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patterns-msg – 1/9/08

 

Sources for clothing patterns. Altering mundane patterns.

 

NOTE: See also the files: clothing-FAQ, clothing-bib, clothing-books-msg, cotehardies-msg, Houppelande-art, sewing-msg, clothng-forms-msg.

 

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NOTICE -

 

This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

 

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

 

I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.

 

The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors.

 

Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s).

 

Thank you,

    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous

                                          Stefan at florilegium.org

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Gentle lords and ladies,

 

The best pattern I have found for a coif/hood for rapier combat is

the head for the rabbit/cat/bear costume (it comes in adult sizes)

that Simplicity makes. I recommend adding a few inches to the

overlap under the chin and a collar to tuck it securely into

the jacket or vest. I hope this helps.

 

Gwenhwyfar Lann ni Rodhri (Jennifer H. Varner) <Z4646595 at SFAUSTIN.BITNET>

 

 

From: daemon at tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (Admin)

Date: 7 May 90 08:55:30 GMT

Organization: Society for Creative Anachronism

 

  Greetings to those Gentles on the Rialto.

 

Gloves:

Milady, An Excellent Pattern Exists, It is a Vogue Pattern in a Prom

accesories Set, I have seen the pattern echoed ina pattern set given to me on

period Gloves, so it is a reasonable one, Gloves having beena nemesis of mine

for years...

                                                                -Wraith

                                                 Carolingia, East Kingdom.

                                                A.S. (God only knows)

 

 

From: EXPOTECH at applelink.apple.com ("Expotech, Aimee Moran,VCA")

Date: 11 Jul 90 03:54:00 GMT

Organization: Society for Creative Anachronism

 

Greetings to the Rialto from Gwynnyd of York, on this, the Tenth day of July.

Costumer news flash!

Both McCalls and Butterick currently have patterns that are nearly perfect

Tudor and Elizabethan dresses. The seaming on these is *not* princess.  They

both have the proper straight seams up the side-fronts with stomacher-like

pieces in the center.

Butterick 4563, has a long pointed front stomacher, suitable for Elizabethan

styles.  McCalls 3490 has a shorter point in front like the earlier Tudor

styles.  Both come in three-size sets,for maximum group use.

To make usable, shorten the waist to natural waistline, square the neckline,

and fill in the back (which is a deep V in both paterns). Skirts can be used

as they are.  Add gorp (i.e.-suitable trim), lace up the back or sides,

and voila - late period costume! even for the pattern drafting impaired

like me.

I made mine with plastic needlepoint canvas as the stiffening in the stomacher

- worked great.  Just about the right amount of flex.  Has holes for

ventilation.  Can be washed.  Who could ask for more? (OK, so I promise never

to enter the plastic in the A&S competitions.)

In service to the Society (if not necessarily THE DREAM(tm)), I remain

Gwynnyd of York                    Carol Lynn

Household of the Foundering Fen    Grosse Pointe Park, MI

Middle                             expotech at applelink.apple.com

 

 

From: data at er3.rutgers.edu (Rosemary Goodheart)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Medieval Pattern Needed!!

Date: 11 Oct 1994 03:40:23 -0400

Organization: Rutgers University

 

craig_polson at radius.com (Craig Polson) writes:

 

>As an aside, what do people think of the McCall's pattern #6096? Good as

>is? Needs modifications? Really lame? Just curious....(although one

>problem I see already is that it's called Medieval Magic when the outfits

>seem to me like they're more renaissance...) Thanks!

 

>-Willow (Craig's wife)

 

I use this pattern myself, and you're right, it's more Elizabethan than anythinanything else! (At least the dress with the puffs on top of the sleeves

is.)  If you are using this dress, here are the alterations I recommend:

      1) The pattern is cut very large, so take it in to fit your body.  And

forget the boning... it's painful and does absolutely nothing.

      2) If you want a bum roll, don't use the one in the pattern; it's

shaped wrong.  Bum rolls should be crescent-shaped.

      3) The skirt is big enough to put a farthingale (hoop skirt) under.

      4) Drop the neckline in the front by determining where the shoulders

join the front, then scooping down lower in the area where the shoulders

_don't_ touch the front.  (This takes some effort; make a practice one first)

      5) With a _lot_ of effort you can slash the sleeves...It looks

incredible, but will take you forever.

