Moccasins III

After trimming and squaring off the back edges, a small tab is cut in the bottom fold. This gets clipped into a tiny swallow tail. The back seam is the same stitch as the center seam on the toe, but with a single thread. Since it starts at the bottom, it is almost never even when it gets to the top. Trim the ankle opening as required to make it look right on both sides.  

Pass the thread back through some of the holes at the top to reinforce as this seam gets some strain when putting on the mocs. Time to try them on and check the fit. They will stretch some.  The horizontal bulge in the picture is the fold from the previous flattening step.

The ankle flap should be slightly larger than the opening, and the width of the moc top when it is flat. Whip stitch it to the ankle opening as shown, inside the moc. Start and stop at the toe center seam. Turn the flap to the outside and DONE! Time to make another.

Trim the flap evenly on both sides, and poke holes for a lace if desired. Most period depictions show them flap up, tied over the leggings. Low-mileage footwear for the the frontier, and they feel icky when wet. A backup pair wouldn't hurt.

Moccasins II

Back again. Here is the rounded toe gathered into 1/2" folds and the gathers sewn together. The thread is doubled up for strength, and the holes are punched with a awl. Glover's needles work too, if you don't mind blood on your project.

After the center seam is complete, the moc is wetted, stretched, and pressed flat to dry. The hide blemishes make it look poxy, but some problems have emerged. One side stretched longer than the other. Not really a problem thanks to sharp knives. The bigger problem will be obvious to those who watch Mike Galban's DVD.

With all the adjustments to the toe, the ankle opening is now too small. The center seam needs to be opened up back to the center of the moc, WHICH MEANS the cuff pieces are too short. Oh well, Time to cut those off and make a one piece cuff that is overcast to the ankle opening. Nothing wrong with it, should protect the back seam from strain when putting them on. Next time, back seam and swallow tails.  

Moccasins

Here is something I have always wanted to do:

A Southern Provincial from the second half of the French and Indian War who has gone native. Indian dress was a great cost-saver for the Crown. The English never had the number of Indian allies the French did.

Since Native alliances were hard to establish and even harder to maintain, it was easier to have Provincials learn woods fighting or simply confuse the enemy by looking like Indians.

To go with the wool leggings, breech clout, and shirt a pair of moccasins is in order. Here is an old moc of mine that has seen better days, so I cut it apart to use as a pattern:

The dirty footprint shows these were too small. The next pair will be slightly longer and wider. To learn how to make mocs use Michael Galban's excellent DVD. Two of the most common Woodland patterns are covered in great detail, from patterns to stitching to material sources.

For a brain tan look without the smell or price, Crazy Crow natural color German tan buckskin #2 works well.


An argument could be made for cowhide mocs made by whites closer to civilization, and Crazy Crow has that as well. Here is the pattern in the center of the hide (the thickest part) ready for marking and cutting:

Galban covers how to measure your foot for mocs in the DVD. Since my old pair had cuffs on it they are included in the pattern, but separate attached cuffs were also common. These will be center seam style and very plain. If you plan on wearing them often, best to make extra pairs for when they get wet or wear out.

Next time, the toe is gathered and the center seam finished.

Ken Doll

When I started the silly, silly hobby of living history 15 years ago, I was hugely intimidated. It is expensive. Sewing was not something I had ever even considered. Time to learn new things. In the beginning, patience is crucial. Way too easy to go to Jo-Ann's Fabrics and buy whatever. It's a good way to learn how to sew, but a waste of money. Thank the FSM for mentors and the internet. Even though I remember life before computers, I'm not sure how anyone shared knowledge.

I remember thinking "I'll just make the one outfit." Eventually, the clothes rod in the guestroom closet collapses under the load of historic garments and scares the hell out of the cats. The key is finding the most common clothing for your place, period and gender. Forget what you think looks cool or what others are doing. If you are recreating a 21st-century American male tourist you would need jeans and a t-shirt, not a fez and a bow tie (fezes ARE cool.)

Access to paintings, letters, journals, and periodicals from most time periods is stupidly easy to come by. Research enough and you start to see patterns. Ignore those who cannot prove their assertions without evidence. Take constructive criticism gladly. Share what you find. Eventually, you can mix and match your outfits and need only make a couple things a year. Good luck stopping once you get started.

Courtesy of Wilson Friedman Historically Speaking

Fatigue Cap II

Remember this thing?

