Last minute outfit for 12yr old girl

[aoefa]

It seems I have left everything to the last minute yet again. Does anyone have a spare out fit for a 12year old girl suitable for Tewkesbury/Berkeley? It seems my boyfriends daughter is going through a growth spurt yet again, if needs be I will attempt to make something but my sewing skills are appalling! I'm happy to buy or pay in beers at a show!

[sally]

in a real emergency, the sort of tunic dress made by folding the fabric in half so the fold becomes the shoulder seam, then lie the child on it and draw round her arms and upper torso, (leave plenty of room)- then flare out to the hemline, can be made in about an hour flat. Its very simple, two seam lines plus hemming neck, hem and wrist, and with a belt and some accessories won't look horribly out of place in most medieval contexts. It won't be perfect stylewise, but it won't be glaringly odd either

eta- this page explains it better.http://www.vogthandcrafts.com/sca/ktunic1.html consider this a last minute emergency dodge though, not the ideal. Its a method that has been known to get lots of people through similar emergencies though so you won't be the only one

[aoefa]

Thanks Sally but I don't have any fabric at present. She had a brand new dress made last year which is now way to small for her accross the chest, she's gonna change size every year and can't afford new stuff each time. Perhaps we should start a page for those with kids to swap things as kids grow out of things. I'm sure I can't be the only one with this problem.

[sally]

If it fits everwhere else, can you insert a panel into the front of the dress. A triangular panel in a suitable colour would look quite smart, and you get that v shaped bodice detail on posh women's Burgundian style dresses for Tewskbury date, so it wouldnt be utterly out of style as well as being a growing-child compromise. Or, slit the front and add lacings and a placket so that her shift isnt gaping through. That will give you a few extra inches over the chest

[Maureen]

Once had to do some quick alterations to my granddaughters medieval dress - she'd dragged it out at the last minute, well, a few days before a show (having been told over and over for weeks that she needed to find it). It needed a little on both the length and the width - - so I laid it on the floor, cut it straight down the middle and added a straight panel down both front and back. After that sewed on a six inch wide strip right round the bottom.....no messing about, all straight seams, so didn't take too long to do.

[KedlestonCraig]

PMd you