A Hood, as Quick as may be

One drawback of Medieval Garments Reconstructed is that it is in metric, and almost everything in America is in inches. The patterns are scaled at 2mm:1cm. I thought if I got a pad of 1 cm graph paper, I could use it to scale up a hood. But after an hour of squinting at the book and wondering when I last saw my bifocals, I wasn’t sure if I had drafted an accurate copy.

Then I considered that 2mm:1cm is basically 500%. So if I placed the page on a scanner and told it to print at 500% that should do it, right?

My newer desktop would NOT admit that the printer/copier could also scan documents. It was very clear that scanning was NOT ITS JOB and it had no idea what I was talking about.

I plugged the printer into the 15 year old desktop, which admitted its scanning capabilities right away. However, it was being way too helpful and I could not get what I wanted until I unchecked the options for “autorotate and center” and “fit to page.” Then I had to sort through several menus to find what the problem was. Clicking “tile” seemed to be the magic word and finally I had several printed pages at the right scale. I’m telling you this in case you have similar issues.

After half an hour with scissors and tape, I had my pattern. Still in cm.

After all this, I felt the need for a quick victory, so I cut a hood that I could finish as fast as possible. From cutting to finishing, less than an hour. It turns out if you tape the 3 pieces together like this and add 1/2″ seam allowance (the red) you can cut the hood as 2 halves!

Using the sewing machine, I started at the forehead, went all the way around the tail and down the back. Then I sewed from under the chin down the front. The face and the shoulder cape are not stitched shut.

The fabric is a green imitation-wool I had laying around. I actually cut the liripipe all the way to the end of the fabric (much longer than the pattern) However, the fabric was fraying and I needed to finish the edges. I zigzagged the inner seams, but that left the face and bottom seam.

Most instructions will tell you to fold the fabric over, and then over again, and stitch it. The same way you stitch a tablecloth. That doesn’t work as well on thicker fabrics or on curved edges, so I’ll show you a faster alternative. I have a stash of fancy trims from Calontir Trim (support small business! good service! also they have pronoun trim!) but use what you’ve got or what you like.

The original Herjolfsnes hoods were not lined, but the seams were hand stitched and finished.

It’s too big on me. Definitely a man’s hood. I’m not disappointed, I had to make one just to see HOW it would fit. And I do like that tail! In the book, the hood was graded into 3 sizes, but I’m going to give just the original size pattern, and instructions on how to adapt it to fit you.

The hood pulls on over your head without a front opening, so the widest part of your head needs to fit through the narrowest part of the hood. Whether you widen the whole hood or just the narrowest part is up to you. Also, add enough ease so it doesn’t take the skin off your nose. Measure your head circumference where it is widest and widen or narrow the pattern according to the picture:

WHATEVER MEASUREMENT YOU ADD WILL BE DOUBLED. Adding 1″ to 2 hood halves adds 2″ width to the hood.

The face opening needs to be somewhat fitted, or the wind and weight of the tail will drag the hood half off, over and over. Measure around the oval of your face, forward of your ear. Mime chewing or drinking, to make sure you have the ease to do these things while wearing the hood. The face opening (represented by the red arrow) needs to equal half that measurement. The red horizontal line is where you will add or subtract to the hood to make the right fit.

The last thing before I give you the pattern is about the length of the liripipe. Historical hoods vary from no liripipe to a slightly pointed hood (like a pixie hood) to various size tails. Thick, thin, tapered, rats tail, embroidered, belled, there is room for self-expression when it comes to the liripipe hood. This hood is the longest historical example I’ve seen. Now, you can cut yourself a liripipe as long as Rapunzel’s hair if you like, but in my opinion the practical limit is just below the belt, with the option of tucking it into the belt to keep it under control. With longer liripipes the weight drags the hood back off your head, so taper long ones. Also, when it is too long to be practical it causes all kinds of mischief. You will find that you sit on it, dip it in the toilet, catch it in a car door, or find it used as a leash.

My personal preference is a length halfway down my back.

Now, the pattern. THIS IS THE ORIGINAL SIZE. TRACE ONTO GRIDDED PAPER. ADJUST TO SUIT YOUR MEASUREMENTS. ADD SEAM ALLOWANCES TO ALL CUT EDGES.

I keep a hot iron ready and press each seam after sewing it. This gives a more professional look to the hood when it’s finished and keeps bulky seams from making the liripipe lumpy, especially with thicker fabrics.

Sew the hood inside out. You will turn it right side out later.

Sew the 2 tail pieces together along one long edge. Press. Sew the top of the hood pieces together. Press. Sew the tail pieces to the hood along one short edge. Press. Sew the 2 remaining edges of the tail pieces together and continue down the back seam of the hood. Press. Sew the short under chin seam. Press. Insert front gore. Here is an excellent tutorial on how to insert a gore (godet).

Try the hood on. If it is an unlined hood, finish the face hem and bottom hem and it’s done. If it’s a lined hood, you have more work ahead of you. I’ll cover that in a separate post.

I think he lost some skin getting that on, and the upper shoulders are straining the seams.

A little too large, mostly at the peak of the forehead. Possibly too long. Hangs oddly at the hem, but that’s probably because of the stiff trim.