Costuming "How To" Links
These are links to various pages that show you how to make different costume bits.
Go To:
Website That Have Lots of "How Tos" and Patterns
- Elizabethan Costuming Page, The
— THE site for Elizabethan costume. Lots of step by step instructions, including a corset pattern generator, and good source for research, portraits, etc. Links to other Elizabethan costuming sites. - Festive Attyre, A — by Jennifer Thompson. This site has lots of "How To" articles and the Featured Attyre page – it is really great to see other people's costumes and read how they made them.
- Lara the Lacemaker Updated! — Has lots of patterns and instructions for making Renaissance Faire costumes.
- Midgard Basic Clothing Standards — Site for a reenactment group with instructions on how to make medieval period garments, including tunics, braies, hosen, gowns, etc.
- Reconstructing History - Articles — Has a really good "for beginners" section. Also information on ancient Irish, Scottish and Japanese clothing.
- Renaissance Tailor, The — This is a wonderful site with lots of demonstrations – and more being added all the time. (See below for links to specific items)
- Sempstress — Lots of instructions and info on making Renaissance costumes.
- Vintage Connection, The — "Your guide to historic, vintage, antique & collectible fashions." Lots of great stuff on this site, including old patterns on this site, from original period magazines.
- Your Wardrobe Unlock'd — Subscription based website. "This website offers resources, help, inspiration and a sense of community for seamstresses and costume makers who have a burning desire to improve their skills. We do this through articles, features and our core Masterclasses, which give you not a standard How to Sew course, but the basic building blocks of really great professional-quality sewing."
Underwear: Chemises/Smocks, Corsets, etc:
- Creating a Tabbed & Boned Elizabethan Corset — Step by step instructions, from Fashion Students Online
- Farthingale Calculator — A tool to help you calculate the amount of boning need to make a farthingale.
- Free 1869 corset pattern
- How to Bone a Corset with Hemp Cord — by Jennifer Thompson (Festive Attyre)
- How to Make a Chemise — by Dawn Duperault (Dawn's site is often very slow to load, but her info is worth the wait.)
- How to Make a Corset — by The Renaissance Tailor (Tammie L. Dupuis)
- How to Make a Crinoline — by Kendra Van Cleeve
- How to Make a Farthingale — by The Renaissance Tailor (Tammie L. Dupuis)
- How to Make a Smock — by The Renaissance Tailor (Tammie L. Dupuis)
- How to Make a Spanish Farthingale — by Baroness Brianna Etain MacKorkhill
- How to Make an Italian Chemise — by Jennifer Thompson (Festive Attyre)
- How to Make an Italian Chemise — by Baroness Brianna Etain MacKorkhill
- How to Make Bloomers Updated! — by Lara the LaceMaker
- How to Make Bloomers New!
- How to Make My Farthingale — by Clare Wodehouse
- Quickie Corsets (PDF) — A document with tips & tricks on making a corset.
Shirts, Tunics:
- Briana's Italian Chemise pattern — Direct link to Briana's 15th c. Italian chemise pattern
- Choli pattern
- Grey Company: Tunic and Pants
- How to Make a Shirt — by Dawn Duperault (Dawn's site is often very slow to load, but her info is worth the wait.)
- How to Make a Shirt — by The Renaissance Tailor (Tammie L. Dupuis)
- How to Make a Tunic — by Dawn Duperault (Dawn's site is often very slow to load, but her info is worth the wait.)
- How to Make a Viking Tunic — by Carolyn Priest-Dorman
- How to make an authentic Viking Era tunic — From an SCA class handout, instructions and diagrams on how to make a Viking tunic.
- Making an Irish Leine — Instructions & pattern
- Midgard Basic Clothing Standards — Site for a reenactment group with instructions on how to make medieval period garments, including tunics, braies, hosen, gowns, etc.
- T-Tunic the Period Way (Maggie Forest) — Page with diagrams and instructions to make a t-tunic.
- Tudor Costume Page, The — The site is specifically geared towards Tudor re-enactors at Kentwell Hall, but anyone interested in Tudor period will find useful information here. Instructions on how to make men's and women's clothing.
Bodices:
- Building Bodices
- Drafting a Basic Bodice Pattern — Instructions & links
- How to Draft a Basic Bodice Pattern — by Baroness Brianna Etain MacKorkhill
- How to Make a Bodice Pattern Updated! — by Lara the LaceMaker (The main site uses frames, so this link goes directly to the Bodice Pattern page)
- How to Make a Simple Bodice — by Dawn Duperault (Dawn's site is often very slow to load, but her info is worth the wait.)
- Italian Renaissance Gown Construction — by Leona d'Este and Enid d'Auliere. Patterns and construction info for gown, embellishments, and undergarments.
Gowns, Cotes, Houppelandes:
- A 12th Century Bliaut New! — Instructions on how to make a bliaut, including the pattern.
