Friday 20 February 2009

costume design

As many of you may know I have an deep interest in historical costuming. I have participated in a number of living history events ranging along the time line from Anglo-Saxon to English Civil war and 19th military, not to forget the SCA.

I thought it was be fun to share some of my favorite costumes here.


For years I have studied the fashions of the Court of Henry VIII. I have taught workshops, seminars, proofed patterns for companies and been the featured attire on this site along with some of my students at the time.



One of my other favorite periods inspired by that wonderful film Henry V with Kenneth Branagh is the 15th century. This is a picture of Al and I taken at a local production of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. This is 15th century Burgundian style and we were the dancers at the wedding in the show. Both outfits are velvet and Al's boots are copies of 15th century riding boots and were made by a friend of ours who is a professional shoemaker.





Completely jumping era's brings us to the 1860's and a ball gown, using 27 yards of paper thin silk.





Of course all the costumes pictured here are complete down to the corsets and underpinning where required and yes I ride in a corset when in kit
Thats just a wee peek into my costume closet, maybe more later when I get some more pictures!

Tuesday 10 February 2009

Something different



This past Christmas Al and I bought a loom. It is a 4 harness jack loom which while not exactly a style current in the middle ages none the less will reproduce the textiles commonly found in the period.


My good friend Nina has been patiently giving us both lessons and to date we have made three scarves.

The future plan is to start to weave projects using wool from our own sheep and homegrown dyes.
I had been learning the weave on a rigid heddle loom, perhaps a slightly more period contraption and certainly far more portable, so the jack loom seemed the next step up for us. This picture was taken last summer at our first Regia event at the long hall.