Legwraps are a Thing. And why not? They make perfect sense! They allow for for pants to be made slightly less tailored, while still keeping hems from getting snagged or dragged while walking or working. They add an extra layer of warmth around the shin and calf and an extra layer of protection against thorns, snow, and such like that. They blouse the top of the pant leg slightly (or a lot depending on how wide the pants are to start with) which helps trap warm air along the thighs and crotch region. They’re also a good place for some color shy men to start experimenting with something bright and cheery that doesn’t involve a large investment in terms or materials or body display space. People expect bright colored legwraps.
All that being said? I don’t like the look of them. I know, I know I just committed Norse garb blasphemy but I can’t help but feel like I’m looking at colorful and cheerful ace bandages. It also doesn’t help that I hate hemming. A lot. I don’t know why, it makes no sense to anyone (including me) I just have an irrational hatred of sewing hems. And (until I get a loom upon which I can weave ace bandage width legwraps) making legwraps for Scarp involve Nothing. But. Hems. The prospect of which gives me a bit of an eyetwitch.
So what is an authenticity minded lady to do when she’s outfitting her Norse husband?
Make these legwraps:
Those are legwraps (with bonus mummified foot) from the Viborg find in Denmark. Note the lack of ace bandage look, also note that there is far less hemming involved here!
I had two large rectangles of scrap fabric left over from making Scarps tunic. They were, in fact, the perfect size to wrap around his legs like what is shown in the picture above to make him Viborg wraps. Each one had a long edge that was selvage. In an hour I had two hand stitched legwraps for my husband that I finished while watching Lord of the Rings. A quick run to my local craft store yielded leather ties for him to use to mimic the cording above (once I finish his trim I’ll weave him garters for them) and he’s all set.
aethelfliedbrewbane 