How to Begin...
Costume making is quite an undertaking, you need intermediate to advanced sewing skills for most upper class projects.
Peasant garb needs beginning to intermediate sewing skills. One of your most important classes, which is offered twice a year,
is Basic Costume Class 101. This is when you can get help from the costume director and guild mistress.
We will discuss the costume requirements for the upcoming year and deadlines that need to be met to be ready
for performances. Clothing construction instructions and guidelines are given and discussed at this time. Please call guild
house for future costume classes for this 2008-2009 season.
We suggest you start by using any of the following patterns;
Then shop around for Medieval and Renaissance period cloth. We suggest linens, cotton, wool, heavy woven brocade, cotton
damask, velvet or 100% cotton velveteen (washable!)
All these breath well in hot climates.
No hot neon colors, pinks, purples, turquiose, baby pastels, or any fabric that looks too metallic. Please no stretchy
fabrics! We suggest, !!before you buy!!, send a swatch to guild house for approval or bring swatch to your first class.
- Victorian underpinnings Butterick 6884
- Victorian Ladies Butterick 6694 Butterick 6693 Butterick 6195
- Truly Victorian patterns (check for year and style)
- Mens Patterns Butterick 3648 Butterick 3993 Simpility 8615(shirt)
Victorian ladies dresses can be very colorful. Use brocades, satins, taffeta and raised printed velvets.Trims
can be made from any of the above or use tassles, ruffles, pleated trims, and ruching. Lace was prevalent and notorious!
See Victorian hat Class 203!
Mens welt pocket vest fabrics can be obnoxious plaids, tweeds, satin brocades or other taffetas and wools. Look
in second hand shops for suits and many other accessories.
Men and women should hunt for good lace up leather boots (not hiking style)!
Class Ready
At the beginning of your classes, everyone has a simple question? What to bring. Your first class consist of getting
to know each member, designning your name and persona, discussing costume requirements, talking about faires, and what is
expected of you. There will be lots of note taking and information, bring a binder, paper and a good writing tool and a bag
lunch.Classes usually run about 2-4 hours long.
Faire Ready
Once you have finished a shirt/blouse, pant/kilt/slops, skirt/kertle/overskirt/bog dress, bodice/doublet/jerkin/ione,
and underpennings, you will need to put together or find at a thrift store the following;
- a basket with linen or plaid cover to hold faire food snacks and water bottle
- a spoon (wooden) to use to eat with
- a wooden bowl or plate
- some cloth to use in wiping the face
- a pewter or wooden cup to drink from
- a nice bit of tartan, wool or fur to sit upon with a good wooden chair (no pads)
Please no weapons of any kind until you have taken at least 1 safety course. Then all weaponry must be approved before
purchase. No minors are allowed to carry weaponry like adult members.
