Making Germanic Thorsberg Trousers by Hand | Anglo-Saxon Clothing and Early Medieval Sewing
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- Опубликовано: 19 окт 2024
- Early Anglo-Saxon people would have made their own clothes, for themselves and their immediate family. Trousers were the custom among male warriors of the Germanic tribes, from the Iron Age into the Early Medieval period. Considered ‘barbaric’ by the Romans at first contact with the Germanic tribes, trousers were adopted by the late Roman warrior and equestrian class.
The evidence for Anglo-Saxon trousers comes wholly in the form of art work and other pictorial depictions, in manuscripts and carvings and so on. No whole trousers have been found in burial contexts, as British soil types do not generally allow for preservation. Only small textile fragments have been found, which at least allows for identification of fabric type and weave. Wool twill weaves, and sometimes linen, are often for leg coverings.
Representations of Anglo-Saxon men in trousers depict close fitting to very tight trousers, tucked in to leather shoes or bound to the calf with textile leg wrappings. The closest archaeological find of a whole pair of trousers with a highly tailored pattern, both in date and location, are the Thorsberg trousers from Thorsberg moor, in present-day Germany.
The Thorsberg trousers were found with a whole range of Germanic weapon deposits and artefacts, preserved in the peaty, waterlogged earth of Thorsberg moor and are dated between the 2nd and 4th century, making it likely that these were worn by a Germanic tribal warrior or auxiliary during the Roman Iron Age or Migration period. The Thorsberg trousers are part of a group of similar, close-fitting patterns including the Thorsberg, Damendorf, Daetgen Mose and Marx-Etzel finds.
These trousers are based on the Thorsberg pattern; the closest whole pattern found in date and location to Early Anglo-Saxon culture. These trousers are an almost exact reconstruction, as I happen to have very similar leg measurements to the person that the original trousers were made for. The only exceptions to this are the fabric weave - the original trousers were made of a diamond twill, whereas these are a diagonal twill - and the fact that the originals included integrated feet or socks, whereas I chose to forego attached feet for my reconstruction.
The pattern consists of two leg pieces, which wrap around the leg, creating a single seam, a square seat piece, a tapered crotch insert, and a waistband with belt loops. The leg pieces each have one straight edge, and a shaped edge cut on the diagonal to tailored measurements. The patterns for the leg pieces are created by measuring the height of the leg, the circumference at ankle, calf, knee and thigh, and the distance between the front and back of the waistline around the crotch. Once these are tailored, the seat and crotch pieces can be cut to infill the space required, to the measurements on the leg pieces and the circumference of the waist.
The original Thorsberg trousers had an unusual seam, created by sewing together the pieces with their edges folded or already hemmed. This means the running stitch goes through four layers of fabric rather than two which gives extra strength and creates a seam which has some give, which combines well with the elasticity of the twill fabric and bias-cut pattern. I have tailored and made these trousers before and I was confident in my measurements, so I chose to hem all the pieces before sewing them together, for ease of sewing. The hems were overcast and the pieces were sewn together with the four layered seam, as per the original trousers.
Once the main trousers were sewn together, a waistband with eight belt loops was sewn on. From the ankle to the calf, the inseam was left unsewn as a split seam. Woolen ties were sewn and twisted to the edges of this seam area, so that the trousers could be tied up closely to the leg from ankle to calf. This allows for a very close-fitting lower leg, while still allowing the trousers to be put on easily.
The trousers are tied at the waist with a simple leather cord through the belt loops, and the waistband is wide enough to be folded over; which has been suggested as a feature of the original Thorsberg trousers. These trousers are comfortable and allow full-range of movement despite their closely tailored fit. This range of movement is important for a warrior, fighting and running on foot and on horseback. The close tailored fit may have been favoured by Germanic cultures to show off their athleticism and prowess in warrior culture which prized such ideals.
Special thanks to: Katrin Kania for “Die Hose von Thorsberg - win Meisterwerk eisenzeitlicher Schneiderkunst”.
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Hi all! You can check the subtitles and description for much more detail. Thanks for watching! If you like what I do and want to support me further, consider becoming a patron: www.patreon.com/gesithasgewissa/
Well, you certainly fill those trousers out in the right places
😆 Thank you
Calves for days.
