Purple Ruffles

Time for the Faire revised

For a quick update on how i started this project check out Part one : )




21st March 2009:
After some time and planning I have decided to team the bowed chemise (which ironically looks like the ballooning sleeves of Captain Emiline) which comes with a little bonnet and the top right skirt which I have fallen in love with. I have not yet found fabric to make the skirt's but I have bought some 100% cotton bed sheets (it is the cheapest way) for the chemise, pantaloons, bonnet and apron. I also already have some bed sheets and some old curtains but I think that later looks obviously like a window dressing and the former has a floral pattern that is too modern.



30th March:
I have found some heavy patterned skirt which is darker than I originally planned but easier and saves money and time. It is mostly red but with some dark green and brown in the pattern. I'll probably go for a dark green over skirt or maybe just have a simple apron over the top.



2nd April:
I bought some bed sheets today and have decided on a magnolia cream for the chemise, but the simpler version, sans the bows. I also bought some pale mushroom cotton, which I was going to use as the skirt intill I found the heavy patterned fabric, and now it won’t match. I might use it for the bonnet but I doubt it. Watch this space for more updates and photos : )

I have started to make some simple tabards for my dad and brother for the medieval faire and joust in a few of weeks time. I have an easy design and they will be made by a straight hemmed bed sheet (my favourite good value source of cotton for costumes) sewn in a loose poncho shape. Sew the sides and viola. I will embellish them both with some ribbon, a red cross on the front : )

11th April:



I found some fabulous curtain samples in the shop for only £1 and bought 2, (the top 2 in the photo above) although I was tempted by two others I resisted buying the whole lot. The one I choose for this waist clincher is the central one. The samples are not big enough for much else so I might make a second clincher or maybe some sort of purse? I do want a leather purse and pouch to go on a belt to complete the whole look but they are expensive.

11th-16th April I did the most of the work on my wenches costume.



I had great fun with the balloon sleeves and the elastic, it was a learning curve and I'm glad I gave it ago. I see a couple more on the cards in future ; ) Thanks for hanging in there, it is a rather long post and my first full start to finish item, Check out part 3, my final post for the finished result : )

Time for the Faire

I have many costume aspirations, one of which is to make a proper 18th century style chemise with billowing sleeves to wear with a corset or waist clinching belt over a gathered or rouched skirt. A wench costume is so versatile and can work with many historical eras and always looks good : D

One of my many many costume bookmarks is The Wenches Wardrobe. I would love to attend a "Pirate" festival which after combat seems to be the most popular and successful sort of historic re-enactment in UK, shame I don't have any idea where to start,

In April at Cressing Temple there is a St Georges day joust and medieval fair, I am going with Dave and would love to dress up in a "Wench" style outfit. I am have some plans and have bid on a pattern on EBay for bloomers and a corset (I have wanted one since I wore my wedding dress, it feels fantastic!) and another pattern which has a nice billowing chimese, skirt, apron and also a small bonnet cap.

After my recent success with the bonnet I am keen to give it ago. The whole thing is budgeted at £30 as we are living on only one set of wages but Im not sure I can buy all the material, ribbons and supplies I need with that as well as both those patterns. I may have to "make do" with what I have already got. If needs be I can go without the patterns for now, I have seen a cheap peasant top in qs for £2.50 (its not what I want but it will do) and I could proberly blag the skirt and apron, my usual costume dress making is done without patterns so shouldn't be to hard. But I would like to do it properly, especially as now I have so much time on my hands and David is not home during the week. I want it to be a proper dress, not a shambles of unfinished hems and guess work like most of my costumes lol

If I can convince Dave I'd like to make him a crusader knight type outfit, much simpler than my dress, with some wrist bracers and tunic (white with St Georges cross of course) worn over a long sleeved top with black trousers and boots, add a home made red cloak and the sword he already has and I think we can get away with the lack of shield and chain mail : )

See part two here : )

Ye olden Dayes

Sometimes I wish I had the skill or even the knowledge of how to make things myself. I am a poor dressmaker even though I am creative and enjoy stitching things up and modifying clothes, I like a lot of arts and crafts and would enjoy learning but I’m too much of a flutter brain to specialise! In particular I would like to make costume accessories, as there are so many I want and not enough money to satisfy my desires. Lucky for me a couple of things in particular I have been hankering after for a while has been for filled!



Good for all modest young maidens and country lass' to keep their heads covered and their skin fair. As a married lady I should always have my head covered, even when inside the house, hence the mob cap. Most low class girls wouldn't have bothered inside, but outside it was frowned apon to got out with your head uncovered. These simple designs would have been seen on common girls from the 1800's. In high society the younger more frivolous girls wore small caps and riding bonnets/hats (often very frilly & lacy with ribbons) which they wore to the latests trend and set very far back on their heads so as not to shadow their faces and show of their hair.

I bought supplies for the bonnet with a kit from hobby craft : ) The mob cap I got for free from EBay to which I added a little bit of lace, which was easy enough. I am sure with extra supplies and time I could duplicate both these items, (I would love a floral print bonnet) through trial and error, which is my main dress making approach LOL. I never have much luck with elastic and tend to avoid it, hence my out of character reluctance to give it a go. The elastic on the bonnet wasn’t TOO bad but was still quite tricky and I had to fix several mistakes. The peak and the rest of the bonnet was easy as pie and I scoffed at myself for buying a kit, but in till you try you never know, and now I know : )

I hope that at the Tea Party next month I can make one of the boys wear either one of these, but I do have quite a few great hats to use as forfeits so it will be hard to choose!