Re: cook's hat

["Sharon Henderson" <sharon@intercon.com>]

> Hello all.  Does anyone have a pattern for whatever the period 
> equivalent of a cheif's hat would be?  Is there a period equivalent?  
> What was worn in the medieval kitchen?  Any good sources? 
> Thanks, 
> Aye, 
> Eogan 

Good Eogan,

	I would guess that the period equiv. of a chef's hat is that wonderful 
workhorse, the so-called muffin cap.  It's in the Arnold/Schultz Elizabethan 
Costuming book; if you don't have it handy, here's the quick & dirty:

	Cut a circle of muslin or broadcloth (linen if you're rich and feel 
like gilding the lily!); no bigger than 20" unless you like the baggy look.  
Measure your head as if for a ladies' headband (since most folks wear these 
back on their head instead of straight-on like a circlet.  Add an inch for 
seams, and appx. 1/2 inch for ease.  Sew the ends of the band together, fold 
the result in half the long way and press with wrong sides together.  Gather 
the edge of the circle, pull up the threads to fit; insert gathered circle 
into headband and stitch.  If you want it to be a masterwork, finish the 
seams: sew the outside of the headband to the circle, then turn the inside of 
the band 1/4 inch on the inside and hand-sew it down over the seam.  If you 
want a finished seam but hand-sewing gives you the creeps, press both long 
edges of the band to the inside, sandwich the edges of the circle in them, and 
sew away--leaving a small place where you'll have to hand sew, possibly.

	I hope this is at all coherent ....  :-)  

	BTW, the band can either be straight--cut it so that when finished, 
it's about 2" wide--or it can be shaped so that it is sort of elongated wavy, 
with a rounded bit at each end, and the wave at center is slightly longer.  
The middle wave would go over the center of your forehead.

	Drop me a note, if you can't understand this at all, and I'll mail you 
some drawings.  It takes, even with hand sewing and the addition of 
interfacing to keep the brim stiff, about an hour to make this--tops.

	Cheers,
	Meli ferch Iasper

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