Be honest, this “elusive garment”, as Teffania called it in the description for the 12th Century Garb Yahoo Group, is why half of you are here!
What follows is a compendium of information, opinions, and discussions regarding the bloat from the 12th Century Garb Yahoo Group list.
Pattern
“I don’t have a specific pattern for one but several ladies on this list have made them and also researched construction of them. Info and guides to making a pattern can be found in:
“http://www.chateau-michel.org/belle_bliaut.htm
The Beautiful Bliaut by Lady Arianne de Chateau-Michel
“Mistress Rosemounde of Mercia, O.L.
“The Bliaut: A New perspective on Pattern and Cut” Tournaments Illustrated issue #83 (Summer ASXXII)
If you receive the SCA magazine Tournaments Illustrated.
“I have some info on them collected on my website…since I’m still experimenting with making one that looks right I am certainly no expert. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wittie/sca/garb.html
“Another document on them should also be available in the Files section of this group.
“Good luck.
~ Aibell
Message #67 – June 17, 2002
Katrine de Saint Brieuc – an introduction
Message #96 — July 25, 2002
“Greetings to all!
“I’d like to introduce myself today – I am a new member of the group today! I’m glad I found you because I really like 12th century garb.
“My persona was born 1122 and went on the second crusade as one of Eleaonor of Aquitaine’s ladies. (I have mundanely lived in Turkey for 2 years and I thought this would be a good way to introduce my knowledge to my character.) She is from Saint Brieuc in Brittany, where she is called La Briochine. She is part Norman, part Breton. Her Norman grandfather was given the keep of Bien-Assis for service to William the Conqueror. Katrine’s father took her to court, where she met Eleanor, who took a liking to her, and asked her to stay.
“Katherine (me) lives outside of Portland, Oregon with her non-SCA active husband and ferrets (wheezul – get it?). I am in year 21 of SCA activity, and I wore a bliaut of old curtain material to my very first event. I have loved the bliaut (that’s pronounced blee-oh for the gentle that asked) since I first saw a drawing of one at around 8 years old or so. I must have made 40 of the hummers by now.
“Yes, I have seen a smocked bliaut made for a queen of AnTir about 13 years or so ago. I have a smocking pleater and believe I have figured out how to do a smocked one, although, in truth, I don’t believe this is the period way it was done. But I am a *creative*
anachronist, and do not hesitate to do things that aren’t really period to please myself. I just don’t try to perpetuate a Katherine Fantasy Creation as the truth though. I wouldn’t advise shirring one by sewing machine (been there, done that, threw it away), but have an inexpensive way to mark and do one by hand, which would give you beautiful results, but take hours of hand gathering. (The old money for the tool vs. way less expensive method, but time consuming….) But the fun is in the journey, neh?
“My two most recent bliauts are a dark green wool trained one with black bands at the neck, sleeves and hem, with a long cardwoven belt in black and green, and the other, a black fine silk-like fabric somewhat fitted top with a skirt made of 10 straight panels (that’s a 450” skirt – but more or less broomsticked) tightly pleated (used the smocking pleater) to the bottom of the top piece. Again, this is a method put forward as a theory of construction. What I can say about it is that I do get the finely pleated effect around the feet similar to what is seen on the Chartres statues. Over this I wear a black silk oriental surcoat (pelisse) that I would love to find a period artistic representation for! Norris seems to think it was a period fashion, but who knows how he came up with the idea. Does anyone out there have any ideas? The ensemble is finished with a long wide belt of side by side pieces of gold trim, braid cases, a fine circular veil of black silk and a small gold circlet. My friend calls it the “Erte Bliaut”. (All of my garb seems to get named, somehow, like the fabulous red ‘Stevie Nicks Tudor’, and the ‘Byzantine Norman’ that get gasps sometimes.) <g>
“Lest you think that I am not serious, I really do look at many images, and read both French and German. I have found some wonderful German images that I have run across looking for 16th century info that I will try to scan and put up on the files section. Don’t let anyone tell you that patterned fabrics are not period for the 12th century.
