How-To Archives - Page 3 of 4

The Floppy Toque

Published September 7, 2009 by missa

"Floppy Toque" is not the correct name for this hat. I don’t know what is. It’s a slightly untidy look that’s great for characters who are a little down on their luck, generally dishevelled, countrified, or who generally wish to convey that "aiming for fashion but missing" appeal. The following instructions assume that you have already made your Basic Brim Patterns. If you have not, you’ll want to follow the link and do so.

The Toque was a popular style in Spain and Italy. (Hence, “Spanish Toque” and “Italien Bonnet”.)

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The Floppy Flat Cap

Published September 7, 2009 by missa

The simple, soft flat cap is a smart look for middle and lower class characters. It can be work alone, over a simple coif, or for women, over a caul.

6 Comments

The Flat Cap

Published September 7, 2009 by missa

This is a smart little cap for characters in the middle class and beyond. It can be work alone, over a simple coif, or for women, over a caul. Again, ladies (especially of higher rank) will want to make this cap a little smaller so that it sits on the hair rather than the head. It looks much more dainty that way.

5 Comments

The Upscale Gathered Hat

Published September 6, 2009 by missa

This is a more tailored version of Ye Olde Floppy Gathered Hat. This is a great hat for merchants, or for French or Italien male characters, I think. I don’t like it as well for women. (That’s purely a personal bias.)

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The Floppy Gathered Hat

Published September 6, 2009 by missa

The Floppy Gathered Hat is a rather unstructured, lower-class looking hat. There’s nothing pretentious about it, especially when it’s made up in a soft fabric.

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The Basic Brim Pattern

Published September 6, 2009 by missa

To Pattern the Brim

To make the Brim pattern, you will need:

a Flexible Ruler
a Regular Ruler
Paper (notebook/printer and larger)
a Head (the one the hat is meant for)
Scissors
a French Curve (optional, but nice)

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Bodice with Arched Neckline

Published August 22, 2009 by missa

This is a very popular style of bodice amongst the english during the Elizabethan period. It shows a distinctive inverted arch to the neckline.

2 Comments

Gored Kirtle

Published August 22, 2009 by missa

The kirtle is sort of a general purpose under-dress. The pattern
being drafted below is actually somewhat earlier than the elizabethan period
— I’m basing the seam placement on Fouquet’s The
Virgin of Melun.

Help! I have a dress dummy!

Published August 22, 2009 by missa

So, you’ve bought, begged, borrowed, stolen (I hope not), or been gifted with a dress dummy. It came with directions about how to adjust it to your size. The instructions they gave you were for modern clothing, and you wanted the dummy for to make ‘bethans.

3 Comments

Curved Front Corset

Published August 22, 2009 by missa

I noticed a while back that most of the bodices in Alcega’s
book and several other period tailor’s books show a slight backwards S curve
at the front edge. That seemed like it would accommodate the bust and belly
a little, and I was feeling …

15 Comments

Category: How-To

To Pattern the Brim