Both times I was at Faire (ORF) this late summer I got sun poisoning on the backs of my hands! The wide-brimmed hat protects the neck and face, the long sleeves of lightweight cotton protect the arms, but I don't want to wear gloves! (This happened WITH spf 60+ sunscreen!) My avatar is a middle-class merchant's widow with ties to (Shh!) pirates and smugglers and rogues.
What I want is mitts that cover the backs of my hands. Sort of like fingerless gloves. I have seen them on English landed gentry, but only in mid-eighteenth century paintings. I'm wondering whether they were HA for the Renn period, or whether (Given my sun-sensitivity) I should even care. Also, out of what? Linen? Knitted cotton? Or should I make a shirt with really long cuffs?
Sigh.
You should not care. Like eyeglasses and comfortable shoes (not to mention showers, deodorant, and flush toilets), there are limits to what you need to do for historical authenticity--and endangering your health is one of them.
I agree with Gem. I wouldn't care if its HA or not.
I too, burn even when wearing 60+ SPF, so at faire I do anything I can to keep myself protected.
Hot topic sells some arm gaurds, the uppers would be under your sleeves and many of the hand peices are actually just black.. They also have some made of lace, similar to these that helena bonham carter wears in sweeney todd
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12861589@N03/2115923569/
If you wanted to make them, it wouldn't be terribly difficult to take a pair of existing gloves and cut the fingers off and then stitch the edges to keep from fraying
Or you could just sew basically a tube of semi stretchy fabric and cut a thumb hole..
Safety first, if you've got sun poisoning you can't have any fun at Faire.
Edit: you might also look at uv protecting clothing, they make under shirts and swim shirts that block out uv rays, if you're sensitive to the sun it might help... I had a friend who was actually allergic to the sun and she wore them with things
My Thanks, fellow sempstresses... There are a couple glove patterns in the Big Three that may be adaptable... If I use a blackwork over-all pattern of embroidery, I could get all fancy on them....
Oooh... all the more reason to go gloved!
Here's an update... Glove pattern, OK. On the straight grain?!! No. Linen on the bias. Yes. (Lace - too open, burn. Bad. Stretchy stuff? Hot! Bad. Impermeable Australian stuff?-got a shirt-Hot! Not easy to embroider!) Squiggly test embroidery. HMMM. 22 count cross stitch fabric in a roll! Good size. Even weave, easy to embroider, washable. What color for stitching (Blackwork, a misnomer, other colors involved, just not mixed.)? Maroon to match trimming on bodice and skirt! Looks interesting!
The question is now - A border along the finger ends, a back-of-the hand lozenge of pattern, or an all-over pattern? (The wrist ends will be tucked under my sleeves...)
Opinions?