I’m teaching a costume workshop at a retirement village next month, and I’m looking for good sources for simple patterns. We’ll probably be doing mostly historical costumes, but I want to be ready for anything. I’ve found a few websites with basic patterns, but I was wondering if there are any really good sites that I haven’t run across yet. I might buy a book, too, if I can find a really good general costume-pattern book. I’m going through everything on the Costumer’s Manifesto, which should take a while. Love that site!
I’m going to be working with people with very different sewing skill levels. I know some people will want to make elaborate costumes from real patterns, but I want to have plenty of simple patterns and ideas for the people who don’t sew very well. Any ideas for making costumes out of stuff from the thrift store?
If everything goes well, I’ll post pictures from the costume parade next month!
Post a question to somoeone at costumers manefesto asking about a book of patterns for theatrical costumers.
When I was young in the SCA - back around 1978, teh people in the group I was in had a copy of a theatrical costumers book that had scaleable line drawings of different types of medieval costuming. The stuff was not the worlds most accurate, but would work for something like this.
Cynthia Virtue’s pages are a wonderful source for making those big medieval hats (hennins, reticulated headdresses, etc.). She also has some nice articles on beginner garb and choosing fabrics.
Tablecloths and bedsheets are good for acquiring fabric cheaply. So are full length skirts. I have a black velveteen one waiting at home to be turned into a doublet.
La Couturiére Parisienne has a fantastic gallery of pictures from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. Most of the eras have a pattern section made up of period patterns, as well.