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`I have been a member of SCA since 2005 and have been trying to learn as much as I can about period garb construction.
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`Norse Project 2011
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`Experimenting with Italian...2012
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`Disney Challenge 2013
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`Tristar Ex. 1018, pg. 1
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`

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`I have based the theory of the cloth and my design on the figure from Tuse and backed up
`with other carved designs and figures. I elaborated on the design to include the dragon
`shapes that I liked from some of the stone runic carvings that have been discovered.
`
`The panel is made from a reclaimed piece of wool from and old coat and is already fulled. I
`have embellished my panel with textile techniques used in the Viking time period and based
`on various extant finds. I may have stretched it a bit by using lucet cording and nalbinding as
`trim but the figures I used for reference had decorative geometric looking trims and could
`have easily represented woven yarn trims such as can be made by nalbinding or lucets. I
`embroidered with the stitches documented by Heather Rose which included overhand hem
`stitch, running stitch, backstitch and herringbone stitch. I added some small bone and silver
`bead and discs for interest.
`
`I used commercial yarn for much of the decorative work but included pieces of yarn I hand
`spun from some Icelandic sheep fleece that I won from an auction. The dragon shapes are a
`wheel spun yarn from my friend Ygrainne that I couched down with a wool embroidery thread
`using herringbone stitches. The shield shaped medallion in the middle included some of my
`hand spun which works up a little irregular and bumpy… I decided to use it to remind myself
`later of where I began! I used nalbinded pieces tacked down with overlapping decorative
`stitches. Some have been hand and machine felted and some were left as is. I like the look
`of the nalbinding un-felted because it looks almost like decorative runic characters and adds
`interesting texture to the piece.
`
`Note on the asymmetry issue: Norse artwork especially with knot work designs sometimes
`do not match completely. They liked the whole presentation to have a symmetrical look but
`had variation within the designs as times.
`
`I want to make a personal comment in favor of the panel. At our Harvest event, I did a LOT
`of dish and pan washing to help the very busy cook and crew. After slopping mass quantities
`of soapy dish water down the front of my apron dress, I could definitely see the advantage of
`popping on the panel and going to court. But I thought a lot about it afterwards…
`
` In my time period, they would not have been working in the kitchen and then going to court
`in the same way as we do in the SCA. However, it would seem to be more practical to have
`panel/s ready to dress up a worn or messy apron dress when company arrived. Working
`aprons could have been worn (as we do now) but they would have needed to be washed
`each time they were worn and I imagine a women in that era would have tried to wear
`clothing for as long as possible before washing due to the work involved in doing laundry with
`fabric such as linen and wool.
`
`Panels used less fabric than a whole tunic or under dress (perhaps even scrap fabric was
`used?) and could be hanging on a hook and ready for use to cover the messy clothing if
`
`Tristar Ex. 1018, pg. 2
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`

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`needed. I can also see having a fancy one for special occasions/rituals and definitely you
`would want a special one to be buried in so your people could see the successful
`homemaker/wife/mother/craftswoman/etc. you had been before dying!!! Or how successful
`your hubby was, depending on your interpretation-ha!
`
`I do not have hard evidence for the use of nalbinded and lucetted trim but since both
`techniques can be documented to the time period, I feel a woman wishing to be creative
`would have adapted any technique she felt would enhance her work. Also, if you look at the
`stone carved figures, the clothing they wear seems to be embellished and decorated in this
`manner. There is evidence for card woven trim so I do want to try to make some if I have
`time. I just learned to do the weave a few months back and need to sit down and refresh my
`puny brain cells!!!
`
`I also feel that trim and decoration would have been added to cover worn spots or stains and
`the panel would become more decorative as time went on. Several pieces of my previous
`garb have evolved in this way in the past few years.
`
`During my research I had a light bulb type moment about the dome shaped brooches. I kept
`wondering about the symbolism or whatever of the dome shape pins but then it hit me… With
`all of the layers of clothing and accessories that is proposed to be pinned through the
`brooches, they would almost have HAD to be domed for all the fabric, jewelry, and hanging
`implements to fit under and still lay nicely against the body?
`
`I have included small bits of the only hand spun yarn I have finished…and that is not much!!!
`The lighter gray in the middle of the 3-color piece, the lighter gray that is couched over the
`darker gray trim on the right side and around the wider white trim next to that, and the very
`thin white that is couched from the bottom curls of the dark gray trim and around.
`
`Update: I have added a couple more rows of trim and some stone and bone beads. Friend
`(now household aunt) Ygrainne gifted me with a skein of her beautiful home spun yarn which
`will also reside on the panel eventually.
`
`Lucet cord in the making.
`Lucet forks have been found in many burial sites but they are of bone or antler (wood may
`have disintegrated) and usually are more irregular shaped than the one above. The harp
`shaped lucet fork was probably a Victorian era design. This shape seems to be commonly
`accepted in SCA but I have plans to make myself one out of antler for a more authentic
`representation.
`I have used lucet cords in many different ways but specifically for drawstrings in my
`
`Tristar Ex. 1018, pg. 3
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`

