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Commercial Costume Patterns

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Simplicity

3602

discontinued Raggedy Ann and Andy costumes. One word: bloomers. If you need them for ren-faire, this is the pattern. 2007. Discontinued in 2008.

3806

discontinued Misses, Men & Teen Renaissance Costumes. A variety of "peasant costume" pieces, skirt, pants, tunic in two lengths, vests, various scarves and wraps. I've seen the woman's vest made up and it bunches horribly at the waist because it is too long. Identical to discontinued #8587. 2007. Discontinued in 2008.

3812

discontinued Misses Renaissance Costumes. Reprint of the popular "Ever After" dress from the movie. (Previously known as either 8735 or 0657) Vaguely Italian in style, you can't really go wrong with this one if you make it in something that isn't polyester. I also suggest making a separate chemise and not the sewn-in version offered. Note that View A is off-the-shoulder, and that with all views you'll need a push-up bra to get the cleavage. 2007. Discontinued in 2008.

4219

discontinued Men's and Misses' shirts. Two shirts with sleeve and collar variations. Views A and B are simplified versions of a square cut 18th century man's shirt. Views C and D are fantasy styles. Watch the front slit, it can be longer than most people are comfortable with. 2006.Discontinued in 2008.

4488

discontinued Variations on renaissance festival clothing for women. Two dress styles, two skirt options, and two chemises, plus accessories. Not a bad starter set. View A seems nearly identical to the dress in #7756, with a longer sleeve. View B has a sleeve variation, and view C has a separate bodice and skirt. Discontinued in 2008.

4508

discontinued Tudor. Sort of. View A is an attempt at a later than Tudor dress, the flounce puts it around 1600 or so. The flounce should be attached to the skirt, not the bodice, as it actually is supposed to be part of the skirt tucked up. It's also supposed to go over a wheel farthingale. The sleeves are ok, and the collar is a nice touch. My main problem with this view is that it's very poorly decorated and it should be much more elaborately made with lush fabrics and heavy trimming. Also, the skirt doesn't look full enough. The dress in view B is ok, but the hanging sleeves are wrong. The narrow sleeve and the puff is ok. The attifet (hat) isn't bad, but you should wear your hair up under it, not hanging loose. The bodice should be the same color as the rest of the dress, and you need a ruff at the neck. The second big problem I have with this pattern is that the fabric requirements are very confusing. No yardage is given for the skirt in view A, and the amounts given for the skirt in view B include sleeves and bodice lining. Discontinued in 2008.

4916

discontinued Men's fantasy coats and vests, inspired by Victorian fashion. Except for the Doctor Detroit pimp coat, which somebody thought we needed.

4959/ 0530

discontinued Misses' fantasy dress with or without a hood, and leggings. Cute outfit for fairies, elves, or other LARP characters.

4788

discontinued Men's modern/ fantasy middle eastern costume. Tunic, shirt, vets, pants, jacket and accessories, with some variations. Replicates the look of modern (19th and 20th century) middle eastern clothing in a very generic sense.

5293

discontinued Re-release of 8249/ 8715, described below.

5294

discontinued Same as 8735, described below, in Women's sizing (18-32).

5574

discontinued Renaissance Faire. Men's early Tudor doublet with long skirts, and later style short doublet with 'pumpkin pants'. Nicely done modern pattern adaptations. You could mess with it, but for faire use it is fine as is. The pants pattern uses wide striped fabric to imitate panes, I would suggest copying this technique, it is a good trick. Note that there is no hat or shirt included. I suggest making a shirt from another pattern to wear to keep the doublet from getting sweaty. You also need something to attach neck and wrist ruffs to.

5843

discontinued Three gowns based on the costumes from Star Wars. More science fiction. There is a strapless corset and a long sleeved undergown that might be adaptable for fantasy LARP.

5922

discontinued Misses Renaissance Costumes, "Evoke The Look of The Faire With A Petal Skirt and Bustier". Yet another set of Ren-Fair clothes. Blouse with trim variations, two princess cut bodices, and two skirts. Also includes a cap with veil that is not appropriate for the period it tries to portray. Note to beginners, the petal skirt is not easy.

5925

discontinued Men's or Teen's Costume. Mixed Renaissance fantasy costumes for the guys. Gown, shirt, pants, vest, and two hats. The hats are made in felt. The shirt is actually very nice, even if it is Victorian in style. The shirt and pants are typical faire-wear for men, nice if you can get this on sale. The gown troubles me as I don't see historical examples with yokes, and it seems the body and sleeves should be fuller to make it an early Renaissance gown or houpellande.

