Making a Quilted Aventail

[Sir Rodney]

The idea behind this project is to make a quilted aventail for my bascinet.  I will be using modern materials and modern methods for this first attempt.

Since my bascinet is a (heavily modified) mass produced piece, my mail aventail is blackened / butted from Icefalcon, and my budget is tiny; the end product will not be “living history” acceptable.

My goals are to dress up my current bascinet, add a level of blunt trauma protection, and allow my mail aventail to flow better when turning my head.

[Sir Rodney]

The materials are (real) linen fabric, cotton & bamboo fiber batting (50%/50%), and heavy duty “button hole” thread.   As luck would have it, linen was on sale this week!   

[Ian]

Scott, I used virtually the same materials (just 100% cotton batting instead of the bamboo blend) and I use mine for living history.  Even if you machine stitch it, no one will really see those parts anyway.  It's well worth doing this project, I love mine.  I totally just winged the pattern though, and it took some fudging here and there and last minute cutting and re-sewing to make it fit right.  A flat quilted aventail does not translate well to a 3d bloused aventail as I found out

[Sir Wolf]

yeahhhhhhhhh awesome. cant wait to see it

[Sir Rodney]

As for most sewing projects where a pattern is not readily available, I’ll create a test piece (or six) before using my good fabrics.

I know a simple circle is not the correct answer, but I’ll start there.  I cut out a circle a little larger than the circumference of my aventail fully stretched out (approx. 1").  Then I’ll cut a smaller circle out of the center, this being about the circumference of the bascinet.

I’ll have to add a second piece to account for the 2” rise under my vervelles.  This rise is 4” for the length of the face opening.  The total length of this piece will be the circumference of the bascinet (plus seam allowance).  As always, add an extra inch for the fudge factor.  You can always trim it off later.

To make the pieces match up, I had to cut a dart (triangle, about 4” on a side) out of the circular piece of fabric .  For the final pattern I’ll have to remember to remove 4 darts of 1” length spaced equally around the circumference.

[edited for clarity]

[Sir Rodney]

The initial test fit proved that I’m on the right track, but not quite there yet.

Some things I discovered:
- The fit of the fabric band over the vervelles must be perfect and tight or the leather aventail band will not fit properly.
- I need to add 2” to the exterior radius of the circular piece of fabric; even a touch more if seam allowance and padding/quilting is taken into account.
- The 4 darts will need to be approximately 1” wide by 3” long for a proper look and fit.

[Sir Rodney]

I found the “circle & ring” design lacking, so it’s back to the drawing board.  I carefully cut apart pattern #1 at the North, South East & West points (using my nose as North).

Using these pieces I came up with pattern #2 which is 4 “pieces of pizza with the point nibbled off”.  Two pieces, the left-front and right-front, extend a little longer to the center of the “pizza” to account for the mail rising up in front of the chin.

This pattern seems to fit much better.   I still need to add another inch to the outer edge of all 4 pieces and I need to add a little more height in the area near the face opening.   Even with these two minor adjustments, I feel confident moving on to the linen fabric next.

[Sir Rodney]

As my test patterns were “quick & dirty”, I traced out a measured and clean ¼ pattern on cardboard.

I was excited to cut out my pieces and get sewing until I remembered that I hadn’t pre-washed and dried my fabric.  Cutting will have to wait until tomorrow.   

[Sir Rodney]

With the initial wash and dry out of the way, it’s time for cutting.  Four pieces were cut out and basted “right side” together.

The piece was then pulled down snugly over the bascinet.  Small slits had to be cut into the fabric to allow this to happen.  When everything was aligned just right, I used a fabric pencil to mark the locations of the vervelles.  These are barely visible as white dots in the second photo.

[Aiden of Oreland]

My my, this is coming out great!

[Sir Edward]

It's looking good so far!

[Sir William]

I am in awe at your abilities to turn textiles into something good looking and functional; you and Ian.

[Sir Rodney]

I sewed button holes at every vervelles location.

Another test fit ensured that everything is lining up correctly.  I will have to cut away some of the face opening and ease it open a bit (white chalk line).

I then cut out and assembled an exact copy of the outer shell.  This copy will be used for the inner shell.

[Sir Wolf]

awesomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee can't wait man

[Sir Rodney]

Join the two pieces “right sides” together with a simple straight stitch along the outer (large circumference or “bottom”) edge.

Turn the piece right sides out and iron it even while matching all seams.  You will have to use the “horn” of the ironing board as the piece will not lay flat due to its cone or “volcano” shape.