12 Gold Linen Dress with Embroidered Sleeves (7th C Sasaian/Persian) This is a dress that I recently made, when updating my garb. This dress is entirely hand sewn and finished. The sleeve embroidery is my own design, based on my heraldry within the Society. The embroidery stitches themselves are the same stitches, outline and chain stitch, used in 2 7th Century extant embroideries from Egypt. Eygpt was a part of the Sasanian Empire, thus I feel it appropriate to use the same embroidery techniques. I have extensively studied this piece, which is held in the Victoria and Albert Museum Textile Study Room Frame Number 29 (see below). The gold linen dress (see Ensemble) I recently finished is very similar in cut to the blue line dress (see previous page), except I did not add the gores to the side, or the front. The gold material was much wider than the blue and it may not be necessary to add gores at all, greatly saving on the time spent sewing ti together. As you can see in the picture I have finished the first sleeve embroidery and finished the edge of that sleeve.          The design of this embroidery is purely my own and is based on my newly proposed heraldry ( a green field with purple lotus blossoms within gold roundels). I will be further decorating my heraldry with the gold ivy vines you see here. The lotus blossom design (which I have used purple amethyst stones for here) is based on many 7th C Persian designs I have seen in various silver works. The ivy shape is based off 7th C persian tapestry held at the V&A Textile Study Room. Both sleeves, the blue (previous) and yellow (above), are cut in the same shape and proportioned to fit my hand and arm. The sleeve closes around the wrist with a cloth button, made from the same material. Both dresses are completely hand stitched. The sleeves are finished with a double fold hem as the extant example. It is unclear if the V&A sleeve was finished by conservators or not, but it is the best evidence I have to go on at this time.       As you can see they are cut straight down then at an angle. There is another 7th C Egyptian sleeve that still has a cloth button intact at the end. I will use two different interpretations of this sleeve in my reconstructions. The yellow linen dress will be left open and will have the button closure. the gold linen sleeve will be sewn together all the way down. This is for two reasons. First of all the documentation on this sleeve does not state if it was completely sewn up when it was found or if it was found as is, so I want to try both methods to see the result. Secondly having one sleeve button, will allow me to more easily wear both dresses together and adjust the sleeves so that both pieces of embroidery show.