A Guide to Very Basic Costuming

[Fynwei]

Don't want to shell out $100 for a basic costume? Beginner (or not so beginner) sewer that wants to customize their LARP wardrobe? Here's the basics! Below are very basic patterns for a larp costume.

Wrap Pants - http://oakdancer.com/parenting/paganpants.htm
Basic Tunic - http://thescholarsgarret.com/northernshores/tunic1.html
Tabard - http://www.reddawn.net/costume/tabard.htm (Dawn has a lot of other great patterns, check the patterns section!)
Cloak - http://www.eg.bucknell.edu/~lwittie/sca/garb/cloak.html
Hood - http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=272745.0

An introduction to sewing and fabrics:
Let's start off with the basics. Fabric. Fabric is generally available in 40" to 45", 60", 90", or 120" wide. Almost all quilting cottons will be between 40" and 45". This information will either be on the side of the bolt of fabric, or easily procured from someone working at the store. Different fabrics will give different effects, but when just starting off, keep to fabrics you've heard of (or be prepared for unintended washer accidents, fraying, and garment shrinkage). The internet is a great resource, so if you want to know if this awesome patterned jacquard fabric you've never heard of before will work well as a tunic, check before buying it! I recommend washing the fabric once before using it, or at least cutting off a small piece and sticking it in a glass of water for an hour or two. This will tell you if the fabric dye "runs" or not, and thus tell you if it will dye all of your socks pink when you do after-event laundry. Some fabrics are not very washer friendly, so make sure to do your homework first!
Measuring. Measure twice, cut once! Measuring should not be done by yourself, it will most likely be wrong. Have someone else take your measurements for you, and make sure to write them down so you know for future needs! If using a pattern and your measurements fall in two different sizes, make the bigger one and tailor down any areas that are too big.
Tools. The tools of the trade (basic ones, anyways) are a tailor's measuring tape, pins, needles, thread, scissors, sewing machine (and all the parts that come with it) and a LARGE, CLEAN, FLAT SURFACE. The last one is really helpful for getting everything nicely organized, cut, and sewn.

 

[Connal]

If you're looking for something a little more specific in period, http://reconstructinghistory.com/ has patterns for everything from the Dark ages, to turn of the century. Even if you're not, they're good patterns from what I hear.
They recently added some period Japanese stuff, so some of you twilight elves can rejoice!

 

[Anazstaizia]

reconstructing history also has some great tutorials and information over on its "articles" section. It's usually not beginner sewing level though, and most of it is later periods, but considering Alliance doesn't really have one period and I see people wearing everything from victorian corsets to Roman-inspired tunics, period-ness isn't really an issue.

 

[Connal]

True, but it's a really good site if you want to wear something from a particular period in time.

 

[Anazstaizia]

Some less-basic but still not-too-hard projects. May involve some pattern drafting, but it is usually little more than squares and triangles.
http://www.elizabethancostume.net/custompat/index.html
Custom corset generator! Just input your measurements, and out comes a simple corset pattern, with instructions on how to sew it and yardage requirements. Good for women who need a lot of support- my very busty friends assure me that corsets not only offer better support than a bra, but they can ease lower back pain as well.

http://www.festiveattyre.com/research/chemise.html
Very basic chemise pattern and instructions. Just scale the pattern up or down for your measurements. It will require a lot of fabric, but you can't argue with the result.