The Armour Archive

I am working on getting my Viking Kit together and was wondering how wide the shoulders would be (dotted line in image below.) The fabric I have been looking at has modern widths of anywhere from 40"-65". Anyone have a good rule of thumb like seam at actual shoulder, 3" past your shoulder, or something like that?

I always heard that 22" was the usual loom width, so that's how wide the body panels were. Shoulder width or chest size rarely had much to do with it. If it fits you like a tent, eh, it's a tunic! Obviously if a 22"-wide body panel is too *small* for you (i.e., 44" total circumference minus seam allowance), you're going to have to make it wider, or have the gores run all the way up to the shoulder (which was done on the Moselund Mose tunic), something like that.

Happy sewing!

Matthew

The body panel on is a straight rectangle, so the shoulder width is equal to the chest width. On me that means that the shoulder seem falls a few inches past the point of my shoulder.

Thanks!

Just picked up 5 yards of 57" linen from fabrics-store.com from the IL019 line.

Thanks for all the advice! I'll post pix before too long

Im going to give some different advice. First is that your pattern lacks gussets under the arms. You realy need these for a fuul range of movement without wear and tear on the seam. Secondly for norse type personas the tunic shouldn't fit like a tent. It should be close on the upper body with tight sleeves tapering to the wrist. With the pattern I used, similar to yours, I measured to my shoulders and just added my seam allowence. The sleaves fit close and the gussets allow for movement.

Good luck on your project!

http://www.forest.gen.nz/Medieval/artic ... UNICS.HTML
I use the t-tunics the period way pattern. They use your waist measurement for what you are looking for. The gussets under the arms help add room in the upper chest.

Thanks for all the advice everyone, I am making tunics now and will post when done.

Christophe de Frisselle wrote:http://www.forest.gen.nz/Medieval/artic ... UNICS.HTML
I use the t-tunics the period way pattern.

Huh! It's a clever layout, but the sleeves should be tapered, fitting closely along the forearms. Also, I don't think the centered round neckhole is accurate--from what I've seen the back panel is generally straight across the top edge, or has just a slight curve cut out of it, while the front panel has a semicircle cut out with a vertical slit, the "keyhole" style. It allows the hole to be much smaller and more comfortable. I don't recall seeing evidence for any sort of facing or backing for the neckhole, either.

Oh, duh, I didn't post a link to my own site!

http://www.larp.com/midgard/tunic.htm

Note that the Kragelund Mose tunic *does* have a more symmetrical neckhole, but it's very narrow. And the rear slit promptly started tearing on mine, so you can use that small piece left from the neckhole to make a reinforcing patch for it.

Duh again, I don't have a link to Marc Carlson's site on that page! But here's his Moselund Mose tunic pattern, which is very exciting:

http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-ca ... elund.html

Pleated gores at front and back, side gores all the way to the top seam, sleeves fitted and set in to shaped armholes. (Frankly, it looks 14th century to me!) Tricky work, but FABulous tunic. And you can see the simple keyhole neckhole.

Eventually, you'll make at least one tunic from every pattern you find! I've got more tunics than modern shirts...

Happy sewing!

Matthew