The Tudor Tailor

Petticoats and kirtles were the essential foundation garments for women throughout the 16th century. Documentary evidence shows that for women who could afford both, the petticoat was worn over the smock, and the kirtle over the petticoat. Kirtles tended to be costlier because they were made from aspirational fabrics such as cloth, worsted and silk whereas petticoats were more functional with the overwhelming majority made in russet. They provide the perfect silhouette under a waistcoat, a coat (see a new pattern for one in The Tudor Tailor's online shop) or a round gown.

🪡 Tudor woman's fitted coat pattern: https://shop.tudortailor.com/products/pattern-for-tudor-womans-fitted-coat-with-skirts

There are currently several finished versions of these garments available for sale in The Tudor Tailor’s online shop: a tawny silk damask and worsted kirtle, two black worsted kirtles (which feature in 'The Queen’s Servants' and 'The Typical Tudor'), a madder red 2/2 twill cloth kirtle, and a grey russet kirtle. All were made for photoshoots or presentations. The kirtles are in a variety of different sizes and in very good condition because they are all almost brand new👇

https://shop.tudortailor.com/collections/garments

The Tudor Tailor’s pattern for a 16th century woman's kirtle and petticoat has hit 50 five-star reviews in the online shop ⭐️

The most recent customer comments say ‘Great pattern, easy to follow instructions and helpful tips!’ (13 April) and ‘Excellent pattern - goes above and beyond with instructions but also with the history behind the garment and its variations. You can tell this is an immaculately researched and created pattern that I absolutely loved’ (25 March). Previous reviews praise its usefulness for beginners: ‘Just exactly what I needed to jump into trying to make my own Tudor kirtle! Very useful😊’ and its versatility: ‘This is a marvellous pattern. I have the smaller size but needed somewhat larger for a friend. This shipped so quickly, it arrived in plenty of time’.

🪡 Buy the pattern: https://shop.tudortailor.com/products/pattern-for-tudor-womans-kirtle-and-petticoat-with-variations-tudor-tailor-exclusive (link to shop in bio)

The pattern began life in 'The Tudor Tailor' (2005) and was enhanced for publication in 'The Typical Tudor' (2022). The pattern has also had several improvements as a full-size paper pattern. It now features an instruction booklet and recommendations for colour and textile choices based on documentary research into ordinary women’s dress. There are also three styles of kirtle in children’s sizes featured in 'The Tudor Child' (2013).

The Tudor Tailor is still spring cleaning and is now emptying the attic, where many of the garments made for 'The Typical Tudor' are stored. A woman's mid-16th century coat is currently for sale in The Tudor Tailor’s online shop (link in bio) 👇

https://shop.tudortailor.com/products/finished-garment-tudor-womans-mid-century-poor-black-coat-as-featured-in-the-typical-tudor

Its shape is based in part on a pattern in an anonymous Austrian tailor’s manual from 1590, the Leonfeldner Schnittbuch. It features hand-stitched gussets at the elbows (as described above) and fastens at the front with six pairs of handmade brass hooks and eyes. The coat is made in a 2/2 twill wool and lined in the body with white brushed cotton (which mimics 16th century fustian) and in the skirt with cream coloured worsted. The 'poor black' fabric makes it very suitable for a lowly or middling woman from 1550 to 1603 and it will sit very comfortably over a kirtle or petticoat.

Finished garment - Tudor woman's mid-century 'poor black' coat as feat • Finished garment• Tudor Tailor exclusive Woman's mid-century Tudor style coat made for The Typical Tudor book and suitable for a lowly or middling woman from the 1550s to 1603 Made of 'poor black' 2/2 wool twill lined in the body with brushed cotton 'fustian' and in the skirt with cream colour...

Layers are a wise choice for changeable spring (or autumn) weather. An ideal addition to the Tudor woman’s wardrobe for this time of year is a coat. A new pattern for a fitted coat with skirts is now available from The Tudor Tailor in both smaller and larger sizes. It is roomy enough to wear over a kirtle or petticoat and close-fitting enough for a neat 16th century silhouette. The coat features on page 132 of 'The Typical Tudor', as worn by the book’s cover girl, Harlie Wilson. The comprehensive instruction booklet offers advice on cutting the garment economically and conventional textile choices such as russet.

🪡 Coat pattern: https://shop.tudortailor.com/products/pattern-for-tudor-womans-fitted-coat-with-skirts

The pattern includes sleeves with an ingenious elbow gusset based on a 16th century sleeve now at London Museum (inventory number 22446) and other examples excavated in the Netherlands (inventory numbers 17T40 and 45T19.1). One of these is featured in The Tudor Tailor’s latest book - 'Textiles in context: an analysis of archaeological textile finds from early 16th-century Groningen' (see page 90).

📕 Textiles in context: https://shop.tudortailor.com/products/textiles-in-context-an-analysis-of-archaeological-textile-finds-from-early-16th-century-groningen

Inspiration for head linens will be available at an exhibition called 'Peapods and gillyflowers' which opens on Saturday 23 May at Wollaton Hall, Nottingham. Many of the items on show illustrate how natural forms - flowers, herbs, vegetables, insects and animals - were popular motifs in late 16th and 17th century English embroideries. Forehead cloths and cap kerchers are among 14 specially selected items from the Lord Middleton collection which will be in the exhibition until Sunday 1 November 2026.

One way to get started in early modern embroidery is with The Tudor Tailor’s needlework kits. They feature red silk thread, white linen fabric and facsimile copies of 'Schole-House for the Needle: 17th century embroidery & lacemaking' (published in 1632). The book is available for purchase on its own too.