5974

discontinued Unisex Renaissance Accessories. Various hats, a cape, pouch, collar, and glove cuffs made with very liberal interpretations of period fashions. Uses the "F" word, (Felt) so you still have to figure out hems if you try to adapt to regular fabrics. Might make fun fantasy dress-up for the kid's play box, or a teaching pattern to introduce youngsters to sewing. Don't pay full price for this.

7274

discontinued The Blue and The Grey. Mens and boys American Civil War "uniforms". Basic pants and jacket patterns that can be modified to look Elizabethan. Cut the pants off below the knee and gather to a band or drawstring, and cut the jacket at the waist and add tabs. Use the jacket variation that opens straight up the front.

7756/0637

discontinued Dress in two variations, chemise (blouse), and underskirt. The blouse sleeves need to be longer, otherwise you have a nice pattern for a short chemise (which you can lengthen) and a skirt. The blouse is nice for those who like a more covered look, it does not fit 'off the shoulder' like so many others do. The overdress has darts (either draft them out or gather the front) but is okay as a greatly simplified Tudor gown (it would help to move the lacings to the back seam). It does need to have an additional yard of fabric gathered into the skirt for proper fullness. The sleeves also lack the length needed to be able to turn them back and display the rich lining. I would add about a foot to the sleeve just above the elbow. Lose the apron and the headroll. The French Hood (that thing with the veil) should be worn flat on the head not standing up like a billboard.

7761

Discontinued Okay costume cloak, but not wide enough to close in front or keep you warm in nasty weather. You could add more yardage to make it nicer. The shirt looks okay, you might want to make the collar band to fit you instead of gaping like it does on the models. The leggings and accessories are fine for stage but may not cut it at outdoor events.

8010

discontinued The cloak pattern is okay. The gown should be made up fuller to be worn as a chemise.

discontinued
8108
Except for the Roman armor most of these outfits can be made up using my biblical tunic instructions. Otherwise, basic tunic patterns and simple wraps for most early medieval costuming needs.

8152

discontinued Basic t-tunic construction. All of these costumes can be made from the biblical tunic instructions I provide.

8192/0653

discontinued View B is a lovely gown, even though it is complete stylistic fiction *very* loosely based on 15th century costumes. The sleeves and front lacing are Victorian romantic ideas of what medieval ladies wore. You could get away with this one if you made smooth fitted sleeves and added an overskirt onto the bodice part. As it stands, it makes a decent chemise, as shown in View C with the long sleeves. Technically, the sleeve cuffs should go all the way up to the shoulder and be attached to that bodice. As for the "angel" sleeves, I find they tend to drag into food and privies. I prefer to straighten the sleeve and use a drawstring instead of eleastic, and re-draft the sleeve so there is no lacy cuff. View A reminds me of a Victorian Gothic maid, I wouldn't even bother trying to fix this one.

8249/ 8715

discontinued Renaissance Regalia. The bodice on this one is okay. The skirts could benefit from not being gathered on the side, but simply tucked up into the waistband and pinned as desired. Both blouses can be replaced by my chemise pattern, pulling the drawstring at the neck as tight as you want for the desired look. Otherwise, make them up with as much length as you can. The ties for the "lady's" sleeves are just silly, and can be left off entirely. 8249 is 'Womens' sizes (discontinued), 8715 is 'Misses'. Also released as 5293.

8274

discontinued Goblins and Ghouls. Advertised as a "2 hour" pattern, offers a basic set of tunic, gown, and cloak. Also available as 8272 for children.

8275

discontinued Tunics and robes for a biblical play, again basic tunic and wraps. Can be recreated from my tunic instructions.

8286

discontinued Medieval Times. A variety of pieces for men and women. Notable for the jester's hood. The man's tunic and the cloak may be worth buying this one on sale. For the same money, however, you can purchase any number of better looking patterns.

8311

discontinued A variety of pattern options here, notably the oriental kimonos for men and ladies and the "wizard" costume.

8318

discontinued Castle Capers. This is a set of patterns for childrens' fantasy garb, including a cloak. There is a girl's gown that can be made all in the same fabric or in different ones for various effects, and a girl's headdress. For the boys, however, there is only the outerwear of cap, hood, and capelet. It might be nice to add to an existing costume collection, but won't get you far by itself.

8587

discontinued Renaissance Peasants. The woman's costume is the basic chemise and overskirt, with a rectangle for a headscarf. Her jerkin is fairly shapeless, but if this is the look you want it may be worth your money. The man's costume uses the same basic shirt and tabard, with the addition of a simple gathered hood that looks okay but could benefit from real tailoring instead of gathers. There is a "shoe" pattern included, but like the hood you can get away with it on stage but not in the woods. The man's "leggings" are simply strips of cloth. This pattern may be worth buying if you want the coif, or cap, pattern. NOTE: this pattern runs larger than expected.

