Alcega: Farthingale of Silk

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Farthingale of Silk. This pattern takes 5.5 yards of 22″ wide fabric

Silk Farthingale

Made by Mathew Gnagy

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When viewed from the side, you can see that the front lays rather flat and the manipulation of grain lines and placement of the hoops makes the back stand out a bit more. With the bum pad underneath, it helps , keep this proper angle. Alcega specifically shows in his draft that the straight edges of the back panels are to be sewn to the fronts…the result is a MUCH more period look.

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My interpretation of the Verdugado. you can see that front line is rather narrower than our modern versions of a hoop skirt

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My style of bum roll that goes UNDER the Farthingale

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Alcega: Full-Circle Cloak

singlewoolcloak Silk cloak. This pattern takes 4 5/8 of a yard of 22 inch wide fabric.
The herreruelo was a simple day cloak accessory. It is theorized that it was self-lined and was truly only a half cloak. After measuring the fulness that is shown in paintings of this style, I have found the half-circle style to be less common.

Red silk herreruelo cloak

Made by Mathew Gnagy

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Herreruelo cloak of silk. There is a large piecing in this piece that corresponds to the piecing in the draft. This full circle cloak was cut from only 3 yards of fabric, 60″ wide.


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Alcega: Men’s Cassock Pattern

Alcega's cassock pattern. It requires 44 inches of 66-inch wide of wool cloth, or 44 inches of  55-inch wide cloth rash. Note that the back skirt is cut-in-one with the back body and the front is cut separately

Alcega’s cassock pattern. It requires 44 inches of 66-inch wide of wool cloth, or 44 inches of 55-inch wide cloth rash. Note that the back skirt is cut-in-one with the back body and the front is cut separately

An alternate layout for a cassock of Woolen cloth. This pattern takes 50 inches of 66 inch wide fabric.

An alternate layout for a cassock of Woolen cloth. This pattern takes 50 inches of 66 inch wide fabric.

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This is the first cassock I ever made from the pattern

 

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You can clearly see what a glorious drape it has through the back. Note, the lining can be cut separately at the waist and hemmed in carefully and tacked to the interlining. This will prevent the lining from sagging.

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Alcega: Men’s Jerkin Pattern

Alcega's jerkin of wool cloth. This takes 50 inches of 66-inch wide fabric. Note that the only real difference between this garment and Alcega's cassock is the separate cut of the skirt in back. Because of this, it is often difficult to tell the difference in portraits unless you see the back of the subject. Village scenes are particularly useful for this.Alcega’s jerkin of wool cloth. This takes 50 inches of 66-inch wide fabric.

Note that the only real difference between this garment and Alcega’s cassock is the separate cut of the skirt in back. Because of this, it is often difficult to tell the difference in portraits unless you see the back of the subject. Village scenes are particularly useful for this.

Grey Wool Alcega Jerkin

Made by: Mathew Gnagy

Jerkin from Alcega, Cut to his exact proportions, deep peascod in place. Note that the skirt is a full circle at the hem. The wedge style sleeves are shown in portraits being used as a closed sleeve...as they are here, or as a hanging sleeve.

Jerkin from Alcega, Cut to his exact proportions, deep peascod in place. For stouter men, I use less padding in the peascod, but keep in mind, that the peascod shape is NOT the same as a fat tummy. The proportions are specific and intentional. Peascods look better on a slimmer guy.

Jerkin back view

Jerkin back view. Note that the skirt is a full circle at the hem. The wedge style sleeves are shown in portraits being used as a closed sleeve…as they are here, or as a hanging sleeve.


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Alcega: Mongil Trançado (16th c. Sack-backed Gown)

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This gown is my favorite. It is a loose backed gown with a doublet style front. In Alcega’s own words, it has lacing strips, at the side back seams, or a false back that holds the doublet style front tight against the body. Rather like a precursor to the 18th century Watteau gown.

This gown takes 13 1/8 yards of 22-inch wide fabric.

Mongil Trancado

by Mathew Gnagy

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The mongil trançado with hanging sleeves

 

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front view


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Alcega: Ropa Espanola (Spanish Gown)

spanishrobe Spanish dressing gown/loose gown. This is the same shape as the other gowns, but when the collar is complete, it looks rather like a high upright doublet collar. This gown takes 3 1/5 yards of 22-inch wide fabric.

 

Spanish Saya

by Mathew Gnagy

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This is the pattern in Alcega for the woman’s Ropa. I merely changed the sleeve design to resemble the one in POF even though the cut is different. It still looks and wears very similarly.

