So I took this virtual class offered by University of Atlantia on the 15th century "Winged Hood." Honestly, I wasn't quite sure what they were describing, but once I got into the class, I kind of recognized the hoods, and now I see them all the time in illuminations and other paintings, definitely a Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon.
[1] [2]
They come in black and white, but they also come in red - I was most excited about the red because I like color, and instantly knew that that was the one that I was going to make. Since I was experimenting with size, construction, and budget, I opted to go with cotton rather than linen or wool.
Sadly the Winged Hood was popular in the late 15th century, so the ensemble that I made in early 2021 for the early 15th century was not really appropriate for use with a winged hood and will require its own headgear.
My original plan was to get a 45 inch square of cotton, but the store somehow was selling their cotton in much wider widths. I think that day it was closer to 58 inches! The instructor had recommended a 36 inch square, but admitted that that might be a bit small for some people (I'm not sure if my head is small or large - I think it's about average - and I wanted plenty of room to tie the knots at the end.
I ended up hand-stitching the whole thing to make it a bit more accurate, but I used the only red thread that I had on hand, which was definitely polyester.
After some quick experimentation I realized that the "wings" were too long and had to be shortened, I also needed a way to extend the main piece into my brim to get more coverage, otherwise most of the front of my head would be exposed. This was all easily fixable by tearing out stitches and reconfiguring. The real challenge was that once I put the hood on, I had the distinct feeling of being a member of the "Handmaid's Tale," and that I simply could not shake. So it's not that I dislike my hood, and while it looks anacronistic with my early 15th century garb, at least it's a head covering. But when I'm not wearing garb, it's really hard to shake that "Handmaid" feeling.
Challenge: On Your Head
Material: Cotton
Pattern: 15th Century Ladies Winged Cap by Lady Katheryn M'Ketherryke
Year: 1450-1500
Notions: Thread
How historically accurate is it? 80%
Hours to Complete: 2-3 hours
First Worn: SCA event
Total Cost: $5
Illuminations:
[1]
Heures de Charles d'Angoulême, с1482-85
[2]
1450-1499 Illustration of mining by Robinet Testard, late 15th century