April 5, 2017

Renaissance Faire Garb – Old and New

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In 2006 I went to my very first Renaissance Faire, and I made an entire outfit for it.

I used Simplicity 8715 for the blouse (view A) and skirts (view B). For the bodice I used Butterick 6196, because I didn’t want the ties on the shoulders. The bodices for both of these patterns have princess seams, which makes them well fitting but rather inaccurate from a historical standpoint.

I used a polyester lining fabric for the blouse, because I liked the texture of it. However I soon discovered that polyester lining fabric gets very hot and does not breathe, so I made another one of cotton. The skirts are linen, which is nice and comfortable. The pattern has you put both layers on one waistband, but I did them as two separate skirts for versatility. This has stood me in good stead and I am still wearing these same skirts today. I also added pockets in the side front seams. The bodice is a blue home dec brocade, lined with blue cotton. I didn’t use any boning or interlining (how young and innocent I was!). I also used tiny eyelets, which started coming out after a few wearings.

Fast forward to 2016 and I have realised my folly with the princess seams, tiny eyelets, and lack of boning and interlining on my bodice. So I made a new one. I used Simplicity 5582, view C, with a brown home dec for the outer fabric, lined in cotton, interlined with duck canvas. I also put boning in the front. The pattern has you bind the armholes, neckline and bottom edge with bias-binding, but I bag-lined mine. This caused the shoulder straps to come out narrower, but otherwise there is no discernible difference. I used proper grommets this time, and the lacing is lucet cord.

I am still using the same cotton blouse, but I replaced the elastic in the neckline with cord. I prefer this because it stays put, whereas elastic gets easily pulled out of shape. I also recently replaced the tiny eyelets in the blue bodice with proper grommets. It looks much better, and is now the bodice that I loan to friends who need dressing up.