"I'm just a simple tailor"
IDEA: So who knows if I will or won't do this or when. But I like the idea. So I want to write it down before I forget it.
Yesterday, saw old ren-faire friends I knew from when I first started the local small faire scene (loooooong time ago). They've been busy with Maryland RenFair in their living history area (and Larry jousts!), so I asked them some questions on how they can keep going and do faire at our older age, without getting burned out. Long story short, they had to make it work for their needs and what makes them spark!, and it evolved into various positions and activities over time.
Paula even gave me a suggestion on doing example blackwork items to let kids try their hand at blackwork, while I continue on at court. I like that idea and want to do so at the rest of the faire events later this year with my guild.
But, sometime this afternoon, my mind got to thinking about what I would really like to do at faires, and after tossing ideas from spinning wool, dyeing, weaving, being a silk woman doing narrow wares, maybe the Queen's embroideress,... I realized that I really would like to do what it is that I do... which is to demonstrate period tailoring, fitting, and sewing techniques at faire; especially to show the kids what hand sewing is like. If I do this, it will require some lots of work in both research, and getting the stuff for the "encampment".
So the idea is to have a small shade covering (10x10 or 10x15). The front end is 8' high, the back end is 6' with nice dags on the covering all around. One table sits on one side of the space, where I sit in a decent chair behind the table and do my work, with a bench for visitors in front of the table. Behind me is another narrow table that is covered and used to both hide the ice chest and other modern stuff, and on top is a drink pitcher and a plate of munchies. Above is shelves that have hats on some holder. Across the back is a series of knobs that can hold clothing. There is NO FENCE around or in front of the "encampment" so that people are free to come in and see what I am doing and ask questions.
The other side of the area from the table has my dress form on a stand (or a periodoid looking form, as I have no idea if they even used a dress form back then). Over the course of the day, the dress form starts with wearing a smock, and slowly gets dressed in the various layers of clothing that is on the knobs behind it otherwise. This way I can show & tell the different layers of clothing a noble or wealthy person would wear, matched to the time period of the faire I am at. We don't get to do this very much at faire, and it is a question that frequently comes up. This way, when people ask, I can answer with full visuals, without having to break character or get partly disrobed.
Somewhere in front would hang my banner, and a sign that says "Apprentices Wanted: Inquire Within". I have lots of scraps of linen and wool, and figure I can use them to make up little kits to help kids learn how to hand sew a small pillow; their first pin cushion. I've got lots of stuffing, too. I may even have small blackwork kits, too. I might accept donations for the kits or just get other people's scraps.
When not teaching kids, I would work on a period project, sewing or maybe embroidery (yeah, I know... different guild), using period tools. Yeah, it is a direct takeoff from what Ninya Mikhaila and Teddy have done at Kentwell Hall. When I saw Ninya's tailor's shop in the DVD of Kentwell, I was in awe, and wondered how it could be done at small faires. This is nothing near as nice as what she did, but I don't know of anyone else who teaches tailoring at faires in my area, so why not emulate her model.
I don't know if the faire producers would go for this demo type of "guild". But they are friends that I can ask, and it would give me something to do at faire that is both enjoyable for me, would give me a shady place I can sit and not get heat stroke (especially if I wear comfy layers of merchant level clothing), I wouldn't have to do street gigs or processions, and I get to educate people, especially kids... who get to take home something they made by their own hand. And maybe a few others at faire might actually want to join me and learn period sewing/tailoring techniques. I might even host guest tailors! And at the very least, I might even get paid commissions once in awhile.
Oh, my character backstory is that my father was a tailor, my first husband was a milliner (hence why I know how to make hats), and my last husband, God rest his recently deceased soul, was also a London guild tailor. If I understand period laws, as his widow, I can continue working as a tailor until I remarry (or continue working should I marry another tailor). I just need a few good apprentices to help me until then. I might even get my son interested as he's almost of age to be an apprentice.
Yesterday, saw old ren-faire friends I knew from when I first started the local small faire scene (loooooong time ago). They've been busy with Maryland RenFair in their living history area (and Larry jousts!), so I asked them some questions on how they can keep going and do faire at our older age, without getting burned out. Long story short, they had to make it work for their needs and what makes them spark!, and it evolved into various positions and activities over time.
Paula even gave me a suggestion on doing example blackwork items to let kids try their hand at blackwork, while I continue on at court. I like that idea and want to do so at the rest of the faire events later this year with my guild.
But, sometime this afternoon, my mind got to thinking about what I would really like to do at faires, and after tossing ideas from spinning wool, dyeing, weaving, being a silk woman doing narrow wares, maybe the Queen's embroideress,... I realized that I really would like to do what it is that I do... which is to demonstrate period tailoring, fitting, and sewing techniques at faire; especially to show the kids what hand sewing is like. If I do this, it will require some lots of work in both research, and getting the stuff for the "encampment".
So the idea is to have a small shade covering (10x10 or 10x15). The front end is 8' high, the back end is 6' with nice dags on the covering all around. One table sits on one side of the space, where I sit in a decent chair behind the table and do my work, with a bench for visitors in front of the table. Behind me is another narrow table that is covered and used to both hide the ice chest and other modern stuff, and on top is a drink pitcher and a plate of munchies. Above is shelves that have hats on some holder. Across the back is a series of knobs that can hold clothing. There is NO FENCE around or in front of the "encampment" so that people are free to come in and see what I am doing and ask questions.
The other side of the area from the table has my dress form on a stand (or a periodoid looking form, as I have no idea if they even used a dress form back then). Over the course of the day, the dress form starts with wearing a smock, and slowly gets dressed in the various layers of clothing that is on the knobs behind it otherwise. This way I can show & tell the different layers of clothing a noble or wealthy person would wear, matched to the time period of the faire I am at. We don't get to do this very much at faire, and it is a question that frequently comes up. This way, when people ask, I can answer with full visuals, without having to break character or get partly disrobed.
Somewhere in front would hang my banner, and a sign that says "Apprentices Wanted: Inquire Within". I have lots of scraps of linen and wool, and figure I can use them to make up little kits to help kids learn how to hand sew a small pillow; their first pin cushion. I've got lots of stuffing, too. I may even have small blackwork kits, too. I might accept donations for the kits or just get other people's scraps.
When not teaching kids, I would work on a period project, sewing or maybe embroidery (yeah, I know... different guild), using period tools. Yeah, it is a direct takeoff from what Ninya Mikhaila and Teddy have done at Kentwell Hall. When I saw Ninya's tailor's shop in the DVD of Kentwell, I was in awe, and wondered how it could be done at small faires. This is nothing near as nice as what she did, but I don't know of anyone else who teaches tailoring at faires in my area, so why not emulate her model.
I don't know if the faire producers would go for this demo type of "guild". But they are friends that I can ask, and it would give me something to do at faire that is both enjoyable for me, would give me a shady place I can sit and not get heat stroke (especially if I wear comfy layers of merchant level clothing), I wouldn't have to do street gigs or processions, and I get to educate people, especially kids... who get to take home something they made by their own hand. And maybe a few others at faire might actually want to join me and learn period sewing/tailoring techniques. I might even host guest tailors! And at the very least, I might even get paid commissions once in awhile.
Oh, my character backstory is that my father was a tailor, my first husband was a milliner (hence why I know how to make hats), and my last husband, God rest his recently deceased soul, was also a London guild tailor. If I understand period laws, as his widow, I can continue working as a tailor until I remarry (or continue working should I marry another tailor). I just need a few good apprentices to help me until then. I might even get my son interested as he's almost of age to be an apprentice.