How to Knot the Sides of a Long Renaissance Gypsy Skirt
Today, women attending cultural and period festivals and fairies adorn themselves in a wide array of costumes ranging from pirate wenches to Elizabethan court members. A favorite style to wear is the gypsy, which can be converted into different eras and looks, adorned with bells and feathers, or made according to actual Roumani historic dress. Though there are many types of skirts to choose from, most are left hanging loose over a series of under-skirts. Sometimes, though, the sides can be rolled, twisted and knotted. Don't be afraid to rip your fabric to look more rustic and authentic. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Gypsy style skirts
- Thin cording, rope or twine
- Safety pins
- Shears
- Decorative items (optional)
Instructions
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Choose the skirt you want to wear to your event. Finalize all the other costume items and organize them according to how they will layer and which ones go on first, next, last, etc.
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Stand before a long mirror. After dressing in all your layers, pick up the bottom of the right side of the skirt at the hem. Pull it up to tuck into the side at the hip or waist, leaving a pouf or pouch hanging off the side. Do this to the left side as well.
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Reach under the skirt and find the end you tucked in. You can either tie a short strand of twine or cording around that end and pin it off so it won't flop back out, or just secure it with pins from underneath. Do both sides the same. An alternative method is to pre-sew a couple feet of cording onto the spot that gets tucked in, then tie the cords together behind your back, using a simple bow knot or square knot. You can adjust the pouf by pulling on the cords to tighten or flatten the pouf or ease them to make it more full.
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Cut the skirt along each side to create a different look. Leave the front hanging and pouf the back or knot it by grabbing all the back fabric, pulling it to the side, then wrapping it into a loop. Pull the bottom end of the fabric through the loop and let it hang. This makes a large knot but remember you are typically wearing many layers and can play with each -- such as tying an underneath layer to the top one in a low side-knot. If the skirt has a lot of fabric you can cut strips from the waist to the hem. Tie the strips together in loose square knots or weave them together slightly then knot the end so it hangs.
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Tips & Warnings
There are many ways to tie gypsy skirts into knots. You can also take spare fabric from other skirts or cuttings and sew or tie them on to create flowing scarf-like extensions. Get creative by playing with the layers.
One great look is done by ripping rather than cutting. Shred pieces of the skirt and just let them hang or tie the bottoms into small loops, then pull a little fabric through. Experiment with knots on the sides, front and back and with the various layers.
Add adornments like bells by sewing them or pinning.
You can also create a long knotted strand much like crocheting - simply by pulling loops through one another for as long as you like -- use long thin strips of fabric or cording. Combining knotted or looped cording with knotted fabric adds texture and color to the costume. Wrap the long strand around your waist to use like a belt or around your head for a wilder gypsy look.
Refer to an actual book of knots for some simple ideas, or even complex ones to try. Costuming books for theater and film are handy for suggestions. Check out period art collections and illustrated literature.
Resources
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
