Note about squirrel species! I put an annotation on the video but I know a lot of devices don't display them. I misstated the squirrel species as the 'gray squirrel,' which of course wasn't introduced into Europe until well after the Middle Ages. What I should have said was the winter coat of the European Red Squirrel. The winter coat of the red squirrel is actually gray (upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/MattiParkkonen_Orava.jpg). The Medieval 'menuvair' or miniver pattern is achieved by taking the white belly fur of the squirrels, surrounded by the gray fur of the winter coat (or other colors if not the winter coat) and stitching several together in square plates that yield the pattern. Other ways to cut the furs yielded different patterns (like the 'vair' pattern adopted for heraldic use), but squirrels were one of the most commonly used furs for lining garments in the Middle Ages. They eventually fell out of favor with the upper classes into the 15th century.

Thank god his hair survived. Nothing that fabulous should be allowed to perish.

Cloaks really do need to get back in fashion.. :)

Wow, I learned SO much from this vid. Awesome stuff Ian. I've often wondered why the cloak when out of fashion and thought it might have been due to the introduction of the coat, that back in the middle ages it was too hard and not cost effective to sow in sleeves and arms into this heavier piece of material. But then again, cloaks were still worn during the time of larger coats too. In any regard, the coat pretty much fulfils the role and function of the cloak in the modern day, except for fashion ^_^

Bocksten Man: The Most Fabulous Skeleton in the World!

Trajans column (or the one of Marcus Aurelius) already shows germans wearing side closing cloaks, I don't think it would be a stretch to say they go back all the way to the stone age.

Hi Ian, i hope you're well. just a short message to thank you for putting this video up - i'm getting married in March and with the help of my mother (a gifted seamstress) we've had a shot at re-creating this cloak as part of my outfit. We've made a version in grey wool with a black satin interior (i'm wearing a kilt and grey waistcoat/jacket combo underneath. Over the last few weeks we've found that having a template garment made an enourmous difference in getting the cloak to hang correctly, and a number of times we've referred to your video to keep us on the right track. Anyway, a huge thank you for bringing this to my attention, all the best.

And wool even wet will take upon your body temperature rather cooling you down.

>Says knowledge on regular clothes is limited >Gives lovely and well informed/evidence supported info PIck one!!! I jk of course.

Loved the video! My son in law wanted a "cape" to went in the cold. I was Really nervous as to how to make it. I looked up How to make a Cape of u tune and came across this. I know He will love this. The one you showed is really beautiful AND very informative. I had no idea it could be buttoned on the side and that the neck had to be cut different, which should be common sense to me but it's been long time since I have custom made items. I subscribed and do thank you for this video!!

This is a lifesaver, I've been trying to find a stylish but simple, and UNIQUE cloak pattern for LARP. This is so cool

How many people can take a seemingly simple piece of fabric and make a genuinely interesting video out of it? Seriously Ian, every video you make impresses me!

As an ex-soldier who has spent way too much time outdoors in the winter, I can say that Bocksten man's clothes would have been extremely practical outdoor clothing for cold weather. The hood in particular deserves it's own episode. Note how it's closely tailored around the neck and head to contain body heat. When combined with a scarf to cover the lower half of the face it would have been very warm. Also note how the hood slopes over the shoulders to shed snow and water. Excellent design.

I'm liking these clothing videos a lot. A follow up video on variations in cloaks (and other over-garments such as mantles and hoods etc) i.e. how they fasten styles of colour, materials etc would be interesting.

in australia a 'dag' is the um, pooey bit around a sheep's butt which you need to clip off (or 'dag' but as a verb) to keep the sheep healthy, and it's a common sort of affectionate insult similar to dork or nerd. so this video was unintentionally quite funny for me.

I think I might have to get one of these made for the cold British winter days :)

thank you for such a historic explanation! i appreciate it as a seamstress to understand how to replicate the construction and have it fit properly

Reminds me an awful lot of a gunslinger’s poncho for some reason. Very Clint Eastwood.

Looks surprisingly stylish.

Hi guys, thanks for tuning in to another video here at KnyghtErrant dot com. I'm Ian LaSpina. Today we're taking a look at some of the items for sale here at the Bocksten Auction House, May of 2016 premiere auction.

I enjoy this so much! Amazing content, best wishes to you and your future projects! 🌻

Could you do a piece on the medieval fascination with long pointy shoes? Both regular wear (peasants on up to Lords loved them) as well as in sabatons? I don't get it..

