Garb Ideas

Home
Contacts
Newcomers
Events & Activites
Gallery
Village

Below are some ideas for Norse garb, for more information please go the Longboat links page. The members of Draks Fjord don't just recreate Norse/Viking but we find the below style fun, comfortable and easy to make. For other styles of medieval garb (clothing) please check out the below links or visit the Longboat link page. When you start sewing your garb please consider what material is best and basic measurements.

Free patterns from By My Own Hand

Norse Patterns from Introduction to Basic Medieval Patterns

Compiled and illustrated by THL Arnora Dunestan

Feel free to take a look at the wide range of pattern on this site.

5 Hour Garb

Norse Dress (7th - 10th century)

Fabrics: wools of varying weights for the outer layers, under layers are almost always linen. Some cotton and silk outer layers have been found, but both were extremely rare and expensive fabrics for the period. Plaid acceptable for earlier period Norse, but faded quickly as a fashion.

Colours: bright colours; green, purple, and black are rare and expensive dyes; saffron available but also expensive. Necklines, cuffs and hems sometimes in contrast colours to main body.

Substitutes: Cotton,

Male Norse Pattern

Norse Tunic (Women's dress is same. but longer.)

Body - cut 1 with fold at shoulder line.

Cut 2 each sleeves + arm gussets.

Cut 4 body gussets.

Neckline should counter faced; cuff + hem

Facing optional

Men's tunic length is worn with beales, cross - gartered

from below the knee to ankles with thong or cloth strips.

Female Norse Pattern

Norse Peplos style apron

Cut 3 on fold (min.115cm width)

Thongs reach from back to front

over shoulders, pinned at front with ornate brooches

Tabard style apron

Cut 2 rectangles

Straps over shoulders & pin at front

Both apron styles are worn over Norse long dress;

Peplos is belted over the apron.

Tabard can be belted over or under.

Both can be trimmed.

Back to the Top

5 Hour Garb

Vikings, more than any other people in history, wore clothes of many different cultures. Pillaging was a great way of shopping in the Heroic Age. In this article I will attempt to demonstrate my version of a 5^th � 10^th century Viking.

The variety of clothing to choose from, such as Frankish, Italian, Irish, British and a number of other less than fortunates, dictates that we choose a middle of the road attire. The one that I went for here is a very northern European, perhaps Irish or British. The tunic is long sleeves and well fitting in the chest. The brais are loose and very blousy. I hope to obtain a common effect, rather than aristocratic because the majority of the people in antiquity were not Kings.

The tunic is your first step. You will need 2m of fairly wide wool or linen cloth. Measure the chest and add 5 % to the resulting number. Measure sleeve length and add 5 cm to it. Draw on the cloth what you want to cut. Always remember to add seam allowance!

Once you�re finished sewing the garment together, hem and adjust. Wear with a wide belt.

Your brais are next. They are very loose and full at the top. Make them, as before, with wool or linen cloth. To measure the top. First measure around the top of the thigh and multiply it by two. This will be the top waist measurement. For the crotch depth, measure the rise of a pair of reasonably comfortable jeans and add 25% of the resulting number. Measure the inseam for the length. Easy enough? To close the waist, add belt loops, one at the back 25 cm long one at either side 5 cm long and two 5cm straps at the front with a space of 7.5 cm between them. Adjust and hem at your leisure.

This article has been taken from the Knowne World Handbook.

Written by Lord Friedrich Augustus von der Schwanenshe, 1984.

Back to the Top

Basic Measurements List

This list will help you keep track of what measurements are needed when creating costumes either for yourself or for other people. Not all measurements will be necessary for all garments, but a complete list of measurements allows you a great amount of flexibility in tailoring fitted pieces as well. Measure in inches or centimeters, whichever makes you feel comfortable.

Neck:
Chest/Bust:
Waist:
Hips:
Inseam:

Shoulders (point to point across back):

Arm length (point of shoulder to wrist):

Arm length (underside of arm , armpit to wrist):

Arm @ shoulder:
Underarm to waist:
Cuff size (can use fist size, and adjust as needed):
Neck - waist (measured down the spine):
Neck - ground (important for longer robes and gowns):

Waist-ground (measured down back of leg for skirts):

Waist- ankle (measured down back of leg for pants):
Desired jacket/tunic length (measured to point on thigh, knee, calf):
Head circumference:

Back to the Top

Website last updated 18th January, 2007