Links for the re-enactor craftsman
I have worked at Rennaisance faires since 1994, and have been continuously upgrading various parts of my outfits, as well as adding new historical periods/places to my collection. I like to make a lot of my own stuff, but I still like to get ideas by looking at other people's euipment and at period art. There are some great drawings and paintings out there in book format, but sometimes its hard to get a good idea of what things really look like. We have all watched videos and tried pausing various frames to get a good look at that baldric, sword hilt, jerkin, etc. On the web there are lots of pictures of re-enactors, but you have to do a lot of sifting to get to "useful" pictures. So here is my contribution, a list of sites with great pictures of stuff you may want to make or buy or use for inspiration, as well as some hints/tips/ideas from things I have tried.
Footwear of the Middle Ages This is a great "how to" page, and it actually extends into the rennaisance time period.
Historic Enterprises Online catalog with good pics of clothes, accessories, and weaponry.
By The Sword This online catalog has a lot of pics, mostly of weapons.
Arms and Armor Another catalog, check out the Sword Carriers, Belts, and Buckles.
The Village of Wichamstow Several different crafts have their own pages at this site.
LeatherCrafter's Corner Lots of good "how to" stuff here, including cuir bouilli.
www.costumes.org What else could I possibly add?
Here is some of the stuff I have made and patterns I have collected:
Medieval and Rennaissance sword hangers
Also, be sure to take a look at the beautiful custom scabbard made for me by Art Elwell