8725

discontinued Medieval Gowns. 14th century. An attempt at making the ladies cotehardie and sideless surcote available to the masses. The pictures are gorgeous but it has been adapted to make up with modern yardages -- and boy does this one use yardage! The hems of both undergown (cotehardie) and the surcote are really too long for practical usage. On stage or outdoors they're going to be a pain. What puts me off this pattern is the way it is laid out and cut, on the square of the grain instead of using the traditional "princess seam" and bias cut. You end up assembling a lot of square panels, which are easy to sew, but which do not drape correctly for the style.

8728

discontinued
Medieval Accents. 14th century. This pattern consists of a cloak and headresses. The cloak is suitable for men or women, though the headresses are for the ladies. While the pictures look gorgeous, I have some hesitations about using this as a cloak pattern. First, it's far too long. Even for indoor use the hem will drag and get filthy. Second, it's cut weird. Simplicity gives you cutting diagrams that make reasonably good use of the fabric by not having you cut the cloak out of wedges, but out of squares. It doesn't show in the picture, but you are going to have a lot of strange seams down the back. Third, the cloak does not close in the front. It will not keep you serviceably warm outdoors. Been there, done that.
The headresses are very nicely thought out to give you historical looks. The only thing I would change is to make the templers (the soda can thingies) smaller. Dig up some portraits of the time period for an idea of the proportions.

8735/0657

discontinued Courtly Love. This one is really pretty and seems to sell fast. Be aware that the gowns make up into one-piece outfits. I suggest instead making them without the "undersleeves" and wearing them with a chemise. At the very least try to make the sleeves without the ruffles at the wrist. Gather them into a cuff band or use a drawstring at the very edge. View A has a more "fantasy" look to it, but the sleeve sections can be found in portraits of the time period. The bodices of views C and D only need to have the darts drafted out of them to make them reasonably "historical".

8855/ 0662

discontinued Celtic. Basic set of skirt, blouse, bodice, cap and shawl for a Scottish-looking outfit. Make it in any fabric you like, the instructions do not limit you to only using plaid. Lengthen the blouse, and watch the fit of the bodice. It will probably make up lose and blocky if you don't fit it to you.

8750 / 9937

discontinued Gothic Dream. This one is actually better than it looks, being very close to an English gown of about 1770 in cut, if not construction. A good example of how changing the fabric can completely alter your look. The separate skirt is basic and when made in a plain fabric can cover almost any period. Bodice A needs some alterations (move opening to front or back instead of under the arm, change shape of sleeve drape) to make it an acceptable historical piece. Includes pattern for a Tudor flat cap.

8881/ 0679

discontinued Elizabethan. Wow! A farthingale! Also includes overskirt, underskirt, bumroll, neck and wrist ruffs, partlet, and a bodice with attached sleeves. Looks good, but there are many small details that have been changed to suit modern tastes: neckline, sleeves, and ruff particularly. Much of the construction uses snaps (for example to hold the ruffs and partlet in place). The bum roll is enhanced by a waistband that I've never missed. Strangely, the pattern does not include necessary head coverings for the upper-class lady it otherwise outfits.

8944

discontinued Basic hooded robe and drawstring pants. This pattern lends itself to a variety of styles, as indicated by the photos on the envelope front. Don't be fooled by the space-opera scenes, though. This can easily become a cover-up for a middle-eastern costume, or be used as a fantasy "wizard" robe. It all depends on your fabric choice.

9058

discontinued A very nicely done pair of 13th century gowns and hats (hennins). The sleeves should be permanently sewn in, though, and not made "detachable", and you want to lose the wrist ruffles. The term "renaissance" is a bit late to apply to this style, it's not appropriate for most Renaissance Fairs. And, sorry, but the bodice will not enhance your figure, as shown. This is a fairly flat style, ladies. Like most of these patterns,the neckline could stand to be higher by an inch or three.

9169

discontinued The harem pants pattern might be useful. Everything else is a variation on the tunic.

9221

discontinued "Retro Costume Collection". One simplified dress, two sleeves in imitation of the 1810-1820 period. Cut on modern lines they look nice but are nothing close to the cut of period clothing. Despite the setting they are displayed in, these are "evening" gowns. The small jacket is also a modern style and should not be worn if you are trying to portray a historical scene.

9228

discontinued Same styling as #8735, in larger sizing.

9229

discontinued The cloak with the hood is okay. The jester's hood is pretty interesting and might be worth the price of the pattern if that's what you want. I'm not impressed with either dress, they seem to fit badly and lack style.

9246

discontinued It says "Renaissance" on the cover, but I'm not sure what planet it's from. Fun fantasy garb if you role-play but don't for a minute think it's historical. If you get stuck with this one, the skirt is fine, and the hat is okay. Ditch the rest.