- An Easy Italian Renaissance Gown — Instructions and patterns.
- How to Draft a Houppelande Pattern — by Jessica Clark
- How to Make a Cotehardie — by Dame Helen – Includes a pattern and instructions.
- How to Make a Viking Apron Dress — by Monica Cellio
- How to Make Le Poulet Gauche Gown — 16th Century France
- Italian Renaissance Gown Construction — by Leona d'Este and Enid d'Auliere. Patterns and construction info for gown, embellishments, and undergarments.
- Lining a Kirtle the Easy Way
- Medieval Tailor, The New! — Site on 14th century English and French women's clothing. Lots of demos on sewing techniques and garments, such as kirtles, stocking, etc.
- Midgard Basic Clothing Standards — Site for a reenactment group with instructions on how to make medieval period garments, including tunics, braies, hosen, gowns, etc.
- Renaissance Taylor – gown made of less than 4 yd
- T-Tunic the Period Way (Maggie Forest) — Page with diagrams and instructions to make a t-tunic.
- Tudor Costume Page, The — The site is specifically geared towards Tudor re-enactors at Kentwell Hall, but anyone interested in Tudor period will find useful information here. Instructions on how to make men's and women's clothing.
Skirts:
- 1895 Skirt Pattern — From The Costume Gallery.
- How to Make a Circle Skirt — by Shira
- How to Make a Circle Skirt — by Lynette
- How to Make a Gored Skirt Updated! — by Lara the Lacemaker (The main site uses frames, so this link goes directly to the Bodice Pattern page)
- How to Make a Gored Skirt
- How to Make a Simple Gathered Skirt — by Dawn Duperault (Dawn's site is often very slow to load, but her info is worth the wait.)
- Lorilei's 3 Yd Skirt Pattern
- Paneled Skirt directions — Can be used for flamenco skirts
- Pattern Drafting a Skirt Block
Pants:
- Grey Company: Tunic and Pants
- How to Make Simple Drawstring Breeches — by Dawn Duperault (Dawn's site is often very slow to load, but her info is worth the wait.)
- Quick & Dirty Trunkhose
Hats & Headwear:
- Alternate Construction Methods for French Hood
- Cauls, Hairnets & Snoods
- Constructing a French Hood
- Crocheted Snoods-Bun Cover Links — This page has links to other pages with various patterns for crocheting your own snood.
- Flat Cap Pattern
- Hair lessons — from "Girls Own Paper" and "Womans' Magazine" 1911
- How to Make a 14th Century Hairnet — by Anne Liese
- How to Make a Beaver Fur Hat
- How to Make a Flat Cap — by Dawn Duperault (Dawn's site is often very slow to load, but her info is worth the wait.)
- How to Make a Snood/Caul — by Dawn Duperault (Dawn's site is often very slow to load, but her info is worth the wait.)
- How to Make an Italian Ribbon Coif — by Baroness Brianna Etain MacKorkhill
- How to Tie a Turban (PDF)
- Jessamyn's Closet - Creating Your Costume: Hints and Tips — Links to site with information on hair, makeup, wigs, etc.
- Learning to Net (cauls, etc)
- Liz Jones Costume Page — Research, pictures and patterns for a Balzo (hat), Farsetto (jacket) and a beginner's guide to making shoes.
- Making a Bonnet from a Straw Hat
- Monmouth Caps — A history of Monmouth caps and how to make them.
- Reconstructing the French Hood
Accessories:
- Chausses and Braies
- Fingerloop Braids — Instructions and examples of fingerloop braiding, which was very popular in Europe in the 13th-17th centuries.
- How to Make a Neck Ruff — by Dawn Duperault (Dawn's site is often very slow to load, but her info is worth the wait.)
- How to Make a Partlet — by The Renaissance Tailor (Tammie L. Dupuis)
- How to Make a Ruff — by The Renaissance Tailor (Tammie L. Dupuis)
- How to Make Gloves — by Franchesca Haves
- How to Make Gloves — Includes pattern.
- How to Make Gloves — Book from 1950 with instructions to make leather gloves.
- How to make Period Aguilettes — by Brenda
- Leather Mask Workshop — From Charles Sturt Univ (Australia), videos of a 10 day workshop on leather masks, given by Paolo Consiglio, a master leather mask maker and teacher from Florence, Italy.
- Make Your Own Pocket — Instructions on how to make a pocket to wear under your gowns.
- Medieval Tailor, The New! — Site on 14th century English and French women's clothing. Lots of demos on sewing techniques and garments, such as kirtles, stocking, etc.
- Ruff Making — page has lots of links to sites with Ruff making information.
Techniques: Sewing, Embroidery, Lace Making, etc:
- Basic Handsewing Techniques — by The Renaissance Tailor (Tammie L. Dupuis)
- Basic Pattern Drafting — by The Renaissance Tailor (Tammie L. Dupuis)
- Bronwens Blackwork Library
- Dark Age stitch types
- Gauging Techniques — aka Cartridge Pleating
- Hand Stitches — Diagrams of various basic hand stitches.
