Hoodlums

Over the weekend I gave in to impulse and started a hood based in part on the pattern in the Medieval Tailor's Assistant. I've been wanting one for a while and I had a chunk of leftover charcoal grey wool (from a cape I made for a family member) that was just the right size. I also wanted something to work on while ruminating over how best to make up my new green wool!

I made the actual hood part following the directions in MTA, but made the cowl part in two half circles, rather than a bunch of gores. I think it will lay better that way. It's completely hand-sewn so far and I plan to stick to that. Grey wool wasn't exactly the flashiest thing I could use, so I decided to embellish with a Bulgarian pattern of embroidery. I'm using a piece of a chemise sleeve pattern from Bulgarian National Embroidery: Western Regions. The original was silk on linen in long-armed cross stitch. I'm using cotton on wool for wearability and chainstitch for coverage instead. Here are some pictures of the work in progress.







As you can see, the embroidery is finished on one side of the hood and I've just begun the mirror image. I just noticed you can also still see the chalk marks. Oops!

I have to attach the cowl after the embroidery is finished and I've sewn down the facing. After that, I need to decide what to use to edge finish the cowl. I think I will probably blanket stitch it in black wool so it doesn't take away from all the bright embroidery. (Or overwhelm!) Then there are several buttons and buttonholes and it'll be ready to wear!