So, I started at noon and am quitting right now. . . but I took a 2 hour nap in there somewhere and ate pizza while watching "The Starter Wife". So, I guess, we're looking at six hours of work. I still have to put the fastenings on the front of the 'jacket' and sew on the trim. But that's it.
In my typical Project-Runway -challenge-style, I've taken on making an Elizabethan ensemble in 2.5 days. (Technically I have all week, but I've got a dentists appointment tomorrow, a doctor's appointment on Thursday, life in general to organize, and the ensemble proper has to be TV ready by Friday at 4:30 a.m for a spot on KSEE Sunrise. So, in actuality, we're talking 2.5 days).
Here's the initial sketch:
I tried a new form of gown-- a front tying gown with a stomacher placket (the piece that covers the stomach-- duh!) pinned across the front. I'm not thrilled with how the back looks right now-- I'll probably have to redo it later, but for now it will work. 
And here it is with the stomacher and ruff-- I still have to handsew the ouches (decorative thingies) onto the placket and reinforce the ruff with a wire supportasse (there are pencils holding it up now), but that's for my half day tomorrow.
While I'm not thrilled with the proportion of the look, I am proud of that ruff. I think it makes up for a world of mistakes. Yet to do tomorrow:
Reinforce ruff
Wire Supportasse
Sew on ouches
Extend girdle in back (that's the thing in front with the tassle hanging down).
Eventually, I'll make tie in sleeves to match the forepart and put rolls in at the shoulders, but I'll save that for when I plan to wear it without the ruff. That ruff pretty much makes this outfit. I made the stomacher reversible-- the other side matches the forepart fabrice-- and can be worn inside the gown under the ties if I want to go more gentry class. I'm a little bit proud of that detail, too.
