An early 16th century woman’s Rock (gown) suitable for a German farmer or servant.
I’ve been working on my German peasant wardrobe over the last year, making a set of practical clothing that will work well for camping. I had most of the essential items, but needed a warmer Rock for colder days – my pink wool was just too upmarket. With Rowany Festival (a week-long camping event) on the horizon, I had a week to get it made, working a few hours a day.
Research & Design
This Rock is based on several images of peasant women wearing the typical Langärmeliger Rock (long-armed gown), often in yellow. ‘Sulfur-yellow’ was the cheapest colour to dye at the time (Barich & McNeally 2015) and yellow can be seen in many images of peasants, such as these examples below.
The guard pattern on the bodice is based on the Monatesbild Juni window panel of which shows the guards set back a little from the edge, and the shorter practical hem has no guarding. The pleating is reduced, with no pleats at the side, as is usual for peasant dress and is clearly shown in the carving of the Martyrdom of St Ursula,
Yellow is not a colour I usually wear (although it is lovely to look at) but it is typical of the time, and the black woollen guards should help and I can wear it with a white Leinengoller.
Construction
The pattern is a combination of two of my previous patterns – the skirt and basic bodice from my lower class worsted gown, but with the rounded neckline and long sleeves of my pink woollen one. I’ve made many versions of this Rock, so I didn’t bother making a new pattern – just overlaid the two versions and used them in combination, widening the lower sleeve a little and adding a bit to the bodice for a looser fit.
Net step was to dyeing the cloth. I needed two skirt lengths of the 150cm wide wool mix fabric, plus another short length for bodice and sleeves – just under 3m in all. I started with a buff coloured wool and dyed it yellow with food colour, which gave a good vibrant mustard colour.
I cut the canvas, wool and linen lining, then started assembly, following my usual process.
The strap is cut separately on the straight grain – more efficient cutting and stronger too. I sewed the strap to the front bodice canvas with an overlap seam to reduce bulk. Then I shaped a piece of twill tape and sewed it down the front bodice, to provide a smooth line and support for the hooks and eyes.
I basted the canvas fronts and back to the wool (leaving the top of the straps free), sewed the side seams then pick-stitched these to flatten the seam and add a little stiffness.
I sewed the canvas strap to the back with an overlap seam, then hand-sewed the wool seam to close the bodice.
Next I folded the wool over the canvas on the edges (except the armscye), basted this and then catch-stitched it to the canvas. I sewed the sleeve and lining, basted these together at the top and sewed them into the well-clipped armscye, then felled the seam allowance to the bodice canvas.
I put the bodice on my dress form and made up a toile for the guards, 4cm wide. After looking at it on the form, I decided 4.5cm would look better.
To save fabric I cut the guards out of well-fulled black wool in 4 pieces – 2 neck pieces with a CB seam, and 2 fronts. I sewed the CB seam, then used my sewing machine (on longest stitch) to sew a smooth line at foot width from the edge – much faster and more accurate than chalk to mark the edge!
Then I clipped well, turned on the line and basted down. I tested it against the bodice on the form – all good, so I did the same with the second side: used my machine to sew a parrallel line, then clipped, turned and basted. I did the same to the front pieces and then pressed the lot. With the edges set, I removed the machine stitching lines but left the basting in place.
I laid the guards on the bodice again (on the form to allow for curvature) and used a few pins to secure before removing and basting in place. Then I felled around the edges using waxed black silk (the only silk stitching on this garment) and removed all the basting.
I tried on the bodice and the sleeves needed to be shorter, so I trimmed 2cm from the length.
Then I changed my mind about the cuffs. I’d planned to add a matching black guard, but then realised that many peasant sleeves don’t show a guard – just a fold back with the same colour showing. So – no guard and I need to line the cuffs with the same wool.
I pulled out my pattern and cut a pair of cuff linings from scrap yellow wool, sewed, clipped and pressed. Then I turned the hems on both the sleeves and cuff linings, basted, clipped and pressed. I put the cuff lining in and basted the edges together, and also basted the free edge at the wrist.
Then I turned the sleeves inside out and put the bodice on the dress form to see how much of the linen lining I needed to trim back – heaps! I cut this, then clipped and folded the hem and basted in place, then slip-stitched it to the wool.
The cuff edge was quite thick (4 layers of wool) so I decided to prick-stitck the edge to compress it. The end result is quite plain, but appropriate. And if the cuff linings get too stained in use, I can easily replace them.
Now I can line the body. I added this in sections – back first, then fronts, then shoulder straps, trimming and clipping as needed, then basting each layer. This approach ensures the lining fits perfectly and everything will line up. I slip-stitched the lining down on the side seams, around the edge and then the armscyes. Bodice construction is done!
I’m cutting the skirt from 2 drops of 150cm wide wool, piecing to give me a hem length of 3.8m. By cutting this way, I waste very little fabric – the top triangles become the bottom piecings.. I usually allow 3x for my waist for pleats, but with the sides unpleated, I only need about 2.3 (up to 2.5, depending on how much blank side I want).
I sewed on the piecings and felled them. With a good selvedge I could have sewn and felled without turning the edges, but these are modern selvedges. I opted for a run-and-fell seam to save time felling, but I think the extra bulk over the joins is not ideal – my usual flat-felling would have been better.
Then the main seams – flat fell for the front (which makes the front slit easier) and run and fell for the back (faster). I’m machine sewing, machine basting and then hand-felling – a compromise of speed and end result.
I smoothed the top curve, then cut and pieced a facing for the top edge in linen. I sewed this on, turned, basted and then felled it down, careful to sew into the back of the wool.
Now I can sew on the skirt. I marked the pleat size (3cm) on the front and back bodice, leaving a gap at the sides. I don’t measure or mark the skirt at all – I just work it by eye.
I pinned the skirt to the bodice at the sides, and pinned a pleat at CF and CB. Starting at the front, I whipped the skirt to the bodice, pinching up a pleat (approx 3cm deep, measured by thumb) at every mark, working from CF and CB out to the both sides (the pleat either side of the flat bit adjusted as needed). Then I whipped the flat side sections in place.
To finish the pleats, I squash them flat and then whip them to the previous layer.
To fasten the front, I sewed hooks and eyes down the bodice and one on the skirt where the facing ends. To stop the front slit stitches failing in use, I worked a small buttonhole band across the end.
Then I tried it on over my Unterrock and checked the hooks and eyes were set to avoid gaping and checked the hem length – it needs to cover the Unterrock but still be well clear of the ground. I trimmed the hem, turned, basted and felled it all around.
The new Rock is comfortable and practical, and I’m sure will get a lot of use!
The Rock can be combined with other lower class garments to make different looks.
The housewife is wearing a Gürtel (belt) and Gürteltasche (purse) and carries a basket. The farmer is wearing a Leinengoller (linen partlet), Doppelschürze (double apron) and a Schaubhut (straw hat). The servant is wearing a Goller (partlet), Halbschürze (apron skirt) and simple Schürze (apron).
