I have made several red versions of this gown style and decided, why not green? I began by pinning images of paintings depicting some of my favorite cuts from the period and region. I aim to keep the dress’s style elements within an 8-year time frame, around 1530 +/- 4 years (um 1530). Although it is not a painting recreation, I want it to align with that style and read as a painting. I had already made a magnificent finderlien haube to go with this outfit, and will follow up with a hat. I started in the Summer of 2025 and finished an event at the beginning of November.

This Eastern German-style gown, also known as a Saxony Court-style gown, was popular in the early 16th century (das 16. Jahrhundert) around Wittemberg and the surrounding areas. They are colloquially called Cranach gowns because they were often depicted in the paintings of Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Younger.

Although I am not aware of any surviving examples of this exact type of gown, there is a burial dress dated 1547 that belonged to Anna of Bohemia and Hungary (Anna Jagiellonica/Anna Jagiello), wife of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor. The burial contained a goldhaube, a velvet dress, and rings and is housed in Prague Castle. Unfortunately, when they first excavated this grave, the dress was in fragments, and an attempt was made to reconstruct it. However, it is considered in such poor condition that researchers haven’t been able to use it to reliably extrapolate cuts or patterns; it is regarded as an essentially modern interpretation and is poorly documented. It is on display, and images are circulating online.

Getting Started

For this project, I utilized a combination of historically accurate methods and modern techniques. This is an impression project that I approached with care rather than a strict research endeavor. The top-stitching, any visible stitching, and shaping techniques were done by hand, while the long seams of the skirt were completed by machine. I follow the best practices I have developed over the years: I steam-iron everything, conduct numerous fittings, rework any areas where I question the fit, and baste before sewing.

For any visible stitching, I used heavy silk thread to match the green and gold. In the inner areas, I opted for heavy black linen. This dress is designed to be worn over a fitted underdress, a gollar, and a frauenhemd. Most of the accessories and layers I planned to wear with this gown are detailed in individual posts on my site.

This time, I did not develop a sketch; instead, I drew on ideas from my pinned paintings and selected their style elements. I obtained fabric for this project in the spring: 5 yards of 60-inch-wide cotton velveteen and 2 yards of poly liturgical fabric from Parmatex Textiles (Etsy). I used medium black linen (5.3 oz/yd²⁾ and horsehair canvas for the lining.

Making the Brustflect and Stomacher

For this project, I began with the brustflect and stomacher, the front panel of the dress covering the chest. Usually, the bodice would be sewn or at least the pattern developed first, but since I have made a version that fits recently, I was comfortable using those measurements. There are many different ways this can be attached or incorporated into the dress. I used hook-and-eye closures attached directly to the bodice edge. I selected a size similar to my last one, 8 inches by 4.75 inches. I found a motif on the gold fabric that I liked: wheat. Then I basted the gold fabric to a medium-weight scrap linen within the finished-size outline. I used a plain wood hoop to hold the fabric while I embroidered it.

I couched about 20 pearls at a time. I have a preferred method: I string the pearls onto heavy upholstery thread that is still on the spool using a beading needle. Then I select about 20 pearls and pull about 30 inches of thread slack. With the 20 pearls midway on the slack, I cut it from the spool. I tie off the pearls on the spool with a loopy bow, so that I can keep using them. I then take the 20-pearl strand I’m embroidering with and thread one end of it through a larger embroidery crewel needle. I pass about 20 inches of thread to the underside of the brustflect. I then hold the pearls taught on the remaining thread and use the wrong-side thread to couch the pearl string, every pearl, keeping the pearl string very tight. When I reach the end of the 20 pearls, I send the couching side of the thread and the end with the last pearl to the wrong side of the fabric to tie off the couched pearls. I tie off by sewing a few backstitches, then knotting the thread. Then repeat this process until all the wheat motifs are embroidered with pearls. I added an “M” initial for funsies. This approach to couching is strong; if some come loose, I do not lose the entire design.

Lastly, I doubled back and couched thick green silk embroidery thread with a fine silk thread around the design’s outline to make it stand out.

Next, I cut the brusflect to the stitch guide and ironed the edges under. Then I hand-stitched midweight fabric to the back of the gold-embroidered fabric.

I selected a pleated somacher in white, medium-weight linen. I ran the starched linen through my pleating machine. It was somewhat heavy for the fabric I would typically run through my pleater; it was difficult to pass through, and I was concerned about my needles, but it worked out well. I backstitched supporting strips at approximately 1/2-inch intervals to secure the pleats, and I finished the edges with linen tape of the same fabric.

