chargirlgenius

Does anybody happen to have a more detailed pic of the lacing on Agnes Sorel's dress? Of course, we'll be in Belgium (hopefully) in May or June, but I was hoping to get this dress done before MTA in March. I guess we *will* have to go to Antwerp.

It looks to me like there are certainly rings right on the edge of the fabric. The lace goes through right at the edge, and I think it's a ring that it goes through. (I think most people think this) But, in the less detailed shots, it looks like there's something attached right at the inside front, of a slightly different color.

I want hidden lacing rings on this dress, but if they're so close to the edge of the fabric, they won't give me quite the hold that I think I need. I've worked out a plan where I was going to attach them to the outside of the lining and interlining, instead of the inside of all of the layers, in a hope of avoiding the gap that always opens up there. Then the rings would be between the lining/interlining and the wool. On the other hand, I could do regular eyelets in the lining and interlining, and let the wool float on top of that, with gaps in the attachment for the lace to come through. It would be easier to get a lace through a hole on the wrong side, and come up between the lining and interlining.

OTOH, I might be overthinking this, as the Visitation portrat openings show the lace coming though an apparently visible eyelet.

I *could* always do lacing rings on the inside of everything, and then lace the edge shut with the ribbon edge method. That is, attach a ribbon or cord to the edge, and leave a gap to put a lace through. This would result in double lacing it, though. I suppose you could arrange it so the same lace would go through both the ring and the ribbon.

What I ultimately come up with might be more invention than anything, though, unfortunately. Unless something about the inside of Ms. Sorel's dress looks like a configuration that could provide the support that I need.