Military Tunic - Stitching and weave help

[Tim Edwards]

Graham Sumner has produced an excellent and in my opinion near exhaustive, and objective study of colour, but I do not feel has really thrashed out weaves and stitching. Given that I am about to do another winter march on the German limes, I need more clothing that is warm, practical and accurate. Colour is less of an issue!!

I am spending time over the winter to replace my wardrobe with 100% hand woven, dyed and sewn tunics and cloaks, but I want to make sure I get it right. I have a bundle of Afghan and Polish hand woven linen and wool, together with a small pile of natural dyes and mordants all ready to go, but I don't want to waste these costly materials.

So far I have only looked at remains from the Northern Provinces, using works by Hald, Schlabow and Wild.

I accept that most tunics would have been purpose woven on looms, and would thus have a complete circuit of starting/finishing borders and selvedges, which I will be copying at home, but how are seams stitched together?

Given that pretty much all roman reenactors will have tunics as part of their equipment (I find you look a bit strange without one!), what weaves do others use, and what stitching?

Does anyone have any authentic tablet weaving patterns that I can use for borders?