9255

discontinued At least they had the sense to not label this one "renaissance". Pure gothic fantasy, not suitable for SCA or Faire events. You might salvage the bodice by combining pieces #1 and #2, leaving off the center applique (#11) and the bust inset (#8), cutting the whole thing at the "natural waistline" instead of the elongated length given, and leaving it sleeveless. If that seems like a lot of work, it is, and there are better patterns.

9256

discontinued Elizabethan Collection. Skirt, shirt, cap, bumroll and bodice with variations. Needs very little to bump it out of the 21st century and back to the 16th. Draft the darts out of the bodice, and make the peplum tabs in view A smaller by about half in length. Avoid the ruffled peplum in view B.

9531

discontinued Renaissance Collection. Blouse and gown with two neckline and four sleeve variations. Very pretty and versatile for a fantasy Renaissance outfit, however... The neckline is too low, and the waistline seems a little high for mid 15th century. A simple adjustment would be to raise the neck so your cleavage isn't obvious, and lower the waist to about the inside bend of your elbow, which has the added benefit of putting the skirt to the floor where it belongs, not at ankle length. Unlike the illustration, gowns of the time period had their skirt and bodice made of the same fabric. You also can't go wrong by pleating more fabric into the skirt.

9533

discontinued Renaissance Collection. A pretty and basic loose gown that would work well with costumes of the 16th and 17th centuries. Earlier period styling included a high neckline that covered the bosom, a collar, and large full sleeves. Later gowns seem to be fuller in the body, with fabric gathered across the back and under the arms and long (probably decorative) hanging sleeves. Gowns of this type were fastened at least from neck to waist when worn, frequently with decorative fastenings that might extend the length of the front opening. This pattern would also work well for a mans early 16th century overgown (a la Henry VIII) by cutting it just to knee length.

9650

discontinued Renaissance Collection. Men's cloak, shaube (coat), and hat. Very nicely done. I would suggest a wide tapestry or velvet ribbon in place of the mesh netting trim, though. Sadly, this pattern and the one above (9633) were discontinued in 2002.

9753

discontinued Medieval Collection. Mens fantasy costumes: a robe and hood outfit suitable (as pictured) for portrayal of Merlin the Magician, and a tunic and cape set for the part of King Arthur. Strictly costume pieces.

9758

discontinued Medieval Collection. Womens costume gowns in two variations with a cloak and veil. The red gown is a fantasy style, but the yellow one is a decent sideless surcote pattern (and a thrifty alternative to Simplicity's other 14th century offering, using less than half the yardage of 8725)

9832

discontinued Renaissance. Dress and cape pattern. Another one with a completely modern cut bodice and sleeves. Lovely costume, but it is entirely wrong for an Elizabethan era gown. There are so many alterations to be made that I can't list them all here. The sleeve caps are too high, the sleeve itself too tight, the cuffs should be minimised or removed. The bodice is princess-cut and needs redrafting to the period silhouette. It also needs boning or stiffening. The choice and placement of trim is generally incorrect. Further, the pattern has many steps and is not suggested for the novice. If you are attempting historical authenticity do not use this one.

9836

discontinued Girls fantasy renaissance costumes. Chemise and bodices. If you're on a budget be aware that the chemise alone uses over FIVE YARDS of fabric! That seems like a lot of wasted material for a little girl's costume. All the outfits are very cute, but remember to add overskirts for view A and B. Follow the petticoat instructions to make an overskirt.

9929

discontinued Ladies collection. Goodness, did they get the Tudor sleeves right this time? The label says "Renaissance" but these are late medieval and English Tudor styles. All views have a very full undergown with full sleeves, cuff variations and a round neckline that would make a nice luxury chemise. I would square the neckline for use under view C though. View A (medieval, about 1485): Leave the lace off the neck and sleeves and gather instead of dart for a more historical look. The sleeves should be narrow and straight -- compare with pattern #9058 for better version of this style. View B (Tudor, about 1550): The bodice by itself, without the shoulder rolls is a good pattern for a partlet. This standing collar was fashionable during the reign of Mary Tudor, though it is always seen on the long-waisted gowns, not with an "empire" waist. The full sleeves are not appropriate for this gown for historical use. View C (Tudor, about 1525): The sleeves look good, the gable hood looks great, and the bodice only needs to lose the front lacing and have an overskirt put on. Discontinued in 2008.

