Sourcing fabrics

We are living in a material world, and I am a material girl

I’m currently up to my elbows in cosplay projects. It’s an exciting and messy tornado of creation and I love it. The main thing I’m working on is my garb for Hynafol. I’m building out my wardrobe in stages over the next few months but the first chunk of it will be ready in a couple weeks to test out at Sherwood Forest Faire. Both events take place in a medieval setting, so I’m looking forward to expanding my garb collection into a new time period.

When it comes to our creations, I would say we hit about a 60/40 split for historical accuracy. We aren’t looking for SCA approval on our designs, but we want to fit the overall theme of the events we’re attending. We tend to focus more on silhouettes and give ourselves flexibility to work with non-period accurate fabrics and trims.

 Take my Cruella de Vil cosplay as an example. Between the hair and spots, no one is gonna look at this and mistake it for a period accurate recreation. On the other hand, if Cruella found herself in Elizabethan England, she would definitely rock something like this. 

We’re tackling our Hynafol garb with a similar mindset, but since it’s a multi-day event, versatility and breathability is the name of the game. November in Texas can run the gauntlet of weather in Texas. Anything from highs in the 90s to lows in the 20s are equally possible. With this in mind, Stephanie and I decided that natural fabrics and layers would be the way to go. If it’s warm, a simple linen dress will keep us from getting too hot. If the temperatures dip, we can layer up and find a campfire.

Now, where to get the fabric?  Austin doesn’t have a great fabric store selection. At one point we had a couple Hancock Fabrics, but those were long gone by the time Stephanie and I were really into cosplay. I have major envy of people living in New York or Los Angeles who can wander through a whole district of fabric stores in search of the perfect material. Buying fabric online is always an option, but it can be hit or miss. And having never worked with linen, I wanted to see some options in person so I could see how it drapes and moves.

What’s the answer to this dilemma? A day trip to San Antonio! We took a drive down I35 to visit Fabrictopia and wandered the rooms of their fabric warehouse. It wasn’t the biggest selection, but they did have a little of everything. And it’s miles ahead of the fabric section at Joann.

I was lucky enough to find a bolt of linen in navy blue. At $6 a yard, it was significantly less than what I had been seeing online. The only problem was that it was a yard short of what the pattern required. If you follow us on TikTok or Instagram, you already know that I’m a champion level Pattern Tetris player. I have a bad habit of underestimating how much fabric I need for a project and having to get creative with how I lay out my pattern. It’s also been my experience that patterns overestimate how much fabric they need, so I figured I had a little bit of wiggle room. I snatched the bolt up. Worst case scenario, Hynafol is a week-long event, and I could use this fabric to make a tunic and some other pieces of garb. Either way, it wasn’t going to go to waste.

As soon as I got home, I started laying out my pattern pieces to see how everything was going to come together. Spoiler alert, I had more than enough fabric to work with. So non-existent crisis averted.

One thing I can say about medieval garb, it comes together much quicker than a renaissance court gown. Cutting and sewing it all together only took a couple hours. It’s a simple base, but I’m planning to dress it up with some trim and accessories. In fact, I’ll be tackling some embroidery next. Wish me luck on that, I have a feeling it’s going to eat up any spare time I have in the next couple weeks.