4th Century Tunic Designs Request

[Primvs Pavlvs]

I bought some fabric lastnight to start my new 4th century Roman tunic. My wonderful wife told me that she would be happy to embrodier all of the designs on my tunic if I find simple ones. So could someone point out some simple designs that would be correct for 4th century? Also would it be correct to embrodier these with linen floss?

[Virilis]

Hi Paul! Check this link about the Piazza Armerina mosaics:
http://www.galenfrysinger.com/plazza_ar ... sicily.htm
There are plenty of wonderful and simple sw... designs and also wide variety of tunic colours! What a wonderful wife you have, can you send me one too :wink: ?

[Franklin]

Generally speaking, of course, the designs wouldn't have been embroidered at all, they would've been tapestry woven directly into the fabric itself. But we don't exactly have many outlets for that do we?! Unless your wife is able (and willing!) to weave as well as stitch.

All that aside, most surviving examples have designs sketched out in woolen thread, even the ones where the garment itself is made of linen.

[Primvs Pavlvs]

Generally speaking, of course, the designs wouldn't have been embroidered at all, they would've been tapestry woven directly into the fabric itself. But we don't exactly have many outlets for that do we?! Unless your wife is able (and willing!) to weave as well as stitch.

All that aside, most surviving examples have designs sketched out in woolen thread, even the ones where the garment itself is made of linen.

Thanks Frank I understand that most of the decorations were woven into the fabric. However embroidery seems to be the best option in my view. I just dont want to use pieces cut from other fabric.

[Franklin]

I completely understand. I've been wrestling with the problem for a while myself. So frustrating. I almost want to throw up my hands and say "If I can't do it RIGHT I don't wanna do it at all!" and find another period with simpler costumes. Have even considered learning to weave, but that scares me even more.

I did have one thought that was slightly less intimidating. There are plenty of examples of decorations being cut off of worn out tunics and sewn onto new ones. If you could build a very small loom and only recreate the narrow stripes, circles, squares, etc. You could cut them out and apply them and the effect would be exactly the same.

[Robert Vermaat]

We already have a large thread about late Roman tunics, how about continuing the discussion there?