Tablet weaving is incredibly strong, there's an 18th C example in the Royal Armouries in Leeds where it is being used on the girdle strap of a saddle for a horse! That photo is brilliant and to me it looks very clearly like a tablet woven fabric. It's difficult to say whether there are stitches visi...

James, these are beautiful examples of narrower cloth belts. The problem with the all silk, tablet woven, gown belts is that they do not survive well, even though their buckles and strap ends do. Wide examples like this are rare and from contemporary illustrations we see that these belts worn on the...

Stitching folds in place on these gowns has both advantages and disadvantages - the pleats stay in place much better if there is something to hold them. The images of this type of gown the pleats are all very regular and smooth. Which is where the conjecture of pleats being sewn into place comes in....

That's a very beautiful belt and I understand your concern. I'm sure Gina B would know the definitive answer, however even though the silk is fine, by being tablet woven it will be stiffer and more wrinkle resistant that you think, especially if being worn under the bust rather than round the waist....