Finnish Iron-Age Peplos and the Final Costume Reveal!

After six months of work, the costume is finished! The last piece was the iconic peplos dress. Now you can see how all the parts of the costume finally come together! Thank you all who helped me to create this. A special thanks to Mervi Pasanen for answering so many questions that I asked along the way!
Music: Epidemic sound & KZbin Audio Library
Filming Equipment:
Nikon D5600 DX-Format Digital SLR: amzn.to/2QIGegX
Mic: Rode VideoMicro Compact On-Camera Microphone: amzn.to/2RcZ9Ab
Audio-Technica ATR3350xiS Omnidirectional Condenser Clip-On Microphone: amzn.to/3FtKDHZ

[@kathyl6677]

I"m so glad to finally see how one weaves the edge of the fabric! You've done a wonderful, amazing job.

[@benitabasham6200]

Beautiful costume. Amazing talent!

[@heatherscott3008]

Now that's fashion I can totally get into!

[@lisasteenkamer5049]

What an abolutely stunning shade the fabric turned out! And the 'chequerboard pattern' tablet woven trim you sewed on the hem adds such a nice touch to it. Simple, yet elegant. Many thanks for sharing your sewing, weaving and dyeing journey with us, and congratulations on finishing this outfit! You have created something to be proud of :)

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thank you!

[@dawnu132]

Your garments are so carefully considered and beautifully crafted. Thank you for sharing.

[@StitchingUpChaos]

This is incredible! I'm in the process of making a version of this for myself after stumbling across a picture of the recreation done for the Finnish prime minister(?). Thank you so much for sharing your journey through this project - it's been an amazing help and I really really appreciate it. Also - your costume is utterly stunning!

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thank you! It was probably the old president Tarja Halonen who has a iron age gown. I don’t think that any of our prime ministers ever had any. President Halonen has worn hers for the Independence day party and it is a replica of a dress found in Eura.

[@craftyterrier]

This is quite simply the most amazing and wholesome thing I have watched all year. You truly are an inspiration! 💜

[@victoriabergesen6775]

Just stunning! Watching you create this costume, even in a modern home creates a connection with the work done by women for many generations. My family was from Norway and I imagine that their Iron Age costumes might have been similar. I want to do some research! Thank you for your scholarship, your work and sharing it with us.

[@withmyhandsdream]

I think that the Norway was a bit more ahead of fashion and that these kinds of peplos dresses were already old-fashioned during the Iron Age and the women had turned into wearing apron dresses. Still, the fabrics and the underdress cuts were probably similar. Norway also had more connections to Europe, so they had access to more expensive fabrics and materials.

[@jackiejames4551]

All the pieces came together to create a beautiful costume.

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thank you!

[@TheJoyNinjaNZ]

I'm in awe - this only took you 6 months? That is amazing.

[@juliesheard2082]

Absolutely stunning!! I so want to make an outfit like this for Viking re-enactment. I will have to start by making the loom for the tablet weaving I think. Then wish me luck, I'm going to need it.

[@camib2864]

That color is beautiful as is the whole outfit!

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thank you!

[@juditpohl8905]

Breathtaking! It gave me the chills to see this journey with the full iron age look came to an end. Ok, I'm sure you will always find something to improve on it, but it is finished, and beatiful! You look amazing in it, and the snowy forest also makes the colours to pop up. Gongratulations!

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thank you! It’s actually quite surprising how colourful these Iron-Age garments have been. But then, if you go through months of weaving and sewing and working, you necessarily didn’t want to save on the basic materials anymore.

[@adamakaru2683]

Ho WOW Katja, its came, so nice you did great job very interesting thank you.

[@benitabasham6200]

Hei. I own some Kalevala Kuru reproductions. Love them and hope to buy more my next visit to Finland.

[@marynimocks6791]

Wonderful wonderful wonderful!! A treat to watch and listen. 🌺

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thank you!

[@nailguncrouch1017]

Enjoyed your video. The color turned out well.

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thank you!

[@maleahlock]

This is beyond epic. Absolutely beautiful.

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thank you!

[@katrussell6819]

wonderful

[@keelyjohnston19]

Love the colour well done you 👏👏👏👏 and your outfit looks amazing 🤩

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thank you!

[@theplussizecostumer]

Oh my goodness! Fabulous work!

