This is the velvet I’m using to make the Ginormous Pink Gown (houppelande) I started almost two years ago.
The color is a sort of warm mauve/dusty rose that doesn’t show up exactly right in the pic.
So far, I have the main body pieces of the gown sewn together and I’ll be sewing the lining probably this weekend. I haven’t even cut out the sleeves yet (but I bought plenty of the fabric so I can do whatever I want) but I will probably go with a moderate bagpipe sleeve because flared “angel” sleeves are too heavy even in linen, the gown is really heavy already and I don’t want to add all the weight of HUGE sleeves. Also it’s easier to move my arms and do things if I don’t have huge sleeves getting in the way.
The lining is ivory satin and I plan to face/stiffen the hem to make it easier for me to walk in a gown that trails on the ground a bit.
(Another “advice” I used to get and still hear sometimes about garb is that “Pink isn’t period.” Hogwash! I’ve seen too many Medieval illuminations and portraits and such to believe that. Lots of pink HOUPPELANDES actually. Besides, red dye was expensive, and they wouldn’t have just thrown out the dye bath once it was too weak to make intense red anymore – they’d have kept using it as it got weaker and weaker and made lighter and lighter shades of rose and pink. I think ANY color that could be made with natural dyes was period.)
Red Tansy 