I whip-stitched the top edge of the stomacher to the brustflect and covered the edge with a twill seam tape.

Making the Bodice

Since I had previously made this style, I decided to use the 2024 gown shape to create a pattern. I wear a supportive underdress, which provides support and shape, making it much easier to pattern over. I transferred the shape onto some toile fabric. Then constructed the toile and adjusted it until I was happy.

 Once I was satisfied with the fit, I used the toile to transfer the design to my velvet outer fabric, inner canvas lining, inner linen lining, and gold fabric for the upper inner collar. Adding back in some seam allowances. I also cut some horsehair canvas to add stiffness to the front opening and collar, leaving excess fabric along the front opening-collar transition.

First, I pad-stitched the horsehair canvas to the inner layer of canvas linen. I have watched numerous tailoring tutorials to learn how to add the shape to the garment by hand. After that, I used a basting stitch to temporarily sew the layers together, ensuring that everything remained in the correct position for the final assembly and any necessary fit adjustments.

Once I finished the shoulder and side seams of the bodice, I tried it on over my supportive underdress. I then made adjustments until the fit was just right. I carefully steam-ironed and adjusted the edges, and when I was satisfied with the fit, I whip-stitched the lining seam and the front edge of the liner to the outer velveteen along the front, and finished off the side seams, felling them to the bodice. I use tiny stitches along the front edge that are not readily observed. The finishing stitches at the front edge, collar, and shoulder seam provide final shaping that securely holds the bodice.

I added lacing rings to the inside of the front opening, but didn’t include the last one at the bottom of the bodice. This allows me to finish the bodice hem and attach the skirt later. It’s essential to be able to try on the dress when adding the sleeves, skirt, and brustfleck. Additionally, I determined that the opening width for the skirt band should be about 5 inches. Last, I added the eyes to the inside of the bodice where the brustflect will attach.

The Skirt

I decided to use rolled pleats again. One day, I will need to try a cartridge with this style gown; However, to me, these pleats appear rolled and directional in most paintings. There is an excellent tutorial by Genoveva von Lubeck (SCA) on creating rolled pleats. These pleats are similar to knife pleats but feature an additional fold of fabric that creates a flute-like tube. While this technique requires a significant amount of fabric, it’s worth it for the final effect. Unlike previous builds, I decided to roll pleats across the entire front. I aimed for a finished waist measurement of 34 inches. I went with five times the finished diameter for the skirt panels. I wanted the skirt to be about 41 inches long when finished. I drew out a plan for the bands and went with that.

The skirt panels are curved rather than straight. Tailor books from 16th-century Germany, Czech, and Bavaria show skirts cut on the round, like the fat end of a pie slice. I had some crazy-wide fabric and was able to cut a lot of each panel band in one go, without piecing. In the period, the fabric would not have been so wide, and it would have been pieced with triangular pieces cut and flipped into the seams of the pie pieces. See Knihy krejčovských and Drei Schnittbucher in the references for more info. I describe how I get my panels so perfect using a makeshift compass in my last Cranach Dress article – here. I cut the widest gold panel first to ensure the motifs were complementary across each band. However, on the small bands, I started to run out of fabric and had to do some piecing. I sewed the bands together, and once each panel was complete, I sewed the panels together. I use my machine for straight seams and finish them with a serger rather than felling. The edge of each bottom panel was slightly off, so I cut it and adjusted it to align more closely with the seam. I didn’t take a clear photograph of the rework; however, it may be evident in the finished seams. This turned out to be a good thing, since I had overestimated the needed length of the skirt, and I lost a couple of inches off the bottom band in the end. I am actually quite short, much to my surprise.

Attaching the Skirt

I used the same method I used last time: a band to attach the skirt to the bodice. The band is made of double-folded medium linen, approximately 1.5 inches wide, and runs around the bottom of the bodice (excluding the opening). The part of the band attached to the bodice is 1/2 inch, and the remaining 1 inch had the pleated skirt folded over and attached ot it. Then, across the 5-inch opening, there is a smaller 1-inch-wide band hidden in the fold of the upper skirt edge and housing the closure.

I secured the rolled pleats, approximately 1 inch wide, with safety pins while sewing. Next, I folded and pinned the skirt for the section that will be attached to the wider band connecting to the bodice. I decided to create a slit on the right side of the bodice. I made a seam about 1/2 inch beyond the opening. I pulled a vertical thread and carefully cut it to approximately 10 inches. Then I rolled and hand-sewed the slit with matching heavy silk thread.

