Kali Jackson Armstrong, 2020
Four Panel Cotehardies:
History and Construction,
By,
Lady Rosalie Langmod of Calontir
myladymother.wordpress.com
Historical OVERVIEW:
The garment commonly referred to as the “cotehardie” in the Society for Creative Anachronism remained popular with both men and women for nearly two hundred years, from the early 1300s to the end of the 1400s, throughout Europe. For this reason, I like to refer to the cotehardie as the “little black dress” of the Middle Ages. It co-existed with houpellandes and Burgundian gowns, it could be laced up the front or the side, it could be a solid-color, parti-colored, plaid, or woodblock printed, and could be made with tippets or without.
Despite their popularity, however, the closest thing to a cotehardie that remains today is Empress Margaret’s Uppsala Gown which she wore on her wedding day at the age of 12, and a fragment of a gown found in a bog in Ireland (Moy Bog Gown), forcing us to base much of our interpretation upon extant artwork, which seldom depicts seams until the end of the 15th century.
A second persistent confusion lies in the terminology: some have argued that the fitted garment men wore was called the cotehardie, whereas women wore kyrtles. During the Middle Ages, the garment had varying names from region to region, but the focus of this hand-out is not the terminology, but the history and the construction. Therefore, for the sake of coherence, the garments referenced will be called, as follows:
Smock (Shirtf for men): inner- most layer of clothing, a t-tunic style garment with fairly fitted sleeves. (This garment will not be discussed in-depth in this booklet and is mentioned only on the merit that it should be your foundation layer. If you would like advice on construction, flag me down at an event or email me at the address provided on the cover page.)
Cote/Kyrtle: Middle-layer of clothing. Tightly fitted and laced up either the front, back, or the sides. The sleeves were tightly fitted and fastened with laces or buttons. (This garment is commonly confused with the “cotehardie.”) Sleeves were usually seen under the Surcote/Cotehardie. This garment was almost definitely only fastened by laces or by being sewn into the garment because buttons down the front would not only create bulk under the cotehardie, they would be a waste of expensive buttons. Note: When I first wrote this handout, the prevailing theory and attitude was that the cote/kyrtle should be fully supportive of a lady’s bosom and that a well-made garment would allow a woman to go without a brassiere. While the only extant evidence to the contrary didn’t surface until 2012 in the form of the brassiere find in Austria, there are several written sources from the 14th and 15th centuries which indicate that women did in fact employ garments similar to brassieres for extra support.
Surcote/Cotehardie: Outer-most layer of clothing. This was slightly less fitted than the Cote/Kyrtle during the first half of the 14th Century. Sleeves ranged from fitted, full sleeves to pendant sleeves, “three-quarter” sleeves, or tippets. Earlier in period (1300-1350), the neckline is a shallow, boat neckline, but it deepens toward and into the 15th century. Note: While the Church seems to have been quite disturbed by how radically women’s necklines lowered during this period, I’ve found no artistic evidence to suggest they plunged nearly as much as we tend to portray in the current middle ages; however small breasts were considered fashionable for most of the Medieval Period so it is unlikely that the artists would depict figures that failed to represent the ideal aesthetic of the time. (Much like Abercrombie and Fitch.)
Left: The Romance of Alexander, 1338-44. The detail is brilliant, but also shows the rapid changes in fashion in the 14th century. (Note that the Surcote is tailored, but not skin-tight.) In this painting, both man and woman are wearing Surcotes with tippets. Hers are lined in vair (squirrel fur) and his look to be some kind of fur. The white circle on his side represents a slit called “fitchets,” which allowed the wearer to access the pouch on their belt without having it be visible to potential thieves. The man is wearing a parti-colored Cote beneath his Surcote.
Above: Vows of the Peacock, 1350. France. The women appear to be wearing off-the-shoulder cotes and surcotes, but are also flat-chested. (This attribute, or lack-thereof, seems to be prominent in art until about 1365.) It is interesting to note the variations in tippets in this painting.]
Left: 1365, France, women have developed curves… and the men have filled out nicely too! Prior to this, the tippets represented have been integral, but in this painting, they are attached. (I’ll explain later.)
