Historical Sewing & Costuming

Thankfully, no, not usually. Even among avid reenactors today there's little expectation that garments will be hand stitched. Do they admire authentically hand stitched garments? Yes! It's just not expected, as a rule, since It takes eons to hand stitch a single historical costume.

There are things you can do, however, to add authentic touches to machine sewn historical garb. For example, working with all natural fiber fabrics, or working with period-specific prints, patterns, and fabric finishes. You can also add hand stitching to things like button holes, or corset eyelets.

If you should decide to completely hand stitch a historical costume, the greatest patience will be required as only small stitches create smooth, quality seams. If you'd like to learn the most basic, universal hand stitches for old-world garment construction, see A Combo Guide for Beginning Sewing & Authentic Period Costuming, below.
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The basic rule for historical costuming is to use only natural fibers on clothing representative of 1910 or earlier. Natural fibers include wool (dates back to ~3000 BC), cotton (also ~3000 BC), linen (~5000 BC), silk (2600 BC), and leather (undated).

From this basic list have come many varieties through the ages, including mixed fibers, prints, sheen finishes, and more. A run down of historically viable fabric choices is provided in A Combo Guide to Beginning Sewing & Authentic Period Costuming. This section of the book covers leather garment construction in useful detail, plus it covers what garment fasteners and notions appeared when, and it briefly addresses fabric dyes and dying.
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This is one category of sewing that people find really intimidating. For one, it's an unforgiving "fabric," since it is expensive to procure today. For two, people have no idea how much is needed for this or that type of garment. For three, the "sewing" of it isn't like any other type of fabric.

Lacing is typical for attaching leather garment pieces and creating seams. You can machine stitch leather, but it requires special thread since the tannins in leather will rot anything with cotton or natural fibers in it.

Outside of a few scarce or out-of-print Native American resources, there just aren't many good how-to books for leather garment construction. A Combo Guide to Beginning Sewing & Authentic Period Costuming does contain a very good starter section on leather working, including how to estimate "yardage" (hides), what types of hides for what types of garments, and it provides basic lacing instructions.

The garment pictured here is courtesy of Gwin Stam, a federally recognized producer of traditional Native American goods. Gwin regularly has garments available for sale through NativeAmericanStuff.com, on the Regalia page.
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This is one area that even the most avid reenactors are forced to fake. While there are several practicing armour smiths out there today, the expense of armour is simply prohibitive for the middle classes. Yet, our continuing LOVE for Medieval and Renaissance faires and jousting has necessitated the development of several types of "fake" armour. You can find free how to information online by googling for armour (or armor).

The ONLY book that I am aware of that has received accolades for beginning, authentic armour-making, is a book titled Techniques of Medieval Armour Reproduction, listed below in one of the Amazon modules.

As for maille, that, too, is difficult and time consuming to make, but not near as expensive as plate armour since it doesn't require a blacksmithing setup. Good maille-making instructions have, up to this point, eluded me. There are some links to free online information, but the quality is suspect as one trained in Medieval attire can easily tell which "weaves" are authentic, and which are not. Still, we've provided some of the free links in the Medieval / Renaissance links list below.
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One area of historical "reenacting" that is gaining favor, is simply sewing on old hand and foot powered treadle machines. Machines as old as 150 years, if they've been properly oiled and stored, are still occasionally found in operation today.

The hardest part about working on an old machine is having no owner's manual. Often they're missing. I personally feel that no manual means the same thing as no machine. The good news is, old sewing machine manuals are available online through antiques dealers, and on eBay. You just have to hunt and put in requests, and sooner or later the manual you want or need may indeed present itself.

You can also check with the Library of Congress, however, their services are not free and can really add up, so save them as a last resort.

Sewing Victorian era clothes on a treadle machine is authentic, and a charming experience!
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Some folks enter the historical reenacting field with the idea that those "experts" who have gone before them know everything there is to know about the time period being reenacted. Rarely is that the case. There's always new gems of insight to be found through period source research.

