For more information on garb (including patterns and books), see our Faire Virgins: Garb section!

THE JOY OF GARB: PART ONE, BASICS AND SKIRTS
by Willa, ATF Staff Writer

I've been an historical costumer for 6 years now, and I've yet to actually ever have enough garb. Why is that? What is this need I have to constantly be making more?

Either way, the weekend before last during the Washer Well Wenches' weekend meeting, our second stop (right after lunch) was a trip to Joann's Fabrics (pictured to the left). We bought enough fabric for Mistress Sheila to make herself a new skirt. See, Keirra (the one farthest left) is of the "handsewing" mindset and I believe Sheila did her newest skirt that way. However, I have far too much to do and I can't stand to just sit and sew like that...so I use my sewing machine, which causes just as much (if not more) heartache than, say, pushing pieces of bamboo under my fingernails. Someday I'll actually have a machine that works right!

Last weekend I ventured out on my own (which means that I forced JP and my sons to come along) to the fabric store (this time Hancock Fabrics) and bought over 20 yards of fabric along with two patterns. I seem to recall (or maybe this is just my delusional mind trying to come up with topics to write about) that someone had suggested an article on making garb would be interesting to read, so here you go! I've decided to slice it into parts, which will cover various pieces of clothing and how to make them. This installment will cover this wonderfully brilliant introduction to the whole series as well as steps on how to make the easiest of garb pieces: the skirt.

No wench (or lady for that matter) can have enough skirts. And they're very simple to make, which makes it all that much better! I have purchased enough fabric to make two new skirts (as well as a bunch of other stuff, but that's for later columns).

Fabrics & Colours

When choosing fabric for your skirts, you need to take into account colour (you want as earthy of tones as you can stand...my rule is that if it's a colour you could have made from dying the fabric with flowers or other natural dyes, then it's okay). Non-nobles should stay away from any kinds of purples and royal blues (hence the name), and everyone should steer clear of blacks. It goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that extremely bright or fluorescent colours are out. And try and keep away from patterns and designs. The most period-correct fabrics would be linens and cottons. My favourite material to use to date is cotton broadcloth. It hangs superbly and is very durable.

How to Wear a Full Skirt

It's true that the more fabric your clothing has (skirts, pants and shirts mostly), the wealthier your character is. However, I get away with my full skirts as a wench because I own a laundry business and get everyone else's leftovers! I LOVE my full skirts. They hide all of those flaws that Mother Nature likes to throw at us like hips and bellies and thighs. ;) I have my own way of wearing these skirts, as does everyone else. I wear at least two skirts at a time. The top skirt gets grabbed at mid-skirt on the sides (right before my hips) and brought up to be tucked into my waistband (see the photo on the left side). This gives a more wenchy look as is popular at the bigger festivals. I've been told that my garb has a "KCRF feel" to it. I have no idea what that means, exactly, but hey! I'll take it as a compliment! Don't feel that you have to tuck the outer skirt...Keirra wears hers down (see the photo on the right side) and looks just as (if not moreso) beautiful. It's all a matter of preference.

Allright! Finally, How to MAKE the Darn Full Skirt

1. Buy 4 yards of fabric using your now-professional knowledge of colours and fabrics. (Make sure to check the clearance tables while making your selection.)
2. Wash the fabric so it's easier to work with and will be pre-shrunk. This is a good time to add lots of fabric softener to the wash so it's more pliable.
3. Cut about 5 inches off the end of your piece of fabric. Measure your waist and add a few inches, then cut the strip of fabric to that length. This will magically become your waistband.
4. Either get out your iron and iron over about 1/2 inch of the edge of the waistband, or baste about 1/2 inch of the waistband over so you have an edge. This will become the front of your waistband...what will be shown on the outside.
5. Fold the rest of the fabric in half, lengthwise, and iron it. Keep in mind that this will be a rather soft waistband, but it will work nonetheless ;)
6. You have very close to 4 yards of fabric leftover. You need to pin one end of the fabric to one end of your waistband. Pin the other end of the fabric to the other end of the fabric. Pin the middle of the fabric to the middle of the waistband. This will help keep your skirt evenly pleated.
7. Pleat the rest of your fabric around your waistband, pinning as you go along.
8. I would recommend sewing all the way around your waistband twice, so it is reinforced.
9. Spend the next 20 minutes taking the blasted pins out of the fabric.
10. You should now have something that resembles a curtain. Now sew the two ends of the fabric together, so you're making your skirt shape. Don't sew all the way up...stop about 5 inches from the top so that you can get in and out of your skirt. Hem the parts you didn't include before so they don't come unravelled.
11. Now you should have a skirt! Put it on and figure out how much needs to be cut off the end to make it the correct length.
12. You can hem the bottom of the skirt, but I never do. The bottoms of my skirts get dragged in the mud and through puddles and I rather like the look of the frayed edges, so it's again a matter of preference.

There! You should have a simple skirt that didn't require a pattern! However, some people feel more comfortable working with a pattern, so I won't be crushed if you go that route.

You'll soon get to the point where you won't need to even read instructions anymore...it will be a routine. You can find a listing of patterns for dresses and skirts (as well as other garb) in our Faire Virgins: Garb section. I would recommend using McCall's 2793, McCall's 2243, Simplicity 7756, Simplicity 8249, Simplicity 8715, Simplicity 9256 or Butterick 6196.

If you do use this set of instructions to make a skirt, make sure you send me a photo of the end results for me to put up here on the site!

Next installment: bloomers (via a pattern)

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