How to Sew a Viking Linen Tunic
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- čas přidán 30. 07. 2024
- Join me in sewing a linen Viking or medieval tunic to replace my old one, which is full of holes and stains from a decade of reenactment and vile behaviour.
This is one of the simplest types of medieval tunic, and is really versatile for the 8th to 12th centuries. You can even get away with it for late Roman or 13th/14th century if you have to!
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Music: Overture to Rossini's "The Barber of Seville", performed by the New York Philarmonic Symphony.
My measurements:
Tunic piece: 42" x 82" long.
Sleeves: 16" x 21" long, tapering to 10" diameter at the wrists
Neck: 10" with a 2" slit.
Side gores: 18" at the base, running 24" tall
Underarm gussets: 4" square
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Gussets also served a practical purpose beyond comfort. When sweat rotted the underarm, you just replaced them. Your tunic lasted longer before antiperspirants.
Wait, that makes so much sense! Consider my mind thoroughly blown.
Sweat rotting out the underarm? I really am not buying that.
If it’s staying damp enough long enough to rot surely your underarm would be rotting too?
@@winterroadspokenword4681 A lot of people have misconceptions about perspiration. An obvious one is that if you don't wear antiperspirant/deodorant that you'll stink. I don't and I don't stink. Why? Because I eat a healthy diet and take a magnesium and zinc supplement (soils in my country are essential mineral deficient making it impossible to get adequate amounts through diet alone). Ancient peoples ate nutrient dense and species appropriate whole foods without fillers, additives and other crap.
In this instance, the underarm gusset would wear out because underarms are a spot with near constant rubbing and friction, not because a perfectly normal body function 'rots' it.
Rotting gussets. You might get demonetised....
@winterroadspokenword4681 it's the chemicals in the sweat that does the trick, not the dampness. Think teenage boys P.E kit which hasn't seen a washing for half a term...😢
Hand sewing on the floor in your dressing gown is a mood, and I feel it. Hopefully your new tunic will get to see some action at some point soon!
Gilbert Dolthalion Me too! 😭
Hand sewing on the floor is fraught with danger. When you pick your item of clothing up to move to a new seam and find you've sewn it to the carpet. Yes i have done that ... and sewn an item of clothing to the couch as well. Ah well, no harm done.
I like to sew while laying down in my bed fairly often myself. It's my go-to I-can't-sit-up-or-function-today activity. I've got a little sewing box that's always stocked with my active project tools so I can just plop that on my bed and lay back and sew without worrying about where all my sharp objects are in relation to my body.
In the words of the amazing Rachel, Jimmy is a “floor troll”! Love it!
I still remember in pre internet days when I stumbled upon a book with medieval clothing diagrams. I was so excited about how simple the construction was. It was mostly just really logical and basic shapes. I made my boys (2 and 4 at the time) sweaters based on the shapes I saw in the book.
What was the book if you dont mind telling ?
"Piecing is period, but piecing is a pain in the bum" YES
Thank you for your honesty 😆
oh my gosh you sitting on the floor handsewing in your hooded star robe is everything
After finding out that Viking helmets didn’t in fact have horns my 9 year old wanted a realistic costume for Viking day next week. So I found you, tunic now made (thanks for the tutorial) but sticking around as your content is really I interesting. Now to tackle the trousers. 😊
I love the handsewing and I find it really relaxing. The hardest thing about historical costuming in Ireland though is finding good linen and wool that is from here, or somewhere nearby. I’m on the verge of weaving my own just to make some medieval costumes 😂
I'm surprised to hear linen fabric is difficult to find in Ireland of all places! I always thought Ireland had a robust linen industry that dated back centuries.
Wool is quite an issue in the US. I'm tempted to take up weaving as well.
I've found some in the Midlands of England but £26 a meter is not a cheap purchase, especially when you need to make an ankle length women's kyrtle as well as a man's for combat.
I've just watched this (6/24) and called my hubby to see when he would be home so I could measure him up to make him a tunic too. Haha! So thank you for the inspiration and instruction! Cheers!
This is wonderful! I’m so glad! Please do update us on the results!
How is it going?
Hurrah for more dudes sewin! Thoroughly entertained and educated by your videos so far - keep em coming;)
I just enjoy watching sewing tutorials and I love history. A linen shift would make a nice night gown, though! (Currently I’ve been learning to sew by making masks and little circle skirts for my granddaughter. Lol)
Thanks for the drawings at the beginning! I’ve never put in a gusset!
Masks are becoming a staple garment to learn!