Regardless of which era you're interested in investigating, just start out with a museum visit online or off, and begin taking notes and asking yourself questions as you go. Soon you'll have leads for books you'd like to find on the antiques market, or on public domain sites (in digital format). For example, I have personally discovered that in both the Renaissance era, and the Victorian (my two areas of greatest interest), period cookbooks are a gold mine in that they reveal a great deal of detail on things like manner of language, meal and holiday customs, health remedies, and sometimes hygiene.

In any case, whenever you read a modern book about history, don't just take the author's word for anything. Look at their references to period source documentation. Only then can you be confident that the information in a modern book (or other media) is viable.

Another area of study among historians is period paintings. Period paintings also depict the life and times of past eras, and often with authentic attention to detail.

So, don't underestimate the capability you alone possess in unearthing old-world information. Your path will be unique, and therefore your finds stand a chance of also being unique. Remember, historical study is mystery sleuthing. Though slow-going, the rewards of sleuthing are often astonishing!
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From selling your stock on eBay, to opening your own costume design studio, the business of historical costume designing is both intelligent and creative. Some designers go to school to learn the trade in full, yet others end up in the profession simply because they're good at what they do and manage to attract big name orders.

Historical costuming careers are not limited to just the main clothing, either. One company I am aware of specializes in notions, such as period buttons. Another specializes in period shoes. Yet another specializes in period jewelry.

Any of these historical costuming skills can, of course, be applied to simply opening a general costume shoppe.

If you'd like to learn about the trade, the BEST, most complete book on the subject is Costume Design 101: The Business and Art of Creating Costumes for Film and Television (2nd Edition), available below in the "General Costuming Helps on Amazon" module.

Photo provided by SD Stock at DeviantArt.com.
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History reenacting can be as informal or formal as you choose to make it. If all you want to achieve is an authentic-feeling Victorian tea party for an eight year old child, then by all means, have at it. This is a form of reenacting. If, however, you dream of Broadway or the big lights of Hollywood, reenacting can be a foot in the door.

This doesn't mean, however, that you can quickly make a living through reenacting. Your first priority is to develop an authentic period persona. In other words, a period character that you can "master" artfully. For example, a Renaissance reenactor might portray a bar keep or wench, or they might go for a noble man or woman. Very different roles, each. If you manage to develop a historical character that is amusing and historically revealing, you stand a better chance of being called upon - and paid - to perform that character at related events.

If you want to go pro, make yourself a part of a well organized reenacting group. These groups are sometimes sought by movie makers simply because the actors come with their own historically authentic props! This saves movie producers time and money.

Whatever you're level of interest, a beginner's guide to re-creating history is available on our sister lens, Squidoo.com/PlayHistory
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A Combo Guide for Beginning Sewing & Authentic Period Costuming (links to the author's Lulu.com storefront)

$6.99 Full color, immediate PDF download
$14.99 B&W interior, 62 pages, softcover

This is a concise, no fluff resource for either or both the beginning sewer, or the beginning historical costumer. It first walks the reader through simple sewing lessons, including all the basic techniques of modern garment construction, fabric preparation, and pattern selection, preparation and layout. (The lessons do require the reader to have an owner's manual for their sewing machine.)

The guide then shows basic historical hand stitching techniques, plus it delves into the basics of working with leather. The leather segment covers not only garment assembly, but estimating "yardage" (hides), and hide selection tips.

From there the guide provides a machine needle selection list for all the various historical fabric choices, and it outlines when each garment notion (types of closures, interfacing, lace, etc.) first made their appearances.

The book is designed as an easy introduction to sewing and historical costuming, and is NOT extensive on any of the content. Thorough for introductory purposes, but not extensive. It does, however, direct the reader to further research and learning resources where needed.

For beginning sewers this resource can be used in combination with our free 5-Step Sewing Lessons sister lens, Squidoo.com/SewingInstructions101
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One way to keep yourself motivated and having fun with the whole historical costuming thing, is to join or start a sewing circle in your area. You can use Meetup.com, Craigslist, or your local newspaper to advertise.

At first sewing circles can be held in homes, but eventually you'll want more elbow room, so as you grow simply spread the word that you're looking for a meeting place. Often churches are willing to let historical sewing groups meet in their buildings on "off" days. You can also check with your local Chamber of Commerce, as they're typically aware of what's available in the way of meeting facilities in your area.
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