      6) Consider splitting the skirt down the front and wearing with a fancy

underskirt.  Just use the skirt part of the pattern to make the underskirt,

with a drawstring waist, and only use your facy fabric for the front panel.

You can save lots of money by using cheap fabric in the back of the underskirt,

where no one will ever see it.

 

By the way, if anyone in the Settmour Swamp area in the East Kingdom has seen

a lady in a black and red, slashed sleeved, hoop-skirted Elizabethan gown,

that was me, and I used this pattern to make the dress!

 

Good luck!!

                              -Rosemary

--

Rosemary Goodheart                                       YYY     YYY

data at eden.rutgers.edu                                     | |YYYYY| |

                             at )--->----;-----              |_|__n__|_|

 

From: nataliae at aol.com (Natalia E)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Cloaks

Date: 15 Nov 1994 22:45:04 -0500

 

There is a Very Easy Very Vogue 7110 pattern for a woman's cloak, which

works perfectly fine for a simple cloak pattern.  I made both my lord's

and my own cloak from it and I just learned how to sew this year.  Try it

out and you might find it will be just right.  Good luck.

 

Nataliia

 

 

From: connect at aol.com (CONNECT)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: REQ: Easy Garb Patterns

Date: 30 Nov 1994 10:00:25 -0500

 

debra at hp1.ep.cursci.com (Debra Cebulski) writes:

I am a newbie in the Barony of Carolingia and I need some easy patterns  

(Vogue, Simplicity, etc.) for garb.

---

Good My Lady,

 

I can not give you specific pattern numbers, but hopefully can offer you

some help in finding what you need. If you just want simple looking garb,

try this: find a skirt pattern that is very full, like a full circle.

Usually, this is done with what is called a gore. The pattern piece is cut

to look like an A-shape if you fold it out flat. Next, find a peasant

blouse pattern, either as a peasant blouse pattern or as a clown costume.

Just cut off the clown pattern at the hip.  

 

This gets you the shirt and skirt. If you want a bodice, you can make one

by altering a vest pattern, but that can be trickier. It should be doable

by a beginner, but you need to be clear on what you're doing, because

you'll be altering the lines a little.(Shortening the length of the vest,

possibly, depending on the pattern you buy.)  You can't use darts if you

want to be authentic.

 

Another thing to take into account, don't buy any prints. Try to stick

with cotton blends in solids, or in patterns that are actually woven into

the fabric.  Muslin is good, and cheap too. <grin> Wash everything before

you cut, too.

 

If you're looking for male garb, there's a set of instructions available

from a place called Rainments. The pattern is called Drafting and

Constructing a Simple Doublet and Trunkhose of the Spanish Renaissance. I

don't know the complexity level of this pattern, but perhaps someone else

knows.  Rainments can be reached via email at 72437.674 at compuserve.com.

 

Another book I'd recommend is Elizabethan Costuming for 1550-1580 by Janet

Winter and Carolyn Savoy. This is assuming you're interested in late

SCA-period clothing. If not, just ignore this. <grin>

 

Best of luck to you...I am coming off the newbie stage to just the

beginner. ;)

 

Pattie Rayl

 

 

From: mcfee at apsicc.aps.edu (Karl von Schattenburg / Chuck Wilson)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Puffy sleeves

Date: 6 Dec 1994 05:14:07 GMT

Organization: Albuquerque Public Schools, Albuquerque, NM, USA

 

In article <abasu.786662616 at atl1>, abasu at atl1.america.net (Asok K. Basu) writes:

>Hi, I'm trying to get shirts that have the puffy sleeves

>common in Shakespearean plays and other plays of

>the time. I think they're called Juliette sleeves. Specifically, I

>need white and black colors, and maybe green and brown. If you've

>seen the movie "Interview with the Vampire", then you'll know

>what kind of shirts I'm talking about. I'd prefer they have real

>buttons, instead of threading for lacing the shirt up. If anyone has any

>information about where I can get this type of clothing, please let me know.

>My e-mail address is : abasu at america.net.  Thank you.

 

Greetings and Salutations!

 

It's unclear from your letter whether you want to make tehm or buy them. If

you want to buty then, there are ads in _TI_. If you want to make them, and

you need a pattern, a simple peasant shirt pattern can be found at your

local fabric store. If it's not labeled as a peasant shirt, check in the

Halloween costume patterns. You xcan have real buyttons, but use the

shank-style, as they're more period. If you want tro explore this period a

little more, a good resource for the beginner is _Elizabethan Costuming_ by

Janet Winter and Carolyn Savoy. Available in ads in _TI_.

