Cool Forum

I totally forgot to mention this cool forum that I found. It gets costumers (sorted by period) together across the whole world, but basically from the U.S., Canada, and Australia. Not many have been actively posting, but maybe it's a seasonal thing, since people are on vacation - although I would think this would be the most opportune time to start making costumes for the fall. Guess many are procrastinators. It's called MedCos, I'm assuming short for Medieval Costuming. Well here it is:

http://slumberland.org/moodle/course/view.php?id=5

To join you only have to give very little personal info, unlike other online places. And the best part about it is that it's free. : )

Finishing up the hat and houp

I still have yet to make the little black velvet cap and loop that keep the hat on, but basically the hat is finished. I'm thinking of not lining it for the simple fact that I will most likely have to fix some of the beads someday (probably sooner rather than later). I have loads of thick black cotton velvet from the curtains of the 1894 Opera House (the insurance paid for new ones since there was a small fire there) and the fabric is still good, although it is certainly heavy. Probably will make a perfect cap though.

Last night I finished making the dress: the fur trim and the belt, and now I have to focus on the hat (clip the wires again because they're too long and make the cap and loop), kirtle (which basically just needs eyelets and to be hemmed), and make a neckband for the chemise.

Et voila, the dress is finished. Once the whole ensamble is complete, I'll probably get some nicer pics in the park down the street, where there are a lot of photogenic ponds and such.

Christian keeps making fun of me - he doesn't like the fur trim, even though it's fake. I got extra in case he or my mom wanted some. Looks like it'll be for mom, depending on what color of fabric I can get for cheap. I'm really hoping he'll turn around once I finish his. Maybe he's just

jealous - but hey, I don't see him making a fantastic effort to get his end of the deal together either, because I'm not paying for his too!

I also noticed that, God, I look like the evil queen off of Epic Movie. All I see is fur when I look down!!! I think breast binding is an order : ( I was going to do it anyway, but I guess these 15th century gals didn't have much back then...

It's finally coming together!

I happily handsewed for hours last night, due to the fact that an electrical storm was around for a while and did not get to go home until 10:30 for so. I used 6" wide fur for the hem and 4" wide for the sleeves. Luckily when I was at HL I picked out (subconsciously?) tapestry thread instead of regular, which was a Godsend while I was sewing the fur onto the hem of the gown because it really kept the fur secure. You can see up close little even dots where I tacked it on, but they really aren't that visible, as you can tell from the photo. I am soooo happy I invested in the $50 of fabric, since it was such a gamble, as I had no idea it would end up looking so good, as it is a color I have not seen officially in any painting or drawing, although that doesn't mean it didn't exhist. Now all I have to do is go to HL and get some light gold satin for the placket and some buckram to make the belt stiff, if it is to hold up a small purse.

The train is really longer; Mom didn't lay it out as much as it could have, although you can get a good idea of what it looks like.

Today I just sewed on the cuffs, and between the cuffs and the fur hemline, might I say it looks fantastic. I was worried about looking funny at the TRF, as I don't think many go in Burgundian fashion; most of the pics I've seen from it online were either Elizabethan or Italian 16th century Renaissance (same period, different place).

But then, if people can go in chain mail bikinis and such, I think mine can pass easily.

Ialso semi-finished the chemise. I'm really not thrilled with a drawstring construction, since it also cinches the sleeves, which are already tight. So I'm going to have to make a band and take out all the casing I made. But even as changed, it'll still look like this.

And guess what came in the mail today? The awl, corner stick, tailor's chalk, and golden points that I ordered from Denver Fabrics, a wonderful online fabric store. They sent the small package very quickly. Now I'll be able to actually make the holes for the lacing, which I am eager to do, especially for the doublet that I'm planning to sell on eBay in a month or two. This should hold me until Christian finally comes up with the money and makes up his mind about the fabric he wants for his "dress."

Beads, anyone?