🛍️ https://shop.tudortailor.com/products/kit-for-elizabethan-needlework-a-schole-house-for-the-needle-facismile-book-silk-thread-and-white-linen-tudor-tailor-exclusive

📷 1) White satin panel dated 1600-1650 with raised embroidery in coloured silks, gold and silver threads (CTLOAN 3/18) depicting dolphins and salamanders which was probably part of a book-cover (image: Nottingham City Museums & Galleries)

📷2) White linen panel dated 1590-1620 (CTLOAN 3/35) embroidered in black silk and white linen thread with a pattern of peapods, tendrils and leaves (image: Nottingham City Museums & Galleries)

All the Easter bonnets may be back in their boxes but a well-dressed Tudor woman still needs fresh linen to wear under her hats in the coming season. New headcloths are easy ‘get going’ projects for rejuvenating the summer wardrobe.

Take a look at The Tudor Tailor’s head linen pattern for a variety of essential items including a cap kercher, a cornered kerchief, a crosscloth, and a full kerchief/kercher. Buy some bleached Tudor style white linen thread for hand sewing your new headwear - and don’t forget the beeswax to keep the thread smooth and strong.

🛍️ https://shop.tudortailor.com/products/pattern-for-tudor-woman-s-head-linen

Readymade hand-sewn coifs (known as cap kerchers in the 16th century) are also available. Teamed with a hair lacing kit (blue, green, purple or black), they provide a perfect foundation for hats or other headdresses.

🛍️ https://shop.tudortailor.com/products/hand-sewn-tudor-elizabethan-linen-cap-kercher-or-coif-tudor-tailor-exclusive

It is the season for spring cleaning and The Tudor Tailor is clearing out the basement. Liberate a reproduction garment from obscurity in storage for a lively time out in the world. Unique items featured in 'The Typical Tudor' such as his and hers cassocks (pages 110 & 158) and two versions of the striped canvas doublet so typical of ordinary men’s wardrobes (page 90) are now available to buy 👇

🛍️ https://shop.tudortailor.com/collections/garments

The striped doublet is also pictured on one of the postcards in a set of six depicting typical 16th century garments from the book.

🛍️ https://shop.tudortailor.com/products/set-of-six-typical-tudor-postcards

We will be trading at The Artisans and Reenactors Market (https://www.armarket.uk) from Friday to Sunday 13-15 March and will be taking a range of books, patterns, and haberdashery. We will also have a rail of Typical Tudor garments for sale, which means we will have slightly less stock than usual, and we won't be taking our extensive range of wool and linen fabrics. We will, however, have a selection of pre-cut end of rolls and bargains and we can bring pre-ordered fabrics (or anything else) to the market for collection so that you can save on postage. Just use this link https://shop.tudortailor.com/discount/COLLECTATARM to get to the shop or enter COLLECTATARM at the checkout.

This is a lovely take on the kirtle pattern in 'The Queen's Servants', also available as a full sized pattern in our shop.
https://shop.tudortailor.com/products/pattern-for-early-tudor-womans-kirtle-with-variations-tudor-tailor-exclusive

Last year we traded at The Stitch Festival in London. While we were there Ninya purchased a beautiful pair of left-handed fabric shears and a small pair of sewing scissors from Sheffield scissor makers Ernest Wright. They regularly feature stories about the craftspeople who use their tools - here is Ninya and The Tudor Tailor's!

The Past Master | Stories | Ernest Wright Ltd. Co-founder of The Tudor Tailor, Ninya Mikhaila, talks us through the research and skills that go into rigorously replicating 16th century dress.

Our newest book ‘Textiles in context’ has been receiving 5-star reviews and appreciation from readers.

“A great addition to my bookshelf”

“so glad they did an English version - so much interesting detail”

“A really interesting read, with a valuable source of information. Thanks for getting it translated.”

“Fascinating!”

“Even the remnants provide a wealth of information on the fabric itself, cut, construction and embellishment - for both sewn and knitted pieces”

Some find the rare silk mask on the front cover a bit creepy but as one reader said: “Don't be put off by the cover - if you can afford it, get it!”

The finds are remarkable - hundreds of textile fragments, and numerous partial garments and hats, were recovered from a section of moat in Groningen in the Netherlands that was constructed in 1575 and then used as a rubbish dump by the townspeople for 20 years before it was filled in. However, an important aspect of author Hanna’s Zimmerman’s research is how early a date in the 16th century the numerous finds represent. The deposition of the material is dated from 1577 to 1600, when Groningen’s castle moat was available to citizens as a rubbish dump. It is highly likely that much of it came into existence as clothing several decades earlier. It was thrown away as old and no longer of use having been new in the 1530s and 1540s and worn in subsequent years. The range of items from the early part of the 16th century reported in the new book is vast - including parts of doublets and bodices, stockings and hose, gloves and mittens, caps and hats, plus examples of trimmings and other embellishments, including appliqué.

You can buy your copy here https://shop.tudortailor.com/products/textiles-in-context-an-analysis-of-archaeological-textile-finds-from-early-16th-century-groningen

And, we are still offering 'The Tudor Child' book at the discounted price of £15, or £10 if it is purchased with any other product in the shop! The discount will be automatically applied when you add 'The Tudor Child' and at least one other product to your basket. https://shop.tudortailor.com/products/the-tudor-child-clothing-and-culture-1485-to-1625