How to - Adapt a pattern for a high status dress

Attempting something that looks as complex as a medieval style dress can be a pretty daunting prospect, even for someone with a bit of experience in dressmaking. Fortunately, there are lots of patterns available, ranging from some very "costumey" ones made by pattern companies such as Simplicity, Butterick and McCall's, through to incredibly well researched and complex ones by the likes of Reconstructing History.

The beauty of using a pattern is that you don't have to do it exactly like the instructions say. The pattern gives you the basic shapes, and from there you can play with colours, lengths, trims and buttons until you get something uniquely your own. Using this pattern, I made a dress in heraldic colours with buttons down the front, as a good approximation of a medieval cotehardie, suitable for a Dawnish lady, a wealthy marcher Steward, or even a Highguard noble, particularly if you made it in black or black-and-white to match her Chapter's colours.

[Butterick 4827 http://butterick.mccall.com/b4827-products-6120.php?page_id=385] is a good pattern for a medieval dress that you can have a lot of fun with. Here's how I did it, with a few pointers that might save you some time, and spark off your own creativity.

Working with commercial patterns

If you've got experience using patterns, feel free to skip this bit! Here are a few things to be aware of if you're just starting out.

Pattern sizes don't match ready-to-wear If you wear a size 14, for example, in day to day clothes, don't assume that you'll cut and make a size 14 in your pattern. When you go to get your pattern, make sure you know your waist, bust and hip measurements, and buy the pattern that matches them (you usually get a range of three sizes for each pattern). When you're cutting out, use the size that matches your largest measurement.

Patterns tend to run a little big Generally they make up a little large. Part of this is the design, and part of it is that the seam allowances are usually larger than you think. Make sure you read the instructions and sew the correct distance from the edge of the pieces.

You may not be 5 ft 6, but the pattern thinks you are If you're much taller than this, I suggest adding a bit to the lenght of the skirts. If you're shorter, you can trim it off at the end.

It's not as hard as it looks Take your time, read the instructions through and take it one step at a time.

Butterick 4827

This is a princess seamed, full length dress with a small train, long straight sleeves and a scoop neck. The pattern shows it with a shaped neck facing, a faced back opening and a laced closure with eyelets.

Fabric

You will need-
3m of each of two colours of fabric. I used linen-look cotton - cheap and cheerful at £4.50 per metre.
54 small round metal buttons or thereabouts (mine cost 10p each)
1m lining fabric for the sleeves - cotton curtain lining at £4 per metre looks good

Walkthrough

Cut out your pattern pieces - 1, 2, 3 and 4 are the front, side front, side back and back of the dress, in the size that matches your measurements. Cut the sleeve piece out too.

Now, lay out your unfolded fabric, with one colour on top of the other, and pin the pattern pieces on. Ignore the cutting layout given in the pattern - it's rubbish and wasteful. Move your pieces around so you can fit them all in, and so that you waste as little fabric as possible. You can always widen or narrow the skirt parts of the pattern pieces to fit the cloth you have. Then cut your pieces of fabric out- you should end up with one set of front, side front, side back, back and a sleeve in each colour. Ignore all the other pattern pieces.