And So The Trouble Begins

The trim I decided to use on the Apron dress is pretty but not what I had originally planned on . Here's the problem. My current reference- Medieval Garments Reconstructed: Norse Clothing Patterns, has this wonderful information on how garments were finished, the length of the stitches, the number to the inch, ect. In the section titled "Footweaving and tablet-woven piping" it discusses the technique I initially tried. Where you have "a combination of tablet weaving and stitching where the weft thread in the tablet weaving is also the sewing thread that secures the edging to the cloth." and then a great illustration showing how this works from the front and back side. It looks like this:

Image A shows the back side of the fabric, image B is the front side. Keep in mind this was done on a much smaller scale creating a weave that is so compact the weft is only visible on the reverse (back) of the fabric. For those who are not overly familiar with weaving and it's terms. The "weft" is the stitches wrapping around the side of the garment, the "warp" is indicated by the threads running up the length. It looks fairly straightforward. Here's where I ran into problems. I could not maintain proper tension on both the garment and the threaded cards, WHILE, threading a needle through the warp. I attempted to use the footweaving technique to apply tension however it only works for a few inches and then I had to hunch over because of the shortening of the warp as I worked. So I turned to a simplistic version of the same technique where I only use two threads on the warp. This allowed me to use my left hand to hold the garment and warp in place, my right hand did the stitching and twisted the warp together and I used my foot to apply tension to the other end of the garment. I'm not all together happy with my results thus far, but I figure it's a start. It has been suggested that I clamp the garment to a table or other sturdy item and work with it under tension that way. I have yet to try this due to time constraints. I also hypothesized to my husband that perhaps they stretched the fabric on a frame to complete this part. The book alas does not offer an opinion. Besides being decorative, this was part of the finishing techniques, and was done after the seams had been completed. I will continue to post updates on this technique as they develop. I am currently unaware of this method being used with in our group and look forward to seeing how it is received. 

In other news, I need to go shopping for supplies for Angie's ghawazee coat, although the lining is together and all the pieces are cut. I need lacing and bias tape to make the lacing/button loops out of. So I'm at a standstill there until after I make the trip to town today. I am also altering the design somewhat by adding the sleeves in a different color. I'm actually on track to get things done on time and without sewing away all night the night before! 

I have not touched the kimono today, but will take it with me when I go to work, sewing while I wait for Margaret to get out of school. Thus far it is the only project not presenting me with some type of issue, unless you count the part where I sewed the sides together before I attached the sleeves. Not a huge problem but they are much easier to attach prior to sewing the sides. Thankfully it's a simple fix.