Review: Jupon by Marcele (Tasha Mcgann)

Asbjorn Johansen · Post by **Asbjorn Johansen** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 6:35 pm

(pictures to follow)

About a month before Pennsic I realized I had a good harness* on the way from Cet (Dave Rylack) of Valhalla Forge, but that my current coat of plates would look lamentable with it. Marcele was working on a jupon for Cet and an arming cote* for me already, so I wasnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t sure if she would have time to fit in a jupon before Pennsic. She said she would do her best to have it done in time for me.

I purchased some heavy hemp canvas from Hemp Basics http://www.hempsupply.com/index2.htm and dyed it with a modern yellow gold dye from Dharma Trading http://www.dharmatrading.com and gave it to Marcele. (Initially she was concerned with may color choice, but when she saw the fabric I think she liked the result). The inner layer was a lighter weight fabrics also from Hemp basics.

Because I knew Marcele was more knowledgeable about the garment then I, rather then ask for specifics (beyond my color choice) I told her she should make the jupon in a style she would be happy with, with one caveat: I only care about hand stitching to the extent that it effects the performance and look of the garment excluding the stitches themselves. In other words if you need to hand stitch to get the garment to pull in just so, or to close a difficult seam, then I care. I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t care if an exposed seam is machine stitched if it doesnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t effect the garment otherwise. I know this bothers many, but performance and fit is much more important to me, and I can get several correctly fitted garments of this type for the cost on one hand stitched garment. As such the button holes as well as parts of the rest of the garment is machine stitched.

I also told Marcele that since my order was so late if she didnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t have it done by Pennisc it was my fault not hers.

It was not done by the time I left for Pennsic, but when Cet came up on the second Saturday, he had a wonderful gift for me, my bright new jupon! When I came up wearing the jupon over my arming cote* and part of my new harness on Sunday before the Combat of the Thirty, Count Rhys (one of the best critics for arming clothes IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve met) was shocked with my improvement in appearance. In fact, I was latter told I was asked to join the Combat due to my improved look. (Unfortunately I didnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t find out till afterward because I was assisting with the marshalling). Throughout the war I continued to get compliments on the jupon, both from people I know and complete strangers. The garment was a complete success.

Wear and Tear:
I fight a lot and a fight hard. I have trashed textile arming garments in the matter of a battle or two. I wore the jupon in battles including the Bridge and the Woods as well as tourneys and pick up fights. So far it shows no signs of fabric wear. The button are all still on the front and I have found no fraying of the seams. The structure is sound.

(There are some stains on it, but this has to do with my dye selection and does not relate to the structure of the garment).

I find my jupon to be a rousing success. I have found Marcele very easy to work with and accommodating. She made sure I was wearing the proper underlayment of armour to ensure a good fit and created a shape the compliments my form. She was willing to work with my personal whims and created a beautiful garment under difficult circumstances and a tight deadline.

Because they live relatively close to one another, I have found working with Marcele and Cet on both arming clothes and armour together to quite beneficial to my on going harness.

*reviews of the harness and arming cote to follow.

Magmaforge · Post by **Magmaforge** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:03 pm

pics, man!

Jehan de Pelham · Post by **Jehan de Pelham** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:48 pm

I have not had anything made with hemp linen yet, but I forsee that people will discover that it is a very stout material quite suited for arming clothes.

Jehan, squire of Sir Vitus

Cet · Post by **Cet** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 9:09 pm

I have two jupons made by Marcel the first of which is, like Asbjorn's, based on the Charles VI example. I've yet to wear it in combat as it's outer shell is covered with a red cotton velvet so I'm saving it for special occaisions. It's the first she made based on this pattern with Asbjorn's being the second. I'm entirely pleased with it and can't wait to show it off so pictures will be forthcoming.

