Faire folk - costumers - SCA - help!

[Faliciagayle]

Let me say first off that I don't need to be 100% historically accurate since I'm not part of the SCA nor a performer, but I do love the faire and I do make an effort to look somewhat authentic.

This summer I'll be attending faire pregnant! First time! w00t!

but, what the heck to I wear?

I have a dancer's bodice from my tribal (lite) style belly dancer outfit which I could replicate in more peasanty fabrics/notions/color... but I think it would look odd over my chemise and skirts since my skirts are meant to be at the waist.

I have this pattern which I realize is wrong era wise, and princess seamed, and back laced - but it looks like I could modify it to be a maternity dress. Well, if I knew how to modify a pattern to be maternity...

Any suggestions? I'm really stumped.

[sapphire_chan]

For pregnancy, I going Viking.
http://www.silverdor.org/viking/vikingad.html
http://www.silverdor.org/viking/underdress.html

That said, if you've already got a chemise and can sew well enough to do the pattern in your post, how about Italian Ren?
http://www.advancenet.net/jscole/nursital.htm

And here's an easy version: http://ilaria.veltri.tripod.com/italiandress.html

[Faliciagayle]

those links are PERFECT, sapphire_chan! Thank you!

I don't think I'm ready to release my inner viking, but I totally dig those Italian designs. I'm gonna have to start sewing now

[Faliciagayle]

Okay sapphire_chan, so I spent most of last night pouring over the websites you sent and clicking all the various links and such. I got to thinking about DDs costume that I made last year, and I'm thinking maybe I can just make a grown up size version....

I think you've seen it in the homemade kids cloths thread, but here it is again

Ren Dress

It's a bodice attached to a split over skirt - which sounded like what the woman was trying to do with the Simplicity pattern... and I could just wear a chemise under it, and make the bodice stop right under my bust, just above the ribcage.

Not that I have issues with the Italian Dresses (ZOMG I would love to make the ones with the self made bodice pattern - maybe later), or viking for that matter, but I do have experience making the other style. Hmm.

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

Something like this but a little shorter in the bodice?

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by Faliciagayle

Okay sapphire_chan, so I spent most of last night pouring over the websites you sent and clicking all the various links and such. I got to thinking about DDs costume that I made last year, and I'm thinking maybe I can just make a grown up size version....

I think you've seen it in the homemade kids cloths thread, but here it is again

Ren Dress

Yep. For just visiting the Faire, that would be perfect!

Hmm, might be a smidge too perfect, remember to tell anyone who whinges at you that you aren't actually staff.

Now that you have the dress down, you should browse through hair styles! http://www.dreamweaverbraiding.com/b...es_ribbons.htm will all be fitting with that dress and nice and cool for summer.

[Faliciagayle]

Originally Posted by Rhiannon Feimorgan

Something like this but a little shorter in the bodice?

yes, but not in velvet

I'm thinking of repurposing an old wool coat and some sheets since I'll likely only wear this one time. The sheets are damask stripe, though, totally not period. Oh well. DH walks around dressed like a cross between Iggy pop and Jack Sparrow so I doubt anyone will mistake us for players or staff


The braids are great - except I just cut my rib length hair to my collar bone. :

[reeseccup]

For Elizabethan...http://www.margospatterns.com/Products/ElizComfrt.html this is similar to an appropriate middle class/nobel class gown.

Other options to consider:

http://www.alteryears.com/

http://www.elizabethancostume.net/lo...ish-dress.html

http://freespace.virgin.net/f.lea/kirguide1.html

http://www.costumes.org/history/100p...liRenlinks.htm
http://www.costumes.org/advice/1page...s.htm#Historic

[reeseccup]

Originally Posted by Faliciagayle

yes, but not in velvet

I'm thinking of repurposing an old wool coat and some sheets since I'll likely only wear this one time. The sheets are damask stripe, though, totally not period. Oh well.


The braids are great - except I just cut my rib length hair to my collar bone. :

Comfort is key, cotton or linen for sure!!! You can wear a caul or leave your hair out and claim you had an illness for which you had to cut your hair off so you would heal faster/better from said illness.

