Another Unterrock (kirtle/underdress) suitable for a middle or upper-class woman in early 16th century Germany, providing support and shape under the Rock (gown), this one in dark green wool twill.
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/03/Green-Unterrock-complete-567x1024.jpg)
I was so pleased with my black worsted Unterrock, but it was surprisingly cool too wear. I needed a version in a fine but warmer wool for winter use. Luckily I had some suitable fabric in stash – several meters of a green wool twill. A little dark, but otherwise ideal.
Research & Design
The general research for this was the same as for my black worsted Unterrock, but with a different hem ornamentation, inspired the underskirt on another Holbein costume study.
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/12/Albrecht-Altdorfer-Susanna-im-Bade-und-Steinigung-der-Alten-1526.jpg)
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/01/Barthel-Beham-Mother-and-son-with-skull-and-hourglass-1528-30.-detail.jpg)
Source: British Museum
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/02/Basel_Woman_Walking_towards_the_Left__Hans_Holbein_the_Younger-695x1024.jpg)
Although I had plenty of green wool, I was much taken with the efficiency of the wheel piece cutting, so I decided to take the same approach for cutting, although it does mean more seams to sew and fell.
Construction
I used the same pattern for my worsted Unterrock, with a separate shoulder strap cut on the straight, as seen in Alcega’s bodice patterns. This is a much stronger and more stable construction than a simple shoulder seam, and puts the strain on the straight grain rather than the bias.
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/12/Unterrock-bodice-sidek.jpg)
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/12/Unterrock-bodice-back.jpg)
I followed the same cutting and construction process as for my worsted Unterrock, with the exception of the hem. I wanted a more elaborate decoration and decided to reprise the design I had used on an earlier petticoat, from my earlier years, based on the Holbein sketch. I had even kept the template!
Based on the template, I needed about 30m of braid to decorate the hem. Since I was making this entirely from stash, a rummage brought me a Fun Idea – a whole roll of Red Tape (as in the genuine article, given to me as a joke decades ago). The pink would look great against the dark green! I unwound it to check length, washed it and was ready to go, chortling to myself.
I figured I would need to sew the edges and gather to go around all the wiggly curves, so – test run.
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/03/Red-tape.jpg)
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/03/Green-Unterrock-decoration-test.jpg)
And…. that’s a big nope Well rats – my Cunning Idea foiled!
More rummaging, another large roll of something much more flexible – gold coloured rayon braid left over from the Pelican cloak. Much better – so off to wash and dry that before using it.
I usually hand sew decorations, but I decided that 60m of hand-sewing on the hem of an undergarment was not a good use of my time. I did hand-sew the braid around the neckline, although this will never be seen, since this is an Unterrock.
For the long lines, I used a trick I developed years ago, for my green linen, when I needed to apply a lot of velvet ribbon with perfect spacing, and have used a lot since – narrow masking tape. I laid down the tape, then machine-sewed the gold braid along each side of the masking tape line. After removing the tape, I sewed the other side of the braid down.
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/03/Green-Unterrock-hem-lines.jpg)
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/03/Green-Unterrock-hem-nebuly.jpg)
My nebuly template was straight and my hem curved. I measured both pattern and hem – if I compressed the top spacing by 5mm between each section, the design would match up at the back and follow the hem curve. I traced the pattern and then hand-basted the braid around the pattern – time consuming, but the best way to make sure the braid lay perfectly on the pattern.
Once the braid was sewn on and basting removed, I used the hem as a pattern to cut the hem lining in linen from stash, deep enough to cover the decoration. Once the sections were cut, I laid them back on the hem to see what angle to trim the seams. Then I sewed the sections, sewed the strip to the hem, turned and pressed and then hand felled the lining.
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/03/Green-Unterrock-hem-lining.jpg)
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/03/Green-Unterrock-hem-lining-join-1.jpg)
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/03/Green-Unterrock-hem.jpg)
Like my previous version, this Unterrock is really supportive and comfortable enough to wear all day. And it is warm enough to wear in winter, without adding too much bulk.
I wear it under my middle class Green Wool and Pink Wool, and it has also proved ideal under my upper class Green Velvet Cranach after I realised the wide straps on my linen Unterrock were too wide!
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/03/Green-Unterrock-lacing-496x1024.jpg)
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/03/Green-Unterrock-side.jpg)
![](https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/03/Green-Unterrock-back.jpg)
Afterthoughts
I still really like the idea of using the Red Tape for something in future – something with less curves…