• Bliaut - 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.htmThe Beautiful Bliaut by Lady Arianne de Chateau-Michel "Mistress Rosemounde of Mercia, O.L."The Bliaut: A New perspective on Pattern and… …
  • Shoulder Seams - Shoulder Seams (Original Subject line: “Another Bliaut Question”) Marguerite and others who use the straight grain bodice pattern, Do you find that you need to trim the shoulders in at all? Marguerite, your handout mentions trimming in the waist area slightly, but did you leave the shoulders square or trim them in? To get the bodice big enough to fit around my chest, the shoulder seams then hang down below the point of my shoulders by a couple of inches. If you don’t trim the shoulders in, where do you adjust the sleeve length - at the shoulder, or at… …
  • Accolade Gown - Q:  Does anybody know how to make the sleeves to this gown?, meaning the famous "accolade gown". I've researched and have found nothing. A:  Hehehehe, don't get me started on the Accolade gown! It's incorrect for 12th century. The accolade gown has a set in sleeve (not period) the part above the trim is too poofy, the lower part should really be tighter above the elbow.That said, you can find details about making these "angel-wing" sleeves in Herbert Norris.~ Rowena / Brenda Sibly Message #735, January 19, 2003 Patterns for Theatrical Costumes by Katherine Strand Holkboer has such a pattern.… …
  • Garment Lacing – Back vs Side - What about using placketed back lacing to help form the figure? Nope, side lacing. I've not been able to find any evidence for backlacing, but there is a fair bit for side lacing, and is not so much to control the figure but to make the fabric tight enough to show off the figure. Also no plackets as far as we can tell. ~ Rowena / Belinda Sibly Message #842, February 24, 2003 Is there something of a controversy between side laced and back laced? Yes, the controversy over the side vs back is primary sources versus poor secondary sources… …
  • Ease over the Bust in a Bliaut - How much ease is there over the bust in a bliaut? I was going to go with the patterns in the files and the one on the Janecourt site (spelling?) but have no idea how much ease to allow over the bust.  My Elizabethan shift has six inches and that seems to be about right for a shift but 12th century is a little earlier than I'm used to and I think the bliaut fits tighter so you get those lovely lines over the abdomen. Any help from those of you who have made the lovely gowns in the photo… …
  • Questions About Construction - Hi! I'm new to this list and to early period garb. After 5yrs of doing Elizabethan and two kids later, I've given up wearing corsets 🙂 I've been searching the web and there seems to be no real consensus on the basic construction of the bliaut. Do most people follow the tunic construction (long rectangles for front and back with gores)or the separate pleated skirt cut? Also, this may be a stupid question, when the directions call for cutting the bodice several inches (or in one case 1 1/2x)the torso length, is that the length from under the bust to… …
  • Sleeves? - I've seen the argument for both the angel wing sleeve and the maunch-type sleeve. Do the more learned folks on this list lean towards one or the other? Also, what is a good length for the sleeves? I'm not sure I have enough fabric for them to go all the way to the floor, is knee length ok, or should I just do something else with that fabric? ~ Giovanna Message #1026, April 16, 2003 I have seen very little evidence for the angel wing sleeves in the French sources. I'm definitely a maunch girl. The length was a matter… …