Tarnmist Prep

[callistotoni]

As I've mentioned previously, I'll be having sewing workshop June 17 in Tarnmist (Morro Bay, specifically). I just booked my room. Mostly we'll be making slopers.

But now I'm thinking about what needs to be done. I'll have a mix of people, some want to learn to sew, some can sew a t-tunic but aren't at that next level. Brainstorming in the car I came up with a list of what people should know and often don't with regards to SCA clothes:
-- Bias--what it is, how it can work for you, how to deal with it so it doesn't work against you.
-- Ease. What it is, how it needs to change according to fabric and cut. How to work with it.
-- Interior construction. This is what, in my opinion, is most lacking in beginner's costumers. Even down to when and how to use facings on simple garments. Obviously a bigger deal with later period costumes. This would also cover seam finishes.
-- The use of trim with discretion, if at all.
-- Sleeves, the bugbear of many people. This is kinda a tough one to do without time spent one on one. I should write this, though, 'cause I doubt we will get to it on the 17th.

Add to this some sort of good online sources for fabric and data, since I suspect that Tarnmist doesn't have the same sorts of fabric stores available to them that we do in the Bay Area.

I really should just write "Genevieve's helpful hints--or what is not obvious to the beginner sew-er". In my copious free time...

Comments

[mad-duchess.livejournal.com]

I used to do a "Sewing Tips & Tricks" class at A&S events years ago and touched on that kind of stuff. But since there's not a lot of time to cover these topics in class, and since it's basic knowledge applicable to modern sewing, I just recommended that beginning level students pick up and peruse a basic sewing book. Then I found out that many beginners are intimidated by the "offical" looking tomes from Vogue and Butterick. So I began recommending either "Sewing for Dummies" or "Sewing for the Complete Idiot" (which I thought was the better of the two)--nobody seems to be intimidated by these and the info is just as good and often better explained than in the "official" sewing manuals. I still keep a copy of "Idiot" for loaning out to new sewers (or when I'm having an idiot moment of my own.)

[callistotoni.livejournal.com]

Any chance I can look at these books? My Amazon searches don't show that much of their content.

[mad-duchess.livejournal.com]

Sure. I only have "Idiots", but I can bring it to Beltane....

[lifeofglamour.livejournal.com]

Can I get a copy of that? These are the sorts of things that people who learn to sew in a class learn, but people who only learned to sew for SCA have to pick up by osmosis, especially things like ease and bias handling. You'd be surprised at some of the gaps in uh, certain people's (*whistles, looks away*), sewing knowledge.

[mad-duchess.livejournal.com]

Heh. I hear you. I actually took a semester of sewing in Junior High, but all I remember of the class was making an apron so ugly my own mom wouldn't wear it, and spending a *lot* of time with my best friend pretending the yardsticks were lightsabers.... All that bias and ease stuff didn't stick.

Years later when I finally decided I was sick of trying to pretend I actually understood what Mistress Masae was talking about when we sewed together, I bought a few books and "homeschooled" myself on proper terms and techniques. Most of it I'd already learned through *much* trial and error. Gad, when I think of how much time, money, and stress I could've saved myself if I'd just read those damn books earlier. Sigh.

[thelbk.livejournal.com]

My first "sewing session" with Callistotoni, I didn't understand 90% of what she said... it was like a college student trying to talk to a sixth grader about Math.

[falzalot.livejournal.com]

What is a sloper? :->

And add me to the list of people who want that book!

The use of trim with discretion, if at all.

[dame-cordelia.livejournal.com]

I think that unless you have a 2-day class planned, the topic of decoration should probably be skipped entirely. You've got a pretty full schedule without it.

Maybe this could lead to a followup and/or repeat class at kingdom A&S?

Re: The use of trim with discretion, if at all.

[xrian.livejournal.com]

Good idea to do the "decoration" as an A&S or future Collegium class -- I know Sir Hilary has her standard "simple embroidery stitches to decorate garb" class, but it's also true that one of the pitfalls for beginners is the what, when, and how of trims _other_ than embroidery, and she _doesn't_ cover those. Somebody should! ("{Rule 1: no holographic sequins...." {grin})

Re: The use of trim with discretion, if at all.

[dame-cordelia.livejournal.com]

How did you know I had the sequins, xrian? And they are so shiny, too.

Questions from tarnmist

[despair-bear.livejournal.com]

This a Godric of Godric and Rosie, we talked at the equestrium about 16th cent spanish garb and we where wonderin what type of cloth we should keep and eye out for. From what I have been able to research, dark colors in silk and cotton. Any suggestions? Weaves? Brocade? Anything else?

Godric

Re: Questions from tarnmist

[callistotoni.livejournal.com]

Of course, wool, silk, and linen are the biggies. Cotton is good *usually* only for velvet/velveteen, or when you find a good cotton brocade, but you need to pick patterns that are more 16th C than 18th or 19th.

Is your plan to wear this indoors--say 12th Night--or are you thinking more of having clothes to wear for tourneies/outdoor events? Because we live in temps that are warmer than the 16th C, and because in period people had a *much* wider choice of wool fabrics, I find compromizes need to be made.

If your plan is to wear this outdoors linen is a good choice. Fabric-stores.com has nice linen prices, and sells both light and heavy-weight linen. You'll need to interline your doublet. Dharmatrading has som soft hemp canvase if you want a more unconctructed look. If you want to be more formal you'll need some cotton quilt batting.

Wool (especially wool flannel) is a joy to work with. Unfortunately, wool is usually too hot for daytime outdoors at tournies. Wool can be worn outdoors at night, however, or indoors.

Cotton brocades can be practical for outdoors, because it wears well. If you ever make it to SF Juana gives fabric store tours, including at place that sells darn good upolstry brocades. Another good source of brocades is Roseline at renassancefabrics.com (she sells at events, too).

Silk is good, but needs to be interlined to give it the right "hand". Silk taffeta is "correct", but there is a lot of silk dupioni out there that is cheaper, more available, and approximates taffeta pretty well (the key feature is the fewest slubs possible). A lot of silks available to modern sew-ers is too lightwieght (like silk charmeus) or too slubby (like shantung and many dupionis).

Good luck!

Per weaves, flat weaves, twills, and satin are good.