Fitting the Flames

So, I finally coerced my husband to stand still long enough to really build a good toile - or waste-fabric pattern. I used the corner of the fabric to pin to his braies, then pinned snuggly down the back of his leg. When I got down to the ankle, I took out my scissors and slit the fabric from the top of the maleolus (pointy part of the ankle) to the floor on either side. You have to do this, in order to pin the fabric together all the way to the floor at the heel. Then I cut around the foot, leaving about a 1/2 inch all the way around.

Now it should be mentioned that it is REALLY REALLY important to try to slide the toile off once the back seam is completely pinned. I had to loosen the pinning at the ankle repeatedly till he could slide it off. This could have been a major disaster - hosen that won't go on! Once you're sure then come on and off at will, draw the seam lines in with a pen, unpin the toile, and cut it out with whatever seam allowance you've decided on.

Next, I made him stand on a piece of paper and traced his feet, made a composite of the two, then cut out my pattern piece, adding another 1/2 inch of seam allowance - I actually gave myself a smidgen more, for error. I COULD have made pattern pieces for the triangular gussets that go on either side, but couldn't be bothered.

The toile can at this point just be laid on the fabric and cut out. Or you can make a paper pattern. I recommend the brown kraft paper available at business supply stores for wrapping packages. Cheap, durable, and easy to use. Lay the toile for the upper on the bias - you'll need the stretch. Foot and gussets are somewhat less critical. I cut the gussets on a bias and the foot on the straight grain.

I like to full my wool - in the washing machine, because I'm lazy. Hot wash, gold rinse will usually do a nice job. However, if you get distracted by a rambunctious toddler you will sometimes go from fulled to felt. Not a huge issue, just a little thicker and with a rougher finish than I intended. *sigh* On the bright side, no finish is needed on the upper edges, since it's not going to unravel. Which brings to mind another tip: Use your selvedges - one less edge to be finished off!

The solid leg was easy. I sewed up the back seam first, in a basic running stitch. I took a little backstitch occasionally for stability. That done, I went back and whipped the seam allowance down on each side. This gave me a nice, strong join. Then I sewed the triangular gussets to the foot, again with a small straight stitch. Since I didn't have much of a seam allowance this time, I whipped the edges.

Last, I pinned the foot to the upper all the way around, adjusting as necessary with the extra fabric I had cut. Then I whipped the edge of the upper to the foot piece, then turned the edge of the foot piece up and whipped it to the upper. Turn inside out and viola!

The "flaming" leg requires a bit more planning. Use the same toile, but turn it over for the other leg. The foot is cut of red wool. The upper of white wool. I cut the entire upper, then laid a piece of red wool over the top, and pinned it back on to my husband. From this point I could adjust where the flames should go, and draw them on. Then unpin the fabric from the model. (Don't stick him - it makes them surly). Next, baste the red wool onto the white. Then baste some more. Then more. Baste up each flame and in between them, but never cross the lines.

In an effort to achieve a stable applique in VERY soft wool, I cut only a little of the excess away at a time. In this case, 1/4 inch away from the flame as it was drawn. Then I turned under 1/4", and sewed it down with tiny stitches. Continue all the way around. At the bottom, moving from one flame to another will require you to slit the fabric to the stitching line. Just tack it down very well.

Once the applique is complete, turn the piece over and decide how much of the white wool you want to trim away. I removed all of the "vamp" or upper part of the foot, because I wanted Richard to be able to wear shoes comfortably. However, the red wool I used was very much softer than the white, so I did NOT cut away the fabric under the flames, since I didn't want them stretching out of shape.

Pictures soon, I hope! (No digital camera, so I have to go down and have them developed, scan them in, etc.

I did NOT add any points to these hose. I intend for him to pin them to his braies with penannular brooches like those found at Wisby. Possibly substituting safety pins if I get the entire ensemble done for 12th Night - this weekend.

Delving into the Stash

Photos of the hosen-in-progress still to come, along with shots of the cote that will go with them. I'm trying to be as authentic as I reasonable can, whilst creating a kit with a bit of a "wow" factor - mostly to go with those flames.

The cote will be cut from the same red wool as the flames on the hose. Unfortunately, I don't have quite enough for long sleeves, nor do I have quite enough buttons. So I'm going to create some "cheater" undersleeves - a set of undersleeves that tie into the armscye, giving the impression of an undertunic that isn't really there. It's also a comfort issue, since most winter events in our area are indoors. Two layers of wool would get a little warm.