“I think most bliauts were side laced. However, I make most of mine without laces at all, and just pull them on carefully over my head. It provides nice bust support. When making them for others, the method to make a pattern is simple. I take a dress shirt that fits well, fold it in half, and use the shirt as a pattern, remembering to add seam allowance from about the upper arm to the waist. From the upper arm to the wrist I either taper in (basically follow shirt outline but wide enough to put your hand in the sleeve) to make a fitted sleeve (stretching out the dimension if they want scrunched sleeves) or tapering out to the width of the pointed sleeve desired. What I do from the waist down depends on how wide the skirts will be. The geometry of the bottom works like this –
“From hip point to hip point the hem is straight. Then the skirt is cut on a circle from the point of the hipbone to the side. I take a string, have some one hold it on the hip point (easy to tell if you are using a shirt as a pattern) and then run a piece of soap or a chalk pencil along the bottom to where the side seam will be. Normally, I will take the fabric I will use as a gusset and lay it with seam allowance over the selvedge edge of the main body, and continue to trace the hem line. Then I draw the side seam from the waistline to the hem. If you want a train, and I love ’em, make the back side of the gown up to 12 -24 inches longer and from side seam to side seam make a circular cut. I do this in my head now, so I’ll have to think up a good way to layout the circle. The whole layout takes about 15 – 20 minutes. Then I sew it together, usually there is a seam for the sleeve, which I put on the upper arm and cover with trim. Then I sew on a ghastly amount of trim (30 – 40 yards sometimes) and I have a floppy court gown. I often make a mockup out of old sheets and turn the gown inside out (provided you are even on both sides), pin to the desired fit, mark with chalk and use this mockup for the pattern. I often draft out the small fold that appears on the back of the back too.
“Currently I am looking for:
Definitive documentation for a ‘black’ bliaut, and
Definitive documentation for an ‘oriental surcoat’.
“I’d like to talk about how to make a Phyrgian hood too. I also thought I read there was an article published this last winter in the TI about the Bliaut – any truth to this?”
~ Katrine
(Katherine Barich)
Pattern & Pleating
Message #126, August 19, 2002
Questions:
“1. Does anyone have a preferred pattern – whether elaborate or not – for a bliaut?
2. Also, do you pleat them?
2.b. If so, what kind of pleats?
~ Gwen / Jennifer Hill
Answers:
1. “Check out the PDF in the files section – great work and wonderful ideas for rectangular construction.
2. “That is the great bliaut debate….. I have made them both ways, but after much thought I believe they didn’t. I think they *may* have done something similar to our broomsticking to pleat them perhaps. I know that by the 16th century there was a device
called a linen press used to set pleats in linen, especially the chemises. We also see wooden clamps setting pleats in dresses. But this is 400 years later…”
~ Katherine Barich
Message #128, August 20, 2002
V-Neckline
“I, too love a low-cut neckline. And there is a style (it’s shown on Queen the Chartre cathedral) that incorporates a “low neckline” that v’s down to the bottom of the sternum and meets the corsage (the early “corslet” that was a complimentary or matching fabric worn around the torso and laced). …
“Under this low-neckline dress, of course, would be your “underwear” shift that would have the standard neckline near the collarbones with a narrow slit….but that can be made of a translucent silk (if you’re a really wealthy French lady {:-) wanting to hint at showing some skin.”
~ Ari, Barony of Seleone
Message #203, September 2, 2002
Two Newbie Questions
Q: “Was the bliaut sometimes made from two different cloth types? I have a wonderful dark red of bourette silk and want to sew my arm pieces from a chiffon changeant (hmmm, right description??) in black/red.”
A #1: “I think your best bet here would be to keep the dress one solid color, but line the sleeves with the contrasting color. That is portrayed in many many 12th century manuscripts.”