I did not know until I looked it up while wondering when scissors were invented, and it turns out that they’ve been used for thousands of years.
Yes, these are based on a pair of scissors found In Birka, Sweden dated around the 9th century.
The scissors thing crossed my mind too. Interesting!
Sheep shears are just really crude scissors. Think about how long people have been shearing sheep.
Thank you for showing the realistic timeframe required to make a decent garment entirely by hand. The snow will indeed melt and be long gone before you're finished!
Hahaha, yes indeed! The snow only lasted a day, but the trousers took about 20 hours over one week.
@@gesithasgewissa and they were well worth the effort :)
Many people, accustomed to cheap and convenient manufactured consumer goods, have NO idea how precious garments were in pre-industrial times. The production chain for even a simple shirt was time consuming, with numerous steps, just the fabric-making taking some real effort and equipment. In medieval Europe, when a commoner died, his Lord could claim his best garment (among other things) as rightful inheritance. And *everyone* had to have clothes. Have a new baby? Need to plan to clothe it (simply) as soon as it can no longer make do with simple swaddling. Clothes had to be sturdy, durable under repeated cleaning (often by beating over a wet rock!), functional for one's occupation, and sufficient to provide protection in all seasons. And if you were of a class for which it mattered, your clothing had to suit your social standing, as well. =^[.]^=
@@Raycheetah yep. I've made fabric before and I'm glad I don't have to make it every time I need new clothes!
@@Raycheetah that's only true for the first baby. Every next child simply wore the clothes of his or her older siblings - of course, continuously repared by the mum and older sisters, fortunately, natural fibers are extremely durable. EVERY social class had clothes suiting their social standing, even the peasants.
Hello, my daughter is almost four years old, and she asked me to write you this letter. "When I grow up I want to help you. I like how hard you work. I want this to be a short little message so you can read it, put it in your pocket, and get back to work. Maybe when I get older I can get on an airplain and go where you live and work with you. Does that forest belong to you?"
That is so sweet. Many thanks and greetings to you and your daughter!
Cool daughter!
In 16 years she’ll be in university studying archeology, practising experimental archeology.
Interresting first question from such a little lady.
That's a big sword! :O
Thanks 😆
Bruh
I have never been able to figure out how to thread a machine.
I do all my sewing by hand.
I love doing it that way.
Me too. It's very meditative!
@@gesithasgewissa ❤️❤️❤️
Yeah, same here. I’ve used a machine in the past, so I know how, but I don’t like how fiddly it can be. I can get very precise work with my hands.
When I was a teen my sewing teacher told us all about how if you are not careful you can sew your finger with the sewing machine. So I sew by hand. In the past I have done a lot of embroidery, even did embroidery of some nice soft leather, and a bit of sewing when I hand made a quilt. Had a old time treadle sewing machine that I was going to have reconditioned . It was a beautiful machine. It was black and decorated with gold leaf. One time I went to show my friend the machine and discovered gone. My husband decided it was junk and threw it away. It didn't even have rust on it and he thought it was junk!!!? He also threw away the Victorian crazy quilt I had that had been registered with the Mckissick Museum. It was covered with tons of embroidery and beadwork. It was gorgeous. But he thought it was ugly and pitched it in the garbage. He gave away the collection of fossilized shark teeth me and my kids had spent a couple of summers collecting. He didn't give away the box of chipped and broken ones, no, he picked the box of all the perfect fossils that included megalodon shark teeth. And the stuff was not even his to do with as he wished. And my entire collection of Double Ace paperbacks. Gone. My autographed books. Gone.
My husband. Gone. ( That was my decision. Who needs some who steals from you)
@@susanfarley1332That sucks. I unfortunately infected the wife with the useable antique bug. She can appreciate the old stuff but the look of terror that comes when I say we're probably the best equipped house in town if the power goes makes me laugh.
I highly appreciate in how you recreate how our ancestors did things to survive the harsh winter - of which we take for granted. Support from Norway ❤️🇳🇴
Welcome, and thank you! Our ancestors were skilled and resourceful indeed.
