Burda Style For people who sew

Description

I wanted to make my own garb to wear to the local Renaissance Faire, and it occurred to me as I was doing my research that depending on my color and collar choices, I could make my shift and kirtle look quite a bit like Belle’s provincial dress from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. I made a long-sleeved, knee-length shift and a blue, square-necked, front-lacing kirtle. I made my own patterns using the free custom pattern generator from Drea Leed’s amazing Elizabethan costuming site. It was a challenge to get at least a modicum of historical accuracy on a very slim budget, but I think it worked out quite well! What with sales and coupons and reusing old bedsheets, I was able to make this entire costume for about $10.

I know my fabric choices aren’t entirely historically accurate, and I certainly used a sewing machine for much of the construction, but overall I’m really happy at how this costume ended up. I think it struck a good balance between being historical, cost-effective, and Belle.

Blog post about the shift.

Blog post about the kirtle.

Material Notes

cotton muslin for the shift, cotton-blend bedsheet (used up all of a twin flat XL sheet) for the kirtle shell, linen-rayon blend for the bodice lining, plastic cable ties for boning the front opening, and embroidery floss for the hand-sewn eyelets and braided lacing.

Difficulty

Intermediate

Categories

For

Women

Garment Type

Costume

Credits

Making a Kirtle

http://www.elizabethancostume.net/makekirtle.html

Making a Shift

http://www.elizabethancostume.net/smockpat/index.html