Change your sleeves - change your look - Almain sleeves

In this series of posts I’m going to share my experience of making different types of sixteenth century sleeves,  starting with a fashion called Almain sleeves.  I made these when pattern testing for the Tudor Tailor’s forthcoming book “The Typical Tudor”, which will include full  instructions. - learn more here The Tudor Tailor

Here I’ll just give you a flavour of the construction techniques involved.

But first a bit of background……………….

Sixteenth century sleeves, both for men and for women, were often separate items, sometimes made up …

The Challenge of Creating an Elizabethan Ruff

No item of clothing more clearly signals the Elizabethan age than the ruff.  The wearers, men and women alike, hold their heads proudly above those familiar cartwheels of crisp white folds in many a portrait.

Don’t believe anyone who tells you this fashion statement came about as a means to catch the dribbles down your chin when eating dinner!  It is thought that ruffs evolved from decorated collars that adorned shifts and men’s shirts from the early 1500s onwards.