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Historical costuming tool kit, what I actually use to build period garments
12 items
By
Andrea
Ten years of buying tools, distilled to the ones that survived. Nothing here is aspirational. If it is on this list it has made multiple garments.
1
One real pair outlasts a decade of cheap ones. Fabric only, forever.
Gingher 8 inch tailor's shears
Slippery lining and long straight cuts. The blade does what shears cannot.
Olfa 45mm rotary cutter
Small mats make you move the fabric. Moving the fabric ruins the cut.
Self-healing cutting mat, 24 x 36
Curved seams need a curved surface. There is no substitute and no shortcut.
Tailor's ham and seam roll set
Steam then pressure. It is how wool seams get that flat finish you see on stage.
Hardwood tailor's clapper
Accurate marks are the difference between fitting and refitting.
Chalk marking: Chaco liner and tracing wheel
Period garments end with hand finishing whether you planned it or not.
John James hand needles, betweens
Waxed thread does not knot mid-seam. Costs nothing, saves hours.
Beeswax thread conditioner
No program at WAWAK. Stays because their thread wall beats every alternative retailer on range and price, and this list is supposed to be true.
Buttonhole twist and topstitch thread from WAWAK
The seam gauge lives in my hand more than the scissors do.
Measuring tape and seam gauge
The tool that turns flat pattern work into fitted garments. Buy the size below yours and pad.
Adjustable dress form
No affiliate program found. Stays because underpinnings make the silhouette and this is the specialist source.
Corset making supplies from CorsetMaking.com
