The RUFF (my attempt at a 16th century Ruff)

Introduction

Welcome to the Rosalind Series

Hello, everyone! My name is Karina Ali Rodriguez Toledo, but you may know me as Cartsy on social media. I want to warmly welcome you to my Rosalind Series. Today marks the second-to-last episode of this journey, where we'll dive deep into the art of creating a 16th-century ruff.

The Beginning: Competition Challenges

I initially started this ruff project back when I was participating in a competition. However, due to time constraints and rising frustration, I had to pause my efforts. With recent quarantine downtime, I decided to revisit the project and share my experience from the very beginning to its current progress.

Estimations and Challenges

In the early stages, I struggled with determining the required amount of linen for the ruff. The intricate process involved making the ruff, utilizing cooking pots for starching, and constantly experimenting. Pleating tightly together would consume more fabric than anticipated, which led to initial mistakes.

Pause and Restart

Eventually, I felt something was off and decided to put the project on hold. The pandemic gave me a chance to take another shot at it. I had made a rough mock-up temporarily stitched to the neckband but found it too full and frustrating. So, I seam-ripped it off, stretched it out, and attempted to reduce the fabric.

Gathering the Right Materials

One crucial step was acquiring enough lace for the ruff. With some curbside pickups and a clearer idea of my materials, I set to work. After much effort, I managed to pin the waistband after trying it on and making necessary adjustments.

Into the Kitchen: Starching

Enter my kitchen, where the real challenge began. I followed Constance's video tutorial for starching the ruff, albeit as an American without a tea kettle. I boiled water in a pot, carefully blending cornstarch from Target into boiling water, achieving a gooey consistency after adjusting hot and cold water ratios.

The Starching Process

With ready starch, I donned gloves, massaged the mixture into the fabric, and wrung it out. Dedicated drying racks sped up the drying process significantly. Despite initial fears, the synthetic lace reacted well to the starch.

Curling the Ruff

24 hours later, with the fabric sufficiently dry, I brought out a curling iron. Nervous about the process, I found success in shaping the ruff's edges. The lace held up and took shape beautifully.

Final Touches and Reflections

Finally, I sewed in the closure and completed the ruff. Though it took a frustratingly long time and involved multiple redo's, the end product made me proud. Some wrinkles remain to be ironed out, but I am satisfied overall. Wearing this ruff will be fun both at home and in public.

Stay Tuned for the Final Episode

The next and final episode in the Rosalind Series will feature a try-on session of the costume, a little adventure, and some final tweaks. I'll also share a surprising competition outcome. Feel free to leave questions or comments about this series or anything else you’d like to know. I'll answer them in the next video. God bless, and see you soon!

Keywords

• Karina Ali Rodriguez Toledo
• Cartsy
• Rosalind Series
• 16th-century ruff
• competition
• quarantine project
• linen fabric
• starching process
• curling iron

FAQ

What is the Rosalind Series about?

The Rosalind Series is a collection of videos chronicling my journey of creating a 16th-century costume, focusing specifically on the ruff in this episode.

How did you determine the amount of linen needed for the ruff?

Initially, I struggled with estimating the amount of linen. Through trial and error, I made adjustments by stretching the fabric and redoing pleats to ensure the correct fit.

Why was the project paused?

The project was paused due to running out of time during a competition and feeling frustrated with the process. Quarantine later provided the opportunity to revisit and complete it.

What materials did you use for starching the ruff?

I used cornstarch from Target, mixing it with boiling and cold water until a thick, gooey consistency was achieved. Gloves were worn during the messy starch application process.

How did you ensure the ruff held its shape?

Using a curling iron, I shaped the dry, starched fabric into pleats. The synthetic lace held up and took shape beautifully, which helped maintain the ruff's overall structure.

What can we expect in the next episode?

The final episode will feature a try-on session, a small adventure, final tweaks to the costume, and a surprising outcome from the competition.

Where can we leave our questions and comments?

Feel free to leave questions or comments in the comment section of my next video, covering any aspect of the series or personal inquiries. I'll be addressing them in the upcoming video.