I was just thinking about when you'd post again
Here it is! ☺
ditto, i've been checking the last few days, fingers crossed hahah
After watching your videos I never take the simple things for granted.
Our ancestors had to be very patient and resourceful!
Love the quiet, dutiful atmosphere. I hope those trousers last for some time.
Thanks! Hopefully they'll last a year
😮
Wow! Those are some nice pants extremely functional, unbelievable!! By the way you are one handsome guy!!❤❤❤
Thank you, and thank you!! 😃
Yes, indeed, very attractive!
Thank the gods! Yes, we are here for the history and period enactments, but it certainly is worth noting that the person responsible is incredibly handsome in addition to being extremely talented.
I appreciate the demonstration of range of movement the pants allow at the end. It's the first thing I wondered after seeing the final reveal so it was nice to have the question answered right away!
I'm glad that was interesting to see. It's probably one of the more common assumptions that Medieval clothing was restrictive and uncomfortable, so I wanted to show that their tailoring was specifically focused on allowing range of movement for an active lifestyle, despite the fashion for such close-fitting trousers!
@@gesithasgewissaYes, your demonstration explained the "less-than-flattering" fit of the seat of your new pants..
@@trudygreer2491 😆😆😆
I really like the variery of your posts, every little detail of the time period gets touched on. Thx for sharing
Glad to hear it. Our ancestors would have lead quite a varied life with all the different crafts to try their hands at!
You are an excellent tailor. The cut and fit of your trousers is excellent, body-following and flattering, as well as practical and made to endure. I’m sure that the people of those days wanted to look as good in their clothes as we do today. The scissors are a revelation to me, I have never thought about when they were invented.
Thank you! Though I also have to thank the tailors of old, as they came up with the pattern. I simply copied it from the archaeological findings. People spent a lot of time and effort on making and repairing their clothes, and they were treasured items. The scissors are based on an Early Medieval pair from Birka, Sweden ☺
@@gesithasgewissa Thank you so much for replying and for that information. I appreciate your taking the time to do that. It’s a pleasure to view your videos put together with such intelligence, dedicated research and obvious passion.
I was under the impression that scissors were the in vention of Leonardo Di Vinci. I will check. Great video either way
@@myboibill Not unless Leonardo Da Vinci lived in Ancient Egypt in 1500 B.C. 😄
Dude your packing heat
Hah, thanks!
Your content is absolute premium! I am so glad to found this channel. Keep up your great work.
Thank you for the kind words!
That’s quite the Hampton you’ve got there.
Haha, thank you!
1:57 Holy gods, man, I would wish to compliment thee on that longsword
Hahaha, well thank you, though the cut of the trousers helps a bit 😉
@@gesithasgewissa Methinks the skill of the haberdasher had little to do with that...
This came up in my feed and after watching it I immediately subscribed. Amazing skill and can one place an order for one of your trousers?😉 Warmest greetings from South Africa.🇿🇦 Keeping an eye out for the next one.👌👌😊
6:56 ….
@@JoFourie Welcome, and thank you! I'm not doing any orders for clothes at the moment, but perhaps in the future. If so, I'll let everyone know on the community tab!
Just found your channel. And have gone on a binge-watch for the last 30 minutes. You sir! Have committed a crime? It's a crime your videos are so soothing, informative & entertaining all in one.
Welcome, and thank you for the kind words! I'm really glad you're enjoying the videos ☺
Thats very cool. The Thorsberer Moor lies also around the corner from me.
I will try out selfmade nettle shoes this summer.
That's cool to have it close. Does it still have an air of mystery around it as I imagine?! Good luck with the nettle shoes, they sound great!
Truly Amazing, Best Channel On RUclips In my opinion
Thank you very much!
Would love to see how the fabric was made
Oof, I'd love to do some weaving! Got to make a loom and some loom weights first though haha. I'll get there ☺
Thank you very much!
Hey ❤ where did you get scissors?@@gesithasgewissa
@@gesithasgewissa Warp Weighted Looms are easy to make, period and extra meditative. You can do up to four heddle rods. Spinning with a spindle is easy too. I learned how when I got my loom. You can make more durable cloth by hand starting from scratch. Industry has built in obsolescence down to a horrid art.