I've also chosen to embroider the sleeves, hem, and collar. I used perle cotton - largely because it's cheap, its easy to work, and it makes a bold statement. This wool is much to furry to use stranded silk, or very fine wool. Heavy silk twist gets quite pricey. I took one of my favorite manuscript whitework patterns and adapted it into my embroidery. An example can be found at the Ritman Library, and is pictured above.

The undergarments are of a linen/rayon blend. I used Master Ranthulfr's instructions for creating the braies: www.randyasplund.com/browse/medieval/chausse1.html

The shirt is a simple St. Louis shirt, as drawn in Elizabeth Crowfoot's "Textiles and Clothing," one of the Museum of London books.

Yes, I know pure linen would be more correct - and likely easier to work. The blend was in my stash. In fact, at this point, let me explain the Fabric Stash to the unintiated. The stash has several components, though it can be an ever changing mass.

1. The Staple Stash - this includes those staples that you keep on hand at all times to spare yourself the aggravation of running out at 10 PM the night before the project needs to be finished. For most sewers, this includes interfacing, black thread, white thread, snaps, hooks and eyes, buttons, elastic, cotton broadcloth and muslins. The SCA stash also tends to include white linen, black wool, metal buttons, perle cotton, and a few other sundries. This is the most volatile part of the stash, and tends to have lost and not re-acquired whatever bit is needed NOW.

2. The "Waiting for Love" Stash - these are cuts of fabric that have a project they are intended for. However, they await the addition of another specific fabric needed for the project, and so accumulate over time. With enough time, these pieces can move into category 3:

3. The "What-the-hell-was-this-for?" Stash - a conglomeration of bits and pieces whose original purpose is unknown or abandoned. Frequently filled with fabric bought as a newbie, before we learn better. Often includes satins, panne' velvets, and poly blends of heat-stroke inducing natures. Most of this will end up in a silent auction of "generously gifted" to some unsuspecting newbie - to enter their stash.

4. The "I'll Find a Use for it Someday" Stash - this has two subsets. The first is fabric bought so cheaply, it gets free room and board until it finds a purpose in life. The second is fabric so lovely that it can stick around until an outfit is created around it. The most exquisite pieces in subsection 2 have a tendency to become so worshipped that they never leave the stash at all.

While my husband cannot identify the specific section to which stash items belong, he has the sense to steer clear of anything that is not OBVIOUSLY being retained for use in fighting kit.

Now... off to sort through the stash in search of something to line another garment with.... where was that red broadcloth, anyway?

In The Beginning....

Like most people who are involved with medieval reenactment - in my case, the SCA - I started out with some very basic outfits pieced together as best I could. Not due to deficiencies in my sewing skills so much as a lack of understanding of the differences in modern dressmaking techniques as compared to historical sewing. But I'm getting better with each outfit I make - even if I AM still on the nosebleed segment of the learning curve.

I'm a sponge, by nature, and belong to more e-mail lists than is really good for me. One of them specializes in 14th century culture, and so it was on that list that the recent on-line availability of the Lacelot du Lac manuscript was announced. I filed away the information, intending to pull it out someday when I was in the mood. Until the discussion turned toward a pair of "flaming hose." Hmmmmm. I pulled up the image in question.

It didn't take me long to decide that THIS would be my next project. My poor, beleagured husband (AKA The 14th Century Dress-Up Doll) would be suitable tricked out by 12th Night.

For my pattern, I chose to use the instructions in "The Medieval Tailor's Assitant" by Sarah Thursfield.

Note: If you don't have this book, and you are at all interested in mid-medieval period costuming, I suggest you start searching for a copy. Word has it that the volume is out of print, and unavailable from the publisher. I'd consider it a must-have, not because the patterns are perfect, but because it's a darned good jumping-off point.

I rumaged through my stash and found a little white wool, and some navy. Not enough of either to manage a pair of hosen. But hey, a little parti-color never hurt anybody. All of the wool was fulled in the washing machine. At this point, being the mother of a toddler made life a little difficult. Whilst entertaining my daughter, the white wool went past fulled to downright felt - which I probably could have avoided had I been paying attention.

To this, I added some red wool blend fabric that had a very soft hand, and unfortunately didn't full very well.

My fabric prepared, I made a toile of the hosen from some cheap fabric. I can't stress enough how important it is to pin up the toile, then try to slip it off. I had to loosen the pinning in the ankle considerably to allow my husband to get them off. I sewed up the toile, checked it for fit again, then drew in all the seamlines and cut it apart. A pattern was born. Unfortunately, pictures of the process didn't come out so well.

Next I'll try to get pictures of the flames appliqued to the hosen.