I must've sewn on at least 400 of those faux pearl beads onto my hennin. But it is finally finished! Christian says I am the "Roach Queen" with the wire antennae hanging in front. OK, I can see why. On the mannequin they are kinda droopy, but on me they stay up properly. Glad it's not the oppsite way! I didn't have time to figure out how to drape the veil and how much veil I need, so I'll have to do that tomorrow. I'm afraid the chiffon is too soft, and will slip off the "antennae," even when pinned on. I guess we'll see.

After letting gravity take its final take on the sewing and fixing any loose threads, I pinned and hand-sewed the top on, which makes it look so much better. However, after doing all this, and taking weeks to do it, I really don't think anyone could possibly pay me enough to make another one without a diamond pattern already printed onto the fabric!

I was kinda disappointed that the diamonds didn't meet up in the back seam, but I think it's because it's a 3D surface and naturally would not meet, even if the diamonds were perfect. Well they're not perfect, but I think they look good enough. Usually I don't settle for less, but this time, just to keep my sanity (and to make me feel like I accomplished something!) I will use it as is.

Which reminds me of Lynn McMasters who sewed 13,000 pearls onto an Elizabethan chemise. She should be sainted: http://lynnmcmasters.com/chemise.html She should honestly make movie costumes, because I can't believe how much talent, energy, and patience she must have. If I could be half as good as her, I would feel self-fulfilled.

I also finished my chemise, which came from a super-easy rectangle-and-triangle pattern from Festive Attyre: http://www.festiveattyre.com/research/chemise.html I of course had to tailor the 16th century shirt to a 15th century shirt, by greatly narrowing the sleeves. I made them rectangular first (adding 3 inches to the width and 2 to the length - next time I'd add 3) then once they were on I tried the shirt on and figured out how much I needed to narrow them by. I made it drawstring, which is kind of a mistake because the sleeves have to be drawstring too, which makes them a bit weird-feeling. If I were to make another one, I simply wouldn't have made the front and back so wide (45" each, as the pattern said) and made it fit myself better so that sewing on a band would have been easier. Also, I would make the gussets a bit bigger, perhaps 10 inches instead of 7. Plus, I wasn't sure how high or low I wanted the neckline. It didn't come out too bad though, and with a kirtle perhaps the sleeves won't be so noticeable, and I could pin them to the kirtle if I really needed to.

I totally forgot to get a picture of this, so I'll have to take one tomorrow.

On a budget

So it looks like I've gone underbudget and even managed to buy a few items (i.e. veil, boning) that I forgot to put on the grand master list.

I estimated that everything (10 yards cotton for kirtle and doublet, 4 yds. of batiste for the chemise, 1 1/2 yards of fur) came to $69 and I only spent about $52. Even adding a $5 stupidity fee for getting the wrong beads, it still comes up to $57. And that's with a real linen chemise - and if I have enough extra, I'll try to make me some braies, too, which will save me an additional $23, making a total savings of $35 just on those items alone.

Since it's my birthday tomorrow, I'll probably be working on the doublet and the chemise, and probably post some more pics tomorrow night. Yay for birthdays : )

Raid on Hobby Lobby and Jo-Ann's

Since my birthday is Monday and I recently was given and earned some money, I decided to treat myself out to some more fabric than I would generally get in one week. Well, I got some linen for 60% off of a regular price of $14.99 a yard, which would have been about $60, but instead it came up to only $24 for 4 yards! That's $6 a yard for quality linen with no shipping! And it's the perfect weight too - it didn't say on the bolt, but I'm guessing 5-7 oz, since it's not very stiff at all but it's still fairly opaque, compared to Christian's very-stiff 9 oz. linen. I was going to be good and just make my chemise out of batiste, but Christian happened to see it and I just couldn't deny Fate.

I also found some fur (what kind, I don't know - a polyester bear?) and I think it will look good, although I would prefer faux ermine or a just a plain dark brown color. This should be good though, and I got it for $10 a yard, a song compared to anywhere online wanting $20 and up per yard. So I ended up spending $15 on that, and if I end up making my mom one or need fur for another costume, I'll surely have enough. This is going to go about 3" on each side of the hem (so that makes 6" strips) and also make a collar.