All text and artwork copyright 1990 - 2005 D. Duperault. Pattern images used on this page belong to their respective manufacturers and are used for review purposes only. NOTHING on this site may be reproduced or distributed by any means without my written permission. This information offered in good faith, and worth only what you paid for it.
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Simplicity
3602 discontinued	Raggedy Ann and Andy costumes. One word: bloomers. If you need them for ren-faire, this is the pattern. 2007. Discontinued in 2008.
3806 discontinued	Misses, Men & Teen Renaissance Costumes. A variety of "peasant costume" pieces, skirt, pants, tunic in two lengths, vests, various scarves and wraps. I've seen the woman's vest made up and it bunches horribly at the waist because it is too long. Identical to discontinued #8587. 2007. Discontinued in 2008.
3812 discontinued	Misses Renaissance Costumes. Reprint of the popular "Ever After" dress from the movie. (Previously known as either 8735 or 0657) Vaguely Italian in style, you can't really go wrong with this one if you make it in something that isn't polyester. I also suggest making a separate chemise and not the sewn-in version offered. Note that View A is off-the-shoulder, and that with all views you'll need a push-up bra to get the cleavage. 2007. Discontinued in 2008.
4219 discontinued	Men's and Misses' shirts. Two shirts with sleeve and collar variations. Views A and B are simplified versions of a square cut 18th century man's shirt. Views C and D are fantasy styles. Watch the front slit, it can be longer than most people are comfortable with. 2006.Discontinued in 2008.
4488 discontinued	Variations on renaissance festival clothing for women. Two dress styles, two skirt options, and two chemises, plus accessories. Not a bad starter set. View A seems nearly identical to the dress in #7756, with a longer sleeve. View B has a sleeve variation, and view C has a separate bodice and skirt. Discontinued in 2008.
4508 discontinued	Tudor. Sort of. View A is an attempt at a later than Tudor dress, the flounce puts it around 1600 or so. The flounce should be attached to the skirt, not the bodice, as it actually is supposed to be part of the skirt tucked up. It's also supposed to go over a wheel farthingale. The sleeves are ok, and the collar is a nice touch. My main problem with this view is that it's very poorly decorated and it should be much more elaborately made with lush fabrics and heavy trimming. Also, the skirt doesn't look full enough. The dress in view B is ok, but the hanging sleeves are wrong. The narrow sleeve and the puff is ok. The attifet (hat) isn't bad, but you should wear your hair up under it, not hanging loose. The bodice should be the same color as the rest of the dress, and you need a ruff at the neck. The second big problem I have with this pattern is that the fabric requirements are very confusing. No yardage is given for the skirt in view A, and the amounts given for the skirt in view B include sleeves and bodice lining. Discontinued in 2008.
4916 discontinued	Men's fantasy coats and vests, inspired by Victorian fashion. Except for the Doctor Detroit pimp coat, which somebody thought we needed.
4959/ 0530 discontinued	Misses' fantasy dress with or without a hood, and leggings. Cute outfit for fairies, elves, or other LARP characters.
4788 discontinued	Men's modern/ fantasy middle eastern costume. Tunic, shirt, vets, pants, jacket and accessories, with some variations. Replicates the look of modern (19th and 20th century) middle eastern clothing in a very generic sense.
5293 discontinued	Re-release of 8249/ 8715, described below.
5294 discontinued	Same as 8735, described below, in Women's sizing (18-32).
5574 discontinued	Renaissance Faire. Men's early Tudor doublet with long skirts, and later style short doublet with 'pumpkin pants'. Nicely done modern pattern adaptations. You could mess with it, but for faire use it is fine as is. The pants pattern uses wide striped fabric to imitate panes, I would suggest copying this technique, it is a good trick. Note that there is no hat or shirt included. I suggest making a shirt from another pattern to wear to keep the doublet from getting sweaty. You also need something to attach neck and wrist ruffs to.
5843 discontinued	Three gowns based on the costumes from Star Wars. More science fiction. There is a strapless corset and a long sleeved undergown that might be adaptable for fantasy LARP.
5922 discontinued	Misses Renaissance Costumes, "Evoke The Look of The Faire With A Petal Skirt and Bustier". Yet another set of Ren-Fair clothes. Blouse with trim variations, two princess cut bodices, and two skirts. Also includes a cap with veil that is not appropriate for the period it tries to portray. Note to beginners, the petal skirt is not easy.
5925 discontinued	Men's or Teen's Costume. Mixed Renaissance fantasy costumes for the guys. Gown, shirt, pants, vest, and two hats. The hats are made in felt. The shirt is actually very nice, even if it is Victorian in style. The shirt and pants are typical faire-wear for men, nice if you can get this on sale. The gown troubles me as I don't see historical examples with yokes, and it seems the body and sleeves should be fuller to make it an early Renaissance gown or houpellande.