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Dawn, thank you. I’ll do a step-by-step at some point soon. They’re very simple things. Just measure (at least) twice, pin them in place and sew ‘em up!
Linen shifts/chemises/smocks depending on time and place make amazing nightgowns! If you can sew a mask you can 100% sew one and I hope you give it a try
I completely agree about the neck hole, it's really easy to make it too big so for my second I did it alot more carefully.
Thanks for another enjoyable video ^^
Kristin Pedersen Thank you! Yeah, it’s so easy to have a massive hole all of a sudden
My son wants a viking outfit for his birthday... It may not be as authentic as I would like (given that he will likely grow out of it in a year!) but your videos are so helpful! Thank you!
It's 8 months old but this video shall be very helpful in my attempt at a 13th to maybe early 14th century farmer type person who does work things with farm tools and, farming stuff
I came across this video while trying to find a tutorial for hand sewing a tunic for a costume and I love it! Great video, simple to follow and good advice.
You really made me smile...especially wearing that dressing gown...with matching santa slippers... must admit that I wasn't paying much attention first time at first (being busy knitting at the same time) and my brain fogged non native speaking brain was wondering how you get the lenght of your garment while doubling the measure from your shoulder to chin...wait, that is the width, and a rather uncommon way to measure it ... so glad you wrote it down to illustrate it... 😁
Great video! I'm working on a medieval shift right now (as per Morgan Donner's instructions), and it's fun to sew along while I watch. Also, I too have aggressive bumblebees, lol. Mine like to bounce into the window and fly away...
Thanks for the little extra education about the neck opening. I'm new to making re-enactment type of clothing. Good to know those little details to make it closer to the real thing.
Jimmy - thanks for this -it was a big help.
Long boring seams seem even more boring at 2:30 in the morning.
Thank you! I thought that historical undergarments were the most difficult item to pattern and to sew. Until Now! Simple and clear instructions and very much appreciated. 👌
Your patterning method is nice and streamlined. I love how that are so many different ways to get the pieces and then put them together to essentially make the same garment! I also hold to the theory that most things are just variations of the t-tunic shape. I love Migration Period caftans/jackets, tunic gowns, etc. I love making the kind of clothes that would have been fashionable at Herot.
Made no mention of waxing the thread - helps it slide easier, prevents twisting/knotting, keeps the thread from wearing while sewing. Also, no mention of flat-felling seams - important especially with linen, unless that's what you meant about "finishing the seams".Adding a small triangular reinforcement at the bottom of the neck slit might save it from ripping OR doing some extra needle work - like a buttonhole stitch at the bottom of the slit. It might also be a good idea to add an extra reinforcing piece at the front neck that matches the shape pf the front of the collar and neck slit. Also, it is good to start sewing the sleeves on at the very top and down each side (front and back). If the cloth is wide enough, using the selvedge for one side of the tunic will save on that side's flat-felling, unless you want to.
Hi! Correct, no mention is made of waxing or flat felling, both of which I used in sewing the piece. I did also use the selvedge to save on work.
Unfortunately, as the piece is based on remains and depictions from the period, I have no evidence of the extra reinforcement piecing you suggest, but for later periods these would be useful, yes.
The video is a basic beginner’s video, rather than an in-depth process video, so isn’t intended to provide a forensic blow by blow. There are many other steps to sewing a tunic that have a part to play, but as a humorous introduction to the process, I hope this encourages people to jump in.
@@TheWelshViking the third sentence in this response sounds like the response of an archeologist lol. And the video was really inspiring, i just bought the materials to start one.
So happy to find your Chanel , I just started making myself a tunic , and your bit was quite helpful. Can’t wait to watch more, thank you.
thank you for the notes on felling the interior seams and why/how the neck slit is cut! i've watched a few "watch me sew" viking videos and you are the only who has mentioned these issues! very helpful tips for my viking apron dress and shift i'll be making for the Ren faire.
So glad to come back to this video... the boy has grown and needs another tunic for a Viking Festival tomorrow. Lots of well-wishing to you and yours xx
Love your videos, you deserve way more exposure!
I really enjoy your channel. This video was extremely helpful for me as I have been putting off making tunics for my 7 year olds because I wasn't sure how to fit the neckline that you so excellently demonstrated. Thank you.
And add to it that children have huge heads compared with their bodies!
When I made tunics for my kids I struggled a lot. My solution was to use a tablespoon to allow a slightly larger head hole without making a longer slit. I got a little pushback on this, but they were kids. Their tunics didn't fit the next year so I did what worked for us.
