The Cocharelli project

 Since a couple of years I have realized that I am not satisfied with making one dress inspired by this wonderful 1330s illumination from Genoa, now at Cleveland Museum of Art - I want to make them all!

Finding striped brocade is very, very hard, so for a first attempt at the red and gold outfit in the bottom centre, I had to settle for much less bold colours. 

More about that outfit here.

But I have now also made the blue, more normal, blue outfit. It is made from blue silk, unlined cotte, and the surcoat lined with silver grey silk. of course, after buying all that silk to line the dress, and lining it, I realized that the blue gown actually isn't lined. Typical North European mistake. Because it looks like dress north of the Alps, I assumed that it would be lined. Well, it will be warmer, which can be nice.

Next on my list is the white outfit. I will probably use fine cotton, which was a known luxury fabric imported from the Muslim East (unlike half cottons or coarser Italian cottons). I also have lot of gold trim to use. However,  this trim bleeds when wet, and a white gown will need to be frequently laundered. I will have to think about that.