The Armour Archive

I just got my wife the Reconstructing History Pattern RH002, 15th C. Women's Kirtle, and she wants to make it out of linen.
What weight linen would be good for the exterior?
For the lining?

We have a bunch of linen samples, both of colors and of different weights, from the Fabric store where we intend to order the linen from.

Also, what weight linen would be good for shirts, chemise, etc?

Thank you,
Amalric

I use 5.3 oz for exteriors when doing dresses in linen. The wide array of colors means you don’t need to search around for something you’d like. For lining, I also prefer the 5.3 oz, in white or natural. Though I’ve also just used whatever is laying around.

For a woman’s shift, the 3.5 oz my go-to fabric. The 5.3 oz is also perfectly good, I just prefer a lighter and finer shift.

For men’s shirts and braies, I prefer the 5.3 oz.

Now, one caveat to the 5.3 for the fashion fabric… If she’s making it supportive, and is large (I have no idea what she looks like!), she may want more support. I use 5.3 oz lined with 5.3, and I have a lot to support, but people larger than me occasionally want an interlining layer or a slightly sturdier fabric. I generally suggest a sturdier lining or interlining.

Char's info is spot on. The only personal preference I differ on is the weight of linen for a man's shirt -- I much prefer the 3.5 oz for men's shirts. But definitely at least 5.3 for the braies! Unless you're kinda an exhibitionist.

Ladies, thank you for your help.

Would it hurt anything if the exterior is made out of 7.1oz linen wiht a lining of the 5.3oz?

The reason being, the Fabric store is out of the color my wife likes in the 5.3oz, but the store has it in 7.1oz.

Thank you,
Amalric

My vote is "go for it". Hand-finishing work might be a little more laborious due to the thickness of the 7 oz fabric compared to the 5.3 oz stuff, but it'll still work fine.

Vote number two for the same.

Ya - I'd probably do 3.5 for men's shirts, the 5.3 is just Jeff's preference.

In other words, whatever you like the feel of.

Vote three for the same. I'm pretty much on the same page as Charlotte and Tasha (shocking that ).

I will add on the supportive garment front (ha ha) - having just made a couple of supportive gowns for my former Queen, who is rather buxom - I made one of 5.3 ounce lined with more 5.3 ounce, and it looked very nice, but the Coronation gown, which was a somewhat heavier upholstery weight linen (probalby 7 ounce) lined with a heavier end silk charmeuse, and that was really lovely in terms of line and fit. The sleek silk lining really just created a gorgeous garment, even though you didn't see the silk at all except at the sleeves or when she lifted her skirts.

Me four... I did use the heavier stuff for surcoats so that they'd hold up longer, but would have been too heavy for a kirtle.