We cannot over recommend making your own clothing, as not only is it cheaper than buying ready made clothes, but as you learn to make items yourself you can tailor them to fit you better! So they will be more comfortable and look better than items bought “off the peg” from a trader.
As you may have seen in the historical clothing section a good coat or kirtle could cost you up to £100 whereas a pattern to make a coat or kirtle is around £4 and the material (depending on the amount and type of material wanted) will usually be around £6-10 a meter, to give you an idea a kirtle with a VERY large voluminous hemline would need 5-7 meters of material but a doublet will usually only need 2 meters.
So for a saving of around £30 (or more for the kirtle) you have all you need to make some authentic clothing and you have a pattern that you can re use again and again.
One thing to be aware of before you start sewing is that wool and linen both have a tendency to shrink, so before I even think of cutting out any pieces to make an item of clothing, I always wash my new material on a hot wash. That way it is pre-shrunk and I don’t have to worry about my clothing shrinking the first time I wash it.
Another tip that has saved me ruining an expensive piece of material is to cut out and make the lining first (if the item is to have one). This way you can be sure that the pattern you are using is ok and that the finished item is going to fit you or the person that you are making it for. If its wrong then you can make any changes to the pattern and try again before you have cut your expensive material. I usually use calico or linen for linings as it is authentic and in the case of calico very cheap!
If you want to have your kit as authentic as possible, then you may want to hand sew all your clothes. As sewing machines were not available during the fifteenth century! People slaved away for many hours stitching their clothes by hand. Today we are lucky to have sewing machines and it is up to you if you use one.
I like to call my kit “almost authentic” and most although not all re-enactors have similar kit. With the exception of the visible seams, the cuffs the neck line etc, all the rest of the garment has been machine stitched with only the really visible areas hand stitched. This way making clothing is a lot quicker and the more time consuming hand stitching can be done in an evening in front of the TV or more usually at an event, so it could even be part of a display in a
living history camp. But you have to careful that the public don’t see your machine stitching – remember “WHAT THE PUBLIC DON’T SEE THE RE-ENACTOR GET’S AWAY WITH”
Also it is a common misconception that hand stitching is untidy, this is mainly because today we have little sewing skills as we can simply buy our clothing or use a machine rather than sew by hand. The people involved would have (for the most part) been very skilled sewers. I have a jacket that was relined by a friend which has quilting that looks like it was machine stiched but was infact entirely done by hand, (she didnt like using machines and I watched her doing it on and off for a month).
When you are preparing to bring a child to an event, the best advice I can give to you is to speak to other members in the group who have children, they will be able to offer you the best advice on almost everything that you are likely to encounter.
Also they may still have their old child’s kit, which has grown too small, that could be bought or traded. There are several small coats that have been doing the rounds amongst the younger kid’s in the group for the last few years!
Don't forget to slap the sun cream on those exposed bits. Even on an overcast day, skin that does not normally see the light of day can get burnt. Slip-Slap-Slop!
Historically up to the age of five or so both boys and girls would have worn the same clothing. Probably for practical reasons as much as anything else. For kids of this age I suggest a full-length shift and possibly a tabard style tunic and blankets if it's cold. To keep nappies covered up, I would recommend a piece of linen or muslin wrapped around. Or you could speak to any of our household members with children, as they have a wide range of experience when it comes to baby’s and re-enacting and they could offer you some good advice in representing “authentic” looking nappy ware! Finally a coif is also very useful, if they will keep it on that is. If it is hot, loosely cover the baby in around a square meter of linen. Basically just try your best to keep your baby happy!
Another handy item that you could use for baby’s is a sheepskin, they can be used to line a manger style basket or you could just sit/lay your child on them, as they are very good insulators and will help keep your child warm, however don’t leave your young’uns unattended as the long hairs could be pulled or bitten off and find their way into little mouths.
For older toddlers again a basic shift and a near floor length huke or dress is very authentic these can be very crudely shaped. Kids can get away with no sleeves but if you put them on make them nice and loose, as it's easier to get their arms through. The tunic can either be loose or laced at the side or you could belt it up at the waist. The bonus of making a tunic is that it will fit your child for a whole season, unlike a dress or doublet & hose. A coif would also be worn if you can get them to keep them on! Full-length coats are a good idea for colder events and can look real cute, as do hoods with liripipes!
Don't forget to slap the sun cream on those exposed bits. Even on an overcast day, skin that does not normally see the light of day can get burnt. Slip-Slap-Slop!
Lacking the modern youth culture of today’s kids, children in fifteenth century England wore smaller versions of adult clothes. The only difference was that young girls wear their hair down with a coif on top. Boys wear hats, just like men (again if you can keep them on). When a child was considered an adult varied, but by fourteen most would have started an apprenticeship and would be working full-time.
