From: Gretchen Miller Date: Mon, 14 Mar 1994 19:22:31 -0500 (EST) Subject: H-Costume Digest, Volume 71, 3/14/94 The Historic Costume List Digest, Volume 71, March 14, 1994 Send items for the list to h-costume@andrew.cmu.edu (or reply to this message). Send subscription/deletion requests and inquiries to h-costume-request@andrew.cmu.edu For archives of this digest, send mail to close@lunch.asd.sgi.com Thanks and Enjoy! --------------------------------------------------------------- Topics: Corsetry Supply Sources More pattern evaluations More Biographies/Turning a hobby into a business Questions,answers, and requests re:Janet Arnold Shirts and Smocks article More on coins Answer: Computer School/Workshops Furs and Leatherwork About MANNEQUIN software Cleaning and repairing beadwork ---------------------------- Date: Fri, 11 Mar 94 14:03:01 PST From: zdlmail.ziff.com!aepler@zdlmail.ziff.com (Epler, Anita) Subject: re: Corset Materials Query >does anyone know of companies--mail-order or otherwise--that stock corset >materials (spiral steel, heavy broche, busks, etc.) and other unusual >underpinnings (like wooden hoops and the like)? Lacis in Berkeley sells busks, spiral steel, and stays. They're local to me (sort-of) but I understand they do mail-order as well. Lacis "Books & Tools for the Textile Arts, Antique Lace & Textiles" 2983 Adeline Street Berkeley, CA 94703 510/843-7178 Fax 510/843-5018 ---------------------------- Date: 12 Mar 94 00:05 GMT From: SCM.MANKER@AppleLink.Apple.COM (Nichols, Kristen) Subject: Re: RE: Pattern Eval > Has anyone else used the MM patterns? Whadja think? > - Robert Well, I tried their Tudor undergarments patterns....big mistake. The chemise was horribly small around the arm holes and it just looked dumpy all around. I am usually a small or a medium but decided to make a large...and it still didn't fit. For my next chemise I am working off of a men's shirt pattern and altering for my needs. >I also have the MM pattern for late Tudor headgear. I haven't used it yet, >but I've looked at it and been disappointed. Ditto. I was also amazed that for the gable hat they tell you to make it out of posterboard!!! Now, I usually don't have a problem using modern "conveniences" when making my costumes. (I do RenFaires and as most of us know they do not hold tightly to being historically accurate, especially in regards to costuming.) But resorting to posterboard is going to far. For those of you who do not mind a little inacuracy in your costumes I have found that plastic canvas works well when making hats. My hats take a lot of abuse so I need the foundation to be strong and plastic canvas has done the trick. Does anyone else have any little *tricks* they would mind sharing. Not just in regards to hat making but in all areas of costuming. K- ---------------------------- Date: Sun, 13 Mar 1994 9:41 pm EST (Mon, 14 Mar 94 02:41:21 UT) From: "mitchell t. schleede" Subject: new subscriber, general manager for renaissance clothing c ompany Hello everyone, I'm not sure of the procedures, if there are any, for requesting information. This is the first interest group that I am writing to via electronic mail. I will soon be travelling to Gerorgia, Wisconsin, and then back to New York state working at renaissance fairs. The company I work for produces clothing, handbags, hats and shoes, all what would seem right out of Robin Hood, yet in our belief more elegant, Robin would be jealous. I guess, what I am looking for are people with similar interests, businesses, or jobs relating to what I have explained. At our show room we have countless vendors present selling swords, jewelry, leather shoes and other related items. Our show room resembles a market place right out of King Arthur's time| Soon we will be booking weddings at our gigantic inn and lawn| If anyone is interested in more information or would like to send information about themselves and their interests in our hobby turned business feel free to do so. Thank you much for all of your time in reading and responding to this request. send to Schleede9854@fredonia.bitnet Sincerely, Mitchell T. Schleede ---------------------------- Date: Mon, 14 Mar 94 09:57:58 EST From: "Kathleen A. Moore" Subject: Janet Arnold article Title:Art Library, UofL Phone:(502)852-6741 I have an article by Janet Arnold from some years ago, dealing with Renaissance chemises and shirts, that I've unfortunately lost the citation for. Does anyone remember the year and periodical title of this article? THANKS--Kathy kamoor01@ulkyvm.louisville.edu Bridwell Art Library, 102 Schneider Hall, Belknap Campus University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292 ---------------------------- Date: Mon, 14 Mar 1994 09:37:03 -0600 (CST) From: Helen Mayo Subject: Arnold article on smocks and shirts To: h-costume@andrew.cmu.edu Since this is such a good article (then again, all of hers are) I thought I'd post this to the list. Apologies if that's inappropriate. This is probably the citation being referred to: Arnold, Janet. Elizabethan and Jacobean Smocks and Shirts. Waffen und Kostumkunde, pt. 2, 1977, pp. 89-110. I had a heck of a time getting this through interlibrary loan (and I work in a library where the ILL department's supervisor reports to me, so they were motivated to try