German linen Jacket, 1750

As I mentioned in my last post I am working on a couple of German jackets for a wonderful customer.

This next one I'm working on will complete the order. : >

It's a German wood cut c 1750 by an unknown author, titled "Eine Frau im Haup Gehend" or "A woman in the home".

It is being constructed from a beautiful brown linen/tan stripe. I purchased this linen from Wm Booth Draper (item number WLN327). I'll be lining the jacket with an oat color linen.

Similar to the other German jacket I had to create a pattern for this project as well. Patterns for many ethnic and unusual outfits can't be found and need to created. I didn't make a pattern that can be sold, it's not that put together by any means! I generally do my drafting very organically. I start with the lining material and use colored tailors chalk to mark my pattern out where I think each piece should be cut. I then measure it all again checking the numbers against the waist, bust, arm length, back length, side length etc. When I'm happy with that (there generally happens to be a number of lines in random colors.... it's pretty but time consuming!) I cut it all out and dry fit it to the dress dummy (for the amount that I talk about her, I have two, they really should be named... any thoughts?) If there are any adjustments I need to make I do it now. I then take the lining which has become by pattern and cut out the main material.

Although the two jackets look totally different their basic construction remains the same. Like the wool jacket I came out with 6 pieces for the bodice. 2 front pieces, 2 side pieces, 2 back pieces. I pick stitch along the seams to attach the lining to main material. Unlike the wool jacket, however, the sleeves on this are cut from one piece, like gowns of the period, and has only one seam running up the inside arm. This sleeve has a large cuff, but only reaches to below the elbow and is slightly more fitted than that of the blue wool jacket.

This jacket was a little more difficult than a regular jacket as it's not front closing and required robings down the front. Robings are a throwback to the Mantua and are used to hid pins and fixings of the gown. Almost 99% of gowns or jackets that fit with a stomacher should have robings. Because of this I had to be very careful to cut the front of the bodice as I wanted to make the robings right, they are precariously folded and are actually the same piece as the front.

As this jacket required covered buttons I of course had to make them! I use the same covered buttons you can purchase at your local fabric store, or at the request of the customer I can make them with a wooden or rag middle. For the buttons take some scraps of your material and position the cutting guide where you would like it. I generally don't center a pattern etc unless I'm copying an item that has it since buttons in the 18th century added detail but were not meant to be main focal points. Or, like the case of a polonaise, were both decorative and functional. Don't get me wrong, there are very decorative buttons, but these are covered buttons with no embroidery etc.... stay with me, stop thinking about all the shiny buttons!!

Now that you have all these little circles (for anyone that has quilted or crafted they look like the beginnings of yo-yos) take the smooth top part of the button and your little rubble mold. Place your material in the rubble mold, good side down. Place the smooth top portion of the button on top and push it into the mold. Then wrap all that extra fabric and just use your finger to push it into the back of the button. place the little back with the shank facing you and use the little hard blue plastic piece. This is placed over the back of the button, on a flat surface press down hard. You'll feel if the button snaps into place. You can see if the button is sitting wrong, if the button has bent etc. Please remember that thin fabrics may not work, thick wools will also not work. If you're using a more sheer material I take a little bit of high grade sand paper and buff the top of the button to get rid of some of that horrible sheen (it surprisingly does shine through the material). There buttons done!! I'll be making the buttons tonight, this jacket needs 26 of the little guys..... that will be my evening. I'm also going to try and make soap tonight - but that's a story for another day!

German wool Jacket, 1732

Hello Everyone,

I know It's been a while since I posted something but my life has just been crazy. My fiancee deployed to Afghanistan at the beginning of May, I started my summer job at the museum and finished up my 2nd semester of my Museum studies diploma.... wow. If you haven't all noticed, I'm a big nerd!

So, A customer approached me a few months ago about making her some 18th century jackets. One from a wood cut and one from a painting by Pesne of Elizabeth Oberbuchler, a refugee from Salzburg, 1732. This post is about the painting and I'll do another when I'm completed the wood cut jacket.

I had to draft the pattern, I do this using a combination of my dress dummy, an 18th century jacket pattern, my quilting rulers, and good old know how.

After cutting out all the pieces of lining and dry fitting them to the dummy, I cut out the lining pieces.

The jacket is strange in that it's very much like a riding habit/man's waistcoat. I tried to do some research online and only found Mara Riley's web page (a valuable resource for any Scottish representations) which told me who the lady in the painting was, the date and what I basically already knew.

SO. the basic construction of this jacket was as basic as making any other jacket. The bodice and skirts are cut together. There is are 2 front pieces, 2 side pieces and 2 back pieces for a total of 6 pieces. Of course you'll have to have these same pieces cut out of the linen and main fabric. The sleeves are cut slightly curved like in a man's frock coat - and in two pieces; The top and bottom. The cuff is exactly like that used on a riding habit and cut in two pieces as well.

I first sew the lining together minus the sleeves, and the same thing for the main fabric. When it came to the skirts, I made sure to stop sewing at the waist to leave the skirts free. I then pin the lining and main material together, matching the seams and pick stitch so the bodice isn't bulky and fits properly. After this I turned under the edges of both the neckline and around the skirts, pick stitching around them.

I like sleeves making sleeves for some random reason and take great pleasure in making them up. The sleeves in this one have a regular cuff like that on a riding habit, but with the German influence and like in the painting we're adding linen twill tape (black) around the cuffs and collar edge. I'm not 100% sure why they did this and it's the only one that I've come across with this decorative edging added. I have seen it used as hem savers on petticoats, but never on a jacket. Please remember if you're going to copy this jacket to mention is German influence and lack of documentation on it's historical accuracy in the twill detail.