~ Kim McGuire
Message#222, September 11, 2002
A #2: “I’ve been collecting manuscripts and see no authentic examples of two different colours used. Unfortunately the manuscripts don’t show the seams, so it does make it difficult to tell. Some of the dresses have a droopy sleeve in an heavy fabric, then underneath that an undersleve that is also long and dangly with many folds or pleats (probably just done by twisting linnen when wet).”
~ Teffania / Tiffany Brown
Message #226, September 11, 2002
Q: “What about the little crevices on my upper body? I read somewhere that they are coming from lacing up the sides. No problem with that, but I don’t know how to draw my pattern (that suits ME)? I penciled a pattern for a tight bodice on my tracing paper, but
don;t know how to make the side parts. Shall I just lay the dart (German=Abnäher) into the side seam?”
A #1: “I am still unsure on lacing. I have seen one example somewhere where a bliaut for a man was laced at the sides, but I do not believe they were all done that way. In the carvings at Chartres, there are many various styles shown. There is an example on the west face of Chartres that shows a woman with a bliaut but obviously not the typical lines showing across the bodice. If you can get a large enough picture, you can see that it is pattern similar to a chain link fence…in other words, it looks exactly like smocking.
“Here’s a very far away picture of that specific example, but if you can find it in a much
larger print, you can see what I am talking about:
www.geocities.com/douziemesiecle/garbPics/chartres_girl.jpg — Old GeoCities link; broken
“I believe that many of the examples of the fabric “crinkling” up across the body may actually be smocking, not lacing. Especially in the sleeves of underdresses it is often most visible. Just a theory.
http://cssd-com-01.cssd.pitt.edu/~medart/image/france/france-a-to-c/chartres/m0306cha.jpg — Also a broken link
“Around the neck line of the underdress (second statue, same as above, just a very close up), the fabric seems to be raised and has the similar lines as seen in many examples on sleeves. I have no actual evidence that smocking was the technique used, but that’s a possibility.
“An easy enough way to achieve the lines across the stomach for the dress if you use lacing is to add 8 to 10 inches to the length bodice and space the lacing points accordingly, you should achieve the desired effect. I am not sure what to tell you in terms of fitting as that is a very weak point for me.”
~ Kim McGuire
Message#222, September 11, 2002
A #2: “I would take my pattern and lengthen it, but as I have the ‘German’ proportion body, I have many curves, I wouldn’t just lengthen the area, but lengthen it proportionately. I would lengthen from under the bust to the flare of the hips, but not in a straight line. So my pattern would like a lengthened version of my mid-section, rather than being straight. (There is a 12″ difference between my bust and waist and 11” back to the hip). If you are slender, then the proportion is probably not all that important.
“I have also made many bliauts that do not lace at all but fit my body like a glove, which I wiggle to get in to. There are no darts, all the fitting is in the side seam. In order to get this great fit, I made a mock garment out of cheap cotton and sized it on my dummy. When I make them for friends I do the same thing, but fit it to their shape by pinning and marking with chalk. I should post some pictures sometime.”
~ Katherine Barich
Message #225, September 11, 2002
A #3: “Darts: I’ve seen no examples of darts used to shape the body of a dress.
“One theory is that the dress should be cut rather like a t-tunic (a rectangular body piece with gores to widen the skirt from the hips downward). The side lacing gives it a bit of fitting, and if the dress was made of silk samite, some theories say the silk was much stronger than wool or linen and could be stretched tightly across the chest (used like
a stretch fabric).
“From what I’ve seen so far, our modern ideas of the bilaut are far more romantic that the actuality <sigh>
“So anyway, I wouldn’t use a patern with darts for your body. For a modern romanitic look, find a princess line dress pattern, remove the zipper and put a bit of stiffening along the side seams (armpit to waist/hip) and put in lacing. Spiral lacing would be most period (well I have a picture to prove it was used, and none of our modern lacing style).
for spiral lacing see:
http://homepage.mac.com/festive_attyre/research/lacing/lacing.html
“For a more period look, do a basic period t-tunic (possibly with a longer body):
http://www.forest.gen.nz/Medieval/articles/Tunics/TUNICS.HTML
and add lacing to the side seams as above.