I had a hard time picking out a calico solid, but I ended up with an off-blue that should work. It was 30% off, so I think the 10 yards (3 for Christian's doublet, 7 for my kirtle) came to about $30. I cut out the pattern yesterday and starting sewing today and it's coming along quite well.

As for my hat, I got the beads, veil, and the remaing boning that I needed since I as short by like 2-3 inches (grrr...) I mistakenly got 6 mm pearls instead of 5 mm (they looked the same to me) so now that project is put on hold until I can get to HL again....I hate the fact that they are closed on half the weekend...This all came up to about $11 and everything was either on sale or I had the HL extra 40% off coupon. Thank God for that, because not only is a small package of beads not worth $4.99, but also they were the wrong ones...and I didn't figure that out till I opened them : (

At least I have my other projects to keep me busy. I finally figured out that I'm making straight sleeves for my chemise (not puffed, since this is 15th century, not 16th) and that it will be waltz-length, as I have found to be in the only one historic example I could find.

Forgot to get lacing at HL, so I'll have to go there soon anyway. Jo-Ann's was pretty cool, and even had 100% cotton velveteen, which would be a good fabric for the outfit he wants. The only thing is that it takes 8 1/2 yards, and they don't carry it in navy blue, which is the color he wants. So I'll be looking for a good deal on that online.

Also, I'll be researching how in the hell they actually draped those veils....

My price list

OK, I already spent $20 more than Christian already, between the $50 fabric and the $10 or so I spent on the henin (pretty darn cheap if I may so myself!)

So again, here's the line-up to finish my costume:

4 yards of 5-7 oz. 100% flax linen for ankle-length chemise from eBay.......$28

or....

4 yards of calico solid or batiste on sale at HL.......$12 (est.)

7 yards of calico solid for kirtle (underdress) from HL.......$24 (est.)

2 yards lacing from HL....... $5 (est.)

1 yard light gold satin for placket/plastron, belt, and drawstring purse from HL.......$3 (est.)

some more faux pearls to finish my hennin and maybe even adorn the drawstring purse.......$5 (est.)

2 yards of 60" brown faux fur to trim collar, sleeve hem, and skirt hem (hopefully HL will get some in late summer).......$30-$40 (est.)

poulaines from brands on sale.......$32.99 http://www.brandsonsale.com/plt-2304.html

maybe some pattens if the sole is thin on the poulaines, from Armlann.......$45 http://www.armlann.com/wpattens.htm

stockings from HE.......$22.95 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=229

garters from HE.......$24.95 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=211

(Yeah, that makes sense: the garters cost more than the stockings!)

braies from HE.......$22.95 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=278&c=15

a 15th century beaded collar from Castle Garden Creations (VERY hard to find and VERY cheap!).......$31 http://www.castlegardencreations.com/store.php?crn=73&rn=345&action=show_detail

a fan from Fancy Things Fanne Shoppe (really an Elizabethan things but dammit I'm in Texas, not in freezing Europe!) small and medium sizes.......$39-$55 http://www.featherfans.net/index.html

OK, so the grand total is a minimum of $253, a maximum of $340. However I'm really thinking on the $253 side, and maybe getting the pattens later and just making my shirt out of batiste and making a real linen one later. So I am cheaper than Christian after all : )

After hours and hours of research

If I added up all the damn hours of research I wast-er-spent on finding specialty items and such for our costumes, it'd probably add up to a few solid days. I finally found some cheaper items that I have been looking for, specifically hose and shoes, that I think I'm ready to list each item and figure out how much we might be looking at spending. After going to the TRF site, I don't feel so bad about spending some money on ours, since I'm making most and trying to find the best deal possible, and also because some of the costumes there are waaaaaay more elaborate than mine. (Damn those Elizabethans....that's precisely why I refused to pick that time-frame, even though the faire is set in King Henry VIII's time.)

