you need to have a chat with Mulberry dyer on this one. Debbie is something of an expert in the field. My understanding of 'sadd coloured' is a dull coloured cloth using [in all probabilty] hedgerow dyes, so think earthy colours & you'd be about right. As to nerve - have never come across that w...

I've made several completely by hand. My method is 1 Quilt up through all layers on each panel [ make sure you cut them larger than the final size you want, quilting will reduce both length and width. 2. Lay your pattern piece to each panel and trim the inner layers to 1/8 smaller all round. 3. Fold...

Looking at the picture of the loaned garment, there appears to be a seam at the waist. If so, it falls into the category of doublet - but this one looks wrong because the waist seam should be pointed down into a V. How sharply depends on date and status. The garment is also lacking some essential in...

Can't help with UK pattern info, but in the 18th C boys were usually breeched around the age of 6 years. Sometimes earlier, sometimes a bit later, lots of letters tell us that it was pretty much based on family tradition.......

Looking at your image and on the assumption that it is a faithful replica of an original, I'd guess at late Victorian or even later. That said, I've seen a beautiful one somwhere recently, 18thC embroidered, based on origami principles where it unfolded like the most beautiful lotus flower. Each pet...

We retail 1/2 & 1" worsted braid in black and white/cream in our shop. 1" is £2.50 per m 1/2 " £1.75 per m. Obviously, it will cost less per m if your friend wants to buy a substantial enough amount and is able to deal with Wyedean direct http://www.chimera-costumes.co.uk/shop/sho...

Generally speaking, their minimum order for 'off the shelf' items is £100 + VAT. Worsteds are generally kept in stock, at least in black and white.

Tis quite a pale purple. Not deep... kinda muted. But I do need to be very posh, so *shrug*. Daughter of a Duke or something. Charles Brandon had some girlies who would be in their early 20s by 1530, that'll do me fine! :D I'll take some piccies of my silk tomorrow in natural light so you can see w...

Looks okay on mine [IE, pc] and tony's [Firefox on a mac], although Tony did say that it was too wide on his 15" monitor, whereas mine is 17" monitor.

Did happen to notice that your banner ad still links to your LH site - maybe you'd want to point it at the new site?

Can confirm that House de Clifford' bunny plates are well up to snuff and worth the money. With effort, I got 3 sizeable Victorian muffs out of 1, so 2 tabards with care should be okay.

Black always works well with flesh pink, as does dark brown and dark green I agree. Some garments were so lavishly decorated with contrast braids/embroidery that little of the base cloth remains to be seen. I've looked at my sample sets of repp and have one here orange weft with beige warp, which s...

Seamsmisstres, did you wash your fabric? I have not experimented with it as yet. No, i didn't wash it because I chose it for it's heavy weight and crispness -I wanted that 'rustle' the Victorians loved so much. It also has a dry clean only washcare, so I'd have been very reluctant to mess with it. ...

Thank you for the help. I think I have a silk Repp, with a cotton stuffing. Silk repp is the most gorgeous of fabrics - I made my Victorian wedding dress from rep duck egg blue shot pink. Still totally in love with it! The rib in mine is quite fine - we can't know how fine/heavy the rib would have ...

I've had a look at the relevant pages. It seems to me that the base sleeve with it's integral lining is made up first. Then the separate cuffs are piped and I'd suggest lined [although no mention of lining is made here]. This would then be stitched onto the made up sleeve along the dotted line - so ...

Now that the topic of grosgrain silk has arisen, does anyone know when it first was used? I have 5meters of some and would to make a gown out of it. Now to find what time period. From Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd. Index II. 'GROSGRAIN, GROGRAINE, GROGRANE 'the newe stuffe called Grogryn ys a...

Hi Lidi

You could also look for 'powerwoven' or 'Royal' duppions. These are of a higher quality than your everyday slubby dupions - some of them with barely any discernable [sp?] slub at all, so they look more like taffeta although they tend to lack the same amount of body.

Soooo.....at risk of opening several cans of worms....... Would making type people on here say that the historical pattern market is adequately covered? Is there is a need for solidly researched, properly sized patterns* from a reliable UK source? With a decent set of instructions for handsewn and m...

Thanks, I will go take a look

Hi - can anyone help, this is way beyond my experience.

Does anyone know of a reputable supplier for reproduction German WW2 uniform items? Looking for SS Generals [?} cap, I'm told it's black with silver trim and deaths head badge.

'I'll think about it' - And see if I can find someone who'll do it for 50 pence per hour for 100 hours. 'Do you make all the costumes yourself?' [me, sat there furiously sewing] - she can't possibly make the costumes herself, she's just putting on a show - she must be buying them in from [third worl...

But dont take that programme as gospel for clothing DEBS THREW A BRICKA T THE TELLY I too have issues with the clothing. It seems we are to believe that every woman at court wore silk satin - not true. Whilst the costumes have the 'appearance' of truth, they don't drape as they should, suggesting t...

It seems to me that there is some truth in what you say. Traders tend to follow successful events, rather than be involved at their conception and the early days. Could it be that the low pitch costs cause a degree of suspicion? As an example, I received an invite today to an event where the pitch s...

Second sleeve completed just this minute past....

Well done! Knew you'd get it licked in the end

now about 1.5/2m more of hemming and it'll be finished!

just another hour to go then.. yahoo!

Its a cheap and quick way to make longterm dolesc*m "employable" and therefore get them off the books so your local course is likely to have a very long waiting list as the council/jobby book them well in advance and turn them into "stewards" for the footy matches. That's a rath...

I do mine all the way through, but keep it a bit loose, otherwise the jack ends up stiff and immobile

To some extent, i agree with lady roos. With people tightening their belts, worried about the fuel bills to come in the spring and how to eat well cost effectively, spending on 'treats' or none essentials is something they might think twice about. However.....and it's a big BUT.....Whilst all this d...

I think you're looking for a petticote or petty jack. These are mentioned in a Handbook of Later Medieval Mens Dress, 14th & 15th C by Dave Rushworth. Quote" The Doublet Always fitted to the body, always lined, often interlined. A sleeveless version called a petticoat was sometimes worn und...

xioumi - here here and very well said :) Lidi - I don't have a problem with the colour of your silk [and I agree with xioumi having seen it, it isn't as acid in real life]. Nor do I think it wrong to have a lowish neckline on your underdress, or a high one - was just asking the question as to your i...

Hi Lidi Gorgeous frock, looks like a watermarked/moire silk. The coral necklace works rather well. My reservation would be that this looks to be late 15th C, whereas the woodcut image appears to be quite a bit earlier? That aside, I'd agree with francis on the brocade at cuff and would probably choo...

If you're using black for the lacing, the red shot black could look okay as the panel behind the lacing. or, as annis suggested, perhaps used to make a girdle? Or, if there is enough, cut into strips to make the trim at the hem. If you're set on velvet trim at the bottom then either black or a coppe...