Making a Peplos - Part 1

I'm working on an outfit so I'll have something of my own to wear for SCA events. (SCA is the Society for Creative Anachronism - it's basically pre-1650s historical re-enactments. Check it out here.) After years of blocks and twists in the road, I've decided to make something very simple: a peplos!

A peplos essentially consists of two rectangles held together at the sides (either belted, sewn, or both) and pinned at the shoulders. As such, changing the fit to accommodate body changes is a breeze! (I am in the pregnancy/breastfeeding phase of my life, after all, so it's easy enough to nurse in, too.)  I figure this will be a good base outfit I can count on while dreaming up more detailed projects.

Of course, just whipping it through the machine would be far too efficient. No, no, no! I must complicate things for myself. It's what I do, or what I think about doing and then chicken out unless I have a fellow masochistic friend nearby to encourage and enable me.  So, I'm completely hand sewing this baby. Seems a good place to start cutting my teeth (fingers?) on a new handicraft.

So here's where I'm at: 

No unravelling edges here, no sir.

I have measured off two rectangles of appropriate size of a linen/cotton blend twill which drapes beautifully, but is a pain to keep on the grain.

Now I am in the process of hemming all sides to encase all the raw edges.  I'm doing this bit by hand with a simple running stitch.  It's oddly meditative, with only a little bit of blood involved.

Once that's done, I'll whip-stitch the two together along a portion of the long sides... or dye them and then whip-stitch with appropriately coloured thread.  Haven't decided yet.

Meanwhile, the research continues: any idea how to dye stuff with common grocery store foodstuffs? I don't really have access to madder or woad right now and it's the dead of winter up here.