I saw scissors in a Roman history museum in Cologne Germany many years ago and marveled that scissors had been invented centuries ago yet remain the same design.
Simple but elegant!
Fascinating and beautiful! You obviously have a great sense of history and historical accuracy, yet you also have a very beautiful modern sense of how to put a lovely piece of film together. Well done, and I look forward to more!
Thank you, I'm really glad you appreciate the historical accuracy AND the film-making ☺
I am so happy when I see young people like you digging into the old ways like this. I just found your channel and found your video compelling and relaxing. Took me to an ancient space which I really appreciate. One of the few times I sub on a first video. And yes, I agree with other women on this feed that you are a lovely young man. Blessed be.
Thank you so much for the kind words. I hope my videos inspire others to look into their own heritage as well!
Sounds amazing in your valley, abundant with life.
Yes, I am truly blessed to be among such birdsong every day!
Always informational and entertaining! Thanks for the video and the scholastic explanation.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the extra information!
In snow your hut looks even more beautiful than usual
It does, doesn't it?!
the only thing more fascinating to me than historical reconstruction of tools and architecture is historical reconstruction of garments so you've got me hook line and sinker now. o.O
Haha, oh that's so great to hear! I thought people would find it a little dull. I'm so pleased you're interested!
The pants look very good, I will probably adjust them a bit and sew one for myself.
Greetings and thanks for sharing.
That's great to hear, good luck with the sewing!
Your videos are always wonderful relaxing treat, and on top of that I get to learn a lot of new things. Thank you for sharing.
I'm glad you enjoy them, and learn something at the same time!
Omg this channel is so good for this fantasy I am working on. I cannot thank you enough. Seeing it brings it to life!
That's awesome to hear, I'm glad it's inspiring!
Thank you for natural sounds ❤
You're very welcome!
@@gesithasgewissa looking forward to more from you. Can you describe the floor? It's earth but what about the raised walls? Maybe I have to look again.
@@gesithasgewissaHow did you learn to do all this and authentically?
@@debrapaulino918 The walls aren't so much raised as the floor is dug in. It is a pit house, so the floor is around 20cm below ground level. The walls are formed of the sides of the pit and a hazel wattle wall which I will be covering with daub this summer. I mostly just taught myself, and have spent a lot of time over the past five years researching Anglo-Saxon history and archaeology ☺
Mé lícaþ wel se hosan...I like those trousers (literally, 'me please well the trousers). A beautifully made video, thank you.
Thanks Charles, I love the Old English phrasing!
@@gesithasgewissa I love it too. The trousers please me well, lol.
what's wrong with, 'ic licige tha hosan'? Even if you didn't want to say that I expect you didn't want to say, 'those trousers well like me'. Now I have shown my ridiculously pedantic colours trying to correct you in a dead language I am bound to be shot down in flames for my own amateurish efforts, I suspect for not knowing whether the early English would have called them/it trouser or trousers. Incidentally, my nan (a Berkshire woman) used the word 'hose' both for the single and plural. That word has definitely gone down here. Sadly, I might add.
2:03 I am looking respectfully. ;>_>
Haha, somewhat revealing I admit 😄
@@gesithasgewissa I wont complain.
… ^///^
I was not expecting there to be such ample... anatomy that the cloth needed to cover. 😅
@@melancholymelodies89I was pleasantly surprised as well.
Fascinating to watch and really terrific job… Any professional seamstress would be proud of that work :-)
Thank you very much!
@@gesithasgewissa you’re very welcome 🤗
Some videos ago I asked about it and you replied that you also handcrafted your clothes! Left craving for it, but I thought it was too much to ask for! :) Thank you for this one! Great content as always!
As promised! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for the pattern and showing how its done, i really appreciate it!
You're very welcome. There's also lots more information and links in the description if you're interested!
Thank you for this wonderful channel bringing our heritage to life. The attention to detail and authenticity is what sets this apart. No power tools!
Suggestions for a future production- please could you include making a hearth/fire, pottery, and perhaps some style II buckles or other metalworking?
I'm happy to be able to share it with you all. I can definitely make videos on all of those in the future, they sound great!
finely, a worthy sowing tutorial!
Thank you, I'm glad you find it useful!
