~WastedWeeds~: Late 16th c. Embroidered Leather Gloves

***

As part of my talk for the Westcoast Elizabethan Clothing Symposium ("Wearing vs Styling: Accessorizing to Create a Period Look"), I decided to make a new pair of late 16th / early 17th century embroidered and decorated leather gloves.

They were intended to feature in Part 3 of my talk, in which I restyled a black fitted gown for various different decades (from 1540-1650).

The inspiration was this early 17th c. portrait of Hester Crispe (circa 1610-20)

Her gloves appear to be tan/cream leather, with large embroidered gauntlets, gathered silk ribbon trim, and edged in gold spangles.

Next, I began to look into images of extant gloves and found that they broadly tend to fall into two categories:

1) Scalloped / divided gauntlets with gathered ribbon at the wrist (as in the inspiration portrait).

2) Straight-bottomed gauntlets with ribbons on the side (often with tassels or metallic lace trim)

Very occasionally there are outliers, such as these gloves that feature ribbons at both the wrists and sides:

So with a bevy of research collected, it's time to make some gloves!

However, right away I need to temper my expectations.

I am not an embroiderer or a leather worker, and so this is definitely going to be a project of up-cycling and theatrical cheats.

But, first, I need a pair of gloves...

Luckily, I had a pair of taupe suede gloves in my stash that I thought might work as a foundation.

Next, I needed to source some embroidery.

And again, did also have some old sari trim in my stash. (This is quickly turning into a de-stashing project!)

Now, most of the period gloves seem to show emboidery on a light base (usually trimmed in a contrasting colour).

However, you do very occasionally see red gauntlets...so I figured this was a reasonable cheat.

My plan is to create a faux-gauntlet with the embroidered sari fabric, attach it the suede glove, and then hide the connection point with ribbon and trim.

Additional gold trim (from the Tudor Tailor) can then mimic the scalloped look of the period gloves.

With my main materials sourced, it's time to start construction!

First, I need to create a more stable base for the sari fabric so the gauntlet / cuff can be self-supporting under all that trim.

The base will be made of two pieces of medium-weight brown wool felt.

(Like the period examples, the cuff is slightly asymmetrical, with a shallower angle on the inside edge and a steeper angle on the outside.)

Next, the inside edges are stitched together and the seam allowance on the outside edge folded down.

Then a 1" strip of the same fabric is added to the bottom...

...and all the edges are stitched down.

Finally, a small rectangle is added to the inside corner (so that it has a more rounded look and doesn't just collapse on the fold).

And with that, the foundation layers for the cuffs are complete.

Next, it's time to shape the cuffs.

This is done by adding a layer of red linen lining.

First, the linen is cut (with a large outside seam allowance) and sewn together along the inside edges.

Then the wool foundation layer is very loosely tacked to the linen.

Then the edges are folded over the base, pressed, and sewn down.

In order to encourage the finished cuff to curl slightly, the lining is worked on top of my thigh (so that the shape of the curve will be sewn into the garment).

I'm not sure how evident it is in these photos, but the final base does have a slight inwards curve.

Next, the sari fabric is stitched to the bottom edge of the cuff.

Then the top edge is folded over and stitched to the inside.

However, in order to account for the angle change where the seams meet, a small fold it worked into the fabric and stitched down.

Now the cuffs are finished and are ready for decoration.

Moving on... it's time to create the ribbon!

All the ribbon seen on the period gloves seem to be trimmed in some sort of metallic lace.

In keeping with sourcing from my stash...I had some left over ribbon and gold trim left over from when I made the silk sash for my Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer inspired outfit.

The silk satin ribbon is 3/4" wide and the gold trim is 1/4".

The trim is sewn to the edge of the ribbon...

...and then the ribbon is gathered with a series of running stitches.

The gathers are then coaxed into a figure-eight shape (the final ribbon is approximately 38" long).

Now, it's time to think about the final trim placement.

In addition to the ribbon and gold pointed scalloped lace, I also experiment with edging the entire cuff with a 3/8" gold lace, sewn over a narrow red ribbon (the same colour as the main ribbon).

However...

While I like the trim placement, there is a larger issue at play that causes the whole project to stall momentarily.

I realize that my original gloves are both a little too narrow and a little too dark in colour, so it's at this point that I decide to source a new pair of gloves.

So the suede gloves will be swapped out for a lighter (and larger) pair of deer-skin leather gloves.

I also start to think about adding some gold-trimmed ribbons to the sides of the gloves, using these gloves as inspiration...

...the ribbons will be trimmed in the same narrow gold lace, with another row of slightly larger trim down the middle (the same trim that will later be used to trim the outside edges of the cuffs).

The side-ribbons are now done and looking pretty swanky!

But now it's time for another design change...because I've fallen out of love with the large scalloped gold lace.

I feel like it's looking a little busy (even though this is a very "more is more" aesthetic).

But more importantly, while it looks nice laying flat in thee images, the lace pulls in a odd way when worn...

So I decide to take it off.

This gives the gloves a much neater appearance overall and really highlights the detail of the red edging under the lace (which was getting lost previously).

I actually like it a lot and think it's a better, more harmonious design.

However...

This also means I'm committing to a look that isn't really supported but the period sources, namely a straight cuff with a wrist ribbon.

(Though I won't realize this until much later)

Moving on!

With the final design decided, the temp-trim is removed and the narrow silk satin ribbon is sewn around the outside edges of the cuffs.

I don't have quite enough narrow ribbon to make it all the way around the cuffs, so a slightly wider ribbon is sewn along the top edge (this will be obscured by the gathered ribbon).

This is repeated on the second cuff.

Then the medium-width gold lace is sewn on top of the red ribbon, all around the outside edge.

Now it's time to add the gathered ribbon, which is coaxed into shape and pinned into place.

Then the pleats are stitched down along the top edge.

Next it's time to add the side ribbons. In period, they would be stitched to ether side of opening...

...but we are going for theatrical cheats, and so the ribbons are just are stitched together and sewn down to one edge.

Which means the cuffs are now officially done!

They are completely detachable, which means they can be removed if the gloves ever need cleaning or if I want to swap out a different pair of gloves later.

Finally, the cuffs are stitched to the gloves on the outside edge of the side seam.

NOTE: The cuffs are only attached to the gloves at this very small point. That means they are effectively free-floating.

The cuffs will stay in place...ish. But they won't stand up to rigorous wear.

You can't put on or remove the gloves by pulling on the cuffs (they will tear off) instead you have to reach under the cuffs and pull on the leather gloves themselves.

But that's okay! Because, again...this is all about theatrical cheats!

And that's it! The gloves are done!