In our time period veils were most often made of silk gauze in the shape of an oval or, less frequently, a circle. They could be short enough to only brush the shoulder, or they could be long enough to trail on the ground. These latter were most often seen on queens and ladies of high noble rank. So often, in fact, that the church made a law restricting how long the veil of a lady could be.
For our purposes, it is easiest to start out with making a short, circular veil. You'll need a square piece of silk or cotton gauze (I would recommend against broadcloth or calico, at least, if you cannot find gauze; a plain challis or other light cotton will do) a drawing compass, and ideally a helper to keep the fabric pulled taut while you measure out your circle.
The first step is to lay the material out on a table or other flat surface. Weight it down with something (bags of rice or beans work well here) or get a convenient person to help you hold the fabric. Measure the exact center of the fabric, and center your compass there. Extend the compass as far as it will go, and carefully make a circle with it. Cut and hem. There, you're done!
There are other variations, however. If you want a semi-ovular veil, follow these steps:
1. Get yourself a 1-yard piece of cotton or silk gauze. Fold it in half and lay it flat on a table. Have someone press down on the very tips of the folded end with their fingers.
2. Measure the exact center of your rectangle. Center your compass there, and extend it all the way so that the tip of the pencil touches the corner of the fabric on the folded end.
3. Using the compass, mark a line from the corner of the fabric over to the other side, swinging your compass in an arc. This will give you what looks like a slightly flattened half circle.
4. Cut and hem. You should have a veil that is oval in shape.
If you don't have a compass, you can pick up cardboard forms in the shape of circles from a teacher's supply. Sometimes Jo Ann's or another craft store will have large circles of foam. You can pick either of these up relatively cheaply, and just trace around them onto a piece of cloth.
There are plenty of good instructions on how to make other garments online, and so perhaps this page shouldn't be here. I however have decided to post my thoughts on how to convert the basic Saint Louis Tunic pattern to be either an underdress for the bliaut or an overgown similar to those in the Maciejowski Bible and other manuscripts.
I'll assume that you've read Kass McGann's page on the tunic, (which opens in a new window when you click on it) since I'll be working off those directions. If you're a man and want a tunic, follow Kass's instructions. If you're clueless why women would need to change the pattern, you've come to the right place :) I wondered why the gores were too short the first time I made it.... Ugh.
MaterialsYou'll need the following things handy:- 3 yards of 60 inch (or 45 inch if you're quite thin) wide material - preferably a natural fiber
- Fabric marking pen or tailor's chalk
- Tape measure
- Scissors or rotary cutter... something sharp to cut the fabric
- Needles or sewing machine and matching thread
- A large flat (preferably pet hair free) surface
- These instructions
That is really all you need. You can trim the tunic if you wish using whatever materials you have handy. Contrasting bias tape is good to bind the cuffs and hems, and looks very nice. Anyway... on to the next section-
Getting StartedYou'll need the following measurements:- "A" - Back of neck to floor (shorter for undergowns... to the ankles is fine)
- "B" - Shoulder to wrist around bent elbow + 2-3 inches depending on the sleeve length you want
- "C" - Shoulder to shoulder across fully expanded back (take a deep breath and hunch your shoulders inward slightly, measure across the wide part of your back) + 2-3 inches (hold it up before cutting it to see if it looks right)
- "D" - Widest part of fist + 3 inches (pretend you're Muhammad Ali and make a fist, then measure round it.. the three inches is so you'll actually be able to get into the sleeve. If you made the sleeve a bit longer or want a later style you can flare the hand out a little with a gore... but that's more complex than most want to go)
- "E" - Belly button to where you want the gown to end.
Get a good tape measure and a friend or partner to take these measurements. Believe me, you won't be able to take them by yourself. And remember- take the time to get the measurements right. It saves a great deal of wasted fabric and anger in the end, though it truly doesn't take that much more time.
Cutting the BodyThis is where it can get complicated if you're not careful. Lay out the pieces you're going to cut on the fabric according to the "modern layout" (ie: the big square one on the right) on Kass's site. Measurement "E" isn't on there. We'll use it later. Cut out the front and back (don't worry about the neckline right now) and the squares containing the sleeves and gores. Don't cut out the sleeves themselves; you're doing a different thing with them.