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`nalbinded pouches. I am anxious to see how well they fare as apron dress straps. I call
`lucet cords my version of Viking bungee cords.
`
`
`The panel is recycled wool from an old coat that I pieced together in the middle. The
`Nalbinding strips down the middle are covering the seam. The dark gray in the middle of the
`Nalbinding medallion is from a piece of yarn that I spun myself from fleece I won in a slient
`
`Tristar Ex. 1018, pg. 4
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`

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`auction at Crown Tournament 2011 in Sentinels' Keep. I started spinning on it that day. It is
`lumpy and bumpy but it is all mine! I decided to use it anyway as a reminder of
`where I started! I have nalbinded and felted the white trim from an alpaca yarn I
`purchased and the red trim was made with a lucet and commercially spun wool...not felted.
`The lucet cord will be used for the loops that will attach to the apron brooches. I will probably
`do more lucet trim and do some knotwork designs. The rest is basic embroidery of blanket
`stitch, herringbone and running stitches that have been documented from some of the
`remains found.
`
`Some Basic Information:
`Most of the fabric recovered by archeologists are scraps that were protected under metal
`adornments. Under the tortoise brooches are remnants of several strap fabrics of linen, wool
`and silk. There is much speculation of what the brooches held and it is reasonable that an
`apron panel could have been connected there too.
`
`The pages below contain drawings of carved designs that illustrate several layers of clothing
`and what could be a decorated apron panel attached to the brooches on top of the apron
`dress.
`I based my panel on the piece below because…well I look like it! I believe the upper area at
`the neck represents a necklace but I incorporated that into my panel design. The panel here
`seems quite plain (her work apron?) but I am embellishing mine with strips of embroidery,
`and nalbinded and lucetted trim.
`http://www.vikingsonline.org.uk/resources/articles/dress.htm
`
`I searched for Tuse and found a site with wonderful photos
`by Sofie Regenthal
`http://www.flickr.com/photos/sofieregenthal/473391171/
`http://sites.google.com/site/sregenthal/
`
`My grandmother was Norwegian and was raised in North
`Dakota before moving to Montana. She was a very
`practical, resourceful and unassuming woman who loved to
`cook, craft, and take care of her family. She never wore
`pants even on picnic and camping outings (although she
`wore sturdy shoes) and at home she almost always wore an apron and had a hanky in her
`pocket. I sometimes reinforce the information I gather on Norse women clothing by thinking
`of what my grandma would have done in the same instances. She would definitely had worn
`apron panels while cooking and cleaning to protect her clothes underneath and she probably
`would have had a very nice one (probably a gift from someone) put away for ‘good’ and/or
`her burial clothes. I will call these WWGJD* moments in my documentation.
`
`*What Would Gramma Johnson Do?
`
`Posted by Vigdis at 7:47 AM
`
`1 comment:
`
`e1202930-cad4-11e0-ae86-000f20980440 October 16, 2011 at 1:26 PM
`Well, after cooking and washing dishes for an event recently, I decided apron panels
`would have been a very valuable piece of clothing. As I looked down at the water
`splashed on the front of my apron dress, I realized that it would have been harder to
`have daily aprons that you messed up and had to wash and get ready for use
`quickly. Also since the garments were hand made and out of fiber that was difficult to
`wash, the more practical solution might have been to have the apron panel available
`to attach and hide the messiness underneath when needed.
`
`I am also speculating that the panels may have been always in a state of
`embellishing to keep them looking at their best. A burial panel may have been highly
`decorated as it would have needed to cover the signs of wear and tear.
`Reply
`
`Tristar Ex. 1018, pg. 5
`
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`Tristar Ex. 1018, pg. 6