Viborg Shirt

Front Lining

Sunday morning I bought some more linen. I very carefully found linen of the right weight, with a firm selvedge, that (at least reported that it) was 100% linen. I washed and dried this and FINALLY cut out all the pieces.

This linen is -still- slightly wrong as compared to the medieval linen. Modernly, firm selvedges are reinforced.. that is they have about twice the thread count of the rest of the fabric. I believe the medieval fabric edges were not reinforced. That said, this is the closest I’m going to get without weaving my own fabric.. so it’s good enough.

I’m using an S/Z two-ply linen thread to sew this together. At this time I’m using it as-is. If the thread frays a lot I will start waxing it.

From The Viking Shirt From Viborg:
Joining the selvages
The lining of the bodice is made from two pieces of fabric, the selvages of which are sewn together with an overcast stitch from the right side so that the seam faces the front.

The selvages of the two right sleeve sections are sewn together with an overcast stitch from the wrong side.

I find that first sentence very confusing. What I understand: The lining of the front of the body of the shirt is made of two pieces (noted in green on the cutting diagram). They are cut so that both pieces has selvage on the edge. These selvages are sewn together using an overcast stitch so that the pieces could be flattened (no seam allowance). I think the sentence is trying to tell me that this seam would be made on the “right side” of the fabric which would mean that it would be close to the body. Structurally I don’t think it makes any difference.

This morning on the commute I finished this first seam.

This evening I’ll try and finish the second seam(the sleeve seam).

Note that the description calls this the “right sleeve” but that the cutting diagram has labeled the “left sleeve” on the selvedge. I’ve decided that the cutting diagram is mis-labeled. In the pamphlet, in a later image the right sleeve is very clearly the sleeve with no seam allowance on the join. So the sleeve I sew together tonight will eventually be the “right” sleeve.

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