Left: 1430-35, Belgium. Rogier van der Weydon, detail from Descent from the Cross. For posterity, this is the LOWEST neckline I’ve seen in my research. This is also a lovely example of velvet damask.
Buttons, and Pendants, and Tippets, Oh My!
There are essentially four types of sleeves a Surcote can utilize and all four would have been worn within the same regions and periods during the 14th Century.
The first style is the most basic: a full, fitted sleeve to the first knuckle. (This sleeve is the only option for a Cote.) The seam runs along the back side of the arm, from behind your shoulder rather than along the inside from your under-arm, and is usually fastened from the elbow to wrist either by lacing or (most popular) buttons. In the 14th century, Europe was going through a mini-Ice-Age, so men and women would layer their clothing and line garments with fur or wool in the winter and linen in the summer. Temperatures would fluctuate, so they would sometimes leave the buttons undone along the sleeves if the day proved warm. As a result of this the white fur or vair* that lined the sleeves would show and, through that, the pendant sleeve was born would later which give birth to the tippet.
*Vair is a squirrel fur, cut and sewn back to back so that the silver background contrasted with the white belly fur.
The second style is a three quarter sleeve ending just at or just below the elbow.
The third style is the aforementioned pendant sleeve, which opened just at the elbow to form the sleeve. (With this sleeve, I find it is more logical to have the seam run along the front of the arm in order to achieve the aesthetic in extant illuminations.)
The fourth style is the three-quarter sleeve with tippets, which is a long panel of fabric usually lined with fur. It is typically thought that tippets were attached to the garment, either as an integral part of the sleeve like an extended pendant sleeve ( that is, a white lined tippet, with a turned up lined sleeve) or added to the cuff of a three-quarter sleeve. I do not believe a tippet was featured on a full sleeve (that is sewn as a cuff and pinned or basted to a sleeve), but I wasn’t there and there is no evidence to solidly prove either theory, but the prevailing deduction is that tippets were attached, not pinned. Also, there is one late 14th century wedding portrait which shows the bride in a surcote with orange tippets. As I mentioned before, tippets were often lined in fur, with ermine being popular later in the fourteenth century. For reenactors, due to the cost of fur and the oppressive heat of summer events, it’s most common to line them in white linen.
Above: Most of a 14th Century Sleeve (probably 1325-50), displayed in the Museum of London, London. Also featured in Textiles and Clothing 1150-1450. by Elizabeth Crowfoot, Frances Pritchard, and Kay Staniland. Boydell Press, ISBN: 1843832399. –Sleeves like this also appear in the Manesse Codex.
Left:Taymouth Hours, 1325-40. England. Here we see a more relaxed surcote. The gather of the skirt implies the use of gores and the slit at the side allows for mobility while she hunts. The Surcote/Cotehardie has pendant sleeves.
Left: 1380-85, Queste del Saint Graal. Italy. Here we see ermine tippets and woodblock printing (I’ll explain in the next section), as well as three-quarter sleeves.) (Note: the man with the moustache that looks like a nosebleed is wearing bracers, hence the strange fore-arms.)
Choosing Your Fabric:
Yes: Solid linens, wools, silks, velvets, plaids, and damasks. Damasks should be a solid color. If you can find velvet damask with patterns cut into the threads, you’ve made a beautiful find.
No: Oriental fabrics or very heavily embroidered damasks with various colors (if the fabric is from a natural fiber, however, you can dye it so that it is a solid color), but, mostly, use your instinct. If you find a fabric that looks appropriate for the period, but the material is synthetic, use your best judgment. In all other instances, avoid synthetics like the Black Death.
During this period, woodblock printing made it easier to put patterns onto fabric, resulting in some lovely vine patterns and Fleur de Lis. Plaids were also extremely popular through this period. Weaving techniques allowed for variations in patterns as well, like the checked sleeve in the Queste de Saint Graal. The further towards and into the 15th century you go, the more elaborate the designs will be. Heraldic embellishments would probably have been appliqued onto the garment having either been cut from fabric or embroidered and appliqued. Embroidery especially took a lot of time, so it is thought to have seldom been sewn directly onto the garment, although embroidery was common on hoods and pouches. By couching down a separate piece, the owner could remove it and put it on a new garment when the old had worn out. --Following the Black Death, there appears to have been an influx in craftsmanship: the Dauphin of France is reported to have had hours worth of embroidery on his garments.
