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Gorsedd robe
Bardic robe worn by Sian Owen (Sian Penllyn) - the first female Officiating Druid of the Anglesey Gorsedd of the Bards. She was appointed in 2011 and held the position until her death, aged 48, in 2013. Born in Llanuwchllyn, she lived in Anglesey for most of her life. She worked as a freelance translator, author and editor, and published her first novel, Mân Esgyrn, in 2009.
Long robe made from shiny gold synthetic fabric. Robe has a yoke front and back; fabric below is pleated into this yoke. There are three outwards facing pleats on each side of the front and three pleats on each side of the back - the two outer pleats face outwards and the center pleats face inwards. The creases of the pleats have been pressed into the fabric: they extend down to approximately waist level. The centre pleats have been altered, moving the seam outwards by 1.5cm on both sides (i.e. making the garment wider). Open at CF and fastened with a 74cm long metal zip with cream facing which starts below the yoke. Above the zip, the yoke overlaps right over left and is fastened with a strip of white Velcro® tape on edge of the overlapping fabric and a single small metal popper securing the upper corner of the PL flap (on neckline). Single turnback at hem.
Wide sleeves made from one piece, stitched together with underarm seam, gathered into 7-8cm wide cuffs with two small tucks, slits at cuffs, extending into sleeves (overall length of slit = 13.5cm), closed with rectangular tabs of white Velcro®. All seams, including shoulder and sides, are machine stitched (only hand stitches are slip stitches, securing the inner upper edge of the cuffs, securing the yoke facing along the lower edge (on inside of robe) and stitches securing popper at neck). Selvages on wide turnbacks parallel to CF opening. The two inner pleats on either side of zip at CF are made from separate pieces of fabric (joined on with a vertical seam which is hidden in the pleat). Velco® at both chest and cuffs has been applied in such a way that the hard velcro faces outwards and the soft Velcro® closes onto it. Long warp floats give the fabric its sheen.