Such an awesome video. I can tell lots of time went into making the footage as well as the sewing (never mind the research!), so compliments all round for your excellent work.
Thank you for your kind words!
Nothing like wearing a garment you’ve sewn yourself :)
Indeed!
It must feel incredible the wear clothes you made yourself, much love!
It does indeed, thank you!
I love this video. It feels like you are really "living" if that makes sense. It must feel amazing to wear something you made by hand, I wouldn't know where to start! I'm glad I watched this, I needed it. I want to learn how to make more things by hand because there is a sense of satisfaction in it. Proof that you did something. Man you are incredible at this, you inspire me to keep trying and keep learning, much love your way!
Thank you so much for the kind words. Making things by hand is really fulfilling. I wish you luck in your handcraft endeavours!
I'm sorry for all of my comments on your videos in (likely badly translated) Old English
But your channel and project is really something special. It's very validating, relaxing, and satisfying as a history nerd to watch stuff like this. There's such a great need for experimental archaeology such as this too. Thank you heaps.
No problem! You're very welcome, and it's a pleasure to share the project with all of you!
I really enjoy your channel! Thank you.
Glad to hear it!
Pretty much my new favorite channel!
Very glad to hear it, thank you!
Great video, such a well done presentation, I enjoyed it.
Thank you, I'm glad to hear it.
I hope they come back in style!
You'll see them in the 2024 summer catalogue I'm sure 😉
Great work! Both sewing and videografing!
Those trousers are neat. The design makes you twist your mind a bit when putting them together :) But the flexibility is great for such a tight fit. Sewing garments with needles and thread close to historical examples is quite interesting. For myself, I found out that wax is not only beneficial for the longevity of the seam but also helps the thread to survive sewing better.
Thanks Hrafn. Yeah, it was mind twisting enough to work out how to film it in a way that made sense haha! Oh, that's a good idea, I'll try the beeswax next time. You use that with wool thread as well as linen?
@@gesithasgewissa I've used wax with linen and wool threads. I am just pulling the twisted thread on the wax bar until it is coated.
I think wax helps to improve and keep the twist (which is very important for the thread). Maybe there is an impact on friction too, but I am not sure.
I've used really bad quality thread once, it was tearing all the time and only wax allowed me to finish sewing.
You should get big financial funding for such great projects! ❤
Thank you, I wish haha!
Another awesome relaxing video! Like always 🙂
Thank you!
I live near the Thorsberger Moor (about 11 km), and I have seen the trousers in the museum in Schleswig a few years ago :)
Amazing, I would love to see them in person!
Always love watching your videos! I find them both calming and inspirational. If you have a brother he is extremely lucky to have you! And to follow on in the same “vein” as many other comments…that is one hell of a tallywhacker 💪
Thank you my friend! I do indeed have a brother, he's the best! Ha! It runs it the family 😄
Yes that amount of flexibility would require a bias cut fabric. Very cool video as am a sewer as well.
Yes indeed, I'm glad you read the description!
This is so cool! I wish more places taught stuff like this - practical things, things our ancestors would all have had to learn something of in order to survive and function on the daily. We could all stand to have some more practical skills and connection to the processes that we so often only see the end result of.
Your videos are educational, meditative and beautifully composed - thanks for sharing with us all!
It would be great if that was more wide spread. The closest I know of is the "folk schools" in Sweden and Norway, teaching heritage crafts and experimental archaeology. Thank you for the kind words!
When I read the title of this video, I was expecting to see you scything flax or shearing sheep to make fabric, lol. This is difficult enough, so all’s well. 😊 P. S. I figured there were needles around at this time frame, but I don’t think I knew they had scissors. Learn something new every day!
Ah, one day! Haha, I would love to build a loom and start weaving fabric. Yes, scissors and shears are actually a fairly common burial item. These scissors are based on a find from Birka in Sweden ☺
It’s very interesting that so many of the rare textile finds from this era are in diamond or broken diamond twill. I’ve been doing some weaving on a table loom and made a broken diamond twill blanket/shawl/cloak/rectangle lol, based on a fragment from Sutton Hoo, and a scarf in regular diagonal 2-2 twill. The latter was easier, and I imagine that’s more true on a weighted warp loom. Next I’m going to try to weave cloth for a tunic, probably for a pattern that requires minimal cutting. Love these hose, such a great pattern and your hand stitching is much tidier than mine! You might need to find a wife though, or you’ll run out of hours in the day. Division of labour!
