This is made to the same pattern as the man's tunic and can be long or short.
   As with the tunic, extra gussets can be added at the under-arm for extra movement.
   The skirt can be straight or slit.
   The neckline can be round or round with a slit and the sleeves are long and either tight-fitting or slit.

• Fold your fabric lengthways (so the two selvedge edges are together) and lay it on a flat surface.
• With tape-measure and chalk/pencil mark along each long edge your knape to ground measurement (D) or your knape to knee measurement (E) (depending on the length of dress you want).
• With scissors cut this length along the red line.

• Take your bust measurement (A), half it and add on 6 inches/15 cm.
• With tape-measure and chalk/pencil mark this measurement along each short edge.
• With scissors cut this length along the red line.

Neckline

• Find something that about matches your neck circumference (H).
• Open out the fabric and place it end to end with a slight overlap of about 1 inch/2.5cm
• Place your saucepan lid over the overlap and centre it between the long edges. It needs to be slightly further towards one end to make the cut-out deeper at the front than the back.
• Cut out this shape (the red circle).
• Fold the front of the dress in half and cut all the way along this fold.
• Pin the front together all the way up the centre seam and pin the front to the back. Try it on and remove pins along the front centre seam until it fits over your head. Mark where this point is.

• Find something that about matches your head circumference (Q) for a round neck
• Open out the fabric and place it end to end with a slight overlap of about 1 inch/2.5cm
• Place your saucepan lid over the overlap and centre it between the long edges. It needs to be slightly further towards one end to make the cut-out deeper at the front than the back.
• Cut out this shape (the red circle).

• With tape-measure and chalk/pencil mark along each long edge, your bicep measurement (K).
• Cut this length along the red line.
• With the fabric still folded cut along the fold.

• With tape-measure and chalk/pencil mark along each long edge, your shoulder to wrist measurement (I) and your shoulder to elbow measurement (J).
• Cut this length along the red line.

• Fold each sleeve in half lengthways.

• On one end of the folded sleeve piece mark a little over half your wrist measurement (L1).

• From this point cut along the red line to your previously marked elbow point (use your shoulder to elbow measurement from the other end).

   Out of the off-cuts of fabric from the sleeves make two squares of fabric about 6 inches/15cm each side.

• Sew the two front section together as far as your mark (if necessary).
• Place the front and back pieces together lining up the neck edge.
• Stitch the two pieces together across the shoulders.

• Take a sleeve piece and open it out and lay it on a flat surface.
• Place a gussett piece at one corner and stitch together.
• Do the same again for the other sleeve piece.

• Measure the sleeve 'head' (the widest end) and mark half this on each sleeve piece.
• Match the centre point of the sleeve to the shoulder seam of the body and make sure 'right-sides' are together.
• Stitch the sleeve piece to the body piece.
• Do the same for the other sleeve on the other side of the body.
• Check all seam edges are on the same side of the fabric!

• Open out the dress and open out all panels.
• Fold the dress in half 'right-sides' together - all seam edges should be on the outside.
• Stitch the dress together along the side edges. (This may be a bit tricky at the under-arm gusset as you have to fold it diagonally. When you get to this point, stop the machine and with the needle still in the fabric lift the foot and re-arrange the fabric as you need.)
  • For slit sleeves with wrist cuffs - stop the machine halfway between the end of the sleeve and your mark (J) the shoulder to elbow measurement.
  • On the body panels for a slit tunic, stop the machine about mid-thigh.

   Now all the seams are finished, you can show off your hand sewing on the hems - that is if you haven't sewn the whole thing by hand already in which case have a gold star!
   Unless you are going to use the dress to demonstrate Anglo-Saxon sewing techniques to the general public at events, I see no reason why you shouldn't use a machine on any seam that won't show whilst wearing.
   For my hems on linen/cotton mix, I use either a mercerised cotton or crochet cotton (both of which look like like linen thread). On wool I use a wool thread.
   To hem my garments I fold the edge over about half a cm and then again about another half cm and stitch down with a running stitch. You can use thread the same colour as the dress or a different colour - to tart it up a bit - and you can do decorative stitching on the edges as well.
   For the wrist cuffs you can either sew on a band of contrastingly coloured fabric, leather or braid.