After that, I attached the rolled pleats to the bodice section of the band. Start on the right side, leaving about 1 inch to fold for hemming and finishing; this will overlap with the other side of the slit. I basted the rolled pleats to the band—right side to right side—leaving 1/4 yo 1/2 inch at the top of the band to attach and tuck under the bodice.

I then basted pleats to the band and switched to figure out the placement of the remaining pleats across the 1-inch-wide front band, spanning the 5-inch front opening. Once I figured out the pleating and based the pleats on the band, I sewed the rolled pleated section to the bodice band with a back stitch.

I began by lifting the skirt to reveal the folded-over interior and then pinned the raw edge to the 1-inch front band. After lowering the skirt, I checked the pleats across the band and ensured there was a ½-inch overlap at the slit. This arrangement conceals the band within the fold of the skirt’s rolled pleat. I then finalized the pleats across the front band, making sure they wrapped over the top. This makes the skirt appear seamless when it is flipped down. To finish, I hand-stitched the raw edge on the inside of the front band using seam tape.

Next, I flipped the skirt down, ensuring a 1/2 inch (ended up being 3/8-inch) edge along the top. The wrong side of the skirt pleats was sandwiched with the band on the outside. Starting from the right side, I attached this edge to the bodice and then whip-stitched the bodice band to the bodice lining all the way around to the other edge.

Next, I doubled back and hand-stitched the band to the top of the right side of the rolled pleats, securing them well and ensuring a snug fit at the bodice hem. I added hooks to the end of the band and the inside right-side band, positioning them approximately 2 inches into the bodice. I also added a hook-and-eye closure to the opening edge of the skirt slit and to the fold of the first pleat on the band. I added two 5/12-inch strips of gold fabric shaped to the front opening, folded over, and hand-sewn onto the bodice. Lastly, I hand-sewed the hem. I basted the hem using my manniqueen, filmed the dres hem on with shoes, and then finalized it by hand.

Paned Sleeves

I went with a 3-pane sleeve configuration, with two paneled sections at the top and one at the elbow. I jumped right in and started by making a ton of strips, which, when finished, would be 1 inch wide. I based long strips of the velvet and gold wrong side to wrong side. Once secured, I used the machine with a hand-sewing stitch to sew each. Then I cut each strip to approximately 6 inches, turned them right-side out, and pressed them.

I then laid them out to determine the size of the arm band sections and the fit on the fly. I visualize the seam running down the back of the arm, 1/3 of the way above the side seam, and the shoulder seam along the back. I think very modernly about sleeve cuts, so under the arm, but I try to follow cuts popular in the period, as shown in paintings and tailor books. See Knihy krejčovských and Drei Schnittbucher in the references for more info.

I started at the top and worked down, adjusting as I went. The longest portion of the upper panels was 4.5 inches, and the next panel section was 4.25 inches. Then I made the upper arm band and the forearm section. About 4.5 inches down the upper arm, I finished; I had left about 3/4 inch for seam allowances. I added a slightly rounded shape to ensure a seamless fit at the back seam, with no pointed edges. The elbow pained section was 4 inches, and the lower arm was 8 inches. I lined the arm sections with horsehair canvas to give them shape, then lined them with medium-weight black linen. I sewed the layers into the seam, hand-stitched the black linen to the edges, and felled the sleeves.

I added the gold fabric bands to the sleeves by hand for an accent, then switched to creating the bell gold sleeve cuff. I was in go time at this point in the fuild and didn’t capture this process as well as I normally would.

All Finished

So, apparently, the sleeves magically attached to the bodice because I didn’t document or take any photos of this. To sum up, I hand-stitched the upper-sleeve panels into the raw seam of the arm scythe, then folded the arm whole seam back into the bodice and whipped it down. I didn’t even get photos of the back of the gown or finish the seam. Once I do, I will double back, take some photos, and provide a better explanation.

Either way, here are some beautiful photos I took at a local castle recreation. I should have some more fabulous photos soon.

References

Barich, K., & McNealy, M. (2015). Drei Schnittbucher: Three Austrian Master Tailor Books of the 16th Century. Nadel und Faden Press, LLC. Print

Šimša, Martin (2021). Knihy krejčovských střihů v českých zemích v 16. až 18. století (Tailor’s pattern books in the Czech lands in the 16th-18th centuries). Strážnice : Národní ústav lidové kultury. Print.

Zander-Seidel, J. (1990). Textiler Hausrat: Kleidung und Haustextilien in Nürnberg von 1500 – 1650. München: Dr. Kuntsvel. Print.