The Great Tudor Sewing Bee

A midway report to the volunteer Sovereign Stitchers noted that they had made 45 shirts and blouses, 10 trunk hose and breeches, 12 skirts, 26 corsets, 25 doublets. 12 bags, 6 belts, 6 aprons, 46 hats, and 48 bum rolls.

The tally is much higher now that they’ve moved on to costumes for the King’s court, Queen Catherine, and the richer, royal hangers-on. In all, there are 270 Tudor-style costumes to be made, although a greater number were made for the Suffragettes community production, Everything Is Possible. That, like Sovereign, was a period costume piece.

The four-month costume-making schedule for Sovereign, York Theatre Royal’s community production based on J. D. Sansom’s Tudor-set novel, started long before the actors came together for the first rehearsal.

“The planning begins with lots of research, talking to the directors about how they see the production and buying materials. We decide on a colour palette and style, then research how to achieve the look and what’s achievable for the volunteers. Some are very experienced at sewing, others less so,” explains costume designer, Hazel Fall.

At the start volunteers were asked to make a ‘bum roll’- a roll of padding tied around the hip line to hold a woman’s skirt out. Hazel and fellow wardrobe team professional, Chloe, were able to judge the volunteers’ ability. Each costume is graded for difficulty from 1 to 3 and allotted to volunteers to make depending on their experience.

People with little or no experience can start at level 1 and work their way up to level 3. Each garment comes with instructions and a step-by-step guide for volunteers to follow.

A workroom has been established in Poppleton. For half of the volunteers, it’s their first time as volunteers and this time four men have joined the usually female-dominated scheme. Volunteers come in when they are free to sew, perhaps two or three times a week, and there are group sessions too.

Some outfits from the theatre’s costume hire department are being altered, while five costumes are being hired from the Royal Shakespeare Company. These are the more elaborate outfits worn by the court “fashionistas”. Armour will also be hired not made.

The final task is a “breaking down” session when the costumes which look brand new have to be systematically ‘broken down’ and made to look lived in, as though people have been wearing them for ages.

Sovereign is being staged outdoors at King’s Manor in York from 15-30 July.