So here's the line-up, and the links to them, since I have to go to them anyway. Also they are some absolutely wonderful websites, as I am a very picky person about historical accuracy, but I also have to weigh that against money. So I think we'll spend a bit on his shoes but be cheap on mine, since they are hidden anyway. Also going to go for the cheaper 90% cotton/10% spandex hose since he's shy about the whole codpiece thing and it'll just be both cheaper and a modern convenience that no one will really know about since no one will see the elastic waist.

Christian
fabric (probably just calico cotton, a nicer solid cotton than broadcloth) for his doublet, always 25-30% off at HL....... $10 (est.)
lacing for the doublet.......$5 (est.)
split hose (linen?) from Historic Enterprises.......$97.95 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=279&c=6

or....

woven wool split hose, also from Historic Enterprises.......104.95 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=100&c=6

or....

boiled wool split hose, again from HE.......134.95 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=99&c=6

compared to....

cotton/spandex mix (solid) from Moresca, a TRF artisan.......25.00 http://www.moresca.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=137

particolored, same as above.......15.00 (liquidation!) http://www.moresca.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=139

(Gee I wonder what we're gonna get...134.95 vs. $15.00 - and it's got 2 colors!)

houppelande, need 8 1/2 yards (!!!) probably a cotton velvet or a brocade tapestry like mine, probably either online or from the High Fashion Fabric Center in Houston.......$100+ (est.)

poulaines from Armlann.......$75 http://www.armlann.com/extendedtoe.htm

and....

hinged pattens (to protect shoes in mud, a common problem at ren faires).......$45 http://www.armlann.com/wpattens.htm

or....

custom-made poulaines and pattens from HE.......$149.95 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=83&c=114

or....

really cool medieval gothic leather shoes (poulaines without pattens) from Medieval Weapon Art (same ones can be found on eBay from Europe - about same price).......$140 http://www.mwart.com/xq/ASP.product/pid.7289/qx/medieval-gothic-leather-shoes.htm

(I think I'm going with Armlann with a mere $75 for the shoes, maybe the pattens, making them cost $120 plus s & h. (Also I don't think he takes 8-12 weeks to make them because there is no disclaimer.)

acorn hat from HE.......$24 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=118&c=7

or....

a roundlet from Tall Toad.......$30-$40 http://www.talltoad.net/round.html

15th century braies (I can't find a pattern and the linen would probably cost as much) from HE.......$22.95 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=186

belt from any department store.......$20 (est.)

leather illumination pouch from Bohemond.......$20 http://www.nmia.com/~bohemond/Bootshop/pouch-page/illumination-pouch.htm

My God, I think that's it. He can buy any other accessories later, like jewellery.

So, adding up the cheapest out of all of them, the grand total is about $298. Add in the pattens from Armlann and you might as well break the $300 mark, with the absolute grand total of $343, not including s & h. I sure hope he'll be as devoted to this costume as he is to his Sea Doo, because this is gonna hurt. It's worth it and he'll look devine. But it'll hurt.

But then, I probably spent about as much on my Dickens costume over the last 2 years. Hehe.

I bet he's gonna make my ren garb look cheap.

We'll see in the next posting, since this is a lot to post at once, and I'll cry if I lose all of this because of some blackout or I use the back button on this window. Blogger does save in that situation, but I still don't trust it or myself.

Should've done this earlier...

I already started a major undertaking of constructing complete outfits (including underwear!) for my fiance and I for the upcoming season of the Texas Renaissance Festival. We went there a few years ago, and it just wasn't as fun without costumes. I've been meaning to make some for a while, but I've been concentrating on Dickens on the Strand in Galveston, Texas for the last two years. Now that the two of us (and even his mom!) are almost completely outfitted for that, we want to go to the TRF in style.



It all started with the beautiful pale blue tapestry fabric I got at Hobby Lobby for a song: $5 a yard, marked down from $20!!! They were clearancing a LOT of home dec fabrics, and this definitely caught my eye. It was May, and summer was approaching, which is the dreaded time when a substitute teacher is more destiute than usual. I had already starting saving money up to survive the summer, but this was a big gamble, since it cost $50 (a lot for me to spend) and it kinda looked light greenish in the flourescent lights in the store, and did not literally show its true colors until I got it home. Didn't have any idea at all what to do with it, but got 10 yards of it (just to make sure I could make any era of dress) and ended up getting the pattern later.



