Research Dumping Grounds

Bulge cap
Diary started Feb 26, 2010.
Progress: Finished May 28, 2010.

Summary

Headgear -makes- an outfit. It’s the line between right and “can’t put my finger on something wrong”. The Wulsthaube is a particularly German late 15th/16th century headcovering.

Research and Background

From Textiler Hausrat, Kleidung und Haustextilien in Nurnberg von
1500-1650 pages 106-110, by Jutta Zander-Seidel, translated by
Katherine Barich. Permission to cross post given as long as
indentifying information is copied with it. (Translation found in the files section of the GermanRenCostume yahoo group)

The connection between the “Wulst/Wulsthaube” and “Steuchlein”
listed in Maria Sitzinger’s inventory allow the determination that
a complete headdress consisted of an under coif/cap (Unterhaube)
and a veil (Schleiertuch), which was likely known as
the “Steuchlein”, and it is the most frequently mentioned
headdress in the clothing inventories through all the social
classes within the period of study.
…
The fashionable development of the “Steuchleins” in the 16th
century saw a clear reduction in the original size. The
circumference of the “Wulst” was reduced to a small padding at the
back of the head, while the patterned borders around the face
increased width and decoration. This particular development is
plainly seen in a woman’s portrait of 1518 attributed to Hans von
Kulmbach, where already the newer fashion requirements of the
common traditional coif/cap (Haube) were depicted in paintings.
(Illustration 93-95) (254)
…
“12 overbound Steuchlein with gold borders (Pleiden)” [i]nventoried
by Dorothea Kress (259) refers to the construction of the head
covering as being a supporting “Wulsthaube” a separate decorated
border over which is a binding veil (schleiertuch). All three
components are listed singly in the inventories and sometimes the
veil is referred to as unworked yardage…

Unterhauben – Literally the undercap
Wulste – the “bulge” part
Haube – cap
Steuchlein – veil covering

Details to include:

• White linen
• Visible bulge
• Head covering consistent with Trossfrau headgear from woodcuts from ~1530

Looking at pictures there seems to be a style of Wulsthaube from the late 15th/early 16th century that has many pleats along the face edge of the headgear. The pleated look seems to always accompany the dress style often referred to as the “housebook” style. Since I’m not recreating that style of dress I want to be very careful to use inspiration images that are wearing the type of dress I want to wear.

Inspirational Pictures

1546 Detail of camp scene of Charles V

Edhard Schoen G.1235-1238. Detail – Army Train 1532 The German single-leaf woodcut, 1500-1550, Max Geisberg ; rev. and edited by Walter L. Strauss, New York : Hacker Art Books, 1974.

Detail 'Woman and Knaves' The German single-leaf woodcut, 1500-1550, Max Geisberg ; rev. and edited by Walter L. Strauss, New York : Hacker Art Books, 1974.

1526-1528 Hans the Younger Holbein, Darmstadt Madonna, Schlossmuseum, Darmstadt. Detail.

Portrait of a Young Woman Formerly attributed to Hans Holbein, the younger. (1497-1543) from Mauritshuis in Den Haag, the Netherlands.

Die Augsburger Monatsbilder, a set of 4 murals done in Augsburg, Germany in the 1520's (link) Detail from April

Die Augsburger Monatsbilder, a set of 4 murals done in Augsburg, Germany in the 1520's (link) Detail from October

Pleated(lots of examples here)

Detail of Aristotle and Phyllis, ca 1485 (LL cat 54)

From the Back

Edhard Schoen G.1235-1238. Army Train 1532

Nuremberg

Die Augsburger Monatsbilder, a set of 4 murals done in Augsburg, Germany in the 1520's (link) Detail from November

Resources

http://www.alyxxndon.com/Alyxx/AugsburgDiary.htm#accessories
http://www.bettinaschreier.com/clothing/c_wulsthaube.html
http://www.heatherspages.net/Nuremberg%20dress/hair%20and%20head/hair_and_head.htm
http://www.hartwoodcastle.com/classes_german_hats.html
Pictures of Mmcnealy’s Wulsthaube
1 2 3 “Its a wicker hoop, covered with cotton batting, and basted into a linen rectangle.”(link)
An Easy and Simple 15th Century Wulsthaube by Herrin Emeludt Hansler.

Plan

Cut an “eye” shaped piece of linen. Sew it along the edge and stuff that with some wool roving. This will form a horse-shoe shaped linen “bulge” ie, the Wulste. Add ties to the end so that it can be tied to my head (possibly with hair holding it in place). Drape this with another piece of plain linen and fidget with it until it looks right.

