OMG I hate sleeves!

So in the way back machine when I was apprenticed to a Gothic costuming Laurel we drafted two basic type of sleeve patterns for me to use and I've never had to redraft them in the last 12 or so years. I've been rather dull in my variations of cotehardie sleeves, I usually only wear a fitted, buttoned kirtle sleeve and a short cotehardie sleeve maybe with detachable tippets. B-O-R-I-N-G, right?

Well I knew that using a bell sleeve was going to test my limits and dagnabbit, I DID IT!

Not without ruminating on it for several days and lots of google-ing mind you. I mean, I remembered the basics from that pattern session with my former Mistress. The top of the armsceye was convex and the armpit was concave and the entire flat pattern width of the armsceye was the circumference of the arm hole made from the bodice pattern... clear as mud, right? I recalled that. But.... I knew the sleeve needed to be seamed up the back of the arm and somehow needed to show a visible width difference from the armsceye to the wrist. Ponder, ponder, ponder.

I needed a visual though. I just couldn't grok the shape. So I used the almighty interwebz, that magical tome of collective knowledge. I stumbled upon the website of Master Chas. de Bourdon and contained therein is a document written by an associate of his, THL Amalia Zavatini of Ansterorra entitled "The Transitional Tudor Gown". How, why? I searched the term bell sleeve pattern and her document appeared. On the very last page was a diagram showing the over-gown of a Tudor lady. But, Tudor? Yeah, its the shape and appearance of what I desired to emulate from the  French illumination Tacuinum Sanitatus (I found the name of the illumination I referred to in my previous post about this dress). So the image above is the mostly finished pattern. I still need to dag the wrist-line.

But for now, this is a good accomplishment. 'Bout tore my hair out too....

SUCCESS!