Hey, that's great to hear you're weaving historical fabrics. So cool! Broken diamond twill is very common. I've read that on a warp-weighted loom it can be set up with just two heddles. Good luck with your projects, I'd love to hear more about them. Haha, I do have a girlfriend, though I don't imagine she'd take kindly to sewing all day either. She keeps cows though and is incredible with animals.
@@gesithasgewissa I’m really interested to see a warp weighted loom in action, especially to see how you can do a broken diamond twill with two (rigid?) heddles. A guy in my weaving class wants to try it, but will need to find the time and resources. I’ll let you know how my next weaving project works out :) In the mean time, let’s get some bread, beer and cheese happening! One cow (or sheep) should do you to start with, no?
I just looked it up on Wikipedia - they use heddle-rods with string heddles to create the shed. I will have to do some deep thinking to work out a threading pattern that would give you diamond twill with two heddle rods… or just ask my weaving teacher. Now I really want to try this! Also I did once make halloumi cheese and it was awesome, highly recommend if you have access to unhomoginised milk.
@@ek-nz Oh awesome! I'm glad to have given you a rabbit hole to dive down haha 😄 Ah I would love to get some animals soon. Sheep are a potential choice, although realistically I don't have quite enough land. But we'll see!
Keep up the great content dude. Really enjoying the journey.
Glad to have you along!
Im in awe, this is awesome. That is all.
Haha, thank you very much!
Ve ry interesting. I used to be a fashion designer /pattern drafter so I was curious.
TY for upload. Surprised scissors were used during medieval periods.
Cool! Thanks for sharing. Yes, these ones are based on Early Medieval scissor finds.
I worked part time in retail for nationwide store that sold athletic yoga pants and leggings, ...they made a billion dollars off that performance clothing. It was in collaboration with a famous basics wear company that started in city I live in. The company name is taken from family who founded it and their surname, Hanes... originally from England, both east and west ....Norfolk & Herefordshire. Supposed to be ancient anglo saxon.
I can imagine your pants easily being athletic wear.
Yep, they are certainly designed with movement in mind - sword footwork, horse riding, climbing up on roofs for thatching 😄
Hello! wow, I also grew up in a small village. and I worked a lot and helped my parents, animals in the garden. but what you are doing is different. I want to try it for a few days. I wish you more good work! good luck. I can't wait to watch your other videos. 👍🇭🇺🇩🇰🥰
That's great, thank you for sharing. And good luck with trying natural living!
@@gesithasgewissa thanks 😍👍
beautiful vid - everything perfect and satisfying - the pace, surroundings, textures, sounds, subjects, music, silence, editing and ending - a meditation and quiet celebration of a life, and well lived - in the old ways - and beautiful balanced masculinity - thankful to the universe for you, and the mighty algorithm - subscribed
Welcome! I am blessed to have such kind words from you and many others. Thank you.
great work, as always, thanx a lot!👍
Thanks for watching!
Oh my, such a wonderful place and time to visit. Love the trews - very neat stitching, and well-tailored. Did you hunt the fox that provided the pelt? And if so, how was it done? Your entire project fascinates and delights me! Thank you so much for posting again ❤
Thank you for the kind words! The fox I found dead by the roadside. While I do hunt for food, I would never hunt a fox or predator myself. She was so beautiful, I tried to honour her and give her pelt a new life at least.
@@gesithasgewissa Oh what a shame that she was killed on the road. I do appreciate you honoring her in that way though. I’m ashamed to admit, at first I was a little concerned. (I’ve known too many bad sorts.) I’m so glad to see your respectfulness. Foxes are especially important to me.
Looks good on you
Thank you!
Very well done! Both making the trousers and filming it.
Now I hope one day I'll find someone who does the same (making videos of daily life in the past), but for the Neolithicum (late stone age).
Thank you!
Channel is obviously to do with history and how fascinating this period was. An important project to showcase visually and realistically how ancestors would've lived their lives. Certainly a world apart from how the modern day person lives today!