- Historical Needlework Resources — From the website: "The purpose of this site is to be a resource centre for those interested in the study and practice of pre-16th century (Dark Ages, Medieval and Renaissance) needlework/embroidery and its techniques."
- How to do Celtic bias tape applique
- How to Emboss Velvet
- How to Embroider
- How to Make Buttons — by The Renaissance Tailor (Tammie L. Dupuis)
- How to Make Cartridge Pleats — by The Renaissance Tailor (Tammie L. Dupuis)
- How to Make Eyelets — by Marion McNealy – Just what the name implies, how to make good looking eyelets. Many costumers swear by eyelets, instead of using grommets, because they don't weaken your fabric or tear out, and they look nicer.
- How to Make Facings — by The Renaissance Tailor (Tammie L. Dupuis)
- How to Make Hand Bound Eyelets — by The Renaissance Tailor (Tammie L. Dupuis)
- How to Make Trims — which require very little equipment, by The Renaissance Tailor (Tammie L. Dupuis)
- How to Sew Gores and Gussets — by The Renaissance Tailor (Tammie L. Dupuis)
- How to Stamp Velvet
- Lady's Album of Fancy Work for 1850, The — Book published in 1850 about knitting, netting, crochet, braiding and embroidery.
- Lazy Wench — Embroidery
- Learning to Net (cauls, etc)
- Practical Blackwork — All things blackwork: links to blackwork sites, books, photos, patterns, etc.
- Renaissance Pleating Techniques
- Sample of different pleating styles — From the Yahoo! Group "GermanRenCostume," so you must be a member of the group to view the file.
- Sew-Whats-New.com — General sewing site that has articles, sewing lessons, book reviews and more.
- Short Tutorial on Cartridge Pleating
- Textile Resources for the Re-enactor — Carolyn Priest's various articles on spinning, weaving, dyeing, embroidery, etc.
- Your Wardrobe Unlock'd — Subscription based website. "This website offers resources, help, inspiration and a sense of community for seamstresses and costume makers who have a burning desire to improve their skills. We do this through articles, features and our core Masterclasses, which give you not a standard How to Sew course, but the basic building blocks of really great professional-quality sewing."
Miscellaneous:
- Adventures in Dagging — Research on how dagging was possibly created, using pictures of clothing fragments.
- Armour Archive, The — "The Archive is an on-line Journal devoted to teaching people how to make armour. "
- Artifact — "Articles to provide instruction in various fields of Medieval arts or for Medieval re-creationists, by people with a passion for their subject." Info on Cotehardies, braies, kirtles, etc.
- Auld Garb Monger's Free Sewing Projects — Was "Manly Man's Renaissance Clothing"
- Bustles — Website for wedding gowns, shows different methods to bustle a skirt.
- Clone Yourself A Fitting Assistant — From Threads Magazine
- Costume Design Page
- Duct Tape Double — Site sells instructions on making a duct tape double/dummy.
- Fingerloop Braids — Instructions and examples of fingerloop braiding, which was very popular in Europe in the 13th-17th centuries.
- Full & Fluffy Pettiskirt — Directions on how to make a pettiskirt
- Garments for Girls — An online book from 1919 with instructions on how to sew. World's first home ec book?
- How the Heck Do I Make a Tutu?
- How to Make a Tutu
- How to Tie a Tie — Instructions on how to tie neckties, plus other things that need to be tied, like turbans, sarongs, etc.
- How to Wrap and Wear a Great Kilt
- Liz Jones Costume Page — Research, pictures and patterns for a Balzo (hat), Farsetto (jacket) and a beginner's guide to making shoes.
- Markland Medieval Mercenary Militia — Site has a few articles about 12th-13th century Viking clothing: Basic Clothing Guide, To Make a Cote, and Anglo-Saxon and Viking Hosen.
- Midgard Basic Clothing Standards — Site for a reenactment group with instructions on how to make medieval period garments, including tunics, braies, hosen, gowns, etc.
- Nicodemus's Fursuit Pages — Information and photos of fursuits/mascots.
- Paula Burch's All About Dye
- Paula Burch's All About Hand Dyeing
- Phiala's String Page — Website with lots of how to's on weaving, braiding, naalbinding, knots, and more.
- Quickie Textile Guide — Handy-dandy guide to determining the fiber content of textiles.
- Rapunzel's Resource New! — Tutorials for different hairstyles for long hair.
- Sixteenth Century Embellishment
- Tempus Peregrinator's Sewing & Garb — Medieval thru 17th cent. hats, cloaks, sleeves, etc
- Threads Croquis "family" — Packet of human figures to use for costume design.
- To Cut a Regency Coat — by Suzi Clarke