Medieval Dress: Eyelets

The pattern for this dress calls for eyelets and lacing at the sides. Because I decided to use turn of cloth with the lining to finish the sides, I have six layers of fabric where the eyelets go. I did a sample with the same fabric arrangement.

I tried two types of eyelets/grommets that I had around: one that has one piece of metal and one with a front and back. Both were unable to handle all of the layers of fabric. These are the two holes on the right, above. I liked the idea of using thread anyway. It's more period-appropriate, but also I was not going to get anywhere near the plum of my dress with a metal eyelet without some serious luck. My sewing machine has an eyelet stitch. That, with an awl poked through is the second hole from the left. The stitch looked decent, but it was not going to stay open. I had read a suggestion from Bunny at La Sewista once about making really nice buttonholes by covering a machine-worked buttonhole with a hand-stitched buttonhole. That with just some standard thread is the hole on the farthest left. I liked the way that looked!

I ordered some purple buttonhole twist. I think I got the reference from Sunni at A Fashionable Stitch? It's a tad more violet than the color of the dress, but a substantial part of what I love about sewing is working with fabulous fibers, and I wanted to go with silk thread.

On the dress, I stitched the eyelets with my machine and I am now working on completing them with the button twist. The more violet thread is pretty dramatic up close, but across the room, it just highlights the eyelets.

Apparently I've been using the wrong needle for the job. I never quite know how to choose a hand-sewing needle. I have dozens around and typically just go with whatever has an eye that fits the thread I want to sew with. Probably time to re-think that strategy!

I currently have 8 eyelets done (one with the wrong thread, so I might re-do) and 16 to go.