This is a great book for non-sewing parents and most likely what she is looking for.
This is what the teachers in our school district recommend to parents for costume making. I remember glancing through the book at half price books and thought it was way cute, even a kid could make a costume or two from it. :) Chiara On Tue, September 12, 2006 11:00 am, Kate Pinner said: > There's a book called "Elegantly Frugal Costumes" by Shirley Dearing > (ISBN 0-916260-88-7) that shows how to cut up a hooded sweat shirt > or > pajamas or pillowcase to make some okay looking stuff for kids. > > Kate > 609-570-3584 > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > On Behalf Of Robin Netherton > Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 9:39 AM > To: Historic Costume List > Subject: [h-cost] Basic medieval "costume" sources > > > Here's an uncharacteristic request. > > I'm going to be speaking to my kid's elementary school class about > medieval costume, as part of a big unit they're doing on the Middle > Ages. > This much I know how to do, and have done before. No problems there. > > Here's the part I need help with. The class will be putting on an > in-class > medieval "feast" at the end of the unit, in about two months. The > teachers > want the kids to be dressed appropriately. Most of the parents > probably > don't sew much, and even if they do, they're not going to need or > want > to > take the time and effort to learn about medieval costume, or to > spend > the > money on proper materials. This is supposed to just provide a bit of > flavor and color to the festivities. (Think kids' Hallowe'een > costume.) > > The teacher has asked me to provide some basic references on easy > medieval > costume that the parents can draw on. I am absolutely backed up and > can't > write my own, although I'll probably offer a list of basic garments > and > suitable colors. Beyond that, I want to make a list of books and > websites > that will tell them, essentially, how to make their kid look > medieval in > an evening or two, with a minimum of expenditure. > > I've spent so many years steering people away from bad costume books > that > now I'm having to really probe the recesses of my brain for this > one! > The > source I can think of right off the bat is "Medieval Theatre > Costume" by > Iris Brooke, which is really a useful visual introduction for the > complete > newcomer, and has simple cutting diagrams. (It's also in our library > system.) For the people who care about doing it right, I'll point to > the > reconstructinghistory.com page on beginner garb for a basic tunic, > which > is a whole lot better than the "lie down and draw around yourself" > T-tunic > approach and no harder. > > Can anyone think of any other useful books or web pages for a parent > who > simply has to clothe the kid, doesn't need to be particularly > authentic, > and will have no further use for the costume after one wearing? > Surely > there are some SCA webpages or kid's costume books out there... > > --Robin > > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > h-costume@mail.indra.com > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume > > > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > h-costume@mail.indra.com > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume > _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume