Shift
Starting your costume
The easiest part of your costume to make is the shirt (or shift, if you are a woman). In the medieval period, it would have been made of linen but, as this can be expensive, you might want to make your first shirt/shift out of sheet cotton or calico.
Sheet cotton: The advantages of this is that you can pick it up in a charity shop, any shop which sells bedding, or from fabric shops. If you make your shirt/shift out of cotton that is thick enough, you can do what medieval people did on hot days and just wear the shirt/shift – although we would recommend that men invested in some medieval braies and hose first!
Calico: This is extremely cheap material – costing around £1.00 per metre. It is usually fairly thick and durable, too.
Linen: If you want to be authentic then linen is the material to make your shirt/shift from. It is not cheap from fabric shops but can be purchased at re-enactments for £4.00 per metre
Colours: Off-white or saffron shirts/shifts were most typical.
Pattern: The following are very simple patterns that can easily be adapted for any size. To make sure your shirt/shift is right for you; men, measure your chest and the distance between your shoulder and your wrist, ladies, measure your chest, hips, and arm length. NB. Ladies should make sure the hem of the shift allows for plenty of movement – otherwise you might find it difficult to take long steps!
