Friday, May 21, 2010

Anglo-Saxon gown

This has to be one of my favourite photographs. It was taken by Kyle Andrews.

Here is another one. This is an eleventh century high status over gown and under dress. Both are made of linen though to be correct to the period it should have been wool. However our summers can be hot and very humid not a particularly good combination for woollen layers. This gown has no train and just skims the ground making it very practical.  The veil is a silk and wool blend with a woad dyed linen under cap. I have some of my Shetland sheep fleece spun into embroidery yarn and dyed with woad, madder and weld, with which to further embellish the overdress.
This picture was taken at an SCA event hence the coronet.


 The manuscript 'cartoon'  of  the Anglo-Saxon Queen Emma
(c. 985 – March 6, 1052) was the inspiration for the project.