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Alcega: Ropa Romano (Roman Gown)

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Shawl collar dressing gown with regular hem. this has a long hanging sleeve….similar to the Persian coats with long narrow hanging sleeves. Sometimes in portraits, you see the sleeve left unsewn and hanging open, sometimes its sewn closed and hangs down the back of the arm

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Shawl collar dressing gown with extra full hem.

It’s the same gown as the previous, but with a lot of extra fulness in the hem. It is possible that the softer drape of wool required a wider hem to achieve the same look as the narrower hem in silk.

Alcega: Single and Double-layered cloaks

doublewoolcloak Double tier heavy wool felt traveling cloak. The double tier is rather like a duster style coat. This pattern takes 4 yards of 44″ wide fabric.

The pieces on the lower right are actually the collars of the lower layer. The hood is attached to the lower layer. The upper layer has a  the gathered neck, but the collar pieces shown in the middle are actually attached to the upper layer inside the neck of the hood. This is the only garment in Alcega that is shown with a single layer layout. The felt only comes in specific dimensions. You are also looking collars and collar facings.

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A single-layered wool traveling cloak. This cloak takes 4 yards of 44″ wide fabric.

 

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Here is an extant  double tiered felt traveling cloak. The hood is amazing. When properly closed it actually resembles a fighting helmet

 

Alcega: Woman’s High-Bodied Trained Gown with Hanging Sleeves

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Full womans gown with large pointed style hanging sleeves. It takes 17 1/8 yards of 22-inch wide fabric.
Note, The center back length of the skirt is 99 inches in this draft…its VERY long and the hem width of the back is insanely wide. It looks SOOO very rich when made up.

Blue Brocade Gown

Made by: Mathew Gnagy

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Saya skirt with the 99″ center back skirt length…the puntigada sleeves and exact proportional cut for her height. In this shot, her skirt has been hooked up like a bustle.

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Alcega: Women’s Doublet of Silk

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Women’s Doublet of Silk. This pattern takes 6 feet 10 1/2 inches of 22 inch wide fabric.


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Here is a simple working class version of the alcega Suits. Interesting note…these two outfits were made in a day…by hand, with a very skilled and dedicated team of people

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Back view of these fine clothes and dear friends.

 

Alcega: Women’s Kirtle/Vasquine

womenskirtle This is a low neckline gown. Literally translated as ‘skirt and bodies’ of silk. It requires 5 yards of 22 inch wide silk.
It has become my assumption of the years of working with this book that this is the layer which is intended to give all the support. I believe that corsets were less common than we assume.

It is logical to assume that the front skirt would be cut to shape during construction. In the Pfalzgrafin gown in Arnold’s <em>Patterns of Fashion</em>, they have simply folded back the excess and left it hanging inside. In later manuals, Burguen, for example, the shape of the center front of the skirt is shown with the point shape trimmed out already.

It’s also clear from the way it’s laid out in the book that there is a seam at CB and at CF…you could have the opening at either location.

 

White brocade low-necked gown

Made by Mathew Gnagy

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A gown with the low bodice of this pattern and the trained skirt of the Women’s High-bodied trained gown with hanging sleeves pattern.

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Nice back view of the skirt

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Alcega: Womens’ high-bodied gown and women’s mantle/veil

Simple trained gown of wool. It seems that the the Saya is only referring to the skirt with the train, and the Cuera is denoting the doublet and the style of sleeve is also referenced. This pattern takes 4 7/8 yards of 66" wide fabric.

Simple trained gown of wool. It seems that the the Saya is only referring to the skirt with the train, and the Cuera is denoting the doublet and the style of sleeve is also referenced. This pattern takes 4 7/8 yards of 66″ wide fabric.

This is a pattern for a silk veil. I used this draft to cut and create the silk wired veil in the following photos. It takes 8 yards of 22" wide fabric.

This is a pattern for a silk veil. I used this draft to cut and create the silk wired veil in the following photos. It takes 8 yards of 22″ wide fabric.



Purple Silk Gown and Wired Veil

Made by: Mathew Gnagy

Gown and wired veil. All parts of this gown are made to alcega's measures. This woman was a flawless fit model size for the standard Alcega patterns

Gown and wired veil. All parts of this gown are made to alcega’s measures. This woman was a flawless fit model size for the standard Alcega patterns

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This wired veil is made from the previous pattern.


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