- Part 1: The challenger must take a written test. For those who have a true test phobia, please contact the Education Coordinator at for options.
- Part 2: The challenger must submit 10 entries as follows: 2 from each category plus 2 from any of the four categories. The grid below is provided to assist you in determining the appropriate level of diversity and breadth.
b. Garments
c. Accessories
d. Other (such as service, classes taken, etc.
See the Appendix for a complete list of the type of items that might constitute entries in each type of category.
2. Diversity:
Country/Culture |
pre-600 | 600-899 | 900-1199 | 1200-1399 | 1400-1499 | 1500-1549 | 1550-1599 | 1600-1650 |
| British Isles | ||||||||
| France/Low Countries | ||||||||
| Germanic cultures/states | ||||||||
| Iberian Peninsula (Spain/Portugal) | ||||||||
| Italian Peninsula | ||||||||
| Middle Eastern/North Africa/Nomad | ||||||||
| Scandinavia | ||||||||
| Slavic cultures/Eastern Europe/Russia | ||||||||
| Eastern Asia/some Nomad | ||||||||
| None of the above |
General articles or classes (those that cover the period from 600-1650 or more than 4 columns) are exempt from using the grid.
Service entries (such as judging, officer work, etc.) are exempt from using the grid.
- The object should demonstrate the proper color, surface design and fabric choice with explanations of substitutions. The challenger should be able to document usage within period.
- A proper silhouette should be achieved with period cut and construction.
- Fit and ability to move in the garment should be appropriate to the time period.
- Finishing techniques used in the object should be appropriate to the time period.
- Embellishment (or lack thereof) should be appropriate to the time and place of the garment.
- Photocopies of two relevant primary sources.
- Type or write a legible 2 page summary explaining your project and include list of relevant source materials.
- A costuming or textile related article of 500 words
- An annotated bibliography of at least 12 books on a specific costuming or textile subject
- A book review on a costuming or textile art book, totaling approximately 500 words in length
Teaching: teaching one-on-one to a minimum of 3 people, requires a signed letter from the students; OR teaching a class of at least one hour duration to the local level, a Guild workshop or an Ithra class, which requires a copy of the class handout.
Judging: Judging of a minimum of 8 hours at Kingdom Costumer's Contest or textile/costuming at Kingdom A&S. This may be done over multiple events.
Classes Taken: Must have taken a class on some form of textile arts (title of class, name of teacher, where and when taken required) or class handout.
Entry: Entry in a Kingdom level costume/embellishment/textile contest requires the documentation used for your entry of at least 2 pages.
Significant Time Contribution to the Guild: Requires a note from the officer or deputy you assisted describing the nature and amount of service rendered or other documentation such as the FTSO. A total of 8 hours of assisting in a Guild activity is minimum and may be done over several events.
Keep in mind that you are not required to operate in a vacuum. Feel free to discuss your work with experienced costumers. If you can't find acceptable sources even with that help, please contact the Education Officer or their deputies.
Proper cut and construction does not exclude the use of sewing machines or other modern aids, if the appearance is achieved.
Regarding proper finishing of garments, if they would have completely lined a garment, the challenger's garment should be lined. Any difference from period examples and techniques should be explained. For example, if interlining is used to achieve a period hand, the reasoning behind this should be explained. If the fabric would have been cut without any edge treatment, such as with dagging, it should be explained that the fulled nature of the wool cloth allowed this.
For items in which toxic or unobtainable materials were used in period (such as cosmetics), non-toxic or obtainable substitutions should be made. Note: we are trying to achieve the look, not the aftereffects!
He/She should display knowledge of how the color could be achieved using period dye sources. The challenger cannot justify their choice by just saying: "well, I liked it".
The fabric choice should display knowledge of proper hand, weight and finish the fabric. A discussion of the proper fiber choice should be included. Explanations for any substitutions must be given - i.e. "this gown would have been made of silk brocade but I could not afford 10 yards of silk brocade, therefore..." Please note that you do not have to use the actual type of period fabric as long as the finished piece has the proper hand, weight and finish.
For the written evaluation, a passing score will be based on which test is used. Please ask prior to taking the test. The current test requires an 80% score, but no one has yet gone below 83%.
If you have a physical impediment that can limit your ability to demonstrate fit and movement while wearing a garment, please have the garment on a person who does not have these impediments so that fit and ability to move can be properly seen. For example, if you cannot walk, have someone model your dress. If you have a lung problem that would prevent you from wearing a corset in a time where corsets are needed to achieve a proper silhouette, have someone model the corset and its dress for you.
Once something has been used as an entry, it cannot be submitted again in the Challenges.
Some examples of a time contribution are: organizing classes and a guild challenge at a particular event. This includes finding teachers and judges, coordinating the schedule with the autocrat, collecting class fees, etc.
Not everything needs to be presented for the level at a single event. In fact, it is certainly permissible to do a single entry at each event.
Helpful Definitions:
- Hand - qualities of a fabric revealed through sense of touch. Examples are soft, stiff, rough, smooth.
- Weight -the amount of body which the fabric has. While this is similar to drape, it refers to more than just the hang of the fabric. This is especially important in deciding what (if anything) to use for interlining of a garment. Examples: heavy fabric such as a canvas, medium weight such as trigger, lightweight fabric such as batiste.
- Finishing technique -method used to prevent the seams or edges from raveling or fraying. Examples are flat felled, serged, hemmed, narrow rolled and overcast.
- Finish -qualities of a fabric revealed by sight. Examples are shiny, dull, matt and crinkled.
- Drape -the hang or fall of fabric when made into a garment. Examples are the soft drape of chiffon as compared to the stiff drape of heavy canvas.
- Lining -fabric, pile fabric, or fur used to finish inside of garment. The extra layer is used for warmth, to retain shape of the outer layer, or for appearance.
- Interlining -fabric used between to lining and the outer fabric of a garment to give it shape or change the weight of the outer fabric. The lining may be optional. The fabric is against the outer fabric, with the two sewn as one piece. Also called "flatting".
Some examples of selections done by previous entrants:
- Person A: Taught General Survey of Costuming, wrote Cartridge Pleating article (which covered 12-17th C), wrote article on history of textiles from 600-1600, garment: 13th C French surcoat, garment: 12th C French bliaut, accessory: 16th C Mongol boots, accessory: 15th C Italian hair plait case, served as Costumer's Guild Librarian for 4 years, service: ran Costumer's Guild consulting table at 12th Nights 12+ hours), judged Kingdom Costumer's Guild 12th Night contest 12+ hours, won Intermediate level at Costumer's Guild Coronation Tourney Wear contest.
- Person B: Taught overview class on European hats, taught overview class on Byzantine women's clothing 400 1400, garment: 10th C Viking gown, garment: 1550 C Russian Letnik (overdress), accessory: 12th C Byzantine collar, accessory: 4th C Roman woman's headdress, accessory: 1600 Russian embroidered icon cover, took overview class on Russian costuming 600-1650, took class on goldwork embroidery, took class on hat construction methods.
If you have any unanswered questions about this level, please contact the Education Coordinator at , or their deputies.