“Note that a number of garments have a piece of trim around the upper arms, so it is quite possible there was a seam there, so this would be a good place to join on your chiffon if you decide to construct your garment that way.”
~ Teffania / Tiffany Brown
Message #226, September 11, 2002
Lacing
Q: “What kind of material is the lacing? I read about finger loop braiding, which I taught to myself a few months ago. Are silk fibres okay, I mean authentic?”
A #1: “Yes, I would think silk is okay for this. It would be an expensive luxury in the 12th century, but as you have a silk gown, it would not be out of line.”
~ Katherine Barich
Message #225, September 11, 2002
A #2: “Silk thread was a prized luxury item for tablet weaving from viking times until late period, because it was stronger than linen or wool thread, and more brightly coloured. So using silk thread seems a very authentic item to use, since bilauts were only worn by the rich (as far as I know). Linen would also be fairly authentic, because silk needed to be imported, so maybe was occasionally hard to get.”
~ Teffania / Tiffany Brown
Message #226, September 11, 2002
Smocking
Kim wrote:
“I have no actual evidence that smocking was the technique used, but that’s a possibility.”
“It does look like it could be smocking on those examples and I would try and use smocking to recreate this exact type of dress. Many other pictures show a slightly different style of dress. Some show no signs of lacing (even when the dress is clearly visible) and a fitted t-tunic can be made that (just) fits over the head, but fits the body moderately tightly without lacing. There is one example in the files area (clothing catalogue folder) which clearly shows lacing down one side: labeled winchester psalter. I’m still puzzled about how they made their dresses, but sure there must have
been several varieties.
~ Teffania / Tiffany Brown
Message #227, September 11, 2002
Bliaut Embellishment
“Hello all: I’m new to the list, old to the SCA. I’ve done a few biauts based on the Tournaments Illuminated pattern and I have been happy with the results.
“I am getting into a new one (a beautiful pink/salmon linen) and would like some sources on how these garments were embellished. I see text sources that say they were embroidered and such, but very few examples of with what, patterns etc. Were beads used? If so, how? That kind of thing. I’ve got enough garb now that I can afford to go more slowly and I love embroidering, so I don’t want to use machine made trim anymore. I know what looks nice to me but I’d the work I do to be appropriate to the garment.
“The shape I see is usually the keyhole shape around the neck. I usually use a combination of smocking and whip lacing for the sides. Kind of a controlled bunching –
otherwise it all ends up under my breasts and isn’t at all comfy. The bodice itself is about double the length of a normal bodice, cut on the bias, if I have the fabric, and usually lined for strength and so I don’t have to wear a bra under it. A good one provides enough support. (See, us fuller figured gals don’t all have to go Renn to get good support!)
“I’d also like to see folks theories on the over vest/belt type thing I’ve read about with these garments. Anyone got any info on that?”
~ Katerina la Bisbetca / Denise Pulgino Stout
Message #230, September 12, 2002
Smocked Lacing
Question from Katrine:
“Do you smock this vertically or horizontally?”
A: “I smocked each the front and back of the open sides with 2 rows, beginning under the arms working down to the waist seam. So, I guess looking at the garment while sewing it you’d call that horizontal? I used a simple X stitch. I think mistakes I made were 1) use stronger thread, 2) reinforce the fabric, 3) less space between stitches, 4) don’t gain weight and try to where it! (can you say POP! Hee hee. The first time I tried to wear it after grad school I blew the stitching while lacing it.) A friend is now going to inherit that one.
“I might try for more space between stitches under the arms, where my bust is and then tighten it up from the rib cage down.”
