Medieval Costume Patterns

Thanks to diligent artists, designers, historians and the Society for Creative Anachronism, it is very easy to obtain quality and accurate medieval costume patterns. From the peasantry to the royals, you can make whatever sort of garb suits your needs or fancy.

It is easy to find patterns for making basic medieval clothing.

There are three main options to choose from when scouting for medieval costume patterns. You can go with something from one of the main pattern companies, such as Simplicity, McCalls or Butterick. These patterns will be inexpensive and easy to work with, but, because they are commercial, they are less likely to be historically accurate. If you are making a costume for Halloween or a party, however, this can be a good and simple choice.

If you’re more interested in a truly historical costume, you can opt for costumes designed by companies that specialize in reproduction patterns, such as Folkwear (although these are best used by the most experience sewers), or patterns created by Cosplay fans or SCA members. Such patterns can usually be the best when it comes to historical accuracy.

There are those who assume period authenticity is best achieved with a design for film or stage, but since such costumes are designed to look well under certain lights, or with a certain set, and to be gotten into and out of easily, these are less likely to have a genuine feel. You are best off with the patterns created by those who love the clothing of the time.

Some amateur costumers will have patterns available for free online, but many charge a small fee. It’s worth it to get something good that you can work with. If you’re new to medieval costume, you should start with a general website that will give you a lot of information, like The Costumer’s Manifesto. In addition to patterns, there are a number of articles describing the various styles of costume, along with illustrations.

You will have to choose which century you want to represent and then choose an outfit. For women, for example, there are cotehardies, kirtles, Houppelande and Burgundian dresses, and that is just a few of the choices. Men tend to wear tunics, unless of course they are wearing armor, and the styles of tunics vary widely from region to region and era to era.

If you are a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, you probably have access to free patterns through other members in your local chapter. If you’re looking to join the SCA and want to have some clothes at the ready, or just want some good medieval patterns, go to the Chain Mail Store, which has a list of many of the SCA Merchants Row purveyors and links to their sites. A number of these, such as House of Anoria, sell both patterns and ready-to-wear garb.

For some free patterns, try Basic Medieval Patterns, which is effectively an online booklet of patterns ranging from Celtic dress to Italian Renaissance. The patterns are not very detailed, so these are best used by people who know what the finished product should look like and who are very handy with a needle.

If you want more standard, but pricier patterns, go to Patterns of Time, where you can either buy a catalog of patterns or browse online. They have a large selection of patterns for everything from stockings to cloaks and all manner of dress ranging from the 10th to 16th centuries through Europe.

For those who want to be serious about their medieval garb, either get some books or bookmark some links showing period illustrations and learn about the various styles of clothing. Soon, you will master techniques for improving the look of your garb. Be sure to use natural fabrics, such as pure wool, silk and linen. There is no point in creating a historically accurate outfit if you don’t use historically true fabrics..

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