A Mediaeval shift is on my list of things to make.
Me too, like starting next week soon.
Thank you for this!! This will be my first complete garment I made!! It's for a Snow White costume as more of a (less accurate) medieval knight. This video made the task much less daunting!
This is actually very useful. I always get intimidated by historical clothing patterns because they look complicated. I may give this one a shot since I've wanted a basic tunic for costumes and such. Thanks!
Procrastinating on finishing seams is a typical reenactor behavior lol. Finishing the bottom hem of a skirt takes FOREVER 😅
When I first started, I made my self the rule that everything above the bellybutton had to be handfinished, at it can be easily seen when talking to someone
The rest? (mainly the whole botten hem)
Na, I'm not that crazy...
Well, now I do everything by hand, because standards and what not. But sometimes it's just pure torture. Why didn't they have overlocks back then :(
Wow looks nice and simple, great job man, really enjoyed the video
Great video Jimmy!
From someone who has been doing reenactment for years, but ONLY JUST started making his own stuff, this video was a huge basic-help!
1st time here and I enjoyed it so now off to watch the rest of your videos and I already have subscribed .
Margaret Myres That is very kind of you, thank you! I hope my videos do your subscription justice :)
Great video and I love the tunic - well done! If I might make a suggestion though, try a running backstitch on your side seams and underside of the arms and you'll save a ton of time without sacrificing strength. It's about 5-10 running stitches followed by a backstitch. With the exception of a shoulder seam or around the arm holes, you don't need much more reinforcing than this - most types for finish will also help to strengthen the seam anyway.
You're an absolute gem to watch. Keep it up sir!
I believe you mean absolute “Jim” to watch 😂
@@campkilljoy0311 hahahaha. I see what you did there!! Nice one! 😂🤣
My brother asked me to make him a viking outfit that is meant for a costume, but should also be wearable for reenactment, so all of your content has been a godsend!! Thank you so much and I look forward to every video 🤩
This is such an awesome garment for using for centuries. I was looking into 18th century shifts and was shocked to find this same style. So that is what I am doing.
Good luck!
Yeah, it’s very similar to more modern undershirts and shifts. Effectively they’re using these kinds of garment for 2000 years. They’re still made in some countries and cultures today, with and without split sides.
Wow thankyou for this, My lad's wanting to join Regia Anglorum, he needs a Tunic and all the rest of the get up for it, so you have just saved me much moneys with this :D
Good tips on the neck opening, thanks!
Very helpful and also entertaining 😄 thanks! I'll be having a go of this later!
Most of my outfitting is repairs on later armours for competition fighting for me and the other competitors in our group. We use gear from all parts of the medieval period with individuals picking a certain time period/century within that and building whichever kit they want. I've attempted a doublet or two for my past soft kits but that's about it the rest is store bought bits and pieces. My soft kit now out of the arena is a landsknecht outfit that's nice a light with all the frills and fancy bits
I am currently finishing seams on an almost finished undertunic as I’m watching this, so I feel you on procrastinating that X’D Finishing seams takes SO MUCH TIME
Im getting ready to make mine. I'm excited. 😁
Juul seems to have coined the term 'sleevils' 😂 You should check out Tasting History it's a fairly new channel and he covers dishes from Roman times through to Victorian and Max (the host) is full of bad food puns, it might give you some ideas other things you could do to expand your channel. 💞
One of these years you should come to the Abbey Medieval Tournament here in Australia! Like everything else it was cancelled this year but it's normally on the first weekend of July every year and they have banquets etc before hand and kids activities too!
Sleevils are the worst! Thanks for the recommendation, that sounds great!
I’d absolutely love to come to the tournament, it sounds wondefful! Is it an SCA event?
@@TheWelshViking It's run by a local museum but I believe all the reenactor groups that get invited are SCA groups and they get paid to attend as well. If you google The Abbey Museum, Brisbane Australia you should find it
This is a fantastic tutorial! Thank you!
I really wanted to see you with the completed tunic on, and maybe with your other kit as well. I'd really like to see your view of a Viking kit.
@The Welsh Viking
I’d LOVE to see a quick video describing your sewing techniques. What thread, needle, stitches…etc. Thanks!!
Hoping to finish my second ever tunic today. Hand sewn on the living room floor of course 😋
I always sew the neck first. I find it easier while the the main panel can be laid flat. Better access. I also cut it as an oval, circle, or square 1/3 on the back, 2/3 on the front.
Totally fair
Very helpful video i will use this method to make my tunic, diolch!
