Yvette ([info]belluthien) wrote in [info]sca_garb,
@ 2005-08-02 11:37:00
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Current mood: contemplative

Ionic Chiton Construction
Greetings!

I'm a newbie here with a question...

I'd like to know how to make a historically accurate Ionic Chiton, and any pointers in that direction would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!
Yvette


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[info]sterlingspider
2005-08-02 06:04 pm UTC (link)
Take 2 pieces of fabric approximately the finished length you want the garment, the wider the fabric the better, I look for very drapey 60" fabrics and make the selvege the sides.

Leave the selvege on the sides and finish the top and bottom however you wish. Blanket stitching, reinforcing just before the edges and careful fringing, or hand stitched rolled hem would probably be best for what you're looking for, but make sure thatever you do can take the weight of the entire garment.

Lay out the 2 pieces of fabric on top of each other and determine how wide you want the neckhole to be. Mark out from the center that distance and stitch the two pieces of fabric together at those points with a tack. Make similar tack at regular intervals along the top of the garment leaving gaps which will show your shoulders and arms.

Position over your shoulders, belt or girdle it, make sure nothings showing that you don't want showing, and go!

If you want one with a bit more coverage:
Take a single piece of fabric whose width is the proper height from shoulder to floor and the width is twice the span from wrist to wrist. Arrange it so that the selvage is the top and bottom and the unfinished edge is on the side. Stitch it into a tube, put the tacks on the selvedge edge and make sure that you leave a hole at the corners big enough for your arms to go through.

Alternately split the piece into two, finish the side edges but do not sew them together.

A great way to dress this up is to use some sort of bead or metal decoration to make the tacks instead of just sewing them. It adds a bit of glint and shows more shoulder.

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[info]sterlingspider
2005-08-02 06:37 pm UTC (link)
here are some examples in period
http://employees.oneonta.edu/angellkg/GREEK.HTML

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[info]belluthien
2005-08-02 08:54 pm UTC (link)
Hi, again, and thank you for these examples in period...

Looks like I'm also wanting to make a Doric version... So many options!

Hope you don't mind, I have a few questions... The Doric has the over-fold, correct? And another question... In slide #50 there, the figure in the center... Is that one Ionic? I really like that one... It looks to be two layers, if I see this correctly... Do you think it is a chiton, with a wrap over skirt on top? Do you know if they did that? Sure looks like it...

I've never tried to do anything period correct yet... This will be my first such venture... I am excited! Thank you, again!
Yvette

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[info]sterlingspider
2005-08-03 05:25 am UTC (link)
Teh doric does have the over fold (also called a peplos I believe). If you search for somthing called a "bog dress" (here is a pretty good example) that's a Doric chiton. It's pretty common for Pennsic wear and modern pictures should give you a better idea what you're looking at.

that first link gives a pretty clear example of how you would do one.

I'm not sure about slide # 50. I would interpret that as either a very narrow Doric style chiton (possibly with no overfold? that's a bit hard to see) with open sides and the back flap pulled around the front and tucked into a belt, or a Doric chiton with some sort of overskirt which is caught up into a belt the way you often see people do with multiple skirts in the SCA.

As far as anything I've ever seen in period examples the first explination seems the most likely.

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[info]belluthien
2005-08-03 06:33 am UTC (link)
Hello, and thank you again for your help!
Yes, that first link is very clear, and will help tremendously...
As to slide #50, I read your first explanation, and then went back to that first link, and think I can see how a wide piece with open sides can be done that way, with the back side flaps pulled to the front, crossed over and tucked into a belt... At first, I thought maybe it was an overdress, but had never heard of such a thing for this period... (Not that I've heard that much, but...:)) I'll play around with it!

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[info]belluthien
2005-08-02 08:42 pm UTC (link)
Thanks so much! This is what I was looking for... I have some fabric I want to make into a chiton, and wanted to get it as close as I can to "authentic"... Thanks! :)

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[info]ciorstan
2005-08-03 12:05 am UTC (link)
As far as close to authentic goes-- you want to make it out of a thin worsted wool fabric. Greek women were famous for their WOOL cloth production...

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[info]belluthien
2005-08-03 12:44 am UTC (link)
Thanks! Unfortunately, the fabrics I have here that I'll initially use are not of natural fibers... and therefore, my first attempts here will not be too correct... (It will look more "fantasy" or "historic pretend" in that regard, I guess, but fun none-the-less...) But, I hope to get the shape right, first... and then later, I can go for the "real deal"...

As for thin worsted wool... That brings me to yet another question... Perhaps a silly one... But I'll ask, regardless... What is "worsted" wool? I have not worked with wool much yet, as I was always shying away from it... My favorite natural fibers are silk and cotton... Thank you for your feedback!
Yvette

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[info]ciorstan
2005-08-03 06:51 am UTC (link)
Worsted refers to the way the yarn is prepared prior to weaving.

Specifically, the sheep's fur has been selected for long, silky fibers, rather than short fuzz. The yarn is then spun with the long fibers tucked into the forming yarn's drafting zone (this is a specific technique done with two hands with a pinching control on the hand closest to the place where the yarn is being twisted into shape). It forms a smooth, silky thread/yarn, which in turn is woven into a cloth that has very little fuzz.

Worsted is the type of wool yarn used to make expensive suits from, which is why high-end suits are often called worsted. ;) It is very easy to show off a fine worsted thread in one's cloth by weaving patterns into it, like herringbone or twill. Greek women probably wove twills; they did, definitely, use tapestry weaving techniques to weave fancy borders into their garments.

The other spinning technique is called 'woolen' and makes a fuzzy, haloed yarn with little hairs sticking out all over the place.

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[info]belluthien
2005-08-03 07:16 am UTC (link)
Thanks for that great explanation!
So, you said the chitons were probably very lightweight... I would think worsted wool of a light weight would have a magnificent drape... and feel very nice... And, I can imagine the potential for weave in this... I bought two Jamavar (not sure if I spelled this correctly) woolen shawls from India recently that I guess are worsted wool, and they have very intricate patterns woven into them... are lightweight with great drape...

I'll be looking for some of this worsted wool when I'm ready to do the real deal... Again, thanks!

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