1582 How to make a skirt, chemise & hat from sheets!

 

 

Aug. 27, 2003

 

 

www.tamson.net/costuming/instagarb.pdf


Measurements:
Waist: _____
Waist to Ankle:______
Shoulder to Shoulder: _______
Shoulder to Waist: _______
Shoulder to Wrist: _______
Wrist: _______
Shoulder to Knee: _______


Materials:
1 full-size flat sheet
1 queen-size flat sheet
Thread to match both sheets
1 pkg. 2" wide waistband elastic
1 pkg. 1/2" wide flat elastic
2 yards narrow satin ribbon
Measuring TapeChalk or a pencil
Pins

A few recommendations:
• For the chemise (the full-sized sheet) use a fairly light, neutral
color such as white or beige. I recommend white because no matter how
grubby it gets, it's still bleachable.
• For the skirt and hat (queen-sized sheet) rich colors such as
forest green or dark rose look nice. The material tends to fade with
sun and washing, so be sure to pick a color that will fade well.
• Wash the sheets in HOT water before starting to sew. Even if you
never wash anything in hotwater, do it this time because you WANT it
to shrink and fade.
• It is WELL worth the money to buy 100% cotton sheets.

1) Fold the full-sized sheet in half length-ways and slitalong fold.
2) Measure from the top to (Shoulder to Knee) + 2". Mark.
3) From the mark, measure (Shoulder to Waist) +3". Mark.
4) Cut marked pieces.Shoulder toWaist +3FOLD, then SLIT Shoulder to
Knee + 2
5) Lay the two sleeves together, then fold in half length-ways.
6) From the selvedge, (Shoulder to Wrist) -1". Mark.
7) From the marked line at the fold, mark a 45 angle to the cut edge.
8) Cut angled mark.FOLDShoulder to Wrist -145 degrees
9) Lay out the body of the chemise and pin along the short cut edge.
10) Stitch pinned seam.Selvedge Pin then stitch
11) Unfold the body of the chemise and lay it right-side down.
12) Unfold the sleeves and lay them right-side down so
thatthe `points' touch the seam of the body.
13) Pin the sleeves to the body from the `point' outward.*Note:
Pinning this causes the body to bunch or lift off the floor, so you
may find it easier to do on your lap thanlaid out flat. It also may
be easier to pin, then stitch them one at a time rather than pinning
both beforestitching.
14) Stitch sleeves to body.Seam
15) Fold the chemise in half along the shoulderseam.
16) Pin the sleeve seams from the armpit outward.
17) Pin the side seams from the armpit down.
18) Stitch the sleeve seams from the armpit outward.
19) Stitch the side seams from the armpit down.Pin, then stitch Pin,
then stitchPin, then stitchPin, then stitch
20) Measure from edge of shoulders:- 3". Mark.
21) Mark the halfway point betweenside seams.
22) Using a pin and a bit of string, mark a semicircle connecting
thefirst two marks.
23) Cut the semicircle away.
24) Turn the chemise inside-out.
25) With the shirt-tail hem foot, hem the neckline.

*Note: Go slowly here, and if the hem ends up looking bunched oror
sloppy, just turn it againand stitch down.
26) Measure 3" from wrists and markevery half-inch or so around.
27) Measure 1" from neckline andmark every half-inch or so.


28) Using a zig-zag stitch, make just a few stitches to attach the
1/4" elastic to the sleeve on yourmarked line, near the seam.
29) Pin over the stitches just made, to attach the elastic firmly.
30) Slowly, and with infinite patience, begin stretchingthe elastic
taut and zig-zag it into place.

*Note: This step is one of the slowest in the entire process.It's not
really difficult, but it takes a lot of focus.Try not to get
frustrated.
31) Repeat Step 30 for the other sleeve and the neckline.
32) Cut two pieces of narrow satin ribbon about 12" long.
33) Attach the ribbon at the middle point to the seam of the wrist
cuff. Use these ribbons to tie around the elasticgathers as
camouflage.


Skirt

1) Fold the Queen-sized sheet into quarters.
2) Measure and cut a length of twine or yarn to (R-2)"
3) Using a pin to hold one end of the yarn at the pointwhere two
folded sides intersect, mark the chord with chalk or a soft pencil.
4) Measure and cut a length of twine or yarn to [(Waist to Ankle) +
(R-2) +1]"
5) Using a pin to hold one end of the yarn at the point where the
folded sides intersect, mark the chord with chalk or a soft pencil.
6) Cut marked chords, and unfold.First a little basic math: Our goal
is to find the radius of the waist: Use the following formulas to
determine it:1) 1.5 (Waist) = Circumference2) = R23)
==√=R2Circumference____________π
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Page 4
A bit more math (this is easy stuff):First, measure the circumference
of your head, being sure the measuring tape is set at a
comfortablelevel as the `band' of a hat.1) Calculate: = R22)==√=R23 x=

(Circumference)____________π

7) Use the shirt-tail hem foot and a straight stichto put a small
rolled hem around the outside.
8) From the scraps of cutting out the `donut' ofthe skirt, stitch
together a strip 4½incheswide and [1.5 (Waist)]" long.
9) Fold the strip in half length-wise with wrong sides together and
stitch intoa long tube.
10) Pin the tube to the waist, but don'tpin the open ends together.
11) Stitch the waistband to the skirt, butagain don't close the open
ends of the `tube'.
12) Use the waistband elastic and stretchit around your waist,
adjusting to acomfortable fit. Measure and cut.
13) Thread the elastic through the waistband and pin it closed.
14) Stitch the elastic closed. You may need to stretch the elastic
fully a few times to get the fabric to lay evenly around the waist.

