RowanTree Workshop - making medieval

Project completed: Red Dockenbarett & Zöpfe (slashed hat & braids)

The inspiration for this headwear comes from Jörg Breu's painting of Augsburg Autumn. A woman stands with her back to the viewer, with her hair in plaits with red braid extensions down to her hips, and a red Dockenbarett (slashed Barett/hat).

Hip-length colourful silk Zöpfe (false braids) were worn by German women of all classes throughout the 16th century, with a Haarband (hairband) for unmarried women, or with some form of Barett (older women).

The Dockenbarett was also worn by men, especially middle class and the Landsknechte.

Zöpfe were made by a professional Zöpfmacher (braid-maker) and offered for sale at market stalls. The plain ones were cheap enough to be bought by peasants, with more expensive ones decorated with gold coins. Red was the most common colour.

In line with period practice, I made these from red silk, stuffed with wool rovings. They are joined in sets of 3 and plaited in with the braids, worn down the back.

For the Dockenbarett, I made an initial pattern in paper and then felt. I made the hat in red wool, doubled on the brim for added stiffness and lined with silk. The brim is still a bit upright, but will soften with wear (or I could steam it down).

I'm really pleased with how this turned out! And although I made this Dockenbarett and Zöpfe for someone else, I couldn't resist trying it all on with a wig and appropriate garb!

Research and tutorial at: https://rowantreeworkshop.com.au/1530s-red-dockenbarett-zopfe-hat-braids/2026/

Dockenbarett - problem solving

The red wool I have is wonderful for making hats - so well fulled (felted) it's hard to see the original weave. It's actually pool table felt, so it won't fray or rip!

But I was concerned it wasn't thick enough to support the brim loops, so I did a test - a small mock-up of two brim loops sewn to a crown segment.

As expected, much too soft! I solved this problem on my previous Dockenbarett by sticking two layers of wool together with bondweb, so I tested that with the red wool - perfect.

With this resolved, I cut out the crown and the outer brim sections, but did not cut the loops apart. I sewed up the CB (centre back) seam - the wool was strong enough to sew with a butted seam, which will minimise the visible seam on the outside.

I cut a second brim (piecing to save fabric) and applied bondweb to these pieces, then ironed on the second layer, offsetting the joins to overlap the CB seam. (This would have been MUCH easier to do before sewing the CB seam!)

With everything set, I cut the loops out - now they look like a single thick piece of wool!