Kit update

A place for pics and tutorials on making Soft Kit (clothing and accessories like buckles and cloak pins).

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Shadrack
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Kit update

Post by Shadrack »

So it's been pretty much a year since i last posted anything on here what with all the uh, *gestures wildly at everything* stuff going on. Thankfully though the chaos I've been able to continue to make reasonably steady progress on my kit so i figured it was about time to post an update.
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Starting with the base layer I made a basic linen under tunic and trousers. While all of the visible stitches and hemming is hand sewn on these, the bulk of the interior stitching was done with a machine. I'm not quite satisfied with the rather gaping neckline on the tunic however, so somewhere on the back burner in my mind is a hand sewn upgrade with a tighter fitting neck. The trousers are held up with a hand braided hemp drawstring that I forgot to take pictures of but I'm sure will show up in a later post.
I acquired the wool leg wrappings from https://jelldragon.com/ and I'm mighty pleased with the way they go with my lower cut boots.
On the belt is the need wallet I made a couple of years ago based on elleths wonderful pattern in the edge of the wild magazine.
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Over the top of this I have a woolen tunic made from pretty much the same pattern as the linen one only without the central gore and somehow an even wider neckline?? Something I clearly need to work on. I'm not to concerned about it on this piece as it is meant to be an over-garment and the wider neck will help with airflow while on the trail. This piece is entirely hand sewn with linen thread.
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Next goes on my hood based loosely on the skjoldehamn pattern, hand sewn from an old wool moth-ridden blanket i found in a thrift shop. I probably made the shoulder panels a tad too small but it does the job and I'm pretty happy with it for now.
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Over the top of this goes my grey cloak/blanket pinned with a penannular broach.
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Here it all is with some hard kit over the top. This setup is in no way finalized but it's fun to start playing around with it. The quiver is a shameless ripoff of elleth/urthgards gorgeous design with a woolen arrowsock to help protect the fletching. I've yet to get around to making some more period appropriate arrows but I'll probably hold off on that until I stop loosing so many at the range! The bow is made by Two Arrows Archery in my hometown and it is lovely. I believe it's white ash backed with fiberglass and has a draw weight of 50 pounds. The glove is currently just a cheap pigskin workglove that i gave a quick brown dye and chopped off the fingertips. To be replaced with a more appropriate alternative in the future of course.

Let me know what you all think and throw me any suggestions you have!
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Taylor Steiner
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Re: Kit update

Post by Taylor Steiner »

Awesome! Good work!
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Elleth
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Re: Kit update

Post by Elleth »

That looks fantastic - I love the forest-colored underlinen!

... if the tunic necks bother you, perhaps you could stitch on a neck placket to fill in the space and close them up a bit?
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
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Peter Remling
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Re: Kit update

Post by Peter Remling »

Looking Good !
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Iodo
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Re: Kit update

Post by Iodo »

Very nice setup :P

How well do you find the viking leg wraps function on the trail? I've been thinking of trying them as a better alternative to my leather gaiters, that I actually made for a steampunk festival and have been wearing with my dwarven kit ever since
Gimli: It's true you don't see many Dwarf-women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they are often mistaken for Dwarf-men.
Aragorn: It's the beards.
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Greg
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Re: Kit update

Post by Greg »

Excellent work! Coming along nicely.
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
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Shadrack
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Re: Kit update

Post by Shadrack »

Thanks for the feedback guys!
Iodo wrote:How well do you find the viking leg wraps function on the trail?
While i have yet to get a chance to use them in a legitimate trekking context I've found that they stay up remarkably well. The key is making sure that they are long enough to wrap around the top of the calf just below the knee. If they are too short and don't make it over the bulge in your calf muscle, then I could imagine that they would have a hard time staying up.
Elleth wrote:if the tunic necks bother you, perhaps you could stitch on a neck placket to fill in the space and close them up a bit?
There's an idea, I'll have to mull it over a bit. I'm just not sure if it would fit in with the overall aesthetic. I feel like it could have the potential to come off as a tad decorative for my liking.
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Iodo
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Re: Kit update

Post by Iodo »

Shadrack wrote: While i have yet to get a chance to use them in a legitimate trekking context I've found that they stay up remarkably well. The key is making sure that they are long enough to wrap around the top of the calf just below the knee. If they are too short and don't make it over the bulge in your calf muscle, then I could imagine that they would have a hard time staying up.
I'd never have thought of that, thanks :P
Shadrack wrote:
Elleth wrote:if the tunic necks bother you, perhaps you could stitch on a neck placket to fill in the space and close them up a bit?
There's an idea, I'll have to mull it over a bit. I'm just not sure if it would fit in with the overall aesthetic. I feel like it could have the potential to come off as a tad decorative for my liking.
If it's any help, the first thing I thought of when I read that is the tunic Ringulf wears here:

https://www.ranger.budgetauthenticity.o ... 2447&hilit

it has that green-ish piece of fabric sewn into the neckline as trim, I think something to that effect, although less stylized, sewn over the neck line could solve your problem and in the same fabric, or something slightly darker, would probably look great
Gimli: It's true you don't see many Dwarf-women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they are often mistaken for Dwarf-men.
Aragorn: It's the beards.
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Cimrandir
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Re: Kit update

Post by Cimrandir »

Your kit is coming along very nicely! It's nice to see someone with a low turnshoe and leg wrappings in place of a taller boot as that's the general idea I'm leaning toward myself.

I also love the color on your linen undertunic and have been thinking of dying my tunic close to that color or maybe a shade darker.
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Laothain
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Re: Kit update

Post by Laothain »

Your kit looks great
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