Wool was the most common and accessible fabric during the Middle Ages because sheep were everywhere. Linen would have been worn by someone very wealthy and usually served as a smock, but in these current Middle Ages it is by far the most comfortable fabric because it both wicks and breathes well. Silk was available to the medieval shopper,, but costly and does not breathe. Cotton was rare for the 14th century, depending on your region, pricy, and does not breathe nearly as well as linen. (Having worn cotton muslin smocks during my first summer as a reenactor, it is not a fabric I recommend nearly as readily as linen. For a few extra dollars per yard, the latter will pay for itself.)
It was also not uncommon to sew a sleeve out of costly fabric and pin it to one’s cote to give the illusion of that a finer garment lay beneath the Surcote or (in the 15th century) to pin nicer sleeves to one’s kirtle as seen in the detail from Rogier van der Whedon.
Above: The Romance of Alexander, 1338-44. An example of woodblock printing on fabric.
Where to buy wool and linen fabric? JoAnn fabrics charges a fortune for a wool/polyester blend and their selection of linen is also scant, but they do sell linen/rayon blends that are often %40 off at $6.99/yrd. Rayon is a natural fiber so, like linen, it will take dye very well. Fabricstore.com is the best place to find a good variety and decent pricing on linen. (I have yet to find prices or quality to rival theirs.) For wool, fashionfabrics.com, sells 100% wool suiting for $10.95/yrd and they often have good sales. I have used fabric from both websites provided and been exceedingly pleased with the outcome and quality. If you are going to war, be sure to visit Carolina Calicos for great deals on period fabric.
A couple of years ago, I found a great way of estimating how many yards you’ll need purchase, posted by Cerridwen Verch Iorward (MKA Jamie Pience) at: http://cerridwencreations.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/5/6/10561349/making_a_tailored_cotehardie_website.pdf
The one thing I found amiss with her method was that she doesn’t consider fabric width. If your fabric width is equal to or greater than your desired length, you can go with your panel measurements. I will elaborate further in the measuring section.
Once you have acquired your fabric, you should either serge or zig-zag the raw edges to reduce fraying and put it through a hot/cold cycle (with soap) in your washing machine, followed by a tumble in the dryer on high heat. This will soften your linen and get any shrinkage out of the way before you make a garment. After that, always wash your garments on a cold/cold cycle (delicate for wool) and allow to air dry.
Measurements:
SA=Seam Allowance. The usual allowance is ½ -1”. You may want to add more if you’re using a French Seam on a sewing machine. (To hand-finish your seams, a rolled hem for linen and flat fell for wool are both period, but not the only techniques.)
Buying Fabric:
Section 1:
Note: You will want your seam allowance to include four edges, so multiply SA by 4.)
· Measure your bust, waist, and hips. The widest of these measurements (+seam allowance) will be W. ______________
· Measure from your shoulder to where you want your hemline. (This can be from your ankle to floor. It can even end at mid-calf if you’re wearing a cote beneath.) This measurement (+SA) will be, L. _________________
Section 2:
Note: Multiply SA by 2.
· Length of arm (with bent elbow) + SA: Y_________ (Note, if your armscye is greater than 24” around, I don’t recommend purchasing fabric with a width less than 50”. You’ll have to buy at least ten yards of fabric.)
Option B:
Note: Multiply SA by 2.
· If the length of your arm is less than the width of the fabric, but greater than your Armscye (+SA), measure your Armscye and enter it for section 2. X________ (Depending on your desired length, you may need to add this measurement twice, I can usually cut the panel in half.)
Section 3:
Note: Multiply SA by 2.
· Hip (or natural waist) to floor/desired length +SA, H__________
Conclusion:
If your desired length is equal to or less than the width of the fabric and your arms/desired sleeves are less than half the width, measure W+X+H+18” ÷36. (For me, that measurement is 40+15+36+18” ÷36=3yrds.) If the width is shorter, then measure L+Y+H+18” ÷36. (For me, that measurement is 55+24+36+18” ÷36= 3.7yrds.) If the width of the fabric is less than your width, multiply L by 2. (110+24+36+18÷36=5.2 yards.)
