You do the hem by hand. Or if you're putting lace on the edge, use a narrow
tiny zig zag that will not show unless someone has a magnifying glass. You can
even overcast a plain edge with a narrow tiny zig zag and that will look
like a rolled hem.
As for horse hair....starch the ruff instead with fabric starch [in the box
or bottle] or use wig lacquer. Or use some starch and zig zag over the right
weight fishing line [you can do this when you do the hem] to keep it buoyant.
I've never know a formal ruff that didn't need a little tacking or something
to keep the 8's neat.
Of course in Italian Renn you often see a very informal box pleated ruffle
[not really a ruff] peaking up above the doublet collar edged in some
way....narrow lace or some needle work on the edge. A tiny black edge can look
quite
fetching... especially if it has some kind of delicate picot. There's no
reason this would not also be seen in an Elizabethan setting.
_______________________________________________
h-costume mailing list
[email protected]
http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