Cutting the SleevesWhen I first read Kass's instructions for cutting the sleeves they had me stumped. "Fold what to *what?!* now?" I cried in dismay. So I totally ignored that bit and cut the sleeves according to this method:
1. Lay the two squares on top of each other making sure they line up perfectly (or as well as your cutting job allows)
2. Find the center of the bottom edge of the material. Mark this. Divide your "D" measurement in two and call it "F" (so if "D" was six it is now three) and measure F inches from the point you just marked as the center and make another mark. Do this on the other side of the center point.
3. From the two points you just marked measure at a 45 degree angle to the opposite corner (from right bottom to right top corner and from left bottom to left top corner) these are your sleeves. The triangles are your small gores.
4. Cut on these diagonal lines. You will have two trapezoids and four right triangles.
Now you don't have to follow this method. If Kass's sleeve method works for you go for it. Just make sure you get the trapezoids and triangles, and it will be ok. It's one of those "destination, not journey" things.
Here's the AlterationSo you're saying: "Ok, how is her pattern any different from Kass's?" Here it is in all its shining glory-
Did you notice that in Kass's pattern that the gores are only as long as the sleeves are? This is alright if you're a gorilla and your arms are longer than your legs are (or if you're only making a knee-length tunic, which is what the original St. Louis tunic was) but it's not ok for ladies who need a longer dress, and therefore longer gores. (hint: this is where measurement E comes in)
Take a piece of material and fold it lengthwise (or two pieces of equal length and width laid on top of each other if you're into symmetry... you'll see why in a moment) The width when folded can be anything you like it to be, but remeber the wider it is the more room you have to walk (or run, which is especially good if you have young children... lol) I like my folded width to be at least the length of my wrist to my elbow. The length should be "E" or a small amount longer.
Draw a line at a 45 degree angle between the lower left corner and the upper right corner. Keep it as straight as you can. Cut this.
You now have one large triangle and two smaller triangles (or four small triangles if you went the symmetry route) Sew the small triangles together on their *straight* (very very important) edges. Voila, big gores.
But What About...
The small gores? Insert those on the sides if you like. I made two more big gores and set them in on the sides for more ease (if you're doing an overdress or an underdress you plan to run in I would recommend making four big gores instead of two) and made a lovely case for my eyeglasses out of the small gores, but do whatever seems right to you. Remember the more gores you put in the wider the dress will be on the bottom, and the more fabric you will use.
Putting it all Together - GoresTo insert the gores into the gown, follow these directions:
1. Decide if you want the gores on the sides or the front. The sides are a bit harder to sew, but it gives you more overall ease. The fronts are easier to sew but it involves making another cut... and so I would avoid it if my cutting skills weren't all that good or if my gores were slightly ugly.
2. If you want the gores in the front, put one body piece on top of the other and make sure they line up perfectly. Find the exact center and mark it.
3. Make a slit "E" inches long starting at the center point you just marked.
4. Pin the gore into the slit and start sewing. It looks cleaner if you start sewing at the top and work down each side.
If you want the gores on the side or if you are double gore-ing the dress, follow the directions for sewing the tops and the sleeves before you inset the gores.Putting it all Together - The Tops and Sleeves
Turn the pieces inside out (ie: over) and do the following:
1. Lay the front piece on top of the back piece with the insides (the wrong side.. the side with all the stitching on it) facing out. Mark the center point.
2. Start sewing in from each side (try to keep it even) until a hole that you can barely get your head through is left.
3. Lay the sewn shoulder seam (what you just sewed) out flat on the floor so that the wrong side (the side with all the stitching) is facing out (you have a long rectangle now because you unfolded the body sections)
4. Take measurement "C" and divide it in half. Call it "G"
5. Measure G inches from the edge of the rectangle* on the front side. Make a mark. Do the same for the back side. (* - the outside edge; the edge where the fabric ends and your cutting surface begins)
6. Take the long end of the sleeve and set one corner on the front side mark you just made. Line up the other corner on the back side mark.
7. Sew the sleeve to the body. Repeat steps 5-7 for the other side.
Putting it all Together - The Grande Finale
You're almost done! I swear it. Just hang in there a little longer :)
If you're not double gore-ing your tunic just sew up the sides and the sleeves and you're done. If you are double gore-ing there is one last step. Just sew the slanted edge of the gore to the side of the back and the side of the front pieces, starting at the bottom of the gore and working up. This will close most of the open side. Sew from the wrist of the sleeve to where it joins the body pieces. This closes the sleeve. You should have just a few inches more to go. Sew the body pieces together from the top of the gore to where the sleeve joins the body.