5974 discontinued	Unisex Renaissance Accessories. Various hats, a cape, pouch, collar, and glove cuffs made with very liberal interpretations of period fashions. Uses the "F" word, (Felt) so you still have to figure out hems if you try to adapt to regular fabrics. Might make fun fantasy dress-up for the kid's play box, or a teaching pattern to introduce youngsters to sewing. Don't pay full price for this.
7274 discontinued	The Blue and The Grey. Mens and boys American Civil War "uniforms". Basic pants and jacket patterns that can be modified to look Elizabethan. Cut the pants off below the knee and gather to a band or drawstring, and cut the jacket at the waist and add tabs. Use the jacket variation that opens straight up the front.
7756/0637 discontinued	Dress in two variations, chemise (blouse), and underskirt. The blouse sleeves need to be longer, otherwise you have a nice pattern for a short chemise (which you can lengthen) and a skirt. The blouse is nice for those who like a more covered look, it does not fit 'off the shoulder' like so many others do. The overdress has darts (either draft them out or gather the front) but is okay as a greatly simplified Tudor gown (it would help to move the lacings to the back seam). It does need to have an additional yard of fabric gathered into the skirt for proper fullness. The sleeves also lack the length needed to be able to turn them back and display the rich lining. I would add about a foot to the sleeve just above the elbow. Lose the apron and the headroll. The French Hood (that thing with the veil) should be worn flat on the head not standing up like a billboard.
7761 Discontinued	Okay costume cloak, but not wide enough to close in front or keep you warm in nasty weather. You could add more yardage to make it nicer. The shirt looks okay, you might want to make the collar band to fit you instead of gaping like it does on the models. The leggings and accessories are fine for stage but may not cut it at outdoor events.
8010 discontinued	The cloak pattern is okay. The gown should be made up fuller to be worn as a chemise.
discontinued 8108	Except for the Roman armor most of these outfits can be made up using my biblical tunic instructions. Otherwise, basic tunic patterns and simple wraps for most early medieval costuming needs.
8152 discontinued	Basic t-tunic construction. All of these costumes can be made from the biblical tunic instructions I provide.
8192/0653 discontinued	View B is a lovely gown, even though it is complete stylistic fiction very loosely based on 15th century costumes. The sleeves and front lacing are Victorian romantic ideas of what medieval ladies wore. You could get away with this one if you made smooth fitted sleeves and added an overskirt onto the bodice part. As it stands, it makes a decent chemise, as shown in View C with the long sleeves. Technically, the sleeve cuffs should go all the way up to the shoulder and be attached to that bodice. As for the "angel" sleeves, I find they tend to drag into food and privies. I prefer to straighten the sleeve and use a drawstring instead of eleastic, and re-draft the sleeve so there is no lacy cuff. View A reminds me of a Victorian Gothic maid, I wouldn't even bother trying to fix this one.
8249/ 8715 discontinued	Renaissance Regalia. The bodice on this one is okay. The skirts could benefit from not being gathered on the side, but simply tucked up into the waistband and pinned as desired. Both blouses can be replaced by my chemise pattern, pulling the drawstring at the neck as tight as you want for the desired look. Otherwise, make them up with as much length as you can. The ties for the "lady's" sleeves are just silly, and can be left off entirely. 8249 is 'Womens' sizes (discontinued), 8715 is 'Misses'. Also released as 5293.
8274 discontinued	Goblins and Ghouls. Advertised as a "2 hour" pattern, offers a basic set of tunic, gown, and cloak. Also available as 8272 for children.
8275 discontinued	Tunics and robes for a biblical play, again basic tunic and wraps. Can be recreated from my tunic instructions.
8286 discontinued	Medieval Times. A variety of pieces for men and women. Notable for the jester's hood. The man's tunic and the cloak may be worth buying this one on sale. For the same money, however, you can purchase any number of better looking patterns.
8311 discontinued	A variety of pattern options here, notably the oriental kimonos for men and ladies and the "wizard" costume.
8318 discontinued	Castle Capers. This is a set of patterns for childrens' fantasy garb, including a cloak. There is a girl's gown that can be made all in the same fabric or in different ones for various effects, and a girl's headdress. For the boys, however, there is only the outerwear of cap, hood, and capelet. It might be nice to add to an existing costume collection, but won't get you far by itself.
8587 discontinued	Renaissance Peasants. The woman's costume is the basic chemise and overskirt, with a rectangle for a headscarf. Her jerkin is fairly shapeless, but if this is the look you want it may be worth your money. The man's costume uses the same basic shirt and tabard, with the addition of a simple gathered hood that looks okay but could benefit from real tailoring instead of gathers. There is a "shoe" pattern included, but like the hood you can get away with it on stage but not in the woods. The man's "leggings" are simply strips of cloth. This pattern may be worth buying if you want the coif, or cap, pattern. NOTE: this pattern runs larger than expected.
