Work continues apace on The Typical Tudor: reconstructing everyday 16th century dress, which is set for publication early in 2021. This month Jane and Ninya are excited to launch the second episode in the accompanying YouTube video series and announce a Christmas offer to help recreate one of the typical garments featured in it. There is also news of the pattern testing project and a new preview of the book featuring knitted garments available to everyone who preorders the book in December.
Who do you think you were? #2 – A Soldier’s Tale
Michael Anderson is our second Typical Tudor in the Who do you think you were? series. He wears a leather jerkin which is an iconic garment for ordinary men in the 16th century. The pattern in the book is based on descriptions in wills and inventories, extant examples from the Mary Rose and other collections, and images from as far afield as Huddersfield and Vienna. View the video on The Tudor Tailor’s YouTube channel and subscribe to catch the next episode. Jerkins featured in our first preview of the The Typical Tudor circulated to all our early customers.
... another sneaky peek preview inside the book
A new digital preview will be available for anyone who preorders the book during December. It features eight pages of information about women’s 16th century sleeves and knitting instructions for a fancy pair based on one in the Norfolk & Norwich Museum collection plus plainer styles inspired by examples from Groningen in the Netherlands and at the Museum of London. Preorder your copy of the book here to receive a digital copy of the ‘Women’s sleeves’ preview.
Nice nitpickers and nifty knitters …
The instructions for knitted sleeves were thoroughly tested by a dedicated team of volunteers earlier in the year. Some of the knitters have also joined the 189-strong team of pattern testers during the past month or so. There are 148 members in the private Facebook group, where testers share notes, queries and photos about the patterns, and 23 have already completed toiles or garments and submitted feedback via email. The deadline for sending comments to ninya@tudortailor.com and kendra@tudortailor.com is Mon 28 December. If you have already sent feedback and not had a reply, please send it again to be sure it makes it into the final edit.
Perfect presents for pinking and printing patterns
Jerkins offer great opportunities for surface decoration; typically, they were pinked using sharp blades to cut intricate patterns into the leather. The Tudor Tailor’s bespoke pinking tools are now back in stock at a special Christmas gift price of £108 – a saving of 10% on the usual cost. There are sets of printing tools available at this discount too. Find them here at £126. If you would like to make a gift of either – or both - sets and they are not likely to reach you before Christmas (see last order dates below), let melanie@tudortailor.com know when you purchase, and she will send a voucher which you can wrap up and put under the tree for your lucky recipient.
… and last orders, gentleman (and ladies), please!
The Tudor Tailor will be hosting an 'open door' event on Mon 7 December as part of the Artisan & Reenactors Market’s advent calendar on Facebook. What will be revealed? Get into the Christmas spirit to see the mystery gift unwrapped …
… and last orders, gentlemen please!
For delivery before Christmas:
US customers - by Thurs 10 December
European customers - by Wed 16 December
UK customers - by Mon 21 December
For Canada & Australia - contact melanie@tudortailor.com for a delivery quotation
Just one more thing before you go ...
‘Pinking’ sounds as though it refers to the ruffled edges of the ‘pink’ flower but it has a more violent origin according to the Oxford English Dictionary. Thomas Newton (1576) described “Their bodyes pinked ful of scabs” in his medical treatise Touchstone of Complexions and Ben Jonson (1601) threatened “By my hand I will pinck thy flesh full of holes with my rapier for this” in Every Man in his Humor (act 4, scene 2). But don’t let this put you off producing pretty patterns …