I looked around for a while at various tutorials and info about Anglo Saxon cloaks, and this video was by far the #1 most helpful resource for making one, I didn't have enough wool for a full half circle but it still hangs beautifully thanks to the attention paid to the neck opening and the shoulders. Thanks for this super interesting and useful video!

Hi Ian, great video with excellent attention to detail -as always. Personally I'd really like to see the doublet, turn shoes and a clasped cloak (unless that is another hollywood myth) in future videos.

That turned out great! I like the color combinations you chose too. Everything I have/make is mid to late 14th Century, so I appreciate seeing how you made this.

I was SUPER EXCITED for seeing this video! Not only because its very eductional, but for the simple fact that I was born and raised in ROLFSTORP!! I couldnt believe it really being young what an enormous find that would be. Being raised in such a close proximity to where "Bockstensmannen" was found has probably meant a hell of alot more to my interest in the middle ages than ive ever thought of until maybe now! So many times i went to the place of bockstensmannen with my class and also visited the museum at "Varbergs fästning" (The Fortress of Varberg) a bit later in my adolesence. (I moved from Rolfstorp to Varberg) This video was like a mindblowing connection for me on so many levels. My birthplace might even be the sole reason why i know so many years after found this video. For which im so thankful of. Thank you Knyght Errant.

So bummed that I just found your channel, I have watched several of your videos now and really love your content! I was too late to the party!

When you’re ready to upgrade or make another, I will absolutely purchase this garment from you. Price is not an issue! Beautiful work, Sir.

Great video! I'm very much enjoying the soft kit videos. I am a fashion designer and I have a huge passion for historical clothing, though I'll admit my expertise lies in later centuries. Your reconstructions look fantastic, and it makes me want to learn more specifics about medieval fashion. I came to your channel for the armour, but it's also nice to see someone interested in historical clothing who really knows what he's doing!

Hello people! He meant GREY coloured Squirrel, not Gray Squirrel, which would not be available in the 14th century. Common sense. The european Red Squirrel is grey in the winter.

Hi from Siberia!!! This information is very simple bt this is 1st video where I found it. Especially about neckline))) hope I can sew comfortable cloak for me now))) *sorry for my English)))*

Fantastic presentation Ian! I never knew about the "Bocksten Man" Thank you. also the great job on the reconstruction of the cloak. I wish i had such discpline! lol

That was great! Very informative. Hope you do the rest of your soft kit too.

I'd love a video about a proper pair of hose if you ever intend to post more.

Having trouble with references to "dags". Having worked in outback shearing sheds in my youth in Australia, I'm used to "dags" referring to the dried shit in the wool round a sheep's arse on one that hasn't been mulsed to prevent it getting flyblown! Now I know where the term comes from.

Great vid excellent research as always. This is what I really wanted to see step by step. This is now on my to do list nice looking piece.

Brilliant video. I am very interested in the soft kit stuff. I totally love the videos you do and appreciate the effort.

I'm left handed so I'm just trying to flip everthing in my head while he's talking, super helpful information!

Very interesting. Love history and this will be helpful for designing a poncho in the future.

Hi long time history fan, so much that I ended up studying to teach it. Just wanted to saw how much I enjoy your videos so much that I wanted to try and make a cape that copied the design you showed. I am happy to announce it worked. Thanks for the great videos.

Great information. I wear a similar style just is a full circle and linen, but have considered making my next (wool) version half circle like this. Thanks to your video, I feel i understand enough to try it

Very excited for this line of videos.

oh this was a great video, very informative. Never heard of the Bocksten man till now. I'll definitely sub.

that looks beautiful. I seriously wish for one!

You should do a lot more videos on this, really enjoyed it. Would especially be interested in how you made it exactly.

This is a wonderful informative video and I learned a great deal thank you!!! I would love to here you talk more about woolen hosen and braies and how and what the woolen hose were held up by/pointed to?

Honestly that cloak is very beautiful, I personally would rather wear the red on top but otherwise it looks amazing, smooth and very well tailored especially the squares.

This was a great video. Id quite like to see something about what level of quality/detail was acceptable in various social classes of the time

I learnt about the Bocksten Man a lot when I was growing up, I had no idea he was well known in other countries!

Where did you purchase the wool for this cloak? I'm currently looking for a good source of wool fabric in general. I would appreciate your recommendations.

Love the cloak. The colors are great too. Could you wear the burgundy side out as well? I would love to see you recreate the whole ensemble.

Pure genius. Now, I must try to make one.

I like to do piecing even on the modern clothing I make. Might as well save a yard or so of fabric!

Great video. I learned a lot.

Thank you.