8725 discontinued	Medieval Gowns. 14th century. An attempt at making the ladies cotehardie and sideless surcote available to the masses. The pictures are gorgeous but it has been adapted to make up with modern yardages -- and boy does this one use yardage! The hems of both undergown (cotehardie) and the surcote are really too long for practical usage. On stage or outdoors they're going to be a pain. What puts me off this pattern is the way it is laid out and cut, on the square of the grain instead of using the traditional "princess seam" and bias cut. You end up assembling a lot of square panels, which are easy to sew, but which do not drape correctly for the style.
8728 discontinued	Medieval Accents. 14th century. This pattern consists of a cloak and headresses. The cloak is suitable for men or women, though the headresses are for the ladies. While the pictures look gorgeous, I have some hesitations about using this as a cloak pattern. First, it's far too long. Even for indoor use the hem will drag and get filthy. Second, it's cut weird. Simplicity gives you cutting diagrams that make reasonably good use of the fabric by not having you cut the cloak out of wedges, but out of squares. It doesn't show in the picture, but you are going to have a lot of strange seams down the back. Third, the cloak does not close in the front. It will not keep you serviceably warm outdoors. Been there, done that. The headresses are very nicely thought out to give you historical looks. The only thing I would change is to make the templers (the soda can thingies) smaller. Dig up some portraits of the time period for an idea of the proportions.
8735/0657 discontinued	Courtly Love. This one is really pretty and seems to sell fast. Be aware that the gowns make up into one-piece outfits. I suggest instead making them without the "undersleeves" and wearing them with a chemise. At the very least try to make the sleeves without the ruffles at the wrist. Gather them into a cuff band or use a drawstring at the very edge. View A has a more "fantasy" look to it, but the sleeve sections can be found in portraits of the time period. The bodices of views C and D only need to have the darts drafted out of them to make them reasonably "historical".
8855/ 0662 discontinued	Celtic. Basic set of skirt, blouse, bodice, cap and shawl for a Scottish-looking outfit. Make it in any fabric you like, the instructions do not limit you to only using plaid. Lengthen the blouse, and watch the fit of the bodice. It will probably make up lose and blocky if you don't fit it to you.
8750 / 9937 discontinued	Gothic Dream. This one is actually better than it looks, being very close to an English gown of about 1770 in cut, if not construction. A good example of how changing the fabric can completely alter your look. The separate skirt is basic and when made in a plain fabric can cover almost any period. Bodice A needs some alterations (move opening to front or back instead of under the arm, change shape of sleeve drape) to make it an acceptable historical piece. Includes pattern for a Tudor flat cap.
8881/ 0679 discontinued	Elizabethan. Wow! A farthingale! Also includes overskirt, underskirt, bumroll, neck and wrist ruffs, partlet, and a bodice with attached sleeves. Looks good, but there are many small details that have been changed to suit modern tastes: neckline, sleeves, and ruff particularly. Much of the construction uses snaps (for example to hold the ruffs and partlet in place). The bum roll is enhanced by a waistband that I've never missed. Strangely, the pattern does not include necessary head coverings for the upper-class lady it otherwise outfits.
8944 discontinued	Basic hooded robe and drawstring pants. This pattern lends itself to a variety of styles, as indicated by the photos on the envelope front. Don't be fooled by the space-opera scenes, though. This can easily become a cover-up for a middle-eastern costume, or be used as a fantasy "wizard" robe. It all depends on your fabric choice.
9058 discontinued	A very nicely done pair of 13th century gowns and hats (hennins). The sleeves should be permanently sewn in, though, and not made "detachable", and you want to lose the wrist ruffles. The term "renaissance" is a bit late to apply to this style, it's not appropriate for most Renaissance Fairs. And, sorry, but the bodice will not enhance your figure, as shown. This is a fairly flat style, ladies. Like most of these patterns,the neckline could stand to be higher by an inch or three.
9169 discontinued	The harem pants pattern might be useful. Everything else is a variation on the tunic.
9221 discontinued	"Retro Costume Collection". One simplified dress, two sleeves in imitation of the 1810-1820 period. Cut on modern lines they look nice but are nothing close to the cut of period clothing. Despite the setting they are displayed in, these are "evening" gowns. The small jacket is also a modern style and should not be worn if you are trying to portray a historical scene.
9228 discontinued	Same styling as #8735, in larger sizing.
9229 discontinued	The cloak with the hood is okay. The jester's hood is pretty interesting and might be worth the price of the pattern if that's what you want. I'm not impressed with either dress, they seem to fit badly and lack style.
9246 discontinued	It says "Renaissance" on the cover, but I'm not sure what planet it's from. Fun fantasy garb if you role-play but don't for a minute think it's historical. If you get stuck with this one, the skirt is fine, and the hat is okay. Ditch the rest.
