The overdue viking dress

What can I say? I'm horrible at keeping up with regular postings. So, without further ado here in my viking apron dress:

The style I chose for my dress is the tube dress that flares from the hips. I'd really love to make the other more accurate style of two overlapping free panels or of one long overlapping panel next time. This time I decided to stay with a well loved and prevalent method so that I could be ensured great results without making up a muslin. Here is a diagram of the cutting method I used:

This is a design by eqos on deviantart.com, http://eqos.deviantart.com

I cut this out of a cotton blanket that I picked up at a resale shop on the cheap. Cotton? You ask. Yes, but it looks like herringbone wool from a two foot distance. It's not until you get your eyes right in there all close and personal and maybe give it a good feel that you realize that it's not wool. I think this is going to make it a life saver during the three weeks in August that everyone tells me get extremely hot out here.

Two things I did just a little differently were that I decided to waste just a little fabric and eliminate the halved pieces. I just moved over my cutting diagram and made them whole. This is because I had more fabric than needed for this project, but not enough left over to make another project out of, I was going to have fabric waste either way. I also eliminated the bottom band to make this calf length after hemming. I might have lengthened the entire pattern by just a few inches instead, but I honestly can't remember. Instead of hemming the top edge I cut off the top band on the blanket and used that to finish my top edge. This keeps the top from stretching out and I think it gives it a very finished look.

The straps are pieces of the edge binding of the blanket. In the front are two short loops and coming from the back are two long loops. These are meant to be held together by big ornate shield brooches. These are something I am going to have to wait a bit for, but I should be able to find some through a SCA merchant at some event this summer. Something I did already own was a festoon of beads:

I made this at a workshop during an event from 18 gauge wire strung with glass and metal beads. The danglies might not be accurate.

For anyone looking for more inspiration, here is a handout that I found on the internet that gives more information and cutting diagrams and instructions for another version of the apron dress and for a better under-tunic.

Next up will be my sideless surcoat.