The second piece is slightly different as it's based on garments pictured in the funeral Monument of Bernabo Visconti circa 1370. It differs from the Charles the VI in having a different quilting pattern and sleeves which are very tight and close with buttons from below the elbow. This second piece is intended to be my "everyday" jupon and is made from a copper coloured 15oz hemp twill obtained from Hemp basics, stuffed with organic cotton batting, and lined with a 12oz hemp canvas from Dharma trading. It's proven extremely durable and comfortable. I wore it for all my fighting at pennsic including the 30, The Field and Unbelted battles on Monday and the Woods with out loosing so mch as a button (handsewn cloth buttons secured with silk thread) It still looks new and after drying in the sun doesn't even smell bad !

I worked with Marcele closely on these garments as well as, to an extent, Asbjorn's and it's been a pleasure the whole way. Her turn around is gratifyingly fast and I can't recomend her too highly.

Tailoress · Post by **Tailoress** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 9:48 pm

Thank you to you both -- Asbjorn and Cet -- for the lovely reviews. You're the best.

-Tasha

Tailoress · Post by **Tailoress** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:43 am

Here's the image after which Cet's copper-colored Italian jupon was modeled:

(1370 Italian)

Variations of this sleeve style show up elsewhere in the art:

1360s English

1410 German

Last quarter of the 14thc Italian

-Tasha

Klaus the Red · Post by **Klaus the Red** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 11:38 am

Tasha, is that Visconti image a recenty addition to your site? I don't recall it. And where might I find a picture of the complete piece?

Klaus

Tailoress · Post by **Tailoress** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 11:50 am

Nope -- the Visconti image was new to me when Cet first approached me about making a jupon of that style. He found it in one of his armour sources -- here's what I copied down:

Crocifission, particolare, circa 1370; Lentate, Oratorio di S. Stefano

From:
Armi e Armature Lombarde
Electra Edifice, Milan, 1380
By: Lionello G. Boccia, Francesco Rossi, Marco Morin

I haven't placed it on my site yet, but I probably will get around to it sooner or later. It's yet another example of quilting patterns alluding to the grande-assiette tailoring style. Whether said quilting patterns are in fact following an actual grande assiette construction or not though, is the real question. My best judgement at this time is that sometimes it did and sometimes it didn't, but was used as a popular stylistic element -- both militarily and in civilian fashion. Very manly, that look! Military tailoring has been making its way into male civilian clothing for a very loooong time, right up to the present day...

Cet says he's had some good photos of him in his full rig and jupon taken while at Pennsic; I think when he has them ready they'll be posted here. I'm dying to see them too.

-Tasha

Karl · Post by **Karl** » Sat Aug 28, 2004 11:08 am

Please, please, please, please send pics to perron@mac.com

I've been looking for someone to make me a good 15th-century quilted arming doublet out of hemp linen for months now.

Thanks so much for the review!!

Best,
Karl

Jeff J · Post by **Jeff J** » Mon Aug 30, 2004 9:19 am

Karl wrote:Please, please, please, please send pics to perron@mac.com I've been looking for someone to make me a good 15th-century quilted arming doublet out of hemp linen for months now.

Thanks so much for the review!!

Best,
Karl

It's a 14th C. arming garment under discussion, so it probably won't help you. As far as anyone can tell, 15th C. arming doublets don't seem to be much different in pattern from regular 15th C. doublets. If you need something padde, you are probably in need of a jack. What armor do you need it for?

Karl · Post by **Karl** » Mon Aug 30, 2004 11:31 am

Thanks Jeff; I realize the contemporary difference between the two garments, but I wanted someone familiar with the construction technique to do a custom commission.

I have a complete 15th Century Italo-export harness that I support with a gambeson underneath almost exactly like this gentleman is wearing (pictured, at center):

[img]http://medievaldesign.com/sitomedieval/3.jpg[/img]

I know that the gambeson is wrong; what I want however is a quilted doublet so I can do away with the SCA-required elbowpads. I was hoping that Marcele would be the tailor I am looking for.

Best,
karl

Galvyn Lockhart · Post by **Galvyn Lockhart** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:30 pm

What type of fabric dye is recommended for Hemp fabric? I've checked out the dharmatrading.com and there are quite a few choices. I'm no expert on fabric dying, so what is recommended?

Thanks.