Historical Costuming for Children

-echo echo echo-

Well, I'm a horribly delinquent and not contributing type! I have to say, I've been taking full advantage of a couple of pins making Too Big Tunics that no longer fit the larger kids work quite well for the littler ones... and letting the littler ones wear things that are rightly too short for aunthenticity.

but look what I found!

http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/view?exhibitionId={60853040-ae7e-4162-8fa7-525505d6b633}&oid=140000829&ft=*&fe=1

And I do hope to get some sewing for children in here soon. I'm working on a campi gown pattern for my soon to be 6 yr old. I even plugged her tiny numbers into the online corset generator to entertain myself and feel like I was making more headway than I am!

ooh! there is some more!
www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/view?exhibitionId={60853040-AE7E-4162-8FA7-525505D6B633}&oid=140005429&pg=1&rpp=60&pos=47&ft=*

so I probably should report on what my children wore.

Well It was mostly fail for me. my youngest wore the green linen kirtle of usefulness that was based off that Simplicity pattern from what, a decade ago? This little dress fits from  1 to 2 year olds and I have gotten my usage out of it. Yeah I put a 3" hem in it but have never let it down.

But the 3.5 and 5.5 year old boys had grown out of clothing, so I had good intentions to make them something, but ended up doing ye old quick and dirty 1 day tunics. I posted the diagram on my blog in case anyone ever needs a 1 yard of 60" tunic pattern.

Hello all!

WELL, my kids have all been scraping by on what costuming they already have for the last year. Definitely time to kit them out with some new stuff. They all still want to play along in any costume adventure, so...

My personal nemesis is shoes, because the small horde's feet grow to fast to invest in much more than "vaguely" perioid.

Please, if anyone is still lurking about, do share finds and work, ideas and needs for help. Encouragement and Inspiration are always welcome!

http://www.sothebys.com/en/catalogues/ecatalogue.html/2012/important-old-master-paintings-n08825#/r=/en/ecat.fhtml.N08825.html+r.m=/en/ecat.lot.N08825.html/48/

BOLOGNA 1552 - 1614 ROME (LAVINIA FONTANA) PORTRAIT OF BIANCA DEGLI UTILI MASELLI, HALF LENGTH, IN AN INTERIOR, HOLDING A DOG AND SURROUNDED BY SIX OF HER CHILDREN inscribed along the upper edge: NOBILIS FAMILIA DE MASELLIS ROMANA and above the little girl center left: VERGINIA

The 5 boys are wearing the same fabric. though there are some differences in the cut and lace placement. Which is understandable since the youngest is (very probably) still in skirts!

Verginia wears a different fabric from her brothers or mother.

Have you seen the color photos of the gown of Gräfin Katharina zur Lippe as patterned by Janet Arnold in POF (3) 1560-1620?

They are on the website (hope this link works!)

If the link fails to work go to www.lippisches-landesmuseum.de/
click on museum-digital
again click on museum-digital
put in "Katharina" in the search box on the left and click suchenYou will get the dress, stockings and shoes!


While on this subject, I would like to remind you of the Met's late 16th century child's gown in the Spanish style 25.118a–c Whcih you can find patterned in Mila Davenport's book "Costume"

My son is working on his "Persona Project" (the final project of his medieval-Renaissance history unit this school year -- the joy of being a homeschooler!), which is exactly what it sounds like -- developing a detailed persona from a time period of his choice (between 1100 and 1600) using what he's learned and the research he'll be doing over the next few weeks. His persona is supposed to be a somewhat-accurate representation of who he, with his abilities/talents/etc., would have been.

He has settled on 1398 London and while his original idea was to be a page, after we talked about his talents (he was a very early reader, gifted writer, excellent memory) and his poor eyesight, we thought that it might be more likely that if his family had the resources for it, he might have been put to more scholarly pursuits.

I have a lot of adult-level resources, since this was roughly my period that last time I was deeply involved in SCA, but I think things like Fashion in the Age of the Black Prince (along with being a little early) are just going to make his eyes glaze over.

Can you recommend your favorite resources, especially online, for 14th century male clothing, especially for a) kids in that "second age of childhood" (8-14) and b) those of a scholarly pursuit.

http://www.life.com/image/56253796

I'm fairly sure we've covered the finds of medieval knitted things for children, but I ran across this wonderful photo. It not only shows lovely detail of the decoration and knitting patterns, but gives a wonderful perspective on size.

Hello all!

I am so glad I found this community-- I have a baby girl who just turned 10 months, and I had just steeled myself to the task of garbing her when I was linked here. You guys are all amazing, and I thank you so much for the treasure trove you've amassed here! It's making my life so much easier. I can't wait til I have something to contribute, too. =)

I belong to the San Diego Costumer's Guild, which means I do events in virtually every era, but Elizabethan era (at the Escondido Renfaire) is the one I spend the most time in. I am fortunate to have a husband who is willing to wear whatever I throw at him-- though recently he realized that a scholar could sit around reading all faire and be "in character", so likely he'll be sticking with that. Now I just need to start garbing the baby to match!

Again, thank you for all the inspiration-- I can't wait to get sewing!






(Also introducing myself over at hist_kid_cloths)

Hope this isn't too off-topic as it's jewellery, not the clothes themselves.

From 4-5th c. Lithuania there is a amber and glass bead necklace, and bracelet. According to the guide book Prehistoric Lithuania: Archaeology Exposition Guide published by the National Museum of Lithuania, the grave was from number 7, Zapsė burial ground, in SE Lithuania, that contained a girl. Frustratingly, it does not specify dimensions of the jewellery or pottery.
See: http://www.lad.if.vu.lt/gelezies_amzius.htm and scroll down to "Mergaitės kapo įkapės. Apyrankė, karolių apvarėlė, puodelis. IV-V a. Zapsė."


The National Historical Museum/Historiska Museet in Sweden has a little bit of information about grave Bj463, which is thought to have contained a young girl from the Viking Age. It includes a brooch, beads and a needlecase.

http://www.historiska.se/historia/jarnaldern/vikingar/barn/

and in English: http://web.archive.org/web/20061214163932/http://www.historiska.se/collections/veckansfynd/vfynd1_112004_E.html

Hope the jewellery information is useful!

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