Recreating historical garments is fascinating at all levels. It tends to begin with the appreciation of the unique styles that developed through the ages and the cultural circumstances that inspired them. Looking a little closer, you start to see the interesting variety of textiles, colors, and embellishments. Some are made with local materials, which makes perfect sense, while others appear to be imported from far away places. This is where the deeper stories of trade and influence that make cultures really start to unfold.
International trade was not unheard of in the Medieval period, but it wasn't all that common. Cottons from India and silks from the far east occassionally made their way to Europe, but were luxury items that only the very wealthy could afford. Most European clothing was made from the linen, wool, leather, and furs that were readily available. England became quite adept at making fine woolen cloth, which became one of its chief trade goods that was highly sought after throughout Europe. Linen was a more common cloth, used mainly for undergarments, caps, and cotehardies – a kind of kirtle that could be worn by itself for daily wear or under a more sumptuous outer gown for special occasions.
Until the medieval period, most cloth was left in its natural color, but as people began to understand the science of natural dyes and mordants, clothing started to bloom with color. Rural medieval women dyed their own cloth using the common dyestuffs that could be found locally. Urban women could purchase fabrics which were dyed with superior dyestuffs that produced richer fade resistant colors.
Though block printed fabrics were available, the process wasn't all that reliable so printed fabrics weren't very common. Instead, fabrics were patterned by weaving with different colored threads to make stripes, plaids, and a variety of checks, or creating textured patterns using various weaving techniques. Damask patterns were emerging and becoming popular, but because they required considerably skill to weave, they were more of a luxury item for the very rich.
Most European clothing was made from wool or flax that was cultivated, prepared, spun, and woven into fabric by hand at home or by a local tradesman. The cost of one complete outfit would be on par with the purchase of a car today. Medieval clothing was designed to waste as little fabric as possible and every seam was sewn carefully to extend the life of a garment. Flat-felled seams became a standard in Medieval clothing. Also known as “the run and fell”, this seam traces its origins back to the traditional techniques employed by sailmakers and cobblers. Renowned for its strength and ability to withstand heavy use, the flat felled seam worked well for clothing because it created a neat finish that was not only pleasing to the eye, but the enclosed seam allowances also enhanced the overall comfort of a garment, something that was particularly important with the coarser hand woven wools and linens.
I was a little hesitant to make flat felled seams on my doll clothing because I didn't thing the narrow 1/4” seam allowances would fold over easil. For my first try, I widened the seam allowances to 1/2”, and that worked fine. After a little practice with the widened seam allowances, I decided to try it on the 1/4” seam allowances just to see how it would work and was pleasantly surprised. Although they required a bit more patience to turn the raw edges under, I developed a rhythm that made a relaxing exercise.
This is a great sewing technique that is well worth mastering. Not only will it add more authenticity to your historical garments, but I can see myself using this to reinforce or mend my own clothing, especially where I don't have much of a seam allowance to work with.
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JudyP
March 04, 2025
Wow. Thank you. I had made this dress once, wasn’t real happy the way it turned out. Now, I am ready to tackle this pattern again and do the flat felled seams. Thanks again.