Finished the period trecking breeches!

[tombear]

These have been by far the most difficult things I have made but they re now finished.

It's been a real learning experiance.

The pattern makers at first said they were happy to advise, then never actually did so i had to muddle through myself.

They are remarkably warm and comfortable, so warm in fact i intend to make a unlined all flax linen pair with out the side pockets, which will be a doddle after these.

Things I learned

Russian Drill hemp is a pig to sew as it frays like billy-ho. When sewing the 17 button holes after I sewed the perimeter lines of stitching I smeered a little bit of glue where I was going to cut and let it dry, this made sewing the edges much easier as they frayed like mad as you tried to whip stitch over them. This occured to me only after I'd done all the top hlfs button holes.

The waist band is too floppy for a man of my extreme lardyness, the next pair i will add a iinne waist bely of something thick and stiff like hessian. I'm going to add some belt loops to the lined pair which may not be authenic but at least they will stay up.

A magnetic pin cushion is a god send, normally the family are picking neeedles out of their feet for weeks afterwards but not this time!

ATB

Tom

 

[treadlightly]

Brilliant stuff, once again...BTW, what material did you use to line them?

 

[Matt.S]

Quality work as always Tom. What period, region and social group are these authentic to?

 

[British Red]

As a thought what about a nice pair of leather button on braces? Might look more period than belt loops?

Great work as always

 

[tombear]

Braces, now theres a good idea! I will have to look into that.

The lining material is Irish linen, herself got me a roll with 11 yrds on it from a rag trade place in Manchester, a bargain for 30 quid and it passed the burn test so its kosher stuff

The pattern says 1730-60s and is based on British and Colonial American examples. The materials, unbleached hemp and flax and bone buttons are appriopiate to the working class/small farm holder.

The shirt

and hunting shirt

are right for the same period and social group, the hunting shirt is just a varriation on the smocks used by wagoners, labourers etc. from the 17th century on wards.

Square scarves/ neckerchiefs were the norm to fill the gaping neck holes so i picked up a yard of linen on cotton cloth made at the Queen Street Mill Museum and hemmed the 2 raw edges. I doubt the colours are authentic but it will do.

I need to source some wool stockings and a few more bits and bobs before I try it out in the spring. Herself has nearly finished the Monmouth museum style cap. I can't justify coughing for some period shoes so I'll have to use the hobnailed ammo boots I scored on eBay years back. I'm toying with making some Eastern woodland style moc's for about camp.

Cheers!

Tom

 

[Matt.S]

Very interesting. Thank you.

Do I spy a rifle no.1, rifle No.4 and rifle L1A1 on the wall behind the hunting shirt?

 

[tombear]

Cheers! and yes, all deactivated and you can just see part of a L4A4 poking up at the bottom, not that its reconisable. I've just downsized the collection but have kept the dozen that I am most fond of.

So far the only 18th C reference to braces I have found as they were a upper class introduction to allow them to undo their breeches during large meals without exposing themselves! I'll keep digging.

ATB

Tom

 

[Wayland]

I got a pair of good period shoes from Andy Burke at the last re-enactment market.

Worked out about £160 with the buckles but there were cheaper tied latchets available from about £65 from other dealers.

 

[Bluemerle]

Excellent work, where the hell do you get the patience!

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Thanks for sharing that, some good tip's - the glue tip is a cracker..

 

[tombear]

After a bit of research I knocked up some braces from some 1.5" linen (could be cotton, certainly not synthetic anyroad) tape.

From what little I could find out braces came into common usage towards the end of the 18th C, From France, at first used by the upper classes so they didn't have to alter their lacing as their waists expanded during the epic meals they were indulging in. The French used ribons to attach them to their waistbands while the English used buttons on the inside.

Howevever since in the Alps they had had laderhosen using the same H shaped braces since at least the start of the 18th I thought it wasn't too outrageous to fit them. I'm trying to keep the kit right for the period 1730-1750.

ATB

Tom

 

[GordonM]

Outstanding Tom! Great inspiration, as always!

Gordy

 

[tombear]

Cheers! Shame I look such a total plonker in them but it has encouraged me to start getting my now bizarely skinny looking legs back into shape!