I make longer tunics (ie dresses) and hangeroks/smokkrs/tragerroks (sp?)/apron dresses. I think the apron dresses are my favorite to sew, because no neckline to mess with. :-)
Got less than a two days notice that I need to dress as a viking for a party. Hopefully this turns out as good as yours! Looks simple enough.
How did it go?
@@kieralavode57 It went decent! The only thing is that the box form is going to not fit as well on a female so I had to make some adjustments.
@@kris10kalyn Great to hear! Most patterns probably need a bit of adjusting, but it sounds like you had that covered. :)
Thank you! I am going to make one for my hubby!
was just watching a different video of yours and was curious how viking tunics were made. typed my query into the youtube search bar and low and behold you have a video on it lol
I have made a few tunic dresses and apron dresses. I love them but I really need to make new ones soon 🙈
I love the way you spelled the item as it sounds in your accent! lol
Basically what im ging to sew after I've finished my hosen.
I already have a undertunic but I want to make a shorter one out of very nice bohemian linen and off course with tighter sleeves, so it fits the cotte I'm also planning to sew. And both pieces need a riders slot in the front.
All for the 12th century.
I will make it this weekend. I am encouraged by your stich. ㅋ ㅋ
The Saami still wear similarly tailored tunics.
Yes! It’s an incredible material cultural continuity they seem to have up there!
thx for the tutorial this was very helpful and I am looking forward to start making mine
Oh I’m so glad it was helpful! Let us know how it goes and if any extra info would be useful :)
@@TheWelshViking I just finished my tunic it's a bit different from the one you made. But do you have any social media page that I can send you the results 😁
Great video!
Thank you for posting this. Promised family I would sew tunics for them, so off I go.
I love making 16th century linens
Love your tunic. Want, need , must have now! Can't find linen nor wool😢
I just bought some linen for a dress for me. Humid and hot here, so linen will be a good choice.
Watching an attractive archaeologist doing hand- sewing on re- enacting garb... Hits all my kinks.
I've got to sit through the Grand Prix at a restaurant today ... I'm going to take my new linen, scissors, needle and thread and at least the hours of otherwise enless tedium will be well used. Thanks, Jimmy! (Why do we have to sit through pre race and post race stuff? At least I gef taken out for a nice lunch...)
CHOONIK!
CHEWNICK
Ciunic
that was very informative
Well done. Thank you.
Adorable as usual❤
Currently hand sewing a new linen underdress to replace an old one. The sleeves looked so good and made me so happy... until i realized i couldn't roll my sleeves up.... which is Terrible #toomuchpiecing
Been there! I have a couple of sleeves that do that for the same reason!
@@TheWelshViking I've added gores to widen them. I couldn't take it lol
Very helpful.
Impressive!
Thank you for this video! This will be my first project. I'm also thinking about making a woolen tunic. Not sure if you mentioned it anywhere, but can you use the same technic for a woolen tunic and will it still be historically correct?
Greetings from the Netherlands.
Absolutely, you can! Yes! Great question and hi back from Scotland!
Really good starter guide on how to make a a tunic, slightly different to my method, but as you say there's lots of ways to do it. Tempted to challenge to to some of the Pictish Kit I've been working on just to watch you bang your head against the wall :p
As for most fun but most challenging tunic that you asked about, have you tried a Viborg Shirt yet? I considered making one and then just noped out...
I would like to know more about the type of stich used. I have seen a whip stich used on the inside hems as well as a running stich used on the hem that is visible from the outside. I've used a sewing machine up to now but I've just bought a nice twill wool to make a outer tunic and wanted to hand stich it.
In addition the use of decorative stiches such as herringbone/double herringbone on collars and cuffs and the use contrasting cuff and neck pieces.
Love my tunics, wish I could wear them to work.
Do eet!
@@TheWelshViking I would end up in a disciplinary hearing.
Planning to make my first linen smock/shift/undertunic/whatever soon! I wonder when drawstring collars became a thing for shifts. The drawstring collars are cute.
We see them as early as about AD1000 in manuscripts, but they may well have been earlier, as things often take a while to trickle down to the monastries
@@TheWelshViking Really? Like, a string going through a channel to produce gathering at the neck? :O When I image searched for medieval smocks, all the neck-gathered ones were marked 1500s or later.
Just got mine put together, but ended up fussing with the gussets and gores cause i measured my chest wrong. I ended up with pentagonal underarms and trapazoids up the sides. So many 3 point seams. A daunting task as im still new to sewing.
