These kit guides aim to describe the sort of clothes worn by typical Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Normans in England, plus some of the artefacts they used in combat and everyday life.
The best books for people interested in clothing are Thor Ewing's Viking Clothing and Gale Owen-Crocker's Dress in Anglo-Saxon England. Cloth and Clothing in Early Anglo-Saxon England AD 450-700 by Penelope Walton Rogers is very good at a slightly earlier period. On the web, the best place to start looking for information on clothing and textiles is Carolyn Priest Dorman's website. The Ravenstead Household also have a long list of kit-related links suitable for Vikings.
Kevin Leahy's book Anglo-Saxon Crafts is a great resource for a variety of authentic crafts and techniques, and for quick advice on specific craft techniques, eHow can be very useful.
Clothing
Overviews
- An introduction to male kit
- An introduction to female kit
- An introduction to religious kit
- Notes relating to a nun in the time of Alfred the Great
Basics & Techniques
- Cloth: what should I use?
- Sewing stitches
- Heather Rose Jones's website of archaeological sewing is especially useful for its guide to hemming (offsite)
- Jennifer Carlson's list of stitches (offsite)
- Embroidery
- Tablet weaving
- Nalbinding
- Lucetting
Patterns & Guides
- Tunics, kirtles, kyrtles, dresses & serkr
- Trousers, breeches, Thorsbergs, Rus pants, hose & puttees
- Peplos-gowns, suspended dresses, smokkr & hangerocks
- Cloaks, ponchos & shawls
- Socks
- Hats, hoods, caps & wimples
- Coats and kaftans
- Padded kit guide
- Pouches
- Bags
- Padded Mittens
Archaeology
The following websites deal with Dark Age fabric crafts in general. They may be useful for several techniques and for finding out about authentic tools and methods.
- The textiles in the Oseberg ship by Anne Stine Ingstad
- A new theory on the costumes of the Oseberg Queen and her attendant
- Bibliography of Sources for the Construction of Viking Garments By Carolyn Priest-Dorman
- Textile Resources for the Re-enactor from Carolyn Priest-Dorman
- Anglo-Saxon Textiles in the Mayer/Faussett Collection (pdf)
Leather
Metalwork & woodwork
Small Items
- Eating/craft knife
- Bling! Rings, braclets, torcs, pendants, strap ends...
- Alleycatscratch.com (offsite) is the home of some chaps who research movie costumes. Their Lord of the Rings section has many useful articles on topics including leatherworking, jewellery making, casting buckles… you get the picture. Obviously most of what they make will not be in period or anywhere near authentic, but a lot of the techniques they explain will be really useful for making authentic kit.
- How to make a wooden spoon, the Viking way (offsite)
Armour & Defence
- Chainmail
- Lamellar armour
- Leather Armour
- Shields
- Helmets
- Gloves
- The Armour Archive (offsite) is a useful resource for making, erm, armour.
- Ravensgard (offsite) has a marvellous page on the surviving Viking tents.
Bone and Antler work
- Working with Bone (offsite) An article from Frojel Gotlandica
Oxford Craft Clubs
- Oxford Guild of Weavers, Spinners & Dyers
- Contact Ann Nutt (secretary) 3 Simms Close, Stanton St John, Oxford OX33 1HB
- Oxfordshire Woodland Craft Club
- Contact Nicola Williamson: nickywilliamsonATonetel.com
- Association of Pole Lathe Turners
- Oxon Woodturners Club
- Cotswold Woodland Crafts
