![]() ![]() This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.Īprons were made from one large piece of cowhide with ties attached around the neck and waist. The leather apron that is still used by blacksmiths today was essential to blacksmiths in the middle ages and looked very similar to those worn by modern smiths. To protect their skin from sparks and embers, medieval blacksmiths wore thicker fabrics than those who worked in the fields.īlacksmiths living in the middle ages used several clothing accessories to help further protect them from the fire of their forges. Men’s clothing was duller and coarser than women’s, and it was made from the undyed wool of brown or gray sheep. While medieval peasants dyed clothing items like hoods and capes brighter colors, such as red or blue, the everyday workwear of tradespeople such as blacksmiths was generally muted in color and made to be practical, not pretty. Medieval blacksmiths worked in warm conditions, so often opted for loose-fitted, short-sleeved clothing. Men who opted for shorter tunics wore thick hose to cover their bare legs. Tunics typically fell to at least the thigh and women’s tunics usually extended to the ground. ![]() ![]() Sleeves could be added in colder months for warmth, but workers who spent a lot of time in the heat, such as blacksmiths laboring near a hot forge, would have worn sleeveless tunics during working hours. Medieval peasants and labourers generally long sleeved tunics, appropriate for out door work.īoth men and women possessed some level of basic sewing skills, and made their tunics by folding a length of fabric and cutting a hole in the center for their head. Men, women, and children wore simple tunics adapted from the Roman styles that were popular several centuries prior to the middle ages. While upper-class people had a larger variety of clothing colors, fabrics, and styles available to them, medieval peasants and laborers wore simple, functional clothing that was appropriate for working outside. The main clothing pieces worn by blacksmiths and other workers during the middle ages did not change much from the 8th to the 14th centuries. The basic pieces of a blacksmith’s wardrobe did not differ much from the rest of the working class, but certain accessories like hats, boots, gloves, and aprons provided an extra layer of protection to smiths and were unique to their trade. Like other laborers and tradesmen of the time, medieval blacksmiths wore practical clothing that allowed for free movement and protection from the elements. The blacksmith’s work environment was hot, confined, dirty, and dangerous due to the nature of their work. You can use linen fabric scraps: cut it in a straight piece, fold in the raw edges and sew in place with whip stitches or slip stitches.1.4 Protecting the Heads and Hands of the Medieval Blacksmithīlacksmiths living in the middle ages typically belonged to the peasant class and worked long, oftentimes strenuous hours each day. I always use a piece of fabric on the inside (if I don’t have a whole lining in place) to strengthen the edge and make the lacing look better. On the inside of the lacing, you can see a thin strip of tabby woven, sturdy linen fabric. Practise makes perfect don’t bother if your first holes are a bit uneven, if you start from the bottom and work your way up they will look really nice by the time you reach the area others actually look at.Ī tip for making the hole more even is to first sew one round of stitching around the hole, and then another turn, dense enough to cover any gaps. Yeah…Īfter the hole is made the right size, I sew around it with a buttonhole silk thread or a waxed linen thread (depending on social status, period, colour etc) I never bother with any fancy stitch, just sew around like this, and cover the hole equally with thread. I do have real awls, but since they seem to always be “somewhere else” a bunch of different objects has been used needle binding needles, hairpins, chopsticks… You don’t need anything fancy, was my conclusion. To make lacing holes I use a sharp awl to make a small hole, and then a fitting thicker awl in metal, wood or bone to make the hole bigger. ![]()
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