Nothing wrong with it per se. There is plenty of evidence for floppy elf caps. Eighteenth century soldiers wore these  to preserve their expensive cocked hats when it was time for manual labor. For instance, there are these hearty chaps toiling away on the defense of Boston in 1775:

Lieutenant General Archibald Robertson of the Royal Engineers depicted redcoats doing what they do second best: digging. They are barefoot in slops, shirts, and caps. In his series The Packet, Mark Tulley argues this is the most common cap, and I agree.

Were there other types of fatigue caps? Probably. Like enlisted men's coats, the caps tended not to survive. My friend Jason Melius, assembled some intriguing evidence for another kind. Take a look at some details in the works of Paul Sandby.

 About the only thing we can say for sure is there is no tail. One could argue that there are projecting ears of some kind. The front plate is large, in the coat facing color, and may have a number on it. It brings up some intriguing questions. What's with the ears? Fatigue hats in the 20th century have ear flaps and bill for when it gets cold. No reason there can't be such a thing as a practical 18th century cap.

Like this. The ear flaps fold up and tie behind the front plate. They stick out like mule ears. The regimental number is a reasonable ornament, and easy to make from scrap wool. It is ideal for work party wear, and protects our brave Fusilier from the harsh North American winter. Especially when combined with the new great coat.

Thoughts On Late 18th Century Breeches

After another trip to help out at the museum, it occurs to me that others may benefit from my inebriated experience. I am by no means an expert, but I may be able to help someone with the agony of men's breeches.

Breeches are weird. They do not fit like 20^th century pants. If the wearer’s pelvis is squeezed and they feel as if they might fall off at any minute, they fit correctly. When working with a commercial pattern, ignore the assembly order and follow these directions instead. Use the pattern directions for making pockets, buttonholes, etc. These tips are most helpful if you have made 18^th century clothing in the past.

Start construction with the waist band. Measure the wearer around the top of their pelvis, below the belly and across the small of their back. The back of the waistband should include a one to two inch gap for fabric stretch and weight loss. The waistband should sit low on the pelvis and come up at the back.

When cutting the waist band pieces, make allowance for gut size and the fact that the front might not be horizontal. If the waist band slopes downward at the front, the sides need to be cut at an obtuse angle so the buttons and button holes meet correctly.

The waist band can be finished at this point. Leave some room for the bottom seam, but they can be lined, the buttonholes and eyelets finished, and watch pocket created if desired, but make sure to leave the bottom seams open to accept the legs. Fold the finished waistbands in half and mark the midpoint for attaching to the leg seams later.

Fall front breeches need to have the fall cut through the outer fabric and lining. Complete the fall binders according to the pattern directions and make button holes at the top of the corners. If the breeches are unlined, add fall lining pieces and leave the bottom loose.  The bearers can be sewn to the fall opening before it is cut. Since they overlap, the bearers can have a button and buttonhole, if desired. A gap can also be left in the fall seam to button the fall to the waistband buttons.    

Now for the hard part: the legs. Most breeches in this period are tight and should fit snugly right under the kneecap. Measure the wearer from the center of the crouch to one inch below the knee. If the wearer’s feet and knees point straight ahead, the pattern pieces need no side adjustment. Most folks are bow legged. If the breeches are to be lined, fitting can be done on the lining and the changes transferred to the fashion fabric. Make sure the pattern has a stand that sticks out on the leg back pieces at the bottom of the outer seam. This is for the buttons. Both front and back leg pieces should also have a tab that hangs down about an inch to support the band.  If the breeches are fly front, there should also be a similar stand on the crotch seam of the right front leg piece.  

If there is no lining, make muslin fitting pieces of the legs. Make them slightly larger than the pattern. If they are fall fronts, don’t cut the fall. If they are fly fronts, sew the fly seam shut for fitting. The crouch seam should be high, tight, and centered. If the center back pulls, material needs to be added to the top to make the back seam longer. Ignore the back gathers and vent for now. The center front seam may need some adjustment at the top for proper fit.

Pin the leg seams closed, and check to make sure the outside seam is centered on the leg.  If it is too far forward, cut material from the outside bottom of the back piece till it is centered. Make sure to remove similar amounts of material from the bottom of the front piece on the INSIDE seam. If the wearer’s knees point outward, this helps twist the seam to compensate. Gradually blend these cuts with the inside and outside seams all the way to the tops of the legs.  If the wearer’s knees point inwards, reverse the process. This works for trousers too, btw. Alternate adding or removing till both the inseam and outseam are centered on the leg.

The bottom seams of the leg fronts should be slightly concave, and just below the kneecap. The rear seams convex, and just above the hollow at the back of the knee. Keep the bottom seam tight to help hold the stockings in place, and follow the knee contour closely. There is not much movement below the knee, but there should be a small pocket above for knee movement. Some breeches have a slightly longer inseam than out. 

