Tudor boy's diary- Step 1

Tonight I used my supply of muslin to cut out a doublet slopper to try in my son. This is the first time that I've ever done this, so it's a learn as you go type adventure.
I chose to just cut out the center fronts and back and baste them together for him to try on.
Here's how it went:

• The left arm hole fit tightly, but the right was fine...Both "holes" were cut identical and he is left handed so....... Will I probably have to cut out bigger armscyes for that side?
• Length looks a bit short, but I'm going to add the skirt pieces to the bottom. I may add an inch & a half to the bottom to account for growth. I can't remember if Tudor mens clothes were shorter-waisted than modern day or not...
• I went back and resewed the left armscye- and it fit better.
  

That's all I can manage tonight as I'm battling something my lovely students chose to share germ-wise with me....

The Order of the Iron Hand

This past month I have been more active on the costuming message lists. I am relatively new to period costuming and have many questions. I do have a pretty good traditional sewing background, but feel like I'm on another planet while navigating my way through historic portraits, patterns, lack of patterns and pages of dress diaries on the web. There is so much information out there that it can get very overwhelming, very quickly.

I want to thank the Margo Anderson message board for not only being so very helpful and supportive, but giving me answers to so many questions. Some day I will be able to answer someone else's newbie questions!

Anyway... back to the post title: On Margo's list, we were talking about hand sewing and how much of a B@#$& it can be. It seems that they have started a group for those of us who have struggled their way through hand-sewing a piece of clothing in one month.

Being the glutton for punishment that I am, I said that I would sew:

• a linen Tudor smock
• Tudor doublet
• Tudor Venetian hose

All this hand-sewn in one month. Now this all has to be documented with pictures and such. These will be for my son's first SCA costume. He's all excited (or as excited as a 12 year old boy will openly show) about his outfit and can't wait to see it.

I will certainly keep you all posted here, as this will be the place for my dress/garb diaries.

Wish me luck...

Your's in time...