This seems like a more tailored version of the brooch half-circle cloaks that were floating about Europe going way back. The smooth, tailored closure of the buttons filling in for the more gathered look of brooch closure which itself was considered desirable for a long time. I wonder what the cultural elements were that caused the shift from what started out in the classical period as an extreme and intentional emphasis on loosely hanging garments (Greek peplos, chiton, and himation; Roman toga and tunic. Loose folds of material indicated civilized culture) to more fitted and body-shaped styles. Perhaps it was the slow-but-steady shift in the geographical locus of "proper" fashion from the Mediterranean to more northern climes, or perhaps it was the changing value placed on cloth, or the prestige associated with hiring a professional tailor which was a later development. Perhaps it was growing economic participation by a wider percentage of the population. "Proper attire" was only a concern for those who could or were expected to be able to afford it. This could explain why in the period you are discussing, we have both a high availability of cloth compared to previous centuries, yet also a well-established economy in its usage, because a larger and larger percentage of the populace was playing the fashion game than had been the case previously. Either way, from Early Medieval to High Medieval periods we see a conscious continuation of the Roman preference for drapery, besides of course the acceptance of leg coverings which even swept the Roman fashion toward the end of that civilization. There is an increasing acceptance of "fitting" clothes over this period, but suddenly in the Late Medieval and especially Renaissance periods, men's fashions especially came to the point of fully embracing highly tailored clothing designed to match and flatter the individual wearer's physical form. This trend seems to have culminated in the coat, waistecoat, and leggings civilian fashion as well as the related highly tailored military clothing of the 18th-Century which developed into the modern suit. Thankfully for variety and comfort, elements of hanging cloth came in and out of fashion at certain points such as hanging Victorian coats and some modern styles such as the squared Italian double-breasted suit and the boxy American suit of previous decades, which have now been taken over by highly slimmed down and fitted forms being the high fashion in those countries today. Now, as things can literally only get so tight, the trend has exploded into a great deal of variety with skinny jeans, tight fitting jackets, and highly fitted dress-shirts sharing space with flannel jackets, hoodies, and other loose fitting forms to the person's individual preference with much less emphasis than perhaps any time in Western Civilization placed on "correct" forms of proper dress allowing variety to only continue expanding. Still, highly-fitted tends to emply "higher" fashion while loser clothing seems an attempt to convey an intentional reference (even if sometimes ironic) to more comfort-based, utilitarian, or working-class looks. The trend seems to still be well-entrenched then, at least in an aspect of the fashion sense. You don't find many examples of loose-hanging garments being seen as highly fashion conscious choices. In general, if two versions of a given article of clothing are found, the more expensive or "fancy" verion will probably be the one that's harder to actually put on.

I have two questions, one related to the video.. the other, a more of a topic idea. 1) you said it keeps you dry for a good while. How long would you need to dry it afterwards, though? 2) do you know anything about equipment carry in the medieval times? Today one gets a backpack and it's a convenient way of carrying things when not using a vehicle of some sort/a horse. How would one carry their stuff on foot back then?

I think points and dags help to wick/channel off water, same as fringe on western buckskins.

Man that was awesome!!! Thank you

i want to make cloaks a thing again. stylish yet practical! move over leather jacket, you have competition!

Again a nice video. Was already thinking about making a cloak like that for a while, and this really pushed me to do it! How long was the fabric you used for your cloack?

Are you going to do anymore videos on soft kit? as these are awesome and I really enjoy the ways you explain everything :) cheers from New Zealand

Malina has all the pins one could ever need haha, good reference.

Thank you for making this. Experimental archeology for the win!

Please continue the soft kit videos, Specifically construction :) Great Video

You are the best!

You did a wonderful job. What a good sempster you have become in a few years! (It might have something to do with engineering, you know.)

Beautiful cloak! How many yards of fabric does that take to make that length?

Can you imagine if you went out one day and then you just disappeared in the woods on accident and died and your family didn’t know where you were? Someone missed that man very dearly and worried about him night and day for a long time and heartbreak, and what if they thought that he had run away from them or run out on them when he was really just dead. That’s really traumatic and then nobody knows what happened to you.

Hey there Ian, could you maybe make a video about Jack Chains at some point? They seem to be a very interesting piece of armor but it's hard to find a lot of information about them on the web. Keep up the good work!

Great video. I learned a lot from this. So many tutorials leave these details out. Would you be willing to help design a cloak one on one?

older ian to younger ian ''the beard will grow still''

I'm surprised people aren't asking for like special orders on these cause i would definitely wear one of these around if it was good quality and yours seems like very high quality so would you consider making and selling some?

