I finished the Viking garb this weekend.

Some of you will be thinking – ‘since when is Greet interested in Vikings?’

I admit, I’m really not (yet!).  However, I had all this fabric that needed to be wearable and useful garb because for longer events I’m still woefully short of clothing.

Also I’ve discovered that occasionally in the practice of SCA there are ‘theme’ events, and it’s helpful to have a Viking or MiddleEastern outfit even if your main interest is elsewhere.

And I wanted an outfit my mother could wear for when we go to events together, though she’s not a SCAdian, and she’s bigger around than me and shorter.

The best solution to the third criteria is a Viking apron and T-tunic.  I made them both to her measurements, which is slightly short for me, but that’s okay for Vikings.  The t-tunic’s bigness is concealed by the apron, and worn by itself is a lovely nightgown/bathhouse robe.

I made the apron adjustable via the trim running around the chest – the ends tie in the back to achieve this fit, and tie more loosely to ‘ungather’ the back of the apron.  It’s only about two inches more of ease, so it looks fine when gathered.  It’s a cutesey bow, though – did Vikings tie bows?  Surely they did.

My braid cases from last year look really good with this, especially since my hair’s gotten so much longer.  They’re becoming lethal when I flip them over my shoulder.

I don’t have brooches yet, though after this pic was taken I was lent an acceptable substitute.  Wait ’till Melbrigda sees…this is Meridies after all.  I also have to raid my jewelry box for neat beads and string them with my ‘Roman glass’ beads.  But both of those are easy little projects.  Shoes are a bigger problem, but fortunately one that my other garb shares, so I’ll have to get on them soon.  No, I wouldn’t wear red tennis shoes to an event.

The undertunic is a linen/cotton blend that was sold cheaply at Gulf Wars last year, and the tunic is mostly machine-sewed because the fabric wouldn’t hold a crease well under my fingernail.  (This felt like a cop-out at first – but I found a ‘serge stitch’ on my machine that finishes and sews the seam in one pass, so more lemonade out of lemons.)  The linen (5.3 oz, I think) apron is handsewn with thread pulled from the selvages of the bolt.

The weather is cooling, and I’m starting to freak out – Gulf Wars is only five months away!  I’ve got to get these garb projects done so I have clothes to wear.  Just wait till you see what I’ve been planning for the Brown Linen Cotehardie.