottom) and sewn with running stitch.
I then joined the collar to the body of the partlet, with back stitch, for strength.

front of partlet so far	back, showing topstitching and how the collar sits.

The full partlet so far. ...

To finish, I need to embroider down the front opening, attatch the lace, pearls and ties.

January 16th, 2005
Embroidery down the front of the partlet - I decided to use Holbein Stitch so it would be passably reversible. Mostly it will be viewed from the 'inside' so I embroidered it from this side. I used the method explained in Practicle Skills in Bobbin Lace by Brigit M. Cook.

	Left: The lace attatched to the collar. Below L: Close up of the lace attatchment. Above R: To finish, I attatched some pearls in a similar pattern to the original portrait. I am still to learn how to attach gems, pearls and spangles to lace.

The proper way to attatch pearls to the lace would have been to put them in when making it. Alas, I have not graduated this far in my lace making as yet, so I sewed them on later with some gold metallic thread.

A comparison. Left, the original portrait of Maria di Medici by Alessandro Allori (1555-1557), possibly the latest in period I prefer to go... When pinned to a high-necked collar, the collar will sit beautifully! I am glad I hand sewed this one. Finishing the seams in this way reaally gove the collar body!

The final partlet being worn, still, a few years and many washes later:

Thank you to Mistress Oonagh for supplying a better copy of the portrait which inspired me to 'get off my butt' and do it!

Bibliography

• Levey, Santina & Payne, Patricia Le Pompe: Patterns for Venetian Bobbin Lace, Ruth Bean, Bedford. 1983. ISBN: 0 903585 16 2
• Shepherd, Rosemary. Introduction to Bobbin Lacemaking. Lacis Publications, Berkley, 1995. ISBN: 0 9168896 65 X
• Ricci, Elisa. Italian Lace Designs: 243 Classic Examples. Dover, NY, 1993. ISBN: 0 486 27588 4
• Lace, Bookking International. Paris, 1995. (no ISBN available).
• Digital Archive of Books: http://www.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/books.html
• Cook, Brigit M. Practicle Skills in bobbin lace. Dover Publications, NY. 1997 (reprint). ISBN: 0-486-25561-1
• Various contemporary paintings.
• Festive Attyre: http://homepage.mac.com/festive_attyre/research/diary/images/pinkdoublet.jpg