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An English Hood - step-by-step instructions |
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Written by Anne Colet of Carshalton (Jean Waddie)
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Sunday, 05 August 2007 |
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Page 3 of 9
The Frame
There is obviously some sort of stiffened frame involved to hold up the gable shape. I made mine from brass strip stitched onto stiff linen, and then cased in fine linen. You could use wire or some other rigid support, and you could rivet or solder the brass strip together and then just case it. I don�t recommend relying on glue - it doesn�t hold metal very well.
First, use the cardboard, along with your favourite portrait, to make a pattern. You will need to support the top sides slightly above your head, either on your braids passed over your head or on a slightly padded alice band. The side angle is level with the widest part of your skull, just above the temples, and the bottom edge level with your mouth (for Jane Seymour, 1536 - earlier, in the mid 1520s, it extends to just below the chin). Front to back it goes from the edge of the eye socket not quite to the back of your head, and the sides are cut away over the ears to give the narrow lappets at the front. Remember to give a little extra at the ends of the lappets to turn out.
Using my measurements, this gives the following pattern:
![frame\](http://www.harpelstane.org/mambots/content/multithumb/thumbs/b.300.0.16777215.0..stories.articles.framthre.gif "frame\")
Cut out this pattern in the stiff linen, with no turnings except 1cm extra (yes, more extra) at the end of the lappets.
Cut lengths of brass strip to fit your pattern in the following layout:
Now very carefully measure and bend pieces 1 - 4 so that they all match. The angles I have are:
The front pieces are slightly curved, and the side angle should be tight enough that they very gently grip the face, to stop the hood falling off when you tip your head. This should be a reassuring sort of grip, not uncomfortable.
Stitch pieces 1-4 onto the linen, then pieces 5-10. 7 & 8 go either side of the top angle, 6 & 9 on the top sides of the side angles. I found it helpful to use glue just to hold the strips together while I sewed, but the glue came apart as soon as it came under any stress, so sew it securely. Finally, turn over and stitch or glue the extra fabric across the ends of strips 1 and 2, and bend up the ends.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 05 August 2007 )
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![frame\](http://www.harpelstane.org/mambots/content/multithumb/images/b.800.600.0.0..stories.articles.framthre.gif "frame\")
