o no not another newbie!

[silasraven]

cant tell you how many different forums i gotta deal with this issue. so heres the project. i want a Shakespeare style shirt with the full all around collar like you usally see. i have alot of muslin(its very hot here and its very soft) i dont have a history knowlege which is what im hopping to obtain here. what i need help with is how to get the nice looped fold you see all the time, and to know what the right materials are. is there a book i could read up on? to learn about what the clothes were made out of

[Adriana Rose]

Try putting this in the sewing threads.

[Magister]

Think this may have more luck over in the sewing section as Adriana suggested.  Moving it over there.  Hope you find the answer you are looking for.

   - Mag

[Kate XXXXXX]

Do you mean a shirt with a ruff?  Like this?



The shirt and the ruff are twp separate articles.

The best materials for making these is fine linen.  To make the ruff stand out like that you need lots of starch and LOTS of patience!   

The shirt itself is just lots of rectangular pieces and lots of felled seams.  The quickest way to get a reasonably accurate version of this type of shirt and ruff is by following these instructions: http://www.renaissancetailor.com/demos_shirt.htm

For the ruff, look here: http://www.elizabethancostume.net/ruffmake.html#easy

And the best advice on starching it:  http://www.faucet.net/costume/period/ruff4.html

I'm presuming you know how to sew...  If not, learning basic sewing and felled seams will come first.

Welcome to the madness that is historic costuming!   

[DonaCatalina]

welcome to the forums and historic sewing. Kate's advice is spot on.

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Welcome to the Forums and to Period Sewing. This is a great place to be because there is so much to learn.


Courtesy of the Renaissance Tailor. Some late 16th and early 17th Century collars.www.renaissancetailor.com





A Collar I did 2 years ago for the late Elizabethan, Stuart era. The photos from the Renaissance Tailor and instructions were most helpful.

[gem]

The link Kate posted to the Easy Elizabethan Ruff is so good, I'm going to second it here:

http://www.elizabethancostume.net/ruffmake.html#easy

It uses ribbon instead of cut yardage for the ruff, eliminating a lot of the laborious steps.

[Cilean]

#1.i want a Shakespeare style shirt with the full all around collar like you usally see. i have alot of muslin(its very hot here and its very soft) i dont have a history knowlege which is what im hopping to obtain here. what i need help with is how to get the nice looped fold you see all the time, and to know what the right materials are. is there a book i could read up on? to learn about what the clothes were made out of.

Okay the computer ate my last post!! Argh!

So here it goes again!

#1. " i want a Shakespeare style shirt with the full all around collar like you usally see."

So I don't see sorry, I need some picture evidence and I see the other gentles here trying to figure out what you want, can you show us a picture of what you mean? then we can figure out how to help you with it.  If you mean ruffs then we can help you with that, or if you mean a box pleate on the edge of the shirt/smock lapels and wrists, then we can help you with that!!!

#2. "what i need help with is how to get the nice looped fold you see all the time"

Looped fold, so I am going to say you are looking for the Ruff to the lapel and wrists. 
So here is a help on making such:
http://www.elizabethancostume.net/ruffmake.html#easy

Also? How to make a Smock and Shirt as well, since you said you were looking for that!
http://www.elizabethancostume.net/smockpat/

http://www.sempstress.org/demo/drafting-an-elizabethan-square-necked-chemise-no-math-required/

http://www.reddawn.net/costume/shirt.htm



#3.   " i dont have a history knowlege which is what im hopping to obtain here"

I can give you some reference books to help you and some sites of portraits to help you get a sense of what was worn in the Renaissance England.

Janet Arnold, especially her Period of Fashion there are 2 1500's and up and the Underclothing which came out a couple of years ago!
Tailor's Pattern Book 1589 by Juan De Alcega
The Art of Dress: Clothes Through History 1500-1914 Jane Ashelford
Costume Designer's Handbook: A Complete Guide for Amateur and Professional Costume Designers Rosemary Ingham
Tudor Tailor, you can check them out at: www.TudorTailor.com


#4.  " to know what the right materials are"

Here is a basic vocabulary on some of the terms used in Elizabethan England in regards to fashion:
http://elizabethan.org/compendium/36.html

Clothing and Sumptuary Laws Regarding Fashion:
http://www-personal.umd.umich.edu/~cfinlay/sumptuary.html

Tudor Tailor- I think you would enjoy this book which tells you about the fabrics of the English Renaissance plus some tips on what we can use today to mimic those fabrics!
www.TudorTailor.com

Histroical Information:
http://www.elizabethancostume.net/chemise.html

Portaits to gain information about:
http://www.elizabethan-portraits.com/

http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/explore/by-period/tudor.php

Basic Reference Sites:
www.RenaissanceTailor.com
http://www.elizabethancostume.net/
http://www.margospatterns.com/
www.RecostructingHistory.com
www.sempstress.org
www.modehistorique.com

So I hope this helps you out!!

Cilean
Making sure this actually goes through this time! 

[isabelladangelo]

For future reference; the OP posted this question here in the sewing forum in this thread:
http://www.renaissancefestival.com/forums/index.php?topic=16267.0

This current thread was reposted from another area of the forum. 

A lot of people answered in both or saw both but I know not everyone did based on a couple of the answers.