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Source for wool

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scott2978:
I'm going to try my hand at making some 14th century civilian clothes and wondered if anyone can suggest a source for wool. I've heard that certain kinds aren't real itchy as others, and I imagine some are more "period" looking for medieval clothes than others.

Ian:
Scott, I get a lot of my wool at Woolrich Woolen Mill.  Their fiber arts line has a lot of colors that are achievable with medieval dye techniques, while others are not.  So depending on how crazy you want to be about it you can use all of their colors or restrict yourself to the more appropriate.  The wool's not cheap, but it's a nice quality.  If you order from the wholesale you need to buy a minimum of 15 yards of wool to get those prices.  They also have an outlet that you can order smaller yardages, but they are more expensive per yard.

My hosen are not lined, and they do not itch.  Same with my chaperon.  Some people may be more sensitive to wool.  The gown's collar is lined with linen, and the entire doublet is lined (hence doublet...).

Everything I'm wearing in this photo I made from that line of Woolrich wools (chaperon hood, gown, split hose, doublet (better photo next):



Same with this doublet which was hidden under that green gown (before I did the button holes, but I apparently don't have a photo of it finished):

Sir Wolf:
i thought only old men could sit like that?

scott2978:
Thanks Ian, that looks perfect.

Also could I ask if you could recommend a reading source on medieval dyes? I understand the techniques used but not really the pigments themselves. Could be supply, sumptuary, cultural, religious or other reasons for certain colors over others in different periods and locations, and it's an area I could use more knowledge of.

Scott

Ian:
There's a small but good appendix on the dyes found in the London finds in the MoL Textiles and Clothing 1150-1450. 

I am not the textile expert, so whenever I need to buy wool, I buy swatches, get the swatches and dye colors vetted, and then purchase wool.

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