Layer 1) White Linen Shirt - My shirt is based off the Thorsberg bog find in Germany which dates from the Roman era between the 1st and 3rd century AD. It is a long sleeved woolen garment that fit close to the body. It is constructed of simple rectangles for the body with a slightly rounded opening for the neck and has tapered rectangles forming the arms. The side seams on the body are not closed below the hips.
Under shirts & tunics remained largely unchanged as far as we know well past the 11th century, one difference is that many of the shirts up to the Viking age do not have gussets under the arm. Therefore I found this shirt to be the most compatible from references regarding the Norman male common dress. I did add a slit to the neck for ease of going over my head and I find that the look of it cinched together using a pennanular brooch under the kirtle is my preference. I also added gussets to the shirt to allow for more movement as my shoulders are very broad.
I used white linen fabric and white linen thread which I treated with natural beeswax. I drafted my own pattern based off photos and drawings of the find. I assembled the entire shirt by hand. All was created within 2011.
Layer 2) Wool Kirtle (HANDWORK: Textile Arts -Woven - Fingerloop Braiding)- There is not a tunic/kirtle known to be specific to Normans from the 11th century though there are tunics found from that time frame. There are many depictions & configurations of tunics and how they are worn within the Bayeux Tapestry.
My Kirtle is based on the Skjoldehamn Kyrtle and dates to 995-1029 CE. It is made of 4 shafted twill wool. The garment is made of one piece for the body with 4 gores added from the waist to the hem at the knee. The arms are tapered trapezoids with gores under the arm.
In the Bayeux Tapestry there are many variations to this tunic, therefore I chose what would work best for me. I prefer not to do 4 gore inserts, I only chose to do the 2 side gores. I also chose not to inset gussets under the arms since I had done that for my undershirt and find 2 separate sets of gussets to be quite bulky. The kirtle is over sized enough that I do not need to worry about room in the shoulders, therefore the gussets were left out. I chose the yolked neckline as I think it looks the cleanest and nicest. Plus as a novice, the trim lays out MUCH easier with this design.
I used white herringbone wool and red wool fabric. I used matching linen thread which I treated with natural beeswax. I added purchased wool trim to the arm bands, yolk and hemline. I also fingerloop braided my own trim for the cuffs using 50% Silk-50% Wool yarn. I drafted my own pattern based off photos and drawings of the kirtle. I assembled the entire kirtle by hand. All was created within 2011.
Layer 3) The Wool Circle Cloak - There are several finds from the 11th century regarding cloaks and the Full Circle cloak is one of many. There are references within the Bayeux Tapestry as well for both circle and square cloaks pinned at one shoulder.
I chose a lightweight wool and did not line my cloak as I prefer to have the least amount of weight on my shoulders as possible. I also do not get extremely cold at night so it is very rare that I wear a cloak at all. But on occasion I have wished I'd had one so I chose to make that my 3rd layer.
I used purple wool fabric and lavender linen thread which I treated with natural beeswax. I drafted my own pattern based off drawings and photos of various circle cloaks. I assembled the entire cloak by hand. All was created within 2011.
Layer 4) Wool Phrygian Cap - Again, this type of cap is seen in various parts of the Bayeux Tapestry. I did use a pattern which I found online (http://housebarra.com/EP/ep06/16cap.html ) which is referencing the Gaulish, Frankish and Anglo-Saxon caps. I lined the wool cap with black linen for added warmth.
I used black wool fabric, black linen fabric and purple linen thread which I treated with natural beeswax. I also used purchased wool trim that I picked up at Crown Tournament in October 2011. I assembled the entire hat by hand. All was created within 2011.
Extra Accessory: Leather Garters (HANDWORK: Leather-work - Decorative) There are references to garters used to hold up wool or linen hosen. There are also 14th century references to the Order of the Garter. There is not a lot of reference regarding the use of leather specifically, but there is much speculation that leather may have been used, although woven garters were mostly seen.
I chose to use leather, and to dye it red as I am Squired to a Knight and I wanted to pay homage to him. I normally wear a red sash to denote my Squiring, but have also felt the need to have a separate belt at times. It is more SCA tradition to have your Knight's device or badge on your belt. While I am in the process of embroidering my Knight's badge on my sash, I wanted to make my garters stand out. I added my Knight's goose (his badge) to my sword side garter and because I am a fighting member of the Conroi Bras de Fer I chose to add their banner (red & white check) to the shield side garter. Whether this was specifically done in period, we will never know but it was a personal touch I wanted to add to my accessory.
I used vegetable tanned leather from my personal stash and red dye which I treated with a commercial sealant. I drafted my own pattern based off other garters I have seen. I purchased the 11th century buckles at Gulf Wars in March 2011 ($6.00/pair) and hand decorated the tips. The garters were fully created in 2011.
COSTS: The only things I did not have in my stash were linen thread and the Wool/Silk yarn for my fingerbraid trim. I did also purchase the buckles for my garters & wool trim but these were done regardless of the challenge. I do not have the actual receipts but I can tell you the costs.
London Derry Linen Thread $1.90/spool (I have not used a complete spool, even if you combine the various colors I have used in the project as a whole but will count all 4 colors as separate spools). Total $8.21 (w/tax)
Impressions 50% Silk 50% Wool yarn - $4.49/skein Three skeins were purchased but not used completely but for calculations I will count all 3. Total $14.55 (w/tax)
Wool Trim at Calontir Trims during October Crown Tournament $1.25/yard. Approximately 10 yards used between kirtle and hat. Total $13.50
Buckles purchased at Gulf Wars - $6.00 for the pair. Total $6.00 (no tax)
Total Expenses for Challenge: $42.26
This has been a wonderful experience and quite the challenge for this Novice! I appreciate all the help, input and instruction everyone has been so helpful in giving. I wish you all the best in 2012!!!
HL Helchen the Rogue of Capua