 

Clarice

 

 

From: iys6lri at mvs.oac.ucla.edu (Lori Iversen)

Newsgroups: alt.sewing,rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: costume patterns

Date: 7 Feb 1995 20:03:53 GMT

Organization: ucla

 

ches at io.com (ches) says:

>Cheryl Stavis (CherylA at ix.netcom.com) wrote:

>> ...I'm looking for costume sources other

>> than folkwear of past patterns. I'm especially interested in Reniassance

>> costumes. I've never made my own patterns, so pre-drawn patterns would

>> be best, but I'll take any help I can get!

>> Thank You.

>> cheryla at ix.netcom.com

>

>If you are lucky enough to have a Barnes and Noble Book store near by go

>there and order Patterns for Theatrical Costumes by Katherine Strand

>Holkeboer  isbn 0-89676-125-8.  [small snip of where-to-find-it].

>

>Ciao

>Ches

 

Alexis here!

 

Holkeboer would be my first suggestion too.  You don't mention how

advanced a seamstress you are, but you might also want to try

"Patterns of Fashion," by Janet Arnold (who did the costumes for the

BBC "Elizabeth R.").  It's a three-book series; you'll want the first

one (with the maroon cover), covering 16th- and 17th-century garb.

Arnold has essentially dissected actual clothing from the period

and drafted patterns based on those pieces.  I made a pair of

pluderhosen for my SCA brother from the Nils Sturtevant pattern;

they were really easier than they looked but they did break (count

'em) eighteen heavy-duty needles on an industrial machine. And they

looked great (nobody had ever seen butt-hugging slops before!).  I

also attempted the Velvet Dress with the Big Hanging Sleeves (I forget

who wore it originally); it didn't turn out quite as well, but then I

only gave myself 24 hours to make it (it *looked* impressive but

didn't fit quite right).  Arnold only gives the patterns with notes

about what trim went where and where the pleats went, etc. So if

you have good engineering instincts the patterns in her books are

definitely do-able.

 

Best of luck!

 

Alexis Vladescu                          Lori Iversen

WyvernHo-ette                            (IYS6LRI at mvs.oac.ucla.edu)

Altavia, CAID                            The Valley, CA

 

 

From: odlin at reed.edu (Iain Odlin)

Newsgroups: alt.sewing,rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: costume patterns

Date: 8 Feb 1995 17:24:34 GMT

 

Alexis suggests, as so many do, Janet Arnold's books, "Patterns of

Fashion", to which I add:

 

  A caveat:  Arnold makes a number of glaring mistakes and generally doesn't

  provide enough info on the garb she depicts to reconstruct it accurately

  (check the furred gown, for a quick example).  And, despite the title,

  the book really isn't about reconstructing garments. It's more a picture

  book about what exists still.

 

  So, if you are going to use it as a source for patterns, be sure to also get

  ahold of "The Annotated Arnold," available from Raiments (who advertise in

  TI).  It adds some invaluable info that Arnold leaves out.  It doesn't

  help much for reconstructing either, but it points out multitudinous

  grevious errors on Arnold's part which helps immensely. (I spent three

  days trying to reconstruct one of the sleeves she depicted completely

  incorrectly, for example.  "The Annotated Arnold" showed me exactly what

  was going wrong.)

 

  Good luck.

------------------------- Iain Odlin, odlin at reed.edu -------------------------

                      42 Clifton Street, Portland ME 04101

 

 

From: sniderm at mcmail2.cis.McMaster.CA (Mike Snider)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: cotehardies (was Searching for Japanese Garb)

Date: 3 Apr 1995 13:12:29 -0400

Organization: McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

 

There is a lot of controversy about princess seams versus running all

the pannels from the shoulder when constructing a cotehardie. Both have

reliable documentation behind them. I do mine from the shoulder in the

manner of the Herjolfsnes finds. (See Buried Norsemen at Herfolfsnes,

post me if you need an ISBN) One of the best ways to make the pattern,

however, is with duct tape. Put on an old tee-shirt and have a friend

wrap your torso tightly with the tape. Mark the seams and cut tourself

out of it. Spread the pannels flat and regularize the pannels so they are

symetrical. Flare the pannels from the hips to give yourself as much

fullness as you can. After the garment is constructed, put it on inside

out and take in the seams so it fits snuggly. This is a quickie

description, but I hope it helps. I have made several cotehardies this

way with considerable success.

