Eme's Compendium

I had already been researching 15th Century German when I decided I wanted to wear 15th Century German garb (working-class) at Fall Crown (2009) a week before the event.  I did not have enough time to buy the appropriate wool fabric so I "recycled" an old wool gown I made in 2005... it was one of the first things I ever sewed in the SCA.  I have not worn it much since due to weight gain, so recycling or upcycling the garment seemed the best course of action.   It is made of red wool flannel that has been felted a bit... originally it was a long sleeve gown with trim at the neck and sleeves.  The gown was made a bit short and shrank in the wash when it was placed in the dryer (don't ask) so it is a bit too short.  Here is the best picture I have of the original gown:

Here is my first attempt....

• A hemd.  The neckline cam out too wide, but was left to be fixed at a later date.
• IAn unterkleid.  It is an upcycled an old pink linen gown made into  a sleeveless unterkleid.
• A kleid. Shortened the sleeves and removed the trim of the original gown to upcycle it into a short-sleeve kleid and hiked up the kleid (as seen in period artwork) to show my unterkleid and to hide the fact that it is too short.
• A gefranse.  Green wool yarn that was braided and then knotted to make a gefranse, I just wish I could have made it thicker.
• A simple wulsthaube.  The actual "bulge-piece" was made of linen that was stuffed with normal pillow stuffing.  There was embroidery floss at the bottom to hold it into the curved shape.  An linen kerchief was tied over that to hold it into place.  Finally, a round cotton veil (I already owned it) that I folded in half was used as the steuchlein.  The wulsthaube withstood some heavy duty abuse during Children's Activities... but stayed pretty much in place.  A few adjustments here and there and I will be happy... for now.  
• Pin-on sleeves.  Burgundy wool (scrap fabric) that has been lightly felted made the pin-on sleeves.  They came out alright, but would like to make them longer next time.
• I have short hair... so I used some Yaki Hair and made braid hairpieces.

Adjustments to my first attempt to be worn at the Tournament of the Lily (2009)...

• New pin-on sleeves.  Blue wool flannel that is felted a bit (scrap fabric) made the sleeves longer and the fabric is thick - I love these sleeves.  They were alot more comfortable and warmer!
• Fixed the hemd.  The  front center and back center. of the hemd was gathered and a binding approx. n 1/2" thick around the neckline.  The changes made for a smaller neck opening that lays smoother and is more comfortable.  

Additional adjustments made to be worn at the Canton of Attillium Demo at the Fayetteville Christmas Rotary Parade (2009)...  (More pictures to follow)

• I added front and back center seams... I cut it down the middle of both an sewed the seams in.  I then used chainmail loops (out of laziness/convenience of not wanting to go to the store to buy loops and the sturdiness of the loops I used)  I attempted to follow the common lacing technique of hidden lacing loops.  It came out alright... I am not completely happy with it, but I am learning as I go. 
• I made a new steuchlein.  It was simple and similar to the one in the following artwork:  Aristotle and Phyllis, c. 1485, by The Master of the Housebook.   I went for the style seen here:  Wise and Foolish Virgins, c. 1476, Waldburg-Gebetbuch, Germany.  I did not wear my wulsthaube beneath the steuchlein this time... I am working on a hairpiece to wear in my working-class garb to wear beneath my steuchlein.  I have a theory that the noticeably smaller "bump" in the working-class and peasant garb is due to the fact that it is a steuchlein that is worn over her hair that has been braided and wound around the back of her head (see the picture that is referred to above.) The Fours Witches, c. 1497, by Albrecht Durer shows what appears to be just such a hairpiece.  The larger sized  wulst or "bump" seen in wulsthaube worn by nobility and the richer classes seem to be fad used to demonstrate wealth or extravagance.