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thanks!

[@JohnnyBlaze5100]

Beautiful

[@carolyng5235]

Absolutely amazing! Your attention to detail is impressive. Congratulations on completing your outfit!

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thank you!

[@LilyoftheValeyrising]

Looks great nice job!

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thank you!

[@penelope8980]

Fabulous! I'm inspired to try some of the things you do. Tablet weaving first!

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thank you and good luck! It’s always fun to learn something new!

[@lisesieniski555]

Bravo ! Tres beau et réussi !

[@withmyhandsdream]

Merci!

[@susiesernaker2180]

Incredible work! I really enjoyed watching this all come together over the past six months. (For some reason “six” autocorrected to “sexiest” at first 🤣😂)

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thank you! It was very fun making and sharing it!

[@susanstawniak1826]

wOw!! Beautiful workmanship! Meticulous attention to detail! Thank you for sharing these traditions.❤

[@minecraftingmum5574]

Very beautiful. Are the nalbind socks and garters comfortable to wear?

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thank you and yes they are! The only problem with my socks is that they are a bit too big. I didn’t factor in that the nålbounsing stretches lenghtwise. The next time I’ll take that into account.

[@Luneowl]

I am coming late to watching this video (I think KZbin recommended it because I watch tablet weaving videos). The final outfit looks amazing! Was it as warm as it looked, out in the winter weather?

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thanks! It is very warm. I can’t really wear all the layers indoors.

[@elizabethmcglothlin5406]

OMG!

[@lumikkihusu7259]

Kiva kun näytit noin paljon taustaprosessista! Todella inspiroiva video. Nyt tekee mieli viimeinkin nikkaroida se luomapuu...

[@withmyhandsdream]

Eipä kestä ja kiitos kehuista. Luomapuu on kyllä kätevä. Tosin se karusellimainen luomapuu on kyllä paras sitten, kun pitää tehdä iso loim. Mutta sellainen harvaan kotiin mahtuu.

[@juliesheard2082]

Help please. I recently bought some beautiful Harris Tweed intending to make a kirtle like the iron age dress under the peplos but having cut it out and sewn it together I realise that the fabric is too thick and heavy. Any ideas how I can make something wearable out of this beutiful expensive fabric at this stage. I am new to sewing (I've made two medieval kirtles in linen before) and I sew by hand as i don't have a machine.

[@withmyhandsdream]

Split it in half at the centre front and make it into a coat! I don’t think it would be weird for a woman to wear a coat similar to what men did. Use some pretty buckles or brooches to close the coat or just belt it. And the opening can be decorated with tablet-woven bands!

[@meamela9820]

I am planning to make a peplos dress some time this year and the thing I wonder about the most is the placement of the broches. Does it just comes natural where to place them or is there much fiddling before finding a comfortable placement? Is there some guidelines or mesurments used or did you just test it, until the armhole, neckline, the fold etc. felt right?

[@withmyhandsdream]

You might have to adjust a few times. There has to be enough fabric under the arm if you are making it one-piece or otherwise it is uncomfortable. It’s not difficult, just takes a few tries.

[@lindamclean8809]

Wouldn’t you need heavier shoes in the snow?

[@withmyhandsdream]

Yes. In the reveal, I wore much more modern boots because of the snow. I have plans to make proper iron-age boots at some point but hadn’t had the chance yet.

[@Ami5Jo]

So is the dye chemical or natural (sorry if you said it but i didn't catch it)?

[@withmyhandsdream]

It’s chemical. You could achieve similar colours with natural dyes but I didn’t want to risk it this time as I don’t have any experience in natural dyes.

[@rickybaumgartner5635]

what century finished the iron age?

[@withmyhandsdream]

It depends on the region. In Finland, the iron age started around 500 BCE and ended around 1200-1300 CE. Generally, the iron age is the last prehistoric era and it ended when the writing started. In China, the writing was invented before the iron smelting, so there isn’t really a Chinese iron age. In Near East the iron age ended before it had even started in the Northern Europe.

[@heidiroukema2771]

Please keep the written part longer on the screen

[@withmyhandsdream]

Thanks for the tip!

[@masterlee9822]

Iron age knowledge did not progress much in the christian dark ages who inherited the knowledge from the None-christian who where converted to Christianity.