Logbook

Well, sides of caftan are now attached and it is in a wearable enough state to be able to see how things hang and look. Gores are fine but the sleeves are a little on the large side ie Z started saying you could fit 2-3 of my arms in, but on closer inspection decided it was 4... So, really need to taiper the sleeves. I would do the "finish the seams as I go", which means more unpicking. Not that it takes long, from the time taken to switch 1 side gore around - it didn't look bad, just had the diagonals making a v, rather than following through, so needed to be turned over to match the other side gore. Very fine diagonals, so probably only I would have noticed.

It is probably only a Hornblower's episode worth of work...

Then finish the lining and seam that in. Will do smooth neckline, rather than keyhole, so the jacket can sit properly open under formal circumstances (need the right broach) or pin shut with slight overlap against definitely cold. Will do a silk edging after round the neck and front and may be cuffs, and if things go really well, a fur edging around the collar.

Sits a bit loose over the current viking apron dress and linen tunic layers, but I think that is fine and allows extra tunics should it be necessary.

Now I am looking at the current apron dress and thinking it could definitely be improved on. The static while sewing meant definitely not pure wool. Also think that while the strap width is good, really should go with loops as that is the most archeologically documentable bit. Will stick with the panel combo I have though, as I like that construction (3 panel + gores, rather than 4, but that is something I can get away with shapewise, rather than something I would argue definitely from the evidence available). Or could go completely out there and look at the recent Russian Viking finding, though I can't say I particularly like that look...

But that is a project for later I think... Still have the blackworked chemise to go...