And yet, HOT DAYUM! 😍🥵 😛🤤
Haha, thank you on both counts! 😄
Excellent instructions. Do you line wool pants with linen or wear linen underpants? Wool seems like it would be prickly. Thank you for posting this.
Glad to hear it! They aren't lined, just pure wool. The wool is fairly soft, but I am quite used to scratchy wool by now haha
Impressive! U do it all! Keep up the good work!
Thank you, I will!
Hello, i like your new trousers. If i had been making them i would have made a second layer at the knee and reinforced the two layers with rows of stitching. I suppose you wanted to keep them truly authentic.
Thank you. That's a good idea, but yes, authenticity is the priority for me. They will get their knee patches soon enough haha.
Very cool!
Thanks man!!
No shot it's all handmade. Well there goes my previous question. Respect.
Ah, I just replied to your last comment haha! Well there you go 😄
Looking good. 😊
Thank you!
Thanks for this great work. Could you tell untill when were this type of trousers worn ?
Tight trousers like this were worn by the Germanic tribes during the Iron Age, adopted by the Romans in Northern Europe during the late Roman period and continued to be worn by most European cultures, along with hose, well into the high Medieval period.
A very beautiful video. Comfortable home. Good lighting. Nice trousers. I do wonder if they might be a little inconvenient when you drink a lot of beer? I'm old. I was looking for the escape hatch.
Thank you. No escape hatch I'm afraid, gotta drop 'em! 😄
One other thing: you are so concentrated on making and modeling the house and the trousers that you don't appear to be aware that what you're showing us of yourself is quite pleasing to look at. The model for Michaelangelo's David was more self-conscious than you are. The lack of conceit in someone who is clearly pleasant to look up on is quite refreshing. No one ever told you you're sculpted? Perhaps building the house was what sculpted you. We're generally too polite to say it but you take our breath away. The sad thing is that those trousers will outlast your strong, youthful, vigorous image and in 10 years they won't fit anymore but they will still be strong trousers. (I sewed my own linen tunics. They were SOOO comfortable but eventually I split the side seams because I'm too good a chef.)
@@petehoover6616 Well, thank you. You are very kind! I'm honoured by such comparison to the classical. I suppose the house building and land work is very physical, especially with the axe. I don't do much else, apart from running occasionally. Haha, I am sad to hear that, I will try and stave off the ravages of age as long as I can, but I don't expect to be immortal. As you, I also like food!!
Brilliant video. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!
Cool, you've already told me about your trousers and now you made a whole video about the sewing process! It's amazing to see this recreation. I'm a little bit sad about the fox, though. Is it going to be a decoration to the house or you'll make some clothing item out of it?
As promised! Thank you. The fox I found dead by the roadside, I would never hunt a fox or predator myself. She was so beautiful, I tried to honour her and give her pelt a new life at least. I will keep it as decoration I think.
I'm curious how warm it stays in your house with the open door and top.
Warm enough with the fire. Without? Not much warmer than outside haha!
Very nice. And the pants too.
😆 Thanks!
I like the holes in the old trousers! You don't see mending too often anymore, it's a shame.
Don't worry, I'll be mending the old trousers too and using them as work trousers ☺
Mending was what they did, those people from the past! As long as a garment could be mended, it was. And after that, the good pieces were used to mend something else. Or for other purposes.
This was cool to watch. Thanks for the video.
Glad to hear it!
Yah the pants thats what we are watching😂
😆😆😆
i mean, it almost poke my eye for a sec
1:54 🥜🍆
Nice new pair of trousers! How will you recycle the old ones? Will you preemptively strengthen the kneecaps with some extra fabric since that was the wear out point on your older pair?
Thanks. I'll still patch up and use the old ones for rough jobs like digging and bramble clearing. And I will patch and reuse the new ones as and when they need it too. Eventually, when they are too far gone, I cut them up to make socks and patches for other clothing.
Another great episode! 💪
Thank you Evan!
Look at that snow! I don't know where you're located but up where I was we got nothing like that. Very jealous but that's with all my modern clothes :P
Yeah! It didn't last long though, it had melted by the end of the day, I was just extra keen to film it!
