A good friend of mine agreed to help me make some new garb for the SCA event this last weekend, The Kingdom of Northshield's Coronation for Stephen and Ailleanne. I have gained quite a significant amount of weight since I first joined the SCA so most of my garb either doesn't fit me or has been worn out after 9 years in the Society. I have several tunics which are good for working in the kitchen but are really less than flattering on me.
So we decided to make a cotton bodice and skirt. Nothing terribly fancy as much of my time in the SCA is spent in the kitchen. My garb needs to be comfortable, keep me mobile, and be washable. She drafted a pattern for the bodice using instructions found on the Elizabethan Costuming Page. I was skeptical about it given that bodice's always look smaller then clothing I would normally wear but it worked out perfectly. I found some sturdy cotton fabric and we managed to make it reversible. My friend did most of the work but I think I could make another (except maybe for the cable channels) now that we have suitable pattern.
The skirt was nice and full and just made from my friends own costuming experience. The pleating technique she showed me was amazingly easy and turned out beautifully even with my uneven spacing. I think I was a little too cautious with my hem because I do trip over that but that is fixable and she was correct in her advice to hook the skirt tighter then I would normally wear it because the bodice will pull me in quite a bit. I will need to fix that as well.
The pictures are somewhat wrinkly because I never managed to get photos while I was wearing it. It fulfilled all it's functions and I felt good wearing it. It makes me want to play more actively again. I still haven't changed my mind that costuming is far more fussy then I enjoy but I think I could make this outfit again.
My other task this last week was trying to make a suitable head covering. After years of trying I finally managed to figure out how to make a veil work only I don't really wear the appropriate costume for veils anymore. The only other head covering I have managed is the turban style head wrap that always looks better on everyone else. It will at least stay on my head. I used to use fake hair and do hair wraps/braids similar to what I found in photos. Over the years my hair has become progressively thinner and can no longer support length or the fake braids and that is no longer an option. However, appropriate head dress/style really makes an outfit I think and is something I have been striving to improve.
I wanted to find a head covering more appropriate to my new garb so I tried the coif pattern found at the Elizabethan Costuming site. It definitely did not work out the way I expected. I tried (to the best of my limited costuming ability) to adapt the pattern to fit my head but it was still too small. I used the idea from the Extreme Costuming website of anchoring the coif to a forehead scarf but I don't think I managed to execute it properly. I ran out of time to perfect it so I did some creative pinning to make it look somewhat presentable. However, it kept slipping off my head which is really not a functional option when my garb needs to be something I can work in. I think if I can figure out a way to perfect it I may eventually make an embroidered one. And the Attack Laurel's site definitely gave me a better perspective on how I can improve it. I just need some practice.
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