Once everything in front is nice and snug (looks like the image above) sew the center front and back seams of the outer fabric and any lining. Make sure to leave the top back open a few inches for a vent. Sew the first inch or two of the outer leg seam together, and make pockets, if desired. If making fall fronts, complete the fall lining and finish the fall. If these are fly fronts, make buttonholes and a finish the button stand. Add fly buttons. If making unlined fall fronts, whip the loose bottom of the fall lining to the crouch seam. 

Turn the legs and waistband inside out. Match front of the waistband pieces to bearers and pin the fronts of the legs to the finished outer waistband. The waistband should be upside down at this point. There is considerably more material on the waistband front. The back of the waistband should an inch or so longer than the leg pieces at the vent if there is a vent insert. If the vent will be open this isn't needed. Gather the rest to fit. The back should form a moderate bag to sit into. The front of the waistband gets sewn to the bearer pieces. Sew the outer waistband piece to the legs and turn it up. Sew the waistband lining down (don’t sew through the watch pocket.) Add a vent triangle piece if desired, leaving the eyelets free on the outside.

Button the waistband inside out on the wearer and check the fit one last time. If all is well, the bottom of the legs can be trimmed to ½” below the kneecap and just in the hollow at the back of the knee. After any last minute adjustments, unpin and finish the inner leg seams. Finish the outer leg seams as far down as the button stand. Clip the seam allowance into the button stand so it lies flat under the front leg piece. Add buttonholes and buttons in a line that matches the seam above. There may be some excess material at the front, but this will be gathered into the band. 

There are many styles of knee band, follow whatever directions come with the pattern. Measure the wearer’s leg just below the kneecap and subtract the button panel overlap—this is the size of the opening the finished knee band SHOULD have for attachment to the leg. Turn under and stitch knee band bottom seam and knee band lining seams (make sure to make a left and right!) The longest part is at the front and gets inserted into a buckle or gets a buttonhole. The back of the knee band is about an inch long and will most often get a buttonhole for a buckle or a button. Finish the sides and top of the knee bands as far as the opening left for the legs (the size of the wearer’s leg measure below the knee.) Clip the outer knee band fabric and pull out the small tab for leg attachment. 

Clip the front and back leg bottoms within ¾” to 1” of the outside edge and up to the height of the seam allowance. This will allow the knee band to overlap the button stand on the legs and hold it securely. Pin the knee band upside down, to the bottom of the leg, starting with the long part at the front. Gather or ease any excess leg material into the knee band at the front and sides, to make a kneecap pocket. Sew the seam allowance and turn the knee band down. Sew the lining over the seam allowance, but not to the button tab on the outside of the leg. Instead, sew the loose end of the knee band vertically to the outside of the buttonhole tab. It should look like this.

Sew the tab at the back of the knee band to the button stand like this as well. The knee band ends will overlap and snug down tightly to hold the stockings up and the breeches down. Finish with either a button and button hole or just a buttonhole to hold a buckle.

Fly front breeches are now complete. One last fitting is recommended for fall fronts, to mark the bottom of the fall edges and where the buttons should go. The fall should be tight and not gap too much when sitting. 

Layers

Happy Birthday to ME!

My girlfriend's parents were kind to me this year. Must be VERY careful with the new and improved Paunch II sewing form. I broke the previous one with much hard yanking and spinning. All in all, it was an excellent holiday.

I spent the last day of 2013 helping a local living history museum with their patterns for men's clothes. Flattering to be asked. Since it is so damned cold out, I'm overdue for an overcoat.

My New Year's Resolution is not to make everything so &^%$# tight. Among the hard lesson from the early days of learning to sew: don't forget the clothes underneath. Amazing how much a shirt, waistcoat, and coat add to body measurements.

 Here is a half-lined great coat front, buttoned over my regimental. Doing it inside out makes marking the side and shoulder seams easier, while the pocket bags just sorta hang there. The fronts are pinned to the regimental coat, with some ease, making sure everything is straight. Now for the back.

The center back seam is finished, and the lining is tacked at the waist and collar opening. With the lining pieces folded back, the fronts and backs are pinned together. After marking everything with chalk, the seams can be unpinned. The side seams are sewn to just past the pleats. The shoulder seams are finished, everything gets pressed, and the arm holes are cut to match.

The edges of the lining can now be turned and finished over the coat seams, but leave the edges around the neck and arm holes free for other bits to be fitted.

Wonder if the sleeves should be lined?