I laid the twill tape on after the neckline and skirts had been pick stitched. I then used black cotton thread and pick stitched it on as well. The jacket in the photo looks like it's been modified to close with hook and eyes. I hate hook and eyes in the 18th century, it's just as easy to use pins only pins keeps things closed better, are a little more forgiving if you're going to lace your stays looser and very removable.

After the entire bodice was done I finished up the sleeves with the twill detail and then sewed the sleeves onto the body. In the 18th century sleeve edges were not finished. They were left hanging in the bodice. Finishing the edge would add extra bulk at an area where any woman could tell you - it's not comfortable to have!!

So, the jacket is finally finished!! I put it on my dress dummy as I was a little ahead of myself to take some photo's and send it to the customer. The dummy didn't have any stays etc on it so the back is pulling slightly in a way that would not happen when it was on the customer.

Cotton/Linen stays prt 2 - washing

soo.. These stays are not taking as long as I thought they would - which, in a way is a good thing. In another way, however, it makes me question why I haven't started my new pair!

One side is done but because they were handled so much for the hand sewing they have to be washed.
To wash a set of stays you must ensure what whatever is in your stays for the boning can stand up to water.
Its very simple to wash your stays, actually! Just get your laundry room sink washed out well, fill it 1/2 way with warm water and a little laundry detergent then add your stays. Don't froth them around the tub, gently move and flex them allowing the water to get into the fibres of the the stays and outer lining. This gentle movement should remove any dirt that's landed on them.
rinse your stays off with warm water again, you don't want it hot - if your stays have been pre-washed and dried you shouldn't have an issue but hot water can cause a small amount of shrinkage, especially in canvas and cotton ticking. rinse and repeat.

If your stays are REALLY dirty (you ate PB&J, played in the sandbox AND worked in the garden then came in and worked on your stays - you deserve to be hit soundly on the head and live with your dirty stays) let them soak in the warm water bath for about 30min to an hour and then repeat the gentle movements until your stains are gone.

do NOT ever use bleach. Bleach can damage the wood boning and the protective coating on metal boning. Bleach also weakens the fibres of a material, burning them away - the more often you bleach something the weaker it becomes. Stays are one thing that really do need the strength. bleach may also eat away the hand stitching - ruining your stays and costing you lots of money for a new pair

so - in conclusion, always wear your shift with your stays. not to mention it will be a million times for comfortable with a shift between you and your stays, the shift is easily washed and keep the dirt away from the stays.

hope this helps everyone!

Cotton/linen Stays June 4-? 2009

Hello all,

I've started making a set of stays and I thought that you might like to see them, and their progress.

They are fully boned and contain 74 German spring steel bones, 48 hand turned button holes, 1.5meters of cotton ticking, 4.4 meters of linen twill tape, .5 meters of light blue linen. This set of stays are front and back lacing with no straps. The customer this is made for works in the UK at a small museum as an interpreter. If it seems like a lot to any of you its for a lady with a larger bust. Her measurements are

bust - 51"

waist - 40"

Center back torso length - 17"

Front Neckline Depth - 14"

bust to waist - 6.5"

Total torso - 40"

Side torso length - 10"

the stays measure
Bust - 38"
Waist - 26"
Center Front length to waist - 12"
Center side length to waist - 9"

The tabs at the bottom are approx. 2" long and rest over the waist to help support up the petticoats and skirts of the gown.

I use 1/4" German steel boning ordered from Farthingales, a really great company in Ontario, Canada. This boning doesn't rust, bend or break - it's very heavy, however.

Cotton thread is all that I use. 100% cotton quilters thread. It's stronger than regular thread and sews almost like its pre-waxed. My button hole thread is 40% polyester/60% cotton - I know, I know its got poly in it... I hit myself all the time for it but its the only thing I can find that sews remotely well.

I received this order quite a few weeks ago but due to circumstances the customer had back surgery and life of course takes over. We've both finally come back to this and have got the measurements and started this project.

I started with drafting the pattern - this took about 3 hours. I use a material with little red dots spaced 1" apart for my draft paper. this can be bought at any local sewing store and works great for drafting patterns.
I made this corset from 3 pcs for each side, L&R. being for a larger busted woman drafting these was a little harder than I had done before. It was a great challenge but it looks like it cam out great - you tell me.

I cut out the pattern and cut out 4 of each piece, 12 pcs of fabric in total. I then sewed 2pcs so I had a base for the boning channels. I now has 6 pcs, 3 L, 3R to put boning in. I drafted the boning channels and penciled them on.

I then machine sewed the channels for the corset. haha I think that waiting for my hubby to get home from work (he was on duty -Army- today... Saturday... I guess I can't complain. Really puts things in perspective when today is June 6th of all days) so he can use the bolt cutters to cut the boning for me.... I can't do it at all! I still have some to cut for the other side...

I've been working on one side more than the other, as you can see by the photo's I've got one side almost done. I then sewed the 3 pcs together Front, center, and back. The blue linen outer shell was then basted on the top along with the linen twill tape.

Then the dubious task of stitching on the cotton twill..... ugh. Anyone that has every sewn on any amount of lacing or twill tape - you share my pain.

Well its all done on one side and I started the button holes. As you can see by the photo's the back is done... 1/4 of the button holes done... I now I might go overboard in the holes, but I have found in my own wearing that stays feel more secure and lace better with a few more holes. I'd rather put one too many that you can skip, than not enough that you're feeling loose in your stays.

My fingers hurt now from all the feverish sewing. I'll have more in a few days when the stays are done and the other side is done.

ooouuuuccchhhhhh. off to try a few more button holes - it will probably turn into 5 then 6.... now I'm just procrastinating :P