Last night I finally tried on my first (acceptable for public view) wulsthaube. I’ve been futzing with fabric and directions for a while and finally I got something I could put on my head and photograph on my head dummy.

Wulst: I made a long skinny linen tube (a little bit bigger than I could fit between my finger and thumb making an OK sign). It’s long enough to go from about the middle of one ear to the middle of the other ear. I stuffed this with some wool roving I’ve had around FOREVER for spinning. Dimensions to follow (I promise).

Unterhaube: I then pinned this to a modified coif. It’s modified in that it ties at the back of my neck instead of under my chin.

Steuchlein: I then followed Emmie’s suggestion and draped this with a lovely pashmina (28 inches wide x 68 inches Long with 3 inches fringes) I acquired for $8 ($0.99 item, $7 shipping) from Ebay.

I’m -relatively- pleased with it. I need to find/buy some more sturdy pins as my current sewing pins are SHIT and bend if you look at them cross-eyed. I’m thinking some nice sturdy brass pins would be loverly.. I may see if the boy can make those in bulk.. then I won’t panic about losing them.

I’m still a little mystified what I’m supposed to do with MY hair. It seems wrong to put it in a bun.. and if I braid it I don’t have anywhere to put it.. so I’m just.. puzzled atm… I’m sure I’ll figure it out.

Idle wonderings. Might the under part of the wulsthaube be based on something like the cap commonly known as the “St. Brigitta’s cap”?

It would make a very convenient structure that:
– would contain long hair.
– wouldn’t pull your hair when you put it on (like my current version does)
– wouldn’t have ties at the neckline (which my current version DOES and I don’t see any evidence of in pictures)
– if the loop slipped over the wulste that was attached to the cap would make it very easy to keep the loop from slipping up off the top of your head.
– That +Wulste would probably drape just like what I currently have.

That said, I think it would need to be more forward and cover the hairline.

Links:
From Edyth Miller “St. Brigitta’s Coif – in 15 minutes!”
From Middelaldercentret “Konehue”
From Medieval Silkworks “Women’s caps” and “The cap of St. Brigitta: reconstructions”
From Arachne’s Blog “The Cap of St. Brigitta”
From Aure_’s Live Journal “The cap of St. Brigitta”

Picture taken by Edith

I don’t -know- what was actually used as the unterhaube.. so I’m taking my best guess. It turns out that using something -like- the St. Brigitta coif is actually very convenient. It ties on top of the head and the steuchlin is tensioned over it and pinned into place.

The unterhaube:
Cut two pieces of white linen about 8″x14″.
Hold them up to your head and pin them together along the curve of your head.
Cut off and discard the portion marked in grey.
Do a flat-fold seam along the edge marked in red.
Do a simple rolled hem around the other edges of the coif (marked in blue).
Pleat the bottom back portion of coif and add your ties to the bottom corners of the front edge.
The ties should be long enough to go from the center of the back of your head to the top of your head (leave excess and cut them off when you figure out how much you need.

I did my hair up into two braids and then bobby-pinned them across my head.
Put your new coif on your head. Cross the ties at the back of your head and bring them up to the top of your head. Tie firmly. This should keep your unterhaube in place.

When you’re satisfied with your unterhaube, create the wulste (bulge). A tapered sausage shape that will run over your head from ear to ear. It’s a tapered linen tube that I’ve stuffed with some extra wool roving I had from an abandoned spinning project.

Whip stitch this to your unterhaube. It should be placed about the top-middle to the back of the middle of the top of your head. When tied on, the ties should sit in front of the wulst.

The Steuchlin:
Drape this with your steuchlin.

Inside-out steuchlin

For my current steuchlin I’m using a wool pashmina(28 inches wide x 68 inches Long with 3 inches fringes) I acquired for $8 ($0.99 item, $7 shipping) from Ebay.

I folded back ~20″ of the pashmina so that the fringe will be on the inside near the back of my head. Then I did a line of stitches along the edge of the pashmina on the inside to make it into a tube.

To put it on, I pull the sewn portion of the pashmina around my head and onto my neck. Then I pull it back over the wulsthaube to get nice tension. Lastly I pin it with a single (really strong) pin at the back of my neck (be careful that the pin point isn’t going to stick you in the back of the neck when you look up). I think if I measured carefully enough I could probably attach it without the pin.. but that would depend on the elasticity of the wool to keep it in place.