MOST EXCELLENT !
Thanks!
I was just looking into period appropriate needles and sewing supplies. I noticed the brass needle and I was very pleased! 😁 I don’t have any authentic reenactment programs around (I’m in an SCA barony, but authenticity is not strict) but I wanted to be able to continue my sewing on site with the proper tools.
I have heard that brass needles hold a particularly sharp point. Did you find that to be true?
Yes, they are very pretty little brass needles and pins. They do feel pretty sharp, and they are nice and fine too for detailed sewing.
Awesome work mate 👏
Thank you!
I absolutely love your channel. I find it not merely entertaining but hugely informative as well…. so I just wanted to ask if the needle and thread you used is period faithful as well. I’m not trying to be cheeky; I really am curious. 🙂
Thank you! It is indeed, worsted wool thread and brass or bronze needles were quite common, kept on the person as small, valuable items.
@@gesithasgewissa cheers! That’s so cool man.
Muito legal! Parabéns! Boas vibrações!
Thank you!
I wonder if our ancestors called upon their friends to play some drums and chants while we did boring tasks, as entertainment, so it wouldn't be so dull.
"Hey, I have Ned Flixus over at my house, wanna listen to some of his stories? He does shadow figures, too. We could sow some pants in that time"
Absolutely! I don't doubt it for a second! Lots of lyre and flute playing, story telling and poetry. The Anglo-Saxons had a vibrant and thriving oral tradition, which we can catch a glimpse of in the few shreds that survived into Medieval manuscripts, such as 'Beowulf' and the poems 'The Ruin' and 'The Wanderer'. Also, "Ned Flixus" 😆 That's great.
In Swabia it was common until the 1950s to meet up with neighbors or acquaintances in the winter to do handicrafts. The advantages are: it doesn't get so boring (many of our folk songs are in a rhythm that suits work), you save on candles and heating costs, you get the latest gossip and it's an opportunity to build relationships.
@@jonawolf8023 Lol where is this Swabia? I am a true Swabian coming from a family with roots in all different parts of Swabia and none of them have that tradition.
@@Matt..S die Licherstuben auf der Alb, in der Reutlinger Gegend gibt's noch Überbleibsel davon (Mutscheln). Sollte man eigentlich als Schwabe kennen, zumindest wenn man sich selbst als solcher bezeichnen will.
@@jonawolf8023 Even google doesn't yield immediate results for that. My ancestry is further north though and perhaps in your part of Swabia this is a thing. Lets keep it in english though, so others can follow the discussion as well.
Is there a book somewhere that shows the pattern and lay out? I am old enough it is somewhat difficult for me to absorb information as quickly as a video. I do enjoy watching the shows you make, i just understand drawings better.❤
Very understandable! If you search Thorsberg trousers there are plenty of patterns and instructions online that you could print out. Unfortunately the best and most original articles, which are in books, are in German!
I honestly wish I knew about your channel sooner. I'm so impressed with your work and rebuilding history. I have to ask, do you plan on making your Saxon Pit-house self-sufficient in the near future? I would love to see you thrive in the elements that Saxon freedmen had to endure.
Thank you for the kind words. I'm about to start preparing the soil for sowing seed, so that's a start!
Very nicely done! I know fabric doesn't often survive in a lot of grave finds, so were the Thorsberg trousers an exception to this, or were they a bog find, or something else? I'm not quite familiar with where they come from.
Thank you! The Thorsberg trousers are one of the few wholly surviving trousers from Iron Age or Early Medieval Northern Europe, dated between the 1st and 4th century A.D. Thorsberg moor is in present day Germany. As far as I know, only small textile fragments have been found in specifically Anglo-Saxon graves. There's a whole load more information in the description if you're interested!
@@gesithasgewissa Nice! I'll have to look into it.
i dont know how i got here but this is clearly magick
Haha, thanks for watching!
Primitive Technology has a rival!
Haha, I'm honoured!
Loved this video very much!
But i was wondering The entire time, will you repair and mend The old ones? They are probably still salvagable and have some use left in them.
Definitely, the old trousers were already repaired several times before I made this new pair. I still use them for dirty work - daubing, charcoal making, blacksmithing ☺