~ Katerina la Bisbetca / Denise Pulgino Stout
Message #254, September 14, 2002
Shoulder Construction
“I have always made mine without an armscye seam and with a straight T shoulder/arm
line so that the arm seam is hidden by the upper arm band. I fold the cloth over so there is no visible shoulder seam. I certainly can’t say if the bliauts tended to have shoulder seams or not. On the few occasions I did have a shoulder seam due to nap/direction issues, I covered the seam from the neck to the upper arm band. I absolutely cannot document this, but it does add interest to the garment.”
~ Katherine Barich
Message #234, September 12, 2002
About Smocked Lacing and the TI article …
> I usually use a combination of smocking and whip lacing for the sides. >>
” Oh, please share this technique! I don’t have access to the TI article, but from the discussion it looks as if I had better get it.”
~ Gennevote
“The TI article has a basic construction pattern based on your own body measurements. The first one I tried actually turned out too big – but my girlfriend benefited from this mistake and got a free bliaut.
“After having discussions with some others and taking a smocking class at an EKU, I decided to try a simple smocking stitch to control the gathering on the bodice. Like I said before, without the smocking, all the gathers were bunching up under my breasts and became quite uncomfortable (I am a 38 D, there’s lots of room to gather under there!). Combining the smocking with lacing helps keep the gathers under control and evenly spaced from under my breasts to my waistline – and looks darn good, if I do say so. I think the smocking also helps on decide where the lacing should go. I used small eyelets at first for the lacings, covered by embroidery. After hearing about more period lacings, such as small rings sewn on, I think this is the method I will try next. Did they more often go inside the garment or outside?
“Reinforcing the sides is important. The tight fit of the garment, even with the help of the smocking (oh, and use a strong thread to do the smocking with or you will have to re-do it), a lot of strain happens there.”
~ Katerina la Bisbetca / Denise Pulgino Stout
Message #244, September 13, 2002
Skirts and Collars
Q: “After reading the TI article [Sibly’s – get link – ed.] I have a few questions can anyone help?
“Is the seam at the hips actually at the hip bone, like a 1920’s dropped waist stlye or slightly above it and therefore really just below the waist level? Is the skirt based on a full circle pattern and then pleated to the bodice?
“Did all of the styles both for men and women have no collars, did any styles have a higher or even standing collar? If not how did people stay warm, cloaks really are not that practical in the wind and rain.”
~ Tangwystl / D. Courci
Message #335, November 15, 2002
“You may want to also read another of Mistress Rowena’s articles at:
www.sca.org.nz/collegium/costume/wardrobe_12C_frankish_noblewoman.php
“Collars attached to clothing seem to have come into style about the time of the houppelande/pourpoints in the late 14th to early 15th century. I can’t recall an earlier incident unless it might be the Ursula statue from the 13th century where there might be a collar on her cloak (I’m going to check this when I get home).
“Interestingly, it seems the word for collar developed from a word associated with horse tack, and in Germany, in the 16th century, a goller was considered something that surrounded the shoulders, and not necessarily high around the neck.
“The bliauts were often fur lined, which in addition to wearing hoods and capelets, probably kept them fairly warm.”
~ Katrine / Katherine Barich
Message #236, November 14, 2002
“Yes, it’s at the hip bone. The side lacing pulls the over long bodice to the hip bone level, the waist seam then tends to “drop” a bit in front and back, curving under the belly.
“I suspect the skirts that look like full circles are cut in one with the bodice and those with the waist seam a the tightly pleated straight fabric.”
“Stand up collars are not periods for these garments.”
~ Rowena / Brenda Sibly
Message #342, November 15, 2002
Questions from Jolecia
1. This whole separate big/wide “stomacher/girdle” thing that I have seen many people wearing – is that totally wrong? By the looks of some of my resources and now the stuff posted on this site, I’m thinking yes – but wanted an official answer. Is it a total misconception that has run away cause it looks cool?
2. Would they have sometimes beaded on the trim edging the chemise/underdress, upper sleeve decorations, and the trim around the long drapping sleeve (I think you call it a maunch?)? I like to augment some trims and this dress is for a very special occasion.
