Grey Linen Blend Tunic with Mammen Style Embroidery

 Here is another of the tunics I made for a friend. This one is intended to be an over tunic, as it has embroidery around the hem and arms which I'd like to be seen, and is slightly shorter in length.

(Here it is worn over the light grey undertunic.)

It is constructed in the t-tunic style per request from the recipient. The seams were enclosed (where possible, by hand,) to make the tunic more durable. All hemming was done by hand.

The embroidery is based on the acanthus design on the textile in the 10th C Mammen find (Denmark).

 

Image from: http://heatherrosejones.com/mammen/index.html

The textile finds came from a grave site at Bjerringhøj, in Mammen parish, Middelsom herred, in northern Denmark. More information can be found here:http://heatherrosejones.com/mammen/index.html

 I did it as an outline, rather than filled as in the original, but used split stitch like the original embroiderer. The embroidery was worked in crochet cottons gifted to me by Viscountess Ingerith Ryzka in split stitch.

I used the same design for the sleeves and hem, but the sleeves have the design reduced in size.

Plaid Undertunic

 Here is another tunic from the suite I made in 2018 and 2019 for a friend. This one is a nice soft flannel, perfect for a winter tunic or undertunic. 

It was made per request as a traditional t-tunic. Seams were machine sewn and hand finished. Hems and neckline were hand sewn. Commercial trim was hand sewn on the arms. 

 I tried this one on and it is very cosy. It looks nice with a short-sleeved, plain  tunic over the top as well.

 

Blue T-Tunic with Knotwork Embroidery

Here is another t-tunic from the suite I mentioned in  the last post. It is a blue cotton base fabric with white and green embroidery incorporating  the recipient's heraldic elements.

The majority of the stitching is done in split stitch with a small amount of double running (Holbein) stitch.

The stitching was traced out using a chalk sheet and worked in DMC floss.

I started the embroidery on the weekend that my dog got sick - I got the phone call to say that she had been admitted while I was working on it. I originally planned to do the embroidery on a smaller scale around the arms as well, but working the design had so many sad emotions associated with it that I did an alternative decoration.

The tunic had big seams sewn by machine, with all the hems and necklines sewn by hand. I try and (at least) finish everything by hand, even if I don't have time to entirely sew everything by hand.

I like to draw marks on my fingers to help me get the stitches even when I do running stitch as a hem decoration.

I tried a green running stitch on top of the bias decoration on the arms, but didn't like it.

The blue tunic worn over another grey undertunic that I made. The tunics were all designed to be interchangeable wardrobe pieces and many can be layered.

Grey Linen Blend T-Tunic

This is one of the suite of tunics I made for a friend in 2018 and 2019. My friend wanted a traditional t-tunic design, which was a bit challenging because I usually like to add a gusset under the arm. The fabric was cotton linen blend. I made a pattern based on his measurements.

The seams were all machine sewn and hand finished. The neckline and hems were hand turned and hand sewed. The trim was commercially produced. The aim was to end up with comfortable tunics that could be worn mix and match style, layered if needed, and thrown in the washing machine.

Deciding on how to trim the neckline.

Hand sewn hems and trim.

The first finished tunic.

Blue Plaid Tunic

This over tunic was also completed in October. It is designed to co-ordinate with the black flanelette undertunic posted about below. It is made of a light cotton with a plaid pattern which was chosen by the recipient.

As with the undertunic, it is made to a t-tunic design. I tried to enclose seams and hand sew wherever possible.

Commercial braid has been added over the joins where the sleeves were pieced, and blue bias strips have been added to the neckline and sleeves for decoration. A running stitch in cotton was added on top of the bias strips for extra decoration.

Seeing it on the hanger doesn't do it justice; it looks very nice on the recipient.

Black Flannelette Undertunic

As you may remember, I have been working on a suite of simple tunics for a friend. I finished this undertunic back in October.

My friend requested the traditional SCA style t-tunic as it is what he is used to and likes. I still wanted to try and use techniques that I use on more authentic styles of clothing, so I enclosed seams, hand sewed exposed seams down and used rolled hems where possible. The long seams which wouldn't be seen were machine-sewn and the rest of the sewing was done by hand.

The undertunic is made of cotton flannel, chosen because it is very soft and preferred by the recipient.

SCA style T-Tunics
Image from http://allcraftsblogs.com/clothes_sewing_patterns/t_shirt_tunic/t_shirt_tunic.html

Rolling the neck hem

Measuring the bottom hem in preparation for turning under again. The raw edges were zigzagged where possible to make the garment more durable

Here you can see where the internal seams have been hand-sewed down. The recipient is very tall and has long arms so I needed to piece the sleeves to achieve the required length

I hand-sewed cotton bias strips for a bit of decoration

The completed undertunic with one of the over tunics on top. It looks much nicer on and belted, and with co-ordinating trews