I don't dress up, but my kids do, well they are on cast at our faire, and as a patron, especially a pregnant on, please be as comfortable as possible, and who cares what others think

You'll be beautiful especially if you are comfortable...and if you are even more comfortable in your dancers styled clothes, there's nothing to say you can not hang out your beautiful belly, I've seen plenty of pregnant belly dancers at faire, and they are beautiful.

Just a thought....

[reeseccup]

http://www.sempstress.org/gallery/blueirish.shtml

http://www.sewingcentral.com/cgi-bin...d=3011819_4188

http://www.sewingcentral.com/cgi-bin...d=3011819_4188

http://www.patternsoftime.com/2006ca..._Chapter_E.pdf
WN 10th-14th Century Surcote & Pelicon

[Faliciagayle]

Thanks for all the links, reeseccup. I started sewing today and finished a brocade skirt based off the instructions from Red Dawn's page http://www.reddawn.net/costume/skirt.htm It's intended purpose is as an underskirt beneath a bodice with an attached split skirt.

It didn't work out exactly as I planned, but I can always rip out the waistband and start again.

Near as I can tell I'm making a mishmash/hodgepodge of styles and classes - it's fun The bodice is trickier than I thought... I can't find a pattern or drafting instructions that are exactly what I want. Still looking. Tried to trace one of my suede bodices and my dancer's bodice today, harder than I anticipated. I would consider wearing the dancers garb but, well, the ladies don't quite fit into the bodice anymore, if you know what I mean

I had planned on making the bodice from a different fabric than the split skirt, but after looking at all these sites I'm thinking it would look better in the same fabric.... but it's not the right weight.


I think I need to go sew a diaper to clear my head

[sapphire_chan]

For a bodice, you can fix weight issues by lining with a heavy enough fabric.

Ooo, that's right, you've got breasts... and being pregnant you have breasts of unusual (and unknown) size (BOUSes, like ROUSes, get it? get it? ha, I kill me...)

Do you happen to have a source of super cheap fabric? Like an old bedsheet or three from the thrift store? Then I'd just start sewing bodices. It's not like you'll be relying on the bodice to be your bra and it's not like anyone will wonder if you don't lace it fully closed with your expanding belly so a bit "off" won't hurt.

http://www.renaissancetailor.com/demos_patterndraft.htm Gives you a picture of the sort of pattern shape you're going for. The side piece is what modern shaping techniques like darts replaced.

[reeseccup]

lOl you two are cracking me up!!

I don't know how to help you beyond what I've given, I've not sewing anything beyond chemises, simple peasant bodice (no corset) for dd, skirts and boys stuff. This year is the year I get to expand my sewing capabilities with learning how to do it all...including something frivolous for myself since I lost a bet.

Just a thought... you can go as a pretty prego fairy!! How fun and cute would that be?! Keeping in mind I'm a gal that appreciates historically accuracy on most things, but when it comes to patrons...my thinking is they are there to have fun however they find it to be, as long as it's not illegal LOL.

Good luck and have fun at faire!!!..

[sapphire_chan]

Pictures??

[Faliciagayle]

:

I still only have the underskirt done. I tried drafting a bodice from three different sources, and then our life kinda exploded and I had to stop for a while. Now faire season is nearly upon us!

nutshell: moving from the middle of the country (we moved here from the west coast last year) to the very eastern edge of the country. Fabric stash, notions, sewing machine - all packed (EEEEEP) and waiting to be unpacked and loved in our new home.

But in very good news, I did get a Brother 3034D serger today which will also have to wait to be abused.

ETA: It's kinda good that I'm waiting because the B in BOUSes is now inclusive of both Breasts and Belly which will obviously have some effect on my patterning.

Also, spending copious hours on costuming websites had the surprising and unintentional effect of making me a bit of a costume snob. For example, on the cover of a book I checked out, which supposedly takes places in 18th century England, the woman is entirely unsupported in her gown and clearly sporting a modern silhouette. p'shaw.