Measuring out Pieces:
Body:
· Measure your bust, waist, and hips. The widest of these measurements (÷ 4 + seam allowance) will be W. ______________
· Measure from your shoulder to where you want your hemline. (This can be from your ankle to floor. It can even end at mid-calf if you’re wearing a cote beneath.) This measurement (+SA) will be, L. _________________
Sleeves:
· Armscye (Measure around your shoulder and arm-pit with your arm down at your side.) +SA (give ample SA for this measurment.) X: _________________
· Length of arm (with bent elbow)/desired sleeve length (+ SA) will be Y: __________________
(Remember: In period, a full sleeve on a cote would go to the first knuckle of your hand. )
Gores:
· Hip (or natural waist) to desired Length, (+SA) H________________
Cutting out the Pieces:
After pre-washing and ironing fabric, lay it out on a flat surface. Begin by cutting out four panels the width of measurement W and the length of L.
Next, cut out your sleeves. You may use one panel the width of X and cut it in half, or cut two panels the width of X. (So far, so good?)
Finally, cut out a panel along the width of your fabric that is as long as H. Fold that in half along the width, then fold it in half again and cut a line from one corner to the other, leaving about ½ in. on each side. The result will be three full triangles and two right angle triangles. (You can sew the right angle triangles together along the straight edge and use them at the front, or you can leave them for facing.)
[Panel Diagram, option 1. ]
[Panel Diagram Option 2. This is for floor-length tippets.]
If you want tippets, but don’t want to use that much fabric, here is a third option, that allows you to follow Diagram 1.
Fitting the bodice:
The best way to fit the bodice is to drape the four panels and fit it to your figure, but when you don’t possess a dress-form it can be tricky to pin yourself if there is excess fabric.
What I did to pattern my cotes/surcotes was to do a little geometry and play “connect the dots”.
Step 1: Write down the measurements for the start of your bust, your bust, bra-line, waist, and hips, then divide each measurement by four, finally add your SA to each measurement. (I actually add 2” to be safe and I pin and sew to fit.)
- Start of bust /4________
- Bust /4 _________
- Bra-line /4____________
- Waist /4 _____________
- Hips /4 ______________
Step 2: Measure the distances from:
- Your shoulder seam to the start of your bust. (That is, your chest along your sternum where the cup of your brassiere begins.) _______________
- Measure from the start of your bust to your areola (where the bust is usually widest around.) _________
- From your areola to your bra-line (where your brassiere ends.) __________
- From your bra-line to your waist. ______________
- From your waist to your hips. _________________
On a vertical line or grid-paper, measure out the distances between the points in Step 2, then take a ruler and measure for each point in Step 1 horizontally.
Finally, you’ll connect the dots to create your bust.
[Fitted Cotehardie, Diagram.]
Important note! When fitting your cote or surcote, you want to be very careful that you are both well supported, but have also created a flattering silhouette. My Lord Günther’s torso, for example, tapers at the bottom of his diaphragm, expands at his waist, and, finally, becomes dramatically smaller at his hips. When I made him a fitted surcote, he was very uncomfortable with this line, so from that time forward, I left the bodice looser to create a clean line from his rib-cage downward.
Fitting Your Cote (with a partner):
These instructions are adapted from La Cotte Simple’s instructions (which neglect seam allowance along the shoulder seams) and private instruction from the Honorable Lady Maegwynn Verch Bleddyns (MKA, Meg Brandt.)
To make a tight-fitted cote (or later period Surcote), the help of a friend is, well… helpful.
1. Take mock up fabric and cut four panels the desired width of your cote-panels, but only as long as the length of your shoulder to your hips.
2. Pin, sew, or baste the shoulders so that you have seam allowance. Do the same for the front and back seams.
3. Put on the mock up and pin, staple, or baste the side seams, remembering to keep the flattering silhouette we discussed earlier.