9255 discontinued	At least they had the sense to not label this one "renaissance". Pure gothic fantasy, not suitable for SCA or Faire events. You might salvage the bodice by combining pieces #1 and #2, leaving off the center applique (#11) and the bust inset (#8), cutting the whole thing at the "natural waistline" instead of the elongated length given, and leaving it sleeveless. If that seems like a lot of work, it is, and there are better patterns.
9256 discontinued	Elizabethan Collection. Skirt, shirt, cap, bumroll and bodice with variations. Needs very little to bump it out of the 21st century and back to the 16th. Draft the darts out of the bodice, and make the peplum tabs in view A smaller by about half in length. Avoid the ruffled peplum in view B.
9531 discontinued	Renaissance Collection. Blouse and gown with two neckline and four sleeve variations. Very pretty and versatile for a fantasy Renaissance outfit, however... The neckline is too low, and the waistline seems a little high for mid 15th century. A simple adjustment would be to raise the neck so your cleavage isn't obvious, and lower the waist to about the inside bend of your elbow, which has the added benefit of putting the skirt to the floor where it belongs, not at ankle length. Unlike the illustration, gowns of the time period had their skirt and bodice made of the same fabric. You also can't go wrong by pleating more fabric into the skirt.
9533 discontinued	Renaissance Collection. A pretty and basic loose gown that would work well with costumes of the 16th and 17th centuries. Earlier period styling included a high neckline that covered the bosom, a collar, and large full sleeves. Later gowns seem to be fuller in the body, with fabric gathered across the back and under the arms and long (probably decorative) hanging sleeves. Gowns of this type were fastened at least from neck to waist when worn, frequently with decorative fastenings that might extend the length of the front opening. This pattern would also work well for a mans early 16th century overgown (a la Henry VIII) by cutting it just to knee length.
9650 discontinued	Renaissance Collection. Men's cloak, shaube (coat), and hat. Very nicely done. I would suggest a wide tapestry or velvet ribbon in place of the mesh netting trim, though. Sadly, this pattern and the one above (9633) were discontinued in 2002.
9753 discontinued	Medieval Collection. Mens fantasy costumes: a robe and hood outfit suitable (as pictured) for portrayal of Merlin the Magician, and a tunic and cape set for the part of King Arthur. Strictly costume pieces.
9758 discontinued	Medieval Collection. Womens costume gowns in two variations with a cloak and veil. The red gown is a fantasy style, but the yellow one is a decent sideless surcote pattern (and a thrifty alternative to Simplicity's other 14th century offering, using less than half the yardage of 8725)
9832 discontinued	Renaissance. Dress and cape pattern. Another one with a completely modern cut bodice and sleeves. Lovely costume, but it is entirely wrong for an Elizabethan era gown. There are so many alterations to be made that I can't list them all here. The sleeve caps are too high, the sleeve itself too tight, the cuffs should be minimised or removed. The bodice is princess-cut and needs redrafting to the period silhouette. It also needs boning or stiffening. The choice and placement of trim is generally incorrect. Further, the pattern has many steps and is not suggested for the novice. If you are attempting historical authenticity do not use this one.
9836 discontinued	Girls fantasy renaissance costumes. Chemise and bodices. If you're on a budget be aware that the chemise alone uses over FIVE YARDS of fabric! That seems like a lot of wasted material for a little girl's costume. All the outfits are very cute, but remember to add overskirts for view A and B. Follow the petticoat instructions to make an overskirt.
9929 discontinued	Ladies collection. Goodness, did they get the Tudor sleeves right this time? The label says "Renaissance" but these are late medieval and English Tudor styles. All views have a very full undergown with full sleeves, cuff variations and a round neckline that would make a nice luxury chemise. I would square the neckline for use under view C though. View A (medieval, about 1485): Leave the lace off the neck and sleeves and gather instead of dart for a more historical look. The sleeves should be narrow and straight -- compare with pattern #9058 for better version of this style. View B (Tudor, about 1550): The bodice by itself, without the shoulder rolls is a good pattern for a partlet. This standing collar was fashionable during the reign of Mary Tudor, though it is always seen on the long-waisted gowns, not with an "empire" waist. The full sleeves are not appropriate for this gown for historical use. View C (Tudor, about 1525): The sleeves look good, the gable hood looks great, and the bodice only needs to lose the front lacing and have an overskirt put on. Discontinued in 2008.

Commercial Costume Patterns

Index | Burda | McCall's | Butterick Where to buy the patterns

Simplicity

3602

3806

3812

4219

4488

4508

4916

4959/ 0530

4788

5293

5294

5574

5843

5922

5925

5974

7274

7756/0637

7761

8010

8108

8152

8192/0653

8249/ 8715

8274

8275

8286

8311

8318

8587

8725

8728

8735/0657

8855/ 0662

8750 / 9937

8881/ 0679

8944

9058

9169

9221

9228

9229

9246

9255

9256

9531

9533

9650

9753

9758

9832

9836

9929

Index | Burda | McCall's | Butterick
Where to buy the patterns