Gefrens

According to Ingrid Loschek’s Costume Lexicon (ISBN 3150103436):

“Gefrens, das, aus einem metallenen Kopfreifen mit daran befestigten
langen Fransen bestehender Zierat, der zwischen den Zöpfen das glatte
Haar des Hinterhauptes bedeckte. (Das geflochtene und mit Zierschnüren
geschmückte Haar wurde meist hinaufgebunden und bedeckte die Ohren.)
Das Gefrens war vor allem im späten 15. Jh., aber auch noch Anfang 16.
Jh. im deutschen Raum gebräuchlich.”

Translation:

Gefrens that, from a metal head with a tire attached long fringes of existing ornaments, the braids covered between the smooth hair of the occiput. (That was braided and adorned with decorative lacing hair usually tied up and covered his ears.) The Gefrens was mainly late 15thCentury, but even the top 16 Century common in Germany.

So in understandable terms:

A Gefrens is a fringed headband; the fringe hangs down in back, covering the nape of the neck.

I have seen images of Gefrens that look like yarn, and ones that look like metal or beaded fringe.

Red Gefrens

Green, perhaps multi-colored Gefrens

Beaded gold Gefrens, Hans Part, the Brabenberger family tree. Swabian, but very similar.

Both ladies wear Gefrens--one with a pleated veil, one without

I set out to make both the pleated veil and the gefrens.  The veil is simple to make. I simply made a strip of pleated linen, stitching it into place, and sewing it to a large trapezoidal piece of linen.  I pin it into place in the back, and tuck the ends under.

Pleated veil

Of course, under it is my unterhaub with attached wulst:

Unterhaube with wulst (bulge) attached

Held into place with a small square veil folded in half and tied in the back.

Next, I wanted to try to make the Gefrens:

The band is tablet-woven using eight strands of pearl cotton on two tablets.

Close-up view

The red worsted wool fringe is woven in as weft.

Close-up of woven-in fringe.

Finished and trimmed.

I'm slightly wacky looking here with the pleated veil and Gefrens.