  Good Luck and post me directly if I can help you futher with documentation.

 

  Elizabeth Cadfan

 

 

From: jahugi at xmission.xmission.com (John-H)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: cotehardie patterns?

Date: 21 Apr 1995 22:28:40 -0600

 

ABLockwood (ablockwood at aol.com) wrote:

: I am looking for a pattern for a womans cotehardie that would be fairly

: easy to fit and construct, something beyond a 3-inch-square diagram with

: directions to just cut it out and sew it together...

: Any help would be appreciated. Please e-mail me at ABLockwood at aol.com,

: because I am not always able to read the Rialto...

 

: -Ashley Lockwood

: (tentatively Alienora)

 

      I have a pattern for Cotehardies & Sideless Surcoats, 14th & 15th C.

This pattern is from Mediaeval Miscellanea, called Period Patterns no. 21.

The sizes are 6-20, but be sure to measure for the correct size! (Learned

the hard way) Unfortunately, I don't have an address for the pattern.  I

bought it at an Estrella War a couple of years ago.  I don't know if I've

helped you any, but good luck!

              Ethereal O. Trewren /Shire of Cote du Ciel /Atenveldt

Janice Hugie <jahugi at xmission.com>

 

 

The following information I retrieved off an Elizabethian Costuming WWW

page on 5/4/95.

    Stefan li Rous

 

Some Patterns Which Work

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

These are standard patterns which are close enough to period to be easily

altered to suit. There are also custom patterns for period clothing. These

custom patterns can best be ordered from specialty sewing shops; try your

yellow pages for one near you. Some of these patterns may be out of

production.

 

Bodice

 

Adult: McCall's 5064 - Close up CF V more, alter neckline, no collar, take dats in on pattern, no tabs, no tie back, raise armhole underarm.

       Vogue 1000 - basic fitting pattern, use no darts

 

Child: Butterick 6932 - View A, change W in front to a V, lacing not buttons, scoop neckline

 

Skirt

 

Adult: Vogue 1723 or 9882 - lengthen hem.

       McCall's 4798 - View A, lengthen hem, no pocket.

       Simplicity 7561 View 3 or 7021 View 2 - lengthen hem, elasticize waist or lacing.

 

Child: McCall's 6012 - View B lower to ankle length

 

Chemise or Bag Shirt

 

Adult: McCall's 4897 - View A.

       McCall's 5993 - Shorten cuff to less than 1 inch.

       Simplicity 9162 - View 3 with View 2 ruffle.

 

Child: Butterick 6730 - make sleeves long

       Simplicity 8943 - View 4, elasticize wrists, cut to blouse length

       McCall's 6012 - View B

 

Jerkin

 

Adult: Butterick 4484 - no pockets, straight waist, lace closure.

 

Child: Butterick 6605 - lengthen vest and straighten bottom.

 

Shirts

 

Adult Nobility: Simplicity 9929 - View 4 CF closed up yoke, lengthen and widen sleeves, add cuff and stand up collar with ties at neck and wrists.

 

Adult Peasants: Simplicity 7574 - View 1, no ruffle, lengthen to crotch, may slit yoke to sternum

                Butterick 6731 - no sash, make sleeves longer

                Butterick 3194 - as is

 

Child: Butterick 6730: As Butterick 6731.

       Simplicity 8943 - View 1, no ruffles, shorten to shirt length

 

Breeches

 

Adult: Simplicity 7558 - View 3, lengthen to below knee and elasticize

       McCalls 6509 - elasticize knees, no pockets

 

Child: McCall's 6510 or 5356 - below knee, no pockets

       Simplicity 8502 - lengthen below knee

       Clown pant patterns often work.

 

Newborns

 

McCall's 5131 - shoes

Butterick 3317 - Views B and D, lengthen sleeves, use lacing

 

 

From: sewinwench at aol.com (SewinWench)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: cotehardie patterns?

Date: 26 Apr 1995 18:59:05 -0400

 

You can order Period Patterns pattern from this company:

 

Amazon Vinegar and Pickling Works Drygoods, Ltd.

2218 East 11th Street

Davenport, IA 52803

(319) 322-6800

Don't let the name fool you. This is the most fabulou