In case there was any doubt in anyone's mind, I love working with leather. I think it can add a very sophisticated touch to a costume, and, let's face it, the number of people who do leather work is limited. I've been wanting to try the reverse applique leatherwork technique shown in Patterns of Fashion (in one of the men's doublets - the one with the gillyflowers - I forget whose that is) for several years now. Many things are approaching deadlines at work, which means that I've been doing some massive sewing therapy lately. Last night, I decided to scrap the nice, easy peasant design I had been planning on, and use it as a simple test of the general reverse applique technique as it applies to leather. (If you're wondering, "reverse applique" is where you sew one fabric over another, sew around the applique areas, then cut the upper fabric away from them. So instead of applying fabric, it's more like removing it. This works out very neatly with leather, because you don't have to seal the edges. And since you are applying the leather as a whole piece and not in small shaped pieces, you don't have to worry about stretching the shapes out of shape.
I found that sewing from the back side of the fabric (with the right side of the leather downwards) made it fairly easy to control the leather, but the leather did stretch a little and also the stitch length didn't stay consistent. I have had better luck with the stitch length before by putting tearaway stabilizer over the leather and sewing with the leather/stabilizer on top, but I don't think that would work well for complex patters because the stabilizer tends to want to shift. So I guess it's a tradeoff. I also have decided that I will have to find thinner leather (this is about the weight you would use to make a leather couch), especially if I want to do a more complicated design. My sewing machine will go through the leather fine, but it's hard to snip neatly when you're done (as should be obvious, from the state of the semi-finished article). I think that the base fabric should also be heavier - this is on a lightweight cotton. I did not use leather needles for this, which might also help the over all effect. But now I know that it is possible, and reasonably not difficult, so I will have to work on a more impressive application of the technique! :)
Also, the last picture up there is an attempt to show the lacing plackets that I've been playing with lately. (Unfortunately, a black placket with black buttonholes doesn't show well against a black lining.) But lacing plackets are a nice way to make an internal closure so that you don't have to much up the outside of the dress. This is lot like the eyelet strips shown in Patterns of Fashion, but it uses buttonholes instead (my machine has a buttholer, which I have finally mastered, but it does not make eyelets - think of them as really long, straight eyelets if that makes you feel better about the whole thing) and I add a line of stiffening (short think cable ties, in this case) along the outer edge of the placket because I am always paranoid about one of the lacing holes ripping through under stress.
Incidentally, this is not really going to be a period bodice/costume. It's more ethnic germanish than anything I think. (Not that ethnic anything-in-europe doesn't bear striking similarities to 16th century fashion, but...) I have no evidence of reverse leather applique being used for such a simple design, or by the lower classes at all. On top of that, the bodice is designed to leave a V opening in the front, which is perfectly period for venetians, but not so much for the english, who seemed to prefer a straight edged opening if anything. It's also going to be worn with a chemise with embroidered flowers (courtesy of the top of an old fancy bed sheet that I picked up at a garage sale - you can sort of see it in the front pic) which will likely be tied up at the shoulder (at least during the FoF feast, which is not normally the neatest venue for costume preservation - many people should be very happy to know that I have finally come to my senses and will *never* wear noble to a feast day again! Assuming I'm thinking, that is.....). So, really, it's only going to make a passing nod at "period", but I think it will fit right in at a ren faire. Well, except for the flowers. But they're cute, and I like them lots. ;)
Results and Notes: The leather applique went better than I thought it would, as did the cutting away of leather from the negative areas. However, I think that for any more complex pattern, I will need a lighter weight leather. The lacing placket was somewhat satisfactory, but I think needs refinement. It likes to gap a little along the lacing edge.
Would I do it again?: Yes.