and get this for me ;) but finally found it at the research library of the New York Public Library on the second try. Helen Mayo aka Helen of Haverhill ---------------------------- Subject: Re: new subscriber, general manager for renaissance clothing c ompany Date: Mon, 14 Mar 94 08:44:47 PST From: Walter Nelson Mitchell My name is Walter Nelson. My wife and I have turned our hobby into a business in two ways. The first is "Time Out of Mind", which is a theatrical agency where we arrange for historically oriented performers to work at theme parties, fund-raisers, as movie extras etc. We provided ballroom dancers for Geronimo, and our biggest task so far was providing 34 baroqe aristocrats (dancers, greeters, announcers, guards) for the LA Master Chorale annual benefit. The second is "Merchant Adventurers", which is a retail/mail order business which provides selected, hard to find, authentic goods to Medieval/Renaissance re-enactors. Our goods include replica coins (Elizabeth I, Charles I), numerous historical playing card decks, stockings etc. I have also produced two booklets: The "Elizabethan's Hornbook", which is a primer and quick guide to the sorts of information one needs to convincing portray an Elizabethan, and the "Merry Gamester", which is a book of Medieval and Renaissance card, dice and board games. The only items we have which are available for wholesale are the books, and perhaps some of the decks of cards. The wholesale price of the books is $6.00, the minimum order for that discount is 10 pieces. The regular retail price is $7.50. Shipping on a wholesale order is $3.00. Checks should be made out to Walter Nelson. We are located at: 7341 Etiwanda Ave Reseda CA 91335 (818) 342-3482. Cheers, Walter ---------------------------- From: Gregory Stapleton Date: Mon, 14 Mar 94 11:10:21 TZ Subject: RE: Janet Arnold article Hi, Kathy You write: | | Title:Art Library, UofL | Phone:(502)852-6741 | | I have an article by Janet Arnold from some years ago, dealing with | Renaissance chemises and shirts, that I've unfortunately lost the | citation for. Does anyone remember the year and periodical title | of this article? | | THANKS--Kathy | kamoor01@ulkyvm.louisville.edu | Bridwell Art Library, 102 Schneider Hall, Belknap Campus | University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292 | | Would it be possible for you to copy this article for me and mail it too me? I'd be more than happy to reimburse you any expense. I've been looking for something like this for my wife and I to make for summer wear. We are in the SCA and most of our garb is too heavy for summer. If you can send it too me, I'll post my address below. Thank you, Gregory Stapleton Microsoft Corp. 2199 Water Ridge Pkwy. Charlotte, NC 28217 (704) 357-1147, X. 48479 ---------------------------- From: "Aryk Nusbacher" Date: Mon, 14 Mar 1994 11:48:00 -0500 Subject: Coins I've seen great buckets of outdated coins in Arab markets in Israel. Once the currency was reformed in the late seventies and again in the early eighties; there were great piles of coins left whose value for wedding dresses, belly dancing costumes and the like was higher than their microscopic face value. For example, one Lira is one one-hundredth of an old shekel. One old shekel is one one-thousandth of a new shekel (the current legal tender). One new shekel is worth about US$.35. I'd suggest you have an Israeli send you a bag of these; but it seems to me that there are hyperinflative economies closer to home. I believe you'll find useless coin in Brazil or Argentina; and it would cost less to ship, I'm sure. And the Internet stretches out before you like a big coin-finding machine. Other useless coins include Ost-pfennigs from the DDR -- we have a bowl of them at home for use as a last-ditch weapon when the Communists invade. Cheers, Aryk Nusbacher ---------------------------- From: WALTER@tandem.physics.upenn.edu Date: Mon, 14 Mar 94 12:33 EDT Subject: Arnold article Why, yes, the copy I have reight here in my desk drawer is from "Waffen- und Kostumkunde", v. 19, nr. 1, 1977, pp. 89-110. Karen Walter walter@tandem.physics.upenn.edu ---------------------------- Date: Mon, 14 Mar 94 12:00:44 PDT From: Cindy Subject: Furs & leatherwork >> Walter & I have been having a delightful discussion on the side >> about restoring life to dried fur and leather, as well. Know >> anything about making mink, rabbit et al more pliable? I bought >> several 1950s coats, split at the shoulders, for $15. >My favorite source of furs! I have a reputation among my friends as >something of a fur-fetishist. My SCA wardrobe includes three completely >fur-lined garments (short cloak, hood with shoulder cape, and man's early >15th c. tunic) and many more with fur trim. I did a pair of fur-lined >over-sleeves for a tudor gown for a friend of mine when she was Princess. >> The intent is to cut them up & use them to trim a paletot, cape or >> any of various House of Worth visiting gowns (circa 1890-1910). >> Before I can start, I like to soften the skins a little. Will mink >> oil work, do you think? >I would advise getting some sort of professional leather conditioner -- >the sort that is intended for restoring leather jackets and such. While >Mink Oil does do some conditioning, it is primarily intended for >water-proofing, especially shoes. It tends to leave a greasy residue -- >not something you want on a fur that you're going to use with nice >fabric! Look for something that will be completely absorbed and do a test >swatch (needless to say) to get a feel for how much it will take and what >the results will be. >Have you done much work with furs before? Would you like a few tips? >(Like, if you do the cutting with a razor blade rather than scissors >you'll avoid most of the "fur dust" that can drive you crazy.) I've also >found that one of the essential parts of getting furs done right is >proper backing and padding. Look at how the garment you're getting it >from is put together to get some idea. When making strips of fur for >trim, I still use a heavy fabric lining on the strip and sew the fur onto >it using twill tape or bias tape. Not only does it give the fur more >bulk, but it makes it easier to move it from garment to garment without >damaging the fur itself by resewing it constantly. >I babble on ... for all I know you already know this stuff. >Heather Rose Jones Well, Heather, I dont. Please babble away! This fur thing is, for me, still an intent. Other than notice the padding, tidy bits of stitching and the dry areas, havent done a thing! --cin ---------------------------- From: Gregory Stapleton Date: Mon, 14 Mar 94 15:13:14 TZ Subject: RE: computer school/workshops Deborah, you write: | But I need some information on computer school/workshops in programs that | use scanners and software such as adobe photoshop or other useful programs | in the graphic arts...Please send me information on workshops so I can | start upgrading myself into this computer literate world...(I'll never | give up my drawing, painting and researching but I do need to learn how to | use the technology). | | | Thanks, | | Deborah | | dbrother@williams.edu | I can recommend several excellent magazines for a start: Image Computer Graphics World High Color Computer Artist For instruction, try: American Center for Computer Imaging and Animation Located in Raleigh, NC. 1-800-288-7442 They have classes in your areas of interest. Just call them and request a course catalog. Really nice people to work with. Yours in Service, Gregory Stapleton ---------------------------- From: Gregory Stapleton To: grm+@andrew.cmu.edu Date: Mon, 14 Mar 94 15:49:46 TZ Subject: Re: "MANNEQUIN" I have the program. What do you want to know about it? I believe the humanCAD has stopped producing it. Last I talked with my contact there (about a year ago), they were going to discontinue it. For what it does, it's a great program. Gregory ---------------------------- From: close@lunch.asd.sgi.com (Diane Barlow Close) Subject: Re: Furs and leatherwork To: cindy@ccmail.caere.com (Cindy) Date: Mon, 14 Mar 1994 13:41:39 -0800 (PST) Cc: h-costume@andrew.cmu.edu I just thought I'd throw in here, for those of you who like the look of fur but object to it being a former live animal (even if it's a very old formerly live animal, like stuff from the 20's, etc.), Donna Salyers' company produces some really excellent fake furs. They also sell fake suedes and fake leathers that are really good imitations too. You can get a catalog by calling (800) 848-4650 or writing to: Donna Salyers' Fabulous-Furs 700 Madison Avenue Covington, KY 41011 A portion of all sales benefits the Tony Fitzjohn/George Adamson African Wildlife Preservation Trust. I'm not affiliated with either group, I'm just a happy customer. Donna offers several classic fur coat patterns too. -- Diane Barlow Close close@lunch.asd.sgi.com I'm at lunch today. :-) ---------------------------- Date: 14 Mar 1994 14:35:02 U From: "Blake, Roberta" Subject: beaded dress repairing/cleaning? i just bought a late '20s beige chiffon(?) heavily beaded dress at an estate sale. after checking all the beadwork only 1 spot is in need of repair, and the beads are still on the loose thread. what's the best fix for this? how should i tie off the thread to stop the unravelling? should i cut it and try to re-sew the beads? (i've never sewn beading, but have strung beads with a beading needle.) how about cleaning the dress? i thought i might try cool water and woolite in the bath tub, and then drying it on a rack. should i try steaming it if it wrinkles? does anyone have experience with this type of thing? thanks in advance for your help, roberta ---------------------------- Date: Mon, 14 Mar 94 15:01:54 -0800 From: CJ Smith Subject: Re: beaded dress repairing/cleaning? > after checking all the beadwork only 1 spot is in need of repair, and the > beads are still on the loose thread. what's the best fix for this? how > should i tie off the thread to stop the unravelling? should i cut it and try > to re-sew the beads? (i've never sewn beading, but have strung beads with a > beading needle.) I haven't dealt with beads like this, but have dealt with old sequinning that had begun to come loose. I cut the threads and re-sewed it, because when I inspected the "broken" area it was clear that the thread was very fragile and was going to break somewhere else anyway. So you might want to inspect your dress and see how fragile the thread is. Cleaning - I have no clue. Good luck. --CJ ---------------------------- End of Volume 71 -----------------------