[Ansteorra] period on a budget

Sunny Briscoe sunnyday72 at gmail.com
Tue Sep 19 06:09:48 PDT 2006


Okay, so how period do you want to get?  Do you want to be so authentic that
you could travel back in time, visit the village of your choice and blend
it, or do you want to do that "reasonable atempt" thing?

It comes to fabric.  Whatever you do, use natural fibers, they are going to
be much more comfortable than synthetic.  Quilter's Cotton can reasonably
pass for linen and comes in some gorgeous colors.  Cotton Flannel passes for
wool even 3 feet away.  Both are easily attainable at Hancock's or Joanne
Fabrics. (Get on their mailing lists - I frequently get 40% or 50% off
coupons from them).  Stick to solid colors for now.  You can do amazing
things with them (as trim, bindings, contrasting buttons, etc.)  Don't fake
the fancy things with cheap materials.  I have seen puff paint used to look
like pearls, and if you are on stage, that would be great, but in person it
just looks cheap.

Check out Curtains in the Home Dec sections.  Sometimes they have them on
sale, and cotton velvet is luscious.

Check the discount sections of fancier fabric stores.
http://fabrics-store.com/first.php has stuff in their "Doggy Bag" section
that is pretty good, and at good prices.  www.historicenterprises.com often
sells "scrap" bundles.  Its at least 5 yards of whatever color and weight
linen they have on hand, but with some creative piecing, a doublet wouldn't
be that hard to get out of some of the parts.

I understand that Ikea has some great prices on their home dec fabrics, but
I haven't been able to shop at one in a few years.

There is also the thrift stores.  You can find old fur coats for trim,
drapes for fabric, some interesting shoes, and some great stuff for feast
gear.

And lastly, even if you are making simple clothes with inexpensive fabric,
don't skimp on quality of construction.  It is less expensive to make one
really well made tunic than several poorly made ones that fall apart in the
wash.

If you are interested and ever in the Bryn Gwlad area, I would be happy to
give you some pointers in person, and if it's books you want, I would be
happy to give a list that would help direct as well.

Elisabetta Morosini (the obsessive authenticist)


On 9/19/06, john fry <jefisme03 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> ok I've been reading along with your period not period posts, and now I
> want to know how do you go period on a budget. I'm a current student with
> limited amounts of money to spend on garb, but I still want to go to an
> event or two when I have a chance, without being slapped around by the
> period nazis.
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