Simple sleeved surcote, 13th and early 14th century
A loose, square garment with plain elbow-length sleeves.
Calf-length man's version with gores and front slit. It could be lengthened for a woman (Fig 1).
b. Cutting layout for a, shown on 2.5 m of single layer cloth, 150 cm wide, with seam allowances included. Garment width is 75 cm - a generous fit on modern size 42 (Chest 105 cm). The side gores reach to the base of the separate sleeve gussets, D. The centre gores, at front and back, are quite short and cut in one. The front gore is slit for most of its length as shown.
b
150cm
CB
continued from page 117
Making up
Cut and finish the neck opening. Sew the gores to the body, with the side gores straight edge to straight edge. Insert pairs of gores in slashes on the Centre Front and Back. Either set the sleeves on flat and sew the underarm and side seams in one, with the gussets if used; or, finish the side seams then set in the completed sleeves (Methods, Figs 7, 8).
Sew by hand with lapped seams or run-and- fell (Methods, Figs 3, 6), or machine stitch with open seams. Finish unlined surcotes by overcasting the seams if the cloth seems likely to fray. Finish neck and sleeve ends with hems or narrow facings of linen or silk.
For
lined
surcotes
cut
and
make
up
the
lining
as
the
outer
fabric. Insert it
and
finish
the
neck,
hem,
and
armholes
or
sleeve ends
(Pl
1),
perhaps
with
a
fancy stitch
in
a contrasting
thread
(Methods,
Fig
22).
Fastenings
Most surcotes simply pull on over the head (Fig 2); a few have a front neck opening with a couple of buttons (Methods, Figs 19, 21). Fitted examples may be laced at the back or side (Methods, Figs 16, 17).
20 cm
119
5A 5. Woman's fashionable sleeved surcote, mid
14Th century
Style. The body has shaped shoulder seams and armholes, and long side gores (modern size 12-14, Bust 90 cm). The slightly peaked sleeves and the fitchets (slits for access to the purse) are typical of the period.
b
b.
Cutting
diagram for a.
Shaping is
shown by
fine lines.
When the Back
and Front
are shaped
at
the shoulders they
can be cut
separately, as
shown here.
The long side
gores can
be used as
they
are, or
shaped at
the top for a
closer fit.
The sleeves
are flared
at the end, and
shaped at
the top (Fig
6b). Alternatively
a 'transitional' sleeve
(Cotes, Fig
9) could
be used.
The fitchets are not shown on the plan; it is best to complete the garment and fix their position on the wearer (Methods, Fig 10; Pl 1).
20 cm
120