3. Was that upper sleeve decoration just decoration or did it cover a seam there as some of the earlier tunics/dresses did?
~ Jolecia of Litchfield / Carolyn Holley
Message #399, November 29, 2002
Responses:
1. I believe the idea of the corslet was started by some of the early Victorian costuming writers who A/ Didn’t compare their (bad) observations of the artwork with literary sources from the same period to find out what was really going on, and B/ couldn’t seem to cope with the idea of women NOT wearing corsetry.
2. Beaded trim on the underdress, no. On the over dress, definately! The trim is called orfrois, (or orphrey) meaning “gold work” and is refered to repeatedly in the literature of the time. It made heavy use of gold thread, purl*, pearls and gem stones. It was used on the edge of the maunches, around the neck and on the arm bands, as well as for the double belt (ceinture) and on the edge of the mantle. Some of the existing examples I know of are worked in gold and seed pearls. The Roger of Sicily cope is an excellent example of orfrois work.
What looks like pleating on the forearm of the underdress is done by making an extremely long sleeve, sewn so tight you can only just squezze you hand though. The excess length is worn like a “leg warmer” on the forearm and in a crisp cotton or linen gives exactly the effect you see in the artwork. The neck of the underdresses seem to be decorated with a simple piping or some such. I’m guessing they were expected to be heavily laundered and were decorated very simply with that in mind. I’m using some simple white work embroidery for the neck line of one I’m currently working on.
*purl is a kind of extremely small metal ‘spring’ which is used extencively in Church and Military embroidery.
3. I’m quite convinced that it does cover a seam. The bliaut seems to be a development of those earlier tunics/dresses, with the addition of side lacing to pull the garment tight across the torso. The “smocking” is artistic interpretation of the gathering this tight lacing produces. There is no evidence to suggest that the sleeves were set-in in any way, and the cutting experiments I’ve done all make the most sence if you put a seam were the braid appears.
~ Rowena / Brenda Sibly
Message #400, November 29, 2002
I’ll add my couple of cents on where the whole corselet thing got started in the SCA. Back in the early days we all loved looking at Herbert Norris’ books, and he describes the corselet (and oriental surcoat, another story…). Other, more modern costume writers also picked up on the idea from Norris. Norris uses as his sources Violett de Duc, Alteneck and Hottenroth, the Victorian experts at that time. I have the Hottenroth book, which doesn’t reference a corselet, and suspect the idea came from one of the other two Victorians (Le Duc is my prime suspect). Where did they get the idea?
Then, as now, costume historians are fascinated by the lovely elongated figures at the Chartres cathedral. I believe the original source/culprit for the idea for the outside hip belt is this statue on the left:
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/arch/gothic/chartres/chartres_sculp047. jpg
This queen has a tightly wrapped torso, that a clearer image would help show. (see book: Sculptors of the West Portals of Chartres by Whitney S. Stoddard) I think that the costume historian based the idea of the wide corselet/mid-section wrap on this one statue, as we don’t run across this on any other statues that I have found so far. (And we’re looking!)
The idea of a smocked wide girdle comes from the following statues, also at Chartres:
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/arch/gothic/chartres/chartres_sculp026. jpg
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/arch/gothic/chartres/chartres_sculp034. jpg
I think that the x-shapes are a stylized way of depicting the lines across the abdomen created by tight lacing.
I’m glad you’re thinking of trying 12th century costume, it is the most elegant in my opinion!
~ Katrine / Katherine Barich
Message #401, November 29, 2002
Indeed, Viollet Le Duc, in his Dictionnaire Raisonne du Mobilier Francais uses the Chartres carvings as his source and draws the corselet/body belt thing, including a back view,which is pure fantasy.
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/arch/gothic/chartres/chartres_sculp034. jpg
is the carving he uses as his source for the Oriental surcoat.
Katrine, I’ll get some copies of the relivant pages and get you to translate what he says about these items.
~ Rowena / Brenda Sibly
Message #405, November 30, 2002