4. Fit the small of the back. (Cut excess fabric as you go, but be careful.)
5. Lay down and push your bosom up so that it is within the “shelf” provided by the fit. (You can also bend over and make “the girls” “fall” into place as you would when fitting a mundane brassiere.)
Take off the mock up, mark the seams with a marker, cut excess fabric, but be sure to have seam allowance up to one inch outside of the lines created by the seams. Remove the thread, staples, or pins. Transfer your pattern to paper. Be sure to make a note on the pattern of how much seam allowance it includes.
Fitting Sleeves:
Now that you’ve already got your Armscye, all you need is the circumference of your bicep for short sleeves or tippeted sleeves. For full-length sleeves, measure your bicep, bent elbow, wrist, closed fist, and the distances between each point. Divide the measurements by 2, then fold the fabric in half and play connect-the-dots like you did with the bodice pattern.
Next, you’ll need to cut out the armscye. There are two ways I have found to do this: the first is trial and error with muslin or patterning fabric, the second is to cut along the armscye of your dress.
With the second method, you will need to lay the sleeve beneath the garment with the top of the sleeve in line with the bottom of the armscye and the bottom of the sleeve in line with the shoulder. (You should have four raw edges lined up.) Cut out the sleeve along the line armscye and, voila!
Ultimately, your finished sleeve should look like the one on the next page.
While I find it is easier to fit the armscye of a sleeve directly onto the bodice of the gown, it is also possible to draft a sleeve mathematically, which is especially necessary if you’re making a detached sleeve to pin onto a kyrtle.
- Measure from the top of your shoulder, along your bent arm to your desired cuff. Call this A.
- Measure from your under-arm, along your bent arm to the desired cuff. Call this B.
After your sleeve is fitted along the bicep to the cuff as shown above, lay the sleeve flat and open. Make a pencil mark in the center, marking where the fold will be. Make a second mark directly between the center and the edge, this will be the top of the sleeve, mark as A. Make a third mark between the center and the opposite edge which will be the bottom of the sleeve. (Be sure to switch sides on the second sleeve so you don’t end up with two right arms.)
At the third mark, on the bottom of the sleeve, measure from the cuff, up the sleeve until you reach measurement B. Mark as B..
Finally, draw a gentle “S” curve from A to B and round out both sides so that it matches the shape in the diagram above and... Voila!
Assembling Your Garment:
There are only two things to remember in assembling your cotehardie:
Sew the gores bias to straight edge and set the sleeve with the seam along the back of the arm (middle of your shoulder-blade),
Some people sew the gores before setting the bodice-seams, some prefer to set the gores by hand. Either way works, in fact, as long as you’re careful, you can set the gores by machine after you’ve sewn the bodice seams. (Note: hand-sewn seams hold better than machine seams and, if you have the time and physical capacity, I recommend setting both the gores and sleeves by hand.)
Surcotes can be lined or unlined. (There is physical and artistic evidence of both.) Lining can be white or a contrasting color, just remember the rule for sleeves we discussed earlier. In period, people would line their garments with wool or fur in the winter, and change it out for linen in the summer. When lining with another fabric, use the interface lining technique, but the best way to line with fur is to use the sack method. If you wear a cote or smock, lining shouldn’t be necessary when it comes to the life-span of the garment so if money or being comfortable in 90 degree weather are a concern, do not stress about this. However, it is recommended that cotes, the most supportive garment, be lined, at least through the torso and it has been argued that a lined surcote has a more authentic look, especially when constructed from linen.
Bibliography:
I hope that this hand-out is informative and helpful. Because my knowledge is gleaned from tertiary sources, I don’t have an annotated bibliography; however, here is a list of websites and books I recommend for further references.
La Cotte Simple. Cottesimple.com
Houston, Mary G. Medieval Costume in England and France, New York: Dover Publications.
Crowfroot, Pritchard, Staniland, Textiles and Clothing, 1150-1450. Boydell Press, ISBN: 1843832399.
Thursfield, Sarah, The Medieval Tailor’s Assistant. Hollywood: Costume & Fashion Press.
Terms to look up for reference and inspiration:
Moy Bog Gown/Dress. Manesse Codex
Uppsala Gown Taymouth Hours
Herjolfnes Gown Luttrell Psalter