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Author Topic: Making a Padded Coif  (Read 23058 times)

Mike W.

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Making a Padded Coif
« on: 2014-02-28, 19:57:26 »
Since KoA was out of stock for the padded coif, and I had some spare linen and batting lying around, I decided I'm going to try my hand at hand-sewing my own. I figured this would be a great starter project. Since I'm self-taught in the arts of hand-sewing and consequently don't know jack, does anyone have any tips?
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Ian

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Re: Making a Padded Coif
« Reply #1 on: 2014-02-28, 20:13:18 »
Patterns are pretty readily available for coifs.  I'm guessing you want a two-piece coif for Norman, but Sir Wolf can tell you for sure.  Once you get a pattern you're literally just going to cut duplicates of each piece for the outside and the lining, sandwich the batting in between, and quilt it all in place.  Then after it's quilted, sew the two halves together.  That's how I would tackle it anyway, but I'm hardly a sewing expert.
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Ian

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Re: Making a Padded Coif
« Reply #2 on: 2014-02-28, 20:16:08 »
Wait... when you say coif do you mean like a small padded arming cap, or a full padded hood?

This:


Or this?
« Last Edit: 2014-02-28, 20:17:18 by Ian »
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Mike W.

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Re: Making a Padded Coif
« Reply #3 on: 2014-02-28, 20:46:27 »
Top one. I think I have the method down flat, I'm just a bit shoddy when it comes to handling a needle and thread.
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Mike W.

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Re: Making a Padded Coif
« Reply #4 on: 2014-02-28, 20:47:46 »
And here I am trying to be all authentic by hand sewing, using linen and cotton batting, only to realize that I've been using polyester thread.  :-[
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Sir Wolf

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Re: Making a Padded Coif
« Reply #5 on: 2014-02-28, 21:14:38 »
well..... your using cotton badding. ;) so I won't worry tooooo much about it.

Ian

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Re: Making a Padded Coif
« Reply #6 on: 2014-02-28, 21:50:33 »
well..... your using cotton badding. ;) so I won't worry tooooo much about it.

lol, yes... if you want to be super-authentic stuff it with raw cotton.  I prefer batting, cuz I'm lazy :)  And no one's going to cut open your coif to check :)
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Sir Douglas

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Re: Making a Padded Coif
« Reply #7 on: 2014-02-28, 22:21:26 »
If you wanted to be super authentic, wouldn't you have to stuff with with wool/straw/tow/hair? Cotton had to be imported to medieval Europe from India or something, didn't it?

But that's getting way too nitpicky for me. I use poly thread, too. ;)
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Ian

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Re: Making a Padded Coif
« Reply #8 on: 2014-02-28, 22:30:10 »
Cotton was available, it just wasn't commonly used in everyday clothing because it was probably a pain to process.  It was blended with linen to make fustian of course.  One problem to is that Medieval people are documented to refer to cotton as 'wool' so things get tricky.  There are cases of Medieval Europeans referring to cotton plants as wool-bearing plants.  So who knows what they really meant all the time!  Cotton fabric was most common in Italy (and by most common I mean rare, but more available than the rest of Europe) from what I know, and eventually spread during the renaissance.

For stuffing, you don't need to spin it in to thread, and if there's a seed or two in there, who cares.  But yes, wool/straw/tow/hair are all appropriate stuffings.
« Last Edit: 2014-02-28, 22:31:04 by Ian »
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Sir Wolf

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Re: Making a Padded Coif
« Reply #9 on: 2014-02-28, 22:56:24 »
cotton was from egypt. and it was known in italy for drapes. so why are you wearing curtains on your head? lol










ian i will know...............

raw cotton works, or layered fulled wool..... or cotton batting hehehehe

Mike W.

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Re: Making a Padded Coif
« Reply #10 on: 2014-03-01, 02:52:33 »
I must say it's turning out quite nicely. The trick here though, is just how much padding do I need. I don't want to over or under stuff it.
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Sir Wolf

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Re: Making a Padded Coif
« Reply #11 on: 2014-03-01, 03:04:05 »
this is very true. :) i have one that i wear that i can't hear very well with it

Sir James A

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Re: Making a Padded Coif
« Reply #12 on: 2014-03-01, 16:20:10 »
I must say it's turning out quite nicely. The trick here though, is just how much padding do I need. I don't want to over or under stuff it.


Scientifically speaking:

Step 1 - Find out how much is too much
Step 2 - Find out how little is too little
Step 3 - Use something in between the findings of step 1 and step 2
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Sir Rodney

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Re: Making a Padded Coif
« Reply #13 on: 2014-03-01, 17:34:19 »
Scientifically speaking:

Step 1 - Find out how much is too much
Step 2 - Find out how little is too little
Step 3 - Use something in between the findings of step 1 and step 2

This is a very safe method for selecting just about anything in life!   ;D
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Sir Wolf

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Re: Making a Padded Coif
« Reply #14 on: 2014-03-01, 17:37:34 »
we must elect him to office!