I’ve done it!
Thanks. I would love to see your method and any tips for making a fitted cotte. I always find them devilishly difficult.
As soon as I make one successfully I'll do a video! XD
It looks like your gore starts right under your gusset. Correct? I love making t-tunics!
I would never survive sewing all of those seams. Firstly because I seem to lose patience as I age and because of the arthritis that is causing issues with something as everyday as writing. And I'd never make it as a reenactor.
On the other hand there is nothing keeping me from running one of these tunics up on a machine and using a non period material because that's a great looking tunic, Jimmy.
Mate that thumbnail threw me of guard far a sec.
Great video! Very easy to understand, just fun to watch and great in general.
I have a question, how do you hem the neckline? I know fuck all about sewing, I can do a running stitch but that's it, and I'm planning on making a surcoat, using this video for some ideas because it seems to me that a surcoat is essentially just a sleeveless, longer tunic with a slit on the front, back and sides. And I could always just make a tunic, they're cool anyways.
Speaking of, how does one make the slits?
One of my squires once mentioned that, "Tir Ysgithir must mean T tunic. It's all they wear in Tucson"... Short sleeved, one piece, broad cloth, trimmed with embossed ribbon at every seam T tunics and sweat pants with something resembling Ugg boots or plain ol' biker boots. Yeah, the ones that look like jack boots.
One time I hand sewed a pleated skirt out of duck canvas because I had no other large available cloth and had no idea what it even was lol
Thank you for this! I'm struggling with getting nearly-authentic Viking garb since my group doesn't enforce hard-core authenticity, but as close to it as possible. Being a full-bodied female who is a spoon carver and woodworker, a dress doesn't work for me. I'm splitting logs and chopping spoon blanks and I need trousers. I need a loose tunic and some sturdy but baggy pants. I can slay a tunic, but the pants are my big challenge. Leather shoes and strapped calves won't work for me due to a clubfoot birth defect and orthopedic shoes. I'm looking for guidelines toward a trouser with looser legs. Any guidance is appreciated.
Loving your channel. This tunic seems so simple. I'm just curious how you figure out what size to make the gussets and gores?
Also is this a good pattern for an over tunic or just the undergarment? Would it be period appropriate to wear just the undergarment in the heat?
@The Welsh Viking
Have you made one of the Skjoldehamn Hoods? If yes, where…if no, why? I think that would make a great video showcasing sewing techniques for beginners such as myself. I didn’t know what a whipstitch or a backstitch or felling was when I first watched the tunic video. Cheers!
Yes. Many moons ago! I think it may be in an aunt's attic.
😂😂😂 I never knew this is the common design everywhere. Cos I loved to make my traditional costume call baju kurung (Pahang) which is exactly of same pattern except for the fine embroidery on the neck.
If its shoulder to shin, wouldn't this be past my knee?
Good question. The shin length allows you to have a generous seam allowance or alteration fabric, and allows you to roll or ruck the tunic over your waistbelt as was fashionable in the c9-11th, or wear it longer, with an exposed belt in a more c12-14th style.
Great video thank you.
Question : is it acceptable to have an undertunic/shirt in another colour or does it have to be white ?
I'm going to wear two shirts, and I wanted to go with one blue and one yellow.
Hey, love your stuff! I'm interested in making my own death shroud... winding cloth... whatever people wrapped around folks in the old days when they buried them. Do you have any info on that? Thanks!
Oh! Advice from a hobbyist seamstress! When you cut your neck hole too big you can, in theory, either gather the area to make it smaller with a running stitch like you would see on a modern peasant top. Or, you could use some kind of trim to stiffen the neck hole to prevent sagging, such a dense embroidered trim, or cross stitch trim. Are either period accurate? Probably not but fabric can be a touch expensive, so it is a cheap and dirty way to save a project you have made a mistake on.
I want to make it long, but I don't think I have enough fabric. Drat. And yes, sleeves are indeed evil. I made an 18th-century-inspired shift, and I put one of the sleeves on inside out and had to rip it out and put it on the right way again. I haven't finished the seams yet, either.
Greetings, Jimmy! @ 2:19 you mention that your underarm gussets are 4" square. But the gussets you actually made were bigger. How big are they? 7" square or so? What determined the size of your underarm gusset-- the amount of over-the-head motions you anticipate?
Choonik
Ha! Nice.
Thanks for sharing this tutorial, actually I have been looking a video of this tunic, that was in fassion only 30 years before and it's still in fassion with some changes in India and Pakistan. I wonder how it relates with wikings.