After the fact (of course) i stumbled on some articles on button holes and aprt from discovering that I should have used buttonhole stitch on them all (I'd thought it came into use later and whipped them, Do'h! In my defence some extant holes I have seen in museums did just looked whipped) a good way of making the slots it to use a wood working chisel the same size as the button. After you have basted around where you want the hole just tap the chisel through it. A 1/8th" leather punch should b used first if you want the sort of hole that has a wider bit on the edge nearest the fly/edge. Also insted of glue you can use wax to stop the cut threads fraying as you sew. This can then be ironed off after you have finished it.

And no I won't be going baclk and redoing 17 button holes the right way!

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

Since the kids have taken it in turns to be ill I've been stuck in a lot so i have had a chance to make a second 18th C linen shirt so I'll have one to change into.

Its a lot better than the first, I added a lining piece to the neck opening and 20" by 8" reinforcing panels to the inside of the shoulders as on many original shirts.

Herself had to teach me (after googling it herself) how to do a proper button hole stitch. After doing the lined breeches my stitching is much improved and i'm rather chuffed with it.

I used the same Irish Linen as I lined the breeches with and bone buttons. Its hand sewn throughout with the great East German linen thread that Toddy kindly supplied.

Next will be a second pair of drawers out of the same linen (its a bit heavy but i've 8 yrards of it left and feels great) and I need to make some spatterdashes/gaiters.

Herself has ordered me a pair of these

http://www.burnleyandtrowbridge.com/woolstocking.aspx

as they were highly recomended by a mate over in the States.

Since i'll ned at least one more pair, ideally two, herslf is threatening to knit me some fitted ones, if I can score her the right needles and some more wool as the grey Shetland Aran we have probably won't be enough. The patterns I've seen make my eyes bleed so i won't be hurrying her. Personallly I think she is just waiting for me to get it all on so she can rupture herslf laughing...

ATB

Tom

 

[drewdunnrespect]

ausome work tom mate but may i ask why all the attention to history
thanks

drew

 

[tombear]

No good reason apart from I like it and a vague urge to explore how my own culture handled the wilderness when faced with it again during the expansion in the 17th and 18th centuries.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

I've started on the half gaiters. I found a pattern on the net

http://www.nwta.com/couriers/6-96/halfgait.html

so mocked up a test piece from some scrap material, altered it until it fitted my size 9 amo boots and skinny ankles and started on a pair.

I used the heaviest linen I had for the inside and the tightest woven for the outside, sewed round the edge, cut the slit and turned it right side out through that. All I need to do is sew 14 button holes and sew on the leather instep straps.

Then come the problomatical bit, how to waterproof them. I've never had much joy with linseed oil on fabric, either mixed with beeswax or not. I may try the receipt in stage 10 of this

http://www.nwta.com/patterns/pdfs/214spat.pdf unless anyone can sugest another way.

ATB

Tom

 

[GordonM]

Tom,

You are the man! Great stuff!

Gordy

 

[dave t]

ever thought of going professional mate?very nice work hows the hunting shirt standing up to wear. nice rifles by the way always had a soft spot for the slr even if it was a mechanical musket dave

 

[tombear]

Cheers! but I'm way too slow to make owt commercially and there are some real pros out there I couldn't hope to compete with for accuracy and detail.

The hunting shirt with just a linen job underneath it isn't warm enough by far for the winter while the wool one is a complete boiler and I've never kept it on for more than a half an hour. I've avoided going out in either of the outer garments when its wet but the linen shirt is very comfortable and when outer garments have leaked and its got damp its performed much better than cotton and is a hell of a lot more comfortable than similar weight wool shirts. Also I'm finding the big open collar with a sweat rag is more comfortable than a lot of modern collars (got a fat neck) and not as drafty as I thought.

To be honesty I won't be getting much use out of any of it until the spring when I hope to have a full kit made up. The main hole is the lack of a period waterproof sheet to use to lay on and under as I probably won't have access to areas where I can make debris shelters or alike, the woods being too crowded around here and the lackof a waterproof jacket/smock/cape. The latter needs more research. For various health and commitment reasons getting repeated ly soaked in the old style wouldn't be a good idea, also i want to enjoy this as well as learn!

Theres sone other bits to sort as well, I need to get me a staff to replace my beloved Lekis ( so far everything I've cut has either split or gone bannana shaped) some spare underware made and a hat that doesn't cook my head when its warm so i am thinking of a broad brimmed felt job. I don't think I could carry off a tricorn!

ATb

Tom