Renaissance, Elizabethan, Medieval Costuming

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Armor, Chainmail, Clothing, Footwear, Headwear, Weapons
Middle Ages, Historical Reenactment, SCA, Renaissance Faires

Rough Timeline
Middle Ages: 500 - 1500, Renaissance: 1400 - 1600, Elizabethan Era: 1558 - 1603

GENERAL/MIXED/MISC.

Bernhard's Nadelbinden (Viking knitting technique, also known as naalbinding or nalbinding)

How To Make A Medieval Shade Pavillion - Greg Lindahl

How To Make An Elizabethan Feather Fan - Margo Anderson

Using & Working With Horn - I. Marc Carlson

ARMOR

The Armour Archive (pattern archive, getting started, techniques, tips, heraldry...)

How To Peen A Rivet - Forth Armoury

Leather Brigandine Armor - Do It Yourself Medieval & Renaissance Costuming

Or... save yourself a lot work by buying ready-made:

Library (sinking hammer, blackening armour, arming cap, leatherworking...) - The Arador Armour

The Perfect Armor Improved: Water Hardened Leather - David D. Friedman's Home Page

The Making of Wisby Plate Armor

CHAINMAIL

The Apprentice Armorer's Illustrated Handbook For Making Mail - Palmer House Brewery and Smithy

Care & Cleaning Of ChainMaille - ChainMaille Fashions

ChainMaille: The LORD Randolph Method - ChainMaille Fashions

How To Make A Coif - ChainMaille Fashions

How To Make A Hand Mandrel (for wire coils) - Forth Armoury

CLOTHING

16th Century Elizabethian Corset Reproduction - costume.sirwatson.com

16th Century Russian Coat - Genvieve.net

17th Century Stays: How To Make Them - Caroline Vincent

Articles (Italian chemise, boning with hemp cord, spiral lacing, natural dyeing...) - Festive Attyre Historical Costuming

Costume Patterns (bodice, tunic, breeches, cloak...) - Dawn's Costume Guide

Early Medieval Clothes Patterns (for men: tunic, hose, hood) - Lothene Experimental Archaeology

House Marsvin Medieval Page (scroll down: more authentic tunic, sewing for babies, making hair nets)

How To... (adjust front-lacing corset, make eyelets by hand, dye linen with plants) - How To Dress Up A Frog

Short on time? Consider ready-made items:
Mens' Vests	Wench Garb	Breeches	Ladies' Dresses

How To Make A Simple Medieval Dress - Sally Pointer

How To Make Self-Supporting Bodices - Eloise Beltz-Decker

Italian Renaissance Gown Construction

Middle Class Italian Renaissance Gown - Genvieve.net

Patterns (tunics, dresses, three-quarter cloak with hood) - Deredere

The Poulet Gauche Poster Girl: Diagrams and Tips (1550-1600 French costume) - Le Poulet Gauche

The Renaissance Tailor: Recreating 16th & 17th Century Clothing

Russian Historical Costume - Masha Gedilaghine Holl

Sempstress.org (patterns, technique, construction...)

Some Clothing Of The Middle Ages: Historical Clothing From Archaeological Finds - I. Marc Carlson

FOOTWEAR

A Simple Medieval Shoe - Christobel & Peter's Homepage

Footwear of the Middle Ages

Reproducing A Late 14th Century Shoe Using Patterns Taken From Extant Examples - Arnold Pear

Shoe Making - Birkana Homepage

HEADWEAR

The Auld Garb Monger's Free Sewing Projects (Tudor flat cap, cavalier hat)

Chaperons & How to Make Them - The Costumer's Manifesto

Hats & Headwear - I. Marc Carlson

Hoods, Chaperons & Liripipes - I. Marc Carlson

How To Make A Quick Hat/Helm - Do It Yourself Medieval & Renaissance Costuming

How To Make A Renaissance Hat (for men & women) - The Costumer's Manifesto

Italian Renaissance Hair Taping - Margo Farnsworth

Tudor Gable Headdress Illustrated: Step by Step Directions - Hope Hall For The Humanities

WEAPONS

Basic ARMA Padded Contact-Sparring Swords (see left: pole arm, axe, mace, flail...) - The Association for Renaissance Martial Arts

Build Your Own Sword Tip CAP - Knighthawk Armoury

Essays (includes many how-tos) - The Armour Archive

How To Make A Whip - MHW - Real Whips

How To Make Better Arrows - Henk Stek

Rütger's SCA Combat Archery Folio (making arrows & quiver, target, tips)