I stupidly got the pattern (McCall's 5155) before I did any research. I just liked it. Luckily my good sense of historical accuracy wasn't too far off and I got a fantasy pattern that was easily tailored to be less fantasy and more period-correct. A lot of people online whine and complain about this pattern, but I think the basic part of the houppelande was extremely easy to make and was period-correct. I decided, after making those type of sleeve bands that lace up, showing the actual chemise, that this was really too late for this type of style dress so I decided to make simple straight sleeves.

Once Hobby Lobby/Wal-Mart/Jo-Ann Fabrics get their fall/winter fabric in, I'm planning on buying a medium brown fur to trim the collar and especially the hem of the gown, which will protect it from getting frayed, especially in the train. I had to cut a lot off, especially the train, because the original pattern is really made for a taller person (I'm 5'1"). I'm also going to get pale gold satin for the placket/plastron (not sure what the difference is except for the spelling) which is the filler for the V-neck, like a dickey shirt, because ladies did not show the girls off in that era. I'm also thinking of making a simple belt (different from the pattern) because I don't like the one they have, since back then they did not close in the front.



Just finished Christian's shirt today, which I am wearing under my dress in the above pictures because of the low neckline - it's just until I make my own ladies' version. We got the fabric off eBay for about $40 with shipping - 4 yards of 100% flax white linen. It was wonderful to work with, especially with the iron, since I never had to worry about scorching it, as linen is the highest setting on an iron. I used a rather unique pattern-maker, Period Patterns, which I got online for a pricey $23.50 with shipping. I normally wouldn't spend so much, but between McCall's, Butterick, Simplicity and even Burda, no one had the right style of shirt (Italian c. 1450-1475) and especially the Italian gown that he wanted. He says he wants view V for the gown and I for the doublet from PP #43, but it takes a whopping 8 yards of fabric for the gown, and it only touches his knees! It's actually directly taken from a famous fresco from the period, Pope Celestine III granting the privilege of autonomy to the Hospital, by Domenico di Bartolo, which is located in la Sala del Pellegrinaio (hall of the pilgrim), Hospital Santa Maria della Scala, Siena, Italy. You can see the fresco here:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Pellegrinaio_Santa_Maria_della_Scala_n4.jpg

Needless to say, we have not gotten the fabric for his gown yet.

Finally my hat: I patterned it from a painting I kept seeing online as an example of common Burgundian fashion during my specific period. You can see it here:

http://www.uvm.edu/~hag/sca/15th/ainsworthp133.jpg

It's by Petrus Christus, a very famous painter of the time, from 1450. I got some faux pearls, some big and some small, and made a diamond pattern a lot like hers. The only problem is, it's a bit difficult to start off the pattern on a plain piece of satin, and I wish I had been able to simply buy some satin or silk that had that same pattern on it so I could just sew on the pearls. I'm almost done with it, now that I spent like 20 hours on it, between sewing and resewing ones that fell off (knots came loose) and just plain redoing whole rows that came out wrong. I think after doing one it'll be all downhill from here, but I'm not quite sure as if I would actually make another one. Also what was frustrating was the book that I got the pattern from (Patterns for Theatrical Costumes: Garments, Trims, and Accessories from Ancient Egypt to 1915 by Katherine Strand Holkeboer) did not scale the pattern properly and the first buckram frame I made ended up being a toddler-sized hennin, as it fits both my 3 1/2 and 6 year old nieces.

Hobby Lobby should still have home dec fabric clearanced, as it wasn't going anywhere last time I went, so I'm hoping to get my mom some red and gold fabric (same pattern as mine, different colors) so I could make her a houppelande too. She's not too excited, but that's the way she is until things start coming together. I guess we'll see if the bolt is still there and if there is enough, as I have put my finances in order and would very much like to treat my mom out to something special.

Well that's it for now. I will soon be posting pics and a list of what I plan to make and what I have finished, as the other online seamstesses do in their blogs.