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.

Caraco Jacket - petticoat.

Hello all,

I've finally moved into the new place and the dear hubby is back to work.. blowing things up.

I've been commisioned to make a fitted caraco jacket, stomacher and petticoat for a wonderful customer in the USA. She sent me the fabric, a fantastic printed cotton. Very period correct, beautiful. >>

At first, as always, washed the fabric in cold and dryed on hot. This prevents any shrinkage when the garment is washed. I've been many people spend hundreds of dollars on beautiful items only to have them shrink, stretch and pull after washing.

This garment is going to resemble one found on display at the V&A Museum. <<

Since the fabric is 45" wide using the usual method of petticoat construction would obviously not work, besides the directional nap. In this case I used three lengths. She wanted the petticoat to be 35" long. So I used 3 length 45" x 35". Because of the nap, I matched the pattern and hide the seams as best I could in them and the pleats. The front is unobstructed, there is one seam at each hip and one at the center back... very sneaky if I do say so myself.

I then pleated the waistband into the desired width and basted the pleats. When making a petticoat don't forget to leave a large box pleat at the front center and a smaller one at the back center. When the pleats were basted the pocket slits had to be sewn. Rule of thumb on an average size person is about 8" for the pocket slit. Because the slit wasn't on a seam as they usually are, I had to be very careful about stitching the bottom to re-enforce and prevent the fabric from tearing.

When the pocket slits are done, I used 1/2" cotton twill tape in a natural color (19" on either side + waist measurment) and whip stiched one side down. to prevent the twill from fraing, cutting a dove tail in the end really helps, and makes it look pretty. Even though using a whip stitch I ensured that my needle went through all layers of the pleats. This holds everything together. I then tacked the end firmly shut so when tying the petticoats nothing comes apart, then whipped stich the other side in place covering my previous stitches and basting thread. Now the waist band is completed.

If you have a dress dummy, use one! If not get the closest person in the room to help you. Either have them wear the petticoat and stand on a chair, or if you trust them with pins, wear the petticoat yourself and stand on a chair. Then you, or your helper can pin the bottom of the petticoat into a hem. To help get a strait bottom, meaure with a strait ruler a number of distance from the floor/chair to the edge of the skirt, if you have the same distance all the way around, you're good to go!

I usually sew this using a running stitch, but if yours are not small enough, use a whip stitch. Another really easy hemming idea that was very common in the 18th century, twill tape! This adds some weight to the bottom of the skirt to help it fall. It also recieves the brunt of the dirt and wear and tear. If you're limited in number of petticoats, its very easy to 'spruce' one up by replacing the worn twill tape with new tape - the difference is amazing! It can be sewn on with the same method as the waist band - with no pleats of course!

Thats all there is to a petticoat... pretty simple but time consuming. If you're going to machine sew, please hand sew the bottom hem. It's one of the few edges seen on a petticoat and really does add the authenticity of your outfit. WEAR MORE THAN ONE! Shilouette is absolutly everything. One year I was in L'bourg Cape Breton and saw a lone woman standing on a hill with the sun behind her, it would have been a beautiful photo, except the wind was blowing, she only had one petticoat on and you could plainly make out the shape of her calves and thighs. In 18th century woman had no shape below the waist, except the bell of their skirts.

More to come later on the remaing journy of the caraco!