What about cloaks worn with armor? I know about the surcoat and the tabard and all that stuff, but I often see cloaks, hoods, or furs draped over armors in fantasy settings and it looks so good! Is there any historical precedent for this?

Tweed oh wonderful tweed

I’m looking for a good cloak design to wear during the Winter with all sorts of clothing. What weight is your wool? Would it be difficult to make it reversible? I’m thinking of a dark wine color, if I go with a single layer. It’s a favorite as it goes well with my pale complexion & dark hair. I also love greys & black. However, I’m trying to reduce weight as I’m not feeling well & packing around a heavy cloak is impossible. (That’s one thing that immediately caught my eye on yours.) I’m tired of packing a coat, taking it off in any buildings, then starting over, again. I’m looking at layers, instead. The heaviest piece would be a suit jacket. You’ve given me good things to think about & I’m glad to have come upon this video, tonight. Thank you.

Such a great insight, couldn't find content like this anywhere else. Do you have a link to the materials (wool) you used? All the wool I find doesn't seem thick enough to give it a good weight

Even thought the cloak doesn't slide off your shoulder when you toss it over, was it in practice for some to use a brooch to fasten it to the shoulder? If so what brooches would have been common for that purpose?

More tailoring style content please!

Great video ! I'm making one for myself. I am curious about how do you get the length of the dart and is it the same as the length of the dart on the opening on the right side ? Love your videos ! Keep up your fantastic shows.

+Knyght Errant Hello, I'm interested in making a similar cloak and I had a few questions if you're okay with answering. How did you hem your cloak? My initial thought was that it was sewn with the inside facing out then flipped outward and finished in a nondescript area. Also if you used this method, did the dags give you trouble when making it? What percentage wool did you use for the outer and inner layers? I am looking at some 80% wool but I wasn't sure if I should go for 100% or if that even matters much. Finally, how do you care for your cloak? Usually wool can be handwashed cold and air-dried, but if there's two layers (possibly of different blends) I'm worried it would warp or shed (which may affect whether I use one or two colors). Anyway I've only recently discovered this channel but your videos have already been very informative! Thanks for your time

This is really old, but I'm still interested in your soft kit. Especially the bag/purse. I wonder if cutting apart a well-fitting t-shirt would give a decent basis for the neck and shoulder construction that you're talking about here.

It would be cool if you do an art and crafts for the soft kit

What was the social status of the Bocksten man? In your first softkit video, you combined his cloak with some quite upper-class clothing. Does this mean the Bocksten man would have had a similar status, or was there less class variation when it came to cloaks?

Great video, Ian, thanks! I'd love to have a go at making a cloak - could you recommend any other resources, sewing, tailoring, cloak, etc?

lol 700 likes, 0 dislikes....they like you man, so do I. Very good squire.

"Bockstensmannen" - the bocksten man.

That's why I like the plash palatka, a WW2 russian cloak/tarp. Cloak that was used in a modern context.

bockstens manen was found about 55 miles from where i live. So for me it was, a oh that one looks like somthing i recognise. will you do the rest of what he hade on him ?

Would you consider making a video about hoods from the middle ages?

I think I've asked this before, but could you discuss Armor decoration? Things like surcoats, and how they applied to later styles of armor.

How much does it weight? Most old fabric was much heavier, but also way more durable.

You can learn more at the Varberg Museum if you're ever in Sweden. www.museumhalland.se/english/ It's pretty cool. Plus, they have the pattern for sale. I used to have a copy, but have lost it in several moves through the years.

Hey Mr. LaSpina, earlier today Skallagrim posted a video review about some stock, one size gauntlets. He did similar videos in the past (he has two other pairs). It's quite obvious that they aren't very protective. Would you consider hitting your gauntlets (while wearing them) with a blunt sword or similar implement, in order to test how protective they are? I'm thinking that since they are custom made for you, and quite faithful reproductions, they might give a more accurate idea of how protective a plate gauntlet *should* be...

Wow imagine that. A piece of wool wrapped around ur body that keeps u warm and dry.

Could we see another video on this? This appears to be the only video of this cloak style

Great video, I would be very interested in seeing a video describing the use of the other garments including the hosen. Did the man wear no pants?

Do you know any guides or links that show how to make those self-fabric buttons? Thanks :)

How much rain does the opening at the shoulder allow in, seeing as the buttons and buttonholes seem to be the wrong way around? Other than that, your re-creation looks nifty.

Love your work, Ian! You might have mentioned this in other videos, but what weight of wool do you usually use for your clothes? Where do you source it from?