German Dress link parking

My main focus is on how the heck the front is straight like that. Most of the Saxon paintings show a flat, white, front in the stomach area. There isn't any runching or bundles of fabric like you'd expect for a chemise or wrappings. It looks like a flat piece of fabric. My *guess* is that it might just be a flap (one of the paintings below show this) or some sort of bodice supporter (another painting shows the skirt with what looks like a waistband). Of course, there is always more than one way to make a dress...

• http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mq3W1QflcU4/TJ-1dTvKMSI/AAAAAAAAECw/fT2RhFn-Jco/s1600/Judith+with+the+Head+of+Holofernes+1531.jpg -Interesting because it doesn't just have the band but an entire front piece
  
  
• http://www.backtoclassics.com/gallery/lucastheyoungercranach/judithwiththeheadofholofernes/ -Typical flat white area across the stomach, decorated band across the bust
  
  
• http://www.goofbutton.com/images/lucas_cranach%20%280%29.jpg -bodice "flap"
  
  
• http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yGhhoxqr3uE/TKpojlAIWhI/AAAAAAAAB4Q/GHkYfvF08E0/s1600/Lucas+Cranach+The+Elder+-+Judith+with+the+head+of+Holofernes.jpg -another typical flat white across the stomach
  
  
• http://www.artvalue.com/auctionresult--cranach-lucas-der-altere-1472-judith-and-holofernes-2556103.htm -similar to the above but way cool colors/decorations/ect
  
  
• http://www.unn.runnet.ru/pic/museum/lucrezia.jpg -waistband?
  
  
• http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/images/h2/h2_1982.60.35.jpg -sheer chemise with stomach wrapping. There are some earlier paintings/illuminations showing stomach wrapping as well. But notice how you can see the lines of the wrappings, unlike with the flat white areas in the other German gowns.

Sigh

I cut out an Italian chemise from the linen/cotton I got yesterday. It's really amazing stuff and looks like it will go great for what I have planned. The problem is the linen thread I bought many years ago is junk. I started to sew up the chemise during the super bowl only to have the thread break. I was only sewing very basic running stitches, two at a time. I examined the thread more closely and noticed that it's not as good as I thought it was. This means I might have to switch to the silk thread I have, which is fine, but I'm not sure whether to throw the linen thread away or give it a second shot.

I did try to knit a mitten as well and I put the thumb gusset too close to the design on the mitten so it messed it up. I took it mostly apart and I'll start on it again tomorrow hopefully.

None of the craft projects went the way they were supposed to except my creative writing one. :-(