After several more days of sewing my Skjolderhamn Hood is finished, so here are the rest of the work in progress images. My viking hood is entirely hand sewn with linen, using a wool outer and linen lining. It is based on the viking hood found on a body in the bog at Skjold harbour, and dates to the 11th century.
After sewing the top of the hood closed, sew the other side of the gore closed, starting at the tip of the gore. Like before, I recommend pinning or basting the hem edge of the seam to prevent shifting of the layers.Detail photo of a seam once completed. Seam allowances are contained between the cover and lining.This is lining side of the hood after all the seams are finished. It still needs hemming, and the face opening needs to be made.This is cover side of the hood after all the seams are finished. It still needs hemming, and the face opening needs to be made.
Due to the thickness of the wool I chose, and the fact that it is fully lined, self-hemming would have created a very bulky hem. Instead, I decided to bind the edge in a manner similar to the collar edging for the Viborg shirt. I say similar because to copy it exactly I would have had to turn the wool and linen edges in towards each other, which was not possible because of the seam stitching. However, the collar on the Viborg shirt does show using a separate strip of fabric to finish the edge of a garment.
I also felt that a linen bound edge on the face opening would likely be much more comfortable to wear, which in the end was doubly true because of the small size of the hood and closeness of the hood opening around my face.
I cut several 1.5″ wide lengths of the lining linen to use as binding on the hem and hood opening. They are cut on the straight of the fabric grain.I attached the linen to the hem on the outside of the hood using a running stitch at a depth of 3/8″. The stitch is going through cover and lining.At the corners of the gores, I took a couple small gathers of fabric so there will be enough length of binding at the corner to be able to extend around the outside edge of the hood.I evened up the hem in a couple places where it needed it before folding the binding over the edge and whip stitching it to the lining. I took a couple small gathers at the corner so the binding could flow smoothly around the outer edge.This is a detail photo of the inside and outside of the bound hem at one of the seams.Next is to make the opening for the face. I re-drew the cut line in chalk on the outside of the hood.I folded the hood perpendicular to the mark, making sure that the lining was smooth and in place underneath the cover. Then I could snip a small hole with scissors, and from there cut the whole opening.The front of the hood after cutting a hole for the face.Take a length of the linen binding and use running stitch to secure it to the opening of the hood. The stitches should run parallel to the opening, and be exactly the same length as the opening. Leave seam allowance at either end of the strip beyond the stitches.Fold the seam allowance at the end of the strip back onto the strip.Fold the entire strip of linen towards the opening of the hood and stitch the folded edge in place. Be sure to trap any raw edges inside the binding by only stitching through the folded fabric after pushing stray threads inside.Fold over the seam allowance of the long side as you fold the linen binding entirely over the raw edge of the opening.Whip stitch the end of the binding to the lining.Whip stitch the long edge of the binding to the lining, and when you get to the far end fold over the seam allowance and stitch down the end like you did before.Bind both sides so they are even with each other. There will still be a very small spot of raw fabric at the very top and bottom of the opening.There is no mention of stitching at the top and bottom of the opening on the extant hood, but I like to make my garments to last and that little untreated tip of the opening is a risk for tearing and raveling. Therefor I went over the tip with a handful of whip stitches to reinforce the area and ensure it lasts.
One last detail was to make three rows of stitches along the top of the hood like the original, but I stitched the first two in brown linen thread that matched the wool, and the third I stitched in wool thread pulled from the fabric, so they don’t really show up in photos at all.
The first row of running stitches is parallel to the top edge, and about 1/8″ down from the top edge. It ensures the very top seam stays nice and crisp. The second row of running stitches is about 1/2″ from the top edge, and I think it exists just to make sure the layers all stay nicely together like in quilting. The third row of running stitches starts just a bit above the top of the hood opening, and runs at an angle to the back of the hood, ending just a little bit below the second row of stitches. This angled stitch forces the top front of the hood to sit forward from the face. The three of them together create a pointed crest along the top of the hood.
Just a quick bathroom selfie to show the finished hood immediately after finishing it.
As a side note, I realized once the opening was cut and I could try it on that it barely fits me. The opening in the front of the hood is actually too small for me to be able to drop the hood around my shoulders, and if my head were any larger (I have a 22″ head circumference) I would not be able to comfortably wear it, and potentially not be able to get my head through the neck. I amended the pattern I posted in WIP1 to provide alternative measurements for someone who is not petite, and I fully intend to make the next hood for myself quite a bit larger. In the meantime, this one is perfect for snowy, icy, windy weather, because it is very warm and also impossible for wind to blow it down.
Nicely modeled photos in the full outfit will follow when I can manage it.
