12th Century Surcoat – The Process

Author wearing the surcoat
while mounted on Rex

This is the construction portion of the documentation for this project.

Because these surcoats were made of linen, I acquired some good quality linen from a commercial source for the project. In the past, I have used cotton materials, thinking them cooler and better suited for warm weather.  I have since learned that linen in a superior cloth for hot weather, and is both durable and easily cleaned. Taking the advice from other researchers who led me to this discovery, I decided to stay true to period convention, and make this surcoat from linen.

After purchasing about 2 1/2 yards of linen, I laid the material out for cutting. I have made several surcoats in the past, from a variety of material, and have established a good size for my use.  Thus I used a pattern that I made for this purpose some years ago.

As a young child, I learned a little about sewing in school and from my female ancestors, but my real skills were developed in the SCA. In the late 1970's there were no garb merchants, and everything we wore were items which we personally had made. Thus I practiced my sewing skills on numerous garb projects. The first garb I made was a two tone tunic which I still have and have lent to a variety of "first-timers" on the occasion of their first event. Because I was a starving college student at the time, who could not afford a sewing machine, all my projects were hand-sewn. Later, a sewing machine from my mother seemed like the best gift in the world, allowing me to make a full wardrobe of clothes from several different cultures and time periods.  I can now boast a closet full of garb. But as I aged and looked to make more authentic garb, I set that machine aside and tapped into my old hand sewing skills.  

Additionally, through my SCA sewing experiences, I gained the skill of designing my own patterns.   In the early days of the SCA, there were few patterns available for SCA type garb. I also developed a Japanese persona, and no one was making patterns for this type of garb for many years. Hence, I learned how to adapt my clothing for sizing and drew up my own patterns. This skill I applied to making my first surcoat pattern, and I still use this pattern today.

Whip stitch^[1]

After cutting out the material, I sewed the shoulder seams. This garment is an experiment in and demonstration of a variety of seam treatments which were used in the medieval period. The first type of hem treatment I used on these two small seams. Turning the edges over twice, to conceal and protect the edges from fraying, I sewed the seam with a running stitch. To finish the edge, I used a whip stitch to hold down the seam. While this method is very secure and quick to complete, I was not overly happy with it, as it is rather bulky and does not lay flat.

Shoulder seam

I moved on to the side seams, and sewed these by placing the two edges together and securing them with a strong backstitch.. I then opened up the seam, laying the two sides flat, and turned both edges under to conceal and protect them from fraying. These edges I sewed down using a whip stitch. This produced a nice flat seam, which was not as bulky as the first type.

Hem treatment^[2]

In period examples, the seam is backstitched, and after trimming, the edges are rolled over and sewn down using a whip stitch as shown on the right.

I continued to finish the seam edges all the way down the side until the spot where I would hem the cloth. I intended to have a deep bottom hem as I wanted the width and extra cloth to serve to add weight and help the cloth hang down better. I have used this technique in the past to make the material lay better and it has worked out very well, especially on garments used for riding on horseback. I didn't fold under the edge under the hem, so this makes the material in this area lay smoother. The edges did not need the protection because they were covered by the hem and not exposed.

Period technique of whip stitching the edge. ^[3]

The next phase of the project involved stitching the front and back slits.  I rolled under the edges and sewed them using a whip stitch. At the top of each split, the rolled edge seam become very small.  Careful stitching was required to secure this edge and keep it smooth. With small stitches, I reinforced the top to prevent tearing of the cloth under use.

Slits sewn and hemmed

As noted, I wanted a wide hem for weight, so I left a generous 6 inches which I turned up and secured flat to the garment. Rolling the edge under, I again used the whipstitch to hem the bottom of the surcoat. At the slit seams, I turned under the side parts and sewed the edges with a tight overcast stitch (or overstitch). Likewise, the side seams, I turned under and used the same stitch to securely sew the edges together.

Overcast stitch^[4]

 

Hem detail

The last phases of the project involved sewing the arm holes and the neckline.  The armholes were made wide enough to accommodate my arms and allow room for chain mail to be worn under the garment, but are not overly large as shown in period examples.  Likewise, the round neckline is taken from period surcoats.  After folding under the edges, I sewed them down using a whipstitch.

Armholes finished

The final touches to the garment consisted of light ironing to erase the creases produced through construction.

Conclusion:

This project was both rewarding and productive. In pursuit of a goal of mine to make a complete set of Tournament style garb, this project brings me one step closer to realizing that goal. The garment is both lightweight, and lays nicely, with nice "flow" when worn, but is also authentic and functional. It represents a true to period reproduction as well in all aspects.

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1. Website: Period stitches, Jan 2009, March 2010,  http://jauncourt.i8.com/stitches.htm

2. Website: Period stitches
3. Website: Period stitches 
4. Website: Period stitches