I made a late 17th century mantua and frontage for a special occasion. This
is a project not for the faint of heart. It requires some serious sewing
skills and the ability to draft a pattern. I used the layout in Norah
Waugh's "Cut of Women's Clothes" as a starting point. These dresses were
literally sewn onto the body of the wearer and a lot of the construction has
to be done by hand if you want an authentic look. It's something akin to
origami *G*. If you know someone who has experience making 18th century
sack-back gowns they would understand this process.

Of course the type of site and the type of interpretation has everything to
do with whether or not you would want to dive into the briar patch of the
mantua. Overall I have found that late 17th c. clothing can be something of
a black hole in terms of available patterns. You are pretty much on your
own.

JoAnne M.

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