A time to talk: Family trip turns fantasy to hobby

Joanne Haffly

guest columnist

Loose strands of thread covered the carpeted floor. Piles of rich cotton velvet, washed and ironed, sat in piles on the stuffed chair. A wooden table with a blue library lamp functioned as desk/cutting and sewing table.

The UPS man pulled into our driveway and Melissa scrambled out of bed, hair mussed and barefooted, to snatch the eagerly awaited corset parts. She grinned and ran back to the house.

“Wait! I need a signature!”

She stopped and pivoted on the cement steps to race back, scratch out her name and rush back into the house.

“The boning is here.”

The boys barely glanced up as Melissa and Andrea retreated into their sitting room to finish their latest sewing project, a French noblewoman’s costume.

What began eight years ago as a family trip to the Washington State Renaissance Fantasy Faire has developed into a yearlong passion for Andrea and Melissa.

Three years ago, Andrea, 20, joined as a volunteer actor in the Peasant guild. When Melissa joined as an actor a year later, the two of them focused their energies on developing their characters and increasing their wardrobes.

It was incredible to watch. Financial necessity dictated that the girls either learn to sew what they wanted or earn the money to buy someone else’s work.

Melissa went from being able to sew basic square pillows to measuring and designing bodices in one season. She carefully disassembled faded cotton duckcloth slipcovers and converted them into reversible boned bodices.

By the end of the last Renaissance Faire season, the girls had thrown themselves so completely into the project, they had been asked to work as nobility.

Melissa was voted in as Queen-in-training, to replace the current Queen when she retires during the next couple of years.

Becoming nobility entailed developing new characters. That meant new, more elaborate — and thus, more expensive — costumes were needed.

A quick price check determined that the only way the girls could afford the intricate gowns was to sew them themselves.

Gone were the simple cotton skirts, chemises and bodices of the peasants. A 16th Century noblewoman wore a shift, bloomers, stockings, shoes, boned corset, farthingale (hoop skirt), partlet, bumroll, underskirt and/or forepart, overskirt, bodice, sleeves and a hat. Not to mention jewelry.

Each gown had to be designed and drawn. The color combinations and fabric choices had to be pre-approved by the Renaissance Faire director.

Melissa spent hours calling textile companies and searching the Internet to order swatches of the perfect-colored fabric.

Since February, the girls have sewn five complete noble gown costumes. After they sewed the first two gowns, friends commissioned them to sew several more nobility gowns in time for the Daffodil Parade in early April.

A little girl tugged at her mother’s jacket.

“Mommy, look at the Princess.”

Gabrielle d’Estrees, Duchesse de Beaumont — aka, Andrea — swept down the sidewalk as the Daffodil Parade commenced, her cousins, Mademoiselle’s Jacqueline and Blanche de Guise, following close behind.

Hearing the excited exclamation, the Duchesse paused before approaching the surprised child and her delighted parents.

“Are you a princess?” She inquired, pointing at the crown and scripted word on the little girl’s pink T-shirt. “Because you look like a princess to me.”

With a final smile at the delighted girl, the Duchesse continued on, leaving a Washington Renaissance Fantasy Faire flier with the now-obligated parents.

Contact columnist Joanne Haffly at jmhaffly@yahoo.com.