Muffin Cap

1) Using the radius calculated above, use a pin and some string
tomark a circle from the leftover fabric of the skirt.*Note: Often
the circle you cut for the waistband works well forthis, but if it's
too small just piece together scraps from theoutside trimmings.
Remember, this is peasant garb, scraps areperiod!
2) Measure a band that is [(Circumference of head) +½]" long by1½"
wide.
3) Fold the band in half lengthwise with wrong sides togetherand
press the crease, but do NOT stitch closed.
4) Pin one edge of the pressed band to the circle, setting the
pinpointed outward.
5) Pleat the cap onto the band, always pinning with the pin
pointingout from the center of the circle.
6) Stitch the pleated cap onto the band, then stitch the ends of
theband together.Pin


A Few tips for Costuming on a Budget
Belts, Shoes, and other accessories:
• An easy, relatively cheap belt can be made using a saddle girth
(you can get one at any saddle and tackstore) and a brass or steel
ring (you can get one at Tandy Leather or another leather store). The
saddle girth has a few small holes punched at one end and you can
thread a narrow bit of leather orsome waxed twine through the holes
to loop the end of the girth around the ring and tie it off.
Thismakes a great belt for only $6 or so, but the girth may not be
long enough to look good on largepeople.
• Flat black cotton `mary-jane' type slippers are fairly period
looking, and they sell them in lots of sizes atPier One for about $6.
• A Scottish sporran makes a fantastic belt pouch, especially if it's
not too ornate. Scottish or Gaelic specialty stores and catalogs
often carry them, and the very plain ones only cost about $15.
• For men's shoes, especially for those who fight or do other very
active things, try buying a pair of hikingboots and covering them
with thin leather. You can buy this garment-weight leather in small
pieces orscraps at Tandy and such places, and they can be stitched or
hot-glued onto the boots. Be creativehere, just keep in mind to more
or less follow the lines of the pieces of the boot, and whatever you
do,be sure to cover the tongue with its own piece of leather so that
the boot can be laced on or offnormally. This is the technique they
used in the movie Rob Roy to make the men's shoes, so check thatout
for an idea of what I'm talking about.

Cloaks, jackets, etc.If you're not going to be somewhere really cold,
a cloak is generally more of a nuisance than anything else. For
women, try wearing a ruana instead: it's lighter, smaller, and much
much easier to carry around.When you don't want to wear it for
warmth, it can be wrapped around the waist with the `arms'
tuckedthrough the belt for that nifty (and historically accurate)
layered look.If you're going to be in the bitter cold, or are just
bound and determined to have an honest-to-goodness cloak, here are a
few pieces of advice:

To make a ruana, take two pieces of heavy wool suiting or another
warm, woven material, and cuttwo rectangles about 18" by 2 yards.
Finish all edges with a small rolled hem. Then stitch the long edges
together about halfway up. This is worn with the split ends wrapped
forward around the shoulders andarms, the stitched flap hanging over
the back.

•The outer layer of the cloak should be of wool or (better yet) a
sturdy wool blend. If you can afford to, buy lots more than you think
you need so that you can wash it before beginning to sew. Modern
commercial wool is stretched on racks, and if you wash the wool it
will shrink up considerably, becoming thicker, stronger, somewhat
rougher-looking, and best of all washable. If you're afraid the
fabric won't stand up to washing, cut a strip about 3 inches wide and
run it through the wash. This will give you a good idea of how it
will look.

•For the lining I recommend something not too heavy and fairly
sturdy. My favorite cloak is lined with apoly/rayon gabardine, very
soft and touchable without being too heavy.

•Full-circle cloaks are beautiful and dramatic but if you're making a
cloak for warmth they require way too much fabric and will end up too
heavy and bulky. I strongly recommend making your cloak more along
the pattern of an A-line skirt, and pay close attention to the fit
along the shoulders. If you want a fuller look, add some pleats along
the line of the shoulder and across the back.


Miscellaneous Stuff

•Goodwill is a great source for mediaeval-looking plates, cups,
bowls, etc. Heavy stonewarelooks gorgeous for indoor stuff, but I've
had a lot of luck finding wooden plates, bowls, andeven goblets that
are perfect for carrying to outdoor events.
•If you get really ambitious and want to create a bodice, corset, or
any really elaborate costume that needs boning, try this: Go to a
lumberyard. When the wood is shipped to them it's strapped together
with thin, flexible metal strips about 1/2 inch wide. Generally
they'll giveyou yards and yards of the stuff for free, since they
just throw it away anyhow. When you getit home, cut it to the length
needed for the boning with tin snips. Use the snips to roughlyround
off the ends a bit, then smooth the rounding with a bastard file. Dip
the ends in tooldip (you can get it at any hardware store) several
times, until the coating is good and thick.This makes the best boning
I've ever found, and apart from the initial cost of the snips,
file,and tool dip it's more or less free.

•If you finish your whole costume and feel disappointed, like you
don't really look `mediaeval enough', here's a few things to try.
First, run the whole costume through the wash two or three times in a
row. This kind of `weathers' the fabric. If what bothers you is that
the wholeoutfit looks more like a costume and not like `clothes', try
going to an SCA event and buying some gee-gaws. For $50 or so you can
get a little hanging mirror, a belt knife, some very period-looking
jewelry, and maybe a belt or belt pouch, or a hat. Go to www.sca.org,
then follow the links to `find the SCA near you'. Once you've located
the branch of the SCA nearestyou, look for the listing of `officers'.
Find the listing for the `Chatelaine', call him or her up andexplain
that you're looking to do some shopping and you're looking for an
event with plenty of merchants. They should be able to direct you to
something in the next few weeks. Be forewarned! You will find $300
worth of stuff you want to buy, so take cash and hide yourcredit
cards and checkbook from yourself.

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