The Artemisian Costuming Challenge

This challenge was developed from The Italian Renaissance Costuming Challenge with permission of Anabella Wake and The Realm of Venus.

The Details

• Layer 1: The skin layer.  Create underclothes that someone from your selected time period would have worn. Examples include braises, drawers, smock, chemise, camacia, shift, gomlek, corsetry and so on.
• Layer 2: The main garment. Create the main garment from your selected time period. Examples include kirtle, gamurra, kosode & hakama, chausses, sarafan, bliaut, cotehardie, doublet, the toga and so on.
• Layer 3: The outer layer. Create a garment that would have been worn for warmth or formal occasions. Examples include ropa, saia, surcoat, jerkin, coat, peplos, kaftan, entari, a stola and so on.
• Layer 4: An accessory. This could be shoes, jewelry, a hat, stockings, a handkerchief, gloves, a suit of ruffs, an almoner’s purse, and so on.

All who take up the challenge will have their photos, a short bio, and a description of their proposed outfit listed on the Artemisian Costumer’s Challenge website. 

The Entrants

The Rules

1. Basic documentation will be provided by the entrant. Your documentation must explain each item in your competition ensemble. It should define:
• What each piece is called and what layer it represents
• When (time period) and where (geography) the pieces would have been worn
• The materials used for construction in period and in your ensemble
• If you drafted your own pattern or used a commercial pattern
• If you assembled the pieces by hand or by machine
• Any additional embellishments you made by hand, for example: embroidery, hand-woven fabric and/or trim, cast buttons, enameled jewelry, tumbled & polished stones, cured and/or tanned leather, embossed velvet, hand-dying, and so on.
2. ONE item of underwear and all the upper layers and one accessory must have been sewn between June 20, 2011 and December 31, 2011.
3. Accessory or embellishment items must have been created entirely during the calendar year of 2011. For example, if you began making a pair of ghillies based on a class you attended at Estrella XXVII in February of 2011, and you finished them in May of 2011, then the new shoes were created entirely in 2011 and may be used in the competition. If you began embroidering a smock in 2008 and completed it in June of 2011, the smock was not entirely created in 2011, so it may not be used.
4. You may barter with other artists and exchange goods to be used in this project. If you barter, you must document what you made and what you traded for in your documentation. Pictures of the entrant’s work must be provided. For example, milady wants milord to cast buttons for her cotehardie and milord wants a length of milady’s woven trim for his tunic. Milady must provide photographs of the trim she wove and milord must document the buttons he created. You may also exchange services for goods in the barter. For example, you are a massage therapist and your friend works in a leather store. You exchange a 1-hour massage for leather of fair market value. Include service performed and goods received in your documentation.
5. If you don't manage to finish all four required levels, you will still be in the running. However, those who attempt and or complete all four levels will end with more points than those who only attempt/complete one or two.
6. This is a challenge for individuals, not groups, therefore only items sewn independently by the by the entrant will be accepted. However, help with pattern drafting, draping, and/or fitting is allowed. Use of commercial patterns is also allowed.
7. Anyone may enter multiple outfits if they wish, however points will be allocated on a per-garment/item basis, not cumulatively.
8. Progress photos must be sent: one every 4 weeks minimum, one every week maximum. This will help to keep you all motivated and enjoying the challenge! Photos of the completed outfit to be submitted to be a minimum of three (front, back and side), or more if you wish. 
9. Receipts showing that the total expenses for this ensemble were no more than $100.00. Patterns do not count toward this total. “Fabric and/or Notion Stashes” may be used. You may also have a patron purchase materials for you; if you have a patron, your total receipts cannot exceed $200.00. The patron may not be your significant other or anyone else you share a checking account with. If your expenses are over $100, you will be penalized 1 point for every $10 over $100.
10. Points will be awarded to everyone who enters, according to the criteria. Points will be allocated as follows:
• 10 points for each layer completed.
• 10 points if EVERY layer is completed.
• 10 points for any extra layer/accessory (over and above the four required) completed.
• 5 points for any layer started/attempted but not completed.

• 10 points to the best attempt at historically accurate DESIGN
• 10 points to the best attempt at historically accurate CONSTRUCTION 
• 10 points for each inclusion of the entrant’s HANDWORK other than sewing straight seams, such as hand-made lace, buttons, embroidery, weaving, shoes, use of fur (real or faux) and so on. To receive the full 10 points, the handwork must be included in the documentation. Points will not be awarded for bartered goods. A maximum of 10 points will be allocated to each talent included in the ensemble which showcases the entrant's handwork.
  Handwork "talents" are determined by classification in the Artemisian Arts and Sciences Grand Category/Subcategory. Please inlcude this distinction in your documentation.
  • 10-point examples:
    • The entrant embroiders her drawers, her shift, her sleeves and her gown; a maximum of 10 points is allowed for the "Needlework: surface embroidery" talent demonstrated on the ensemble.
    • The entrant uses woven trim as his garters, applies a second woven pattern to his caftan; a maximum of 10 points is allowed for the "Textile Art: woven" talent demonstrated on the ensemble.
  • More than 10-point examples:
    • The entrant made a necklace and belt based on the Cheapside Horde. She enameled her own plaques and assembled them into a necklace. This could be entered as "Enameling - champleve" and "jewelry non-soldered", so the entrant has demonstrated two talents and is eligible for up to 20 points.
    • The entrant embroiders gloves which she also made and trimmed them in lace she created. This could be entered as "Needlework: Surface Embroidery", as "Costuming: Accessory" and "Lace: Bobbin Lace" where three talents are demonstrated and the entrant is eligible for up to 30 points for this accessory.
    • The entrant cards, spins and dyes her own wool, earning 10 points for "Textile Arts: Construction". She then uses the wool to weave trim, earning 10 points for "Textile Arts: Woven". If the entrant also uses this wool for embroidery, up to an additional 10 points may be earned.
• 10 points to the best attempt by a sewing NOVICE (A novice for this purpose is someone with less than three years of sewing experience).

Baroness Mistress Bianca da Ravenna