Drafting My First Pattern

This was my first time drafting a pattern, and I didn't completely screw it up! I screwed it up some, but not completely. In theory, I know how to draft a pattern from a book using known measurements. Of course, I have to choose to create something that I have never seen a pattern for in my life for my first drafting project.

Backup for a second. Before I could even start creating a pattern, I had to figure out what I was planning to do. This pattern is going to be for a double breasted sleeve waistcoat. Double breasted waistcoats seem to be common enough as seen in military and sporting attires. From a pure review of extant garments and original images the sleeved variety seemed less common. But then again, who knows what's going on under a frock coat sleeve.

From looking at images and extant garments, I noticed two prevailing styles of double-breasted waistcoats. In both styles the waistcoat starts as single breasted and then transitions to double breasted around the waistline. The first involves an angled flap that starts close to the center closure and gradually widens to the center shoulder at the top of the flap. In the second style, the flap dramatically comes out from the closure and forms a nearly vertical flap from the waistline to the shoulder. Both styles can be seen in my drawing and are highlighted in the these portraits and engravings.

I elected to create my pattern based on the angled flap transition, as I am basing my design off the sleeved waistcoat seen in the included engraving. To create the pattern, I am using an existing waistcoat pattern that I already have and modifying the front panel to include the flap to make it double-breasted. Otherwise, I am using all existing pieces from the current pattern.

To start, I traced the current front panel piece on my paper, which you can see in the above picture after the fact. I then determined the point that I wanted the flap to start at on the waistline, and drew a 2 inch line perpendicular to the pattern edge to start the flap.

To create the top portion of the flap, I thought (and this is where i screwed up) that the flap should close on the collar following the same curvature and length of the main body collar. To accomplish this, I flipped the pattern piece and placed it on top of my tracing to that the two center points touched. I then adjust the angle until it was symmetrical. (For reference: the correct angle for me was when the corners of the bottom inside piece of the front panel were touching.) I then traced to the top of the collar on the flipped pattern piece, and accounted for the seam allowance in the corner. Finally, I joined the bottom edge of the flap to the top edge of the flap to create this beauty.

 Unfortunately, this piece was only 95% correct. What I failed to realize is that duplicating the collar angle exactly, puts the flap up too high on the shoulder and it makes the angle of the flap too dramatic. The angle to extend the flap was correct, but the flap was far too long.

After making a muslin, I discovered this error and corrected it by first marking the point on the collar to where I wanted it to end, and the point on the flap edge where I planned to have the collar opening start from. I cut between the two points, and the results were exactly what I wanted. (Well nearly exactly; I could stand to lose a few LBs. My muslin is a little tighter than usual.)

Now that I've adjust the cut on the muslin, I will go back and adjust the pattern piece to match. Then I can get started on the actual waistcoat... and a diet.

P.S. Yes, I know that I've got the top flap backwards in my picture. It's easier to pin that way as a lefty.

Double Breasted Waistcoats

I first saw one of these on a visit to Colonial Williamsburg. The double breasted waistcoat is the primary dress of most of the male shop workers, and I have to say that I absolutely love the look of them. There is just something about the transition from single breasted at the bottom, to double breasted at the top that just says: "Damn! That's a cool waistcoat."

I've been looking for something more convenient to wear when sewing in 18th century attire. Although many engravings show tailors sewing in shirts and sleeveless waistcoats, I've wanted something that I could potentially also use in my impression of Jacob Good, militia captain and affluent tavern owner, for undress wear. A workman's jacket seemed a bit too plain and utilitarian for my Good impression, so I was treading the waters of a standard sleeved waistcoat until I remembered these beauties.



These waistcoats can be seen in all sorts of places for all classes as well. There are several examples of men dressed for a hunt wearing them, but they can also be seen on shop owners and in military wear. The attached military portrait is of General John Burgoyne. If a double-breasted waistcoat is fancy enough for "Gentleman Johnny," its fancy enough for Jacob Good.

I absolutely love the finished product seen in this blog: http://historicallyspeaking.driftingfocus.com/2012/01/20/completed-project-linen-double-breasted-sleeved-waistcoat/

I will be basing my design off of this complete reproduction as well as Gentleman Johnny's waistcoat.  It will have a similar button design and placement to the Historically Speaking reproduction, but I will include complimenting internal fabric like Burgoyne's waistcoat. I plan to make it using indigo kerseymere, available from Burnley and Trowbridge, the internal color is yet to be determined.

The learning experience for this project will be drafting my own pattern. There are no commercial patterns available for a double breasted waistcoat, so I will have to make my own. I'm not quite ready to dive head-first into the deep end though, so I plan to use and existing pattern that I have and draw on the additional portion on the front to make the closure. This sounds good in theory, so it will probably go terribly in execution.

Two Week Breeches Challenge: Time's Up!

Welp, I failed. Didn't get it done in time. I was five buttonholes and 15 cloth-covered buttons short of a complete pair. Oh well.

Truthfully, I looked at the weather forecast for the weekend and made the conscious decision not to finish them in favor of sewing 10 eyelets for my wife's stays. I'm all for breaking in new clothing, but soaking them in pouring down rain is not my preferred method.

What did I learn? Breeches are not quite the boogey man that everyone makes them out to be. Yes, they are complicated and are constructed of an unusual amount of pieces, but they are manageable once you know what you are doing. My skills have greatly improved since my first sewing project, but I fear that I'm starting to get sophomoric confidence that will lead to a large mishap in my near future.

On to the next thing.

The Fin-hole Countdown: The Countdown

Left to Go:

June 6

Buttonholes: 17

Buttons: 15

Eyelets: 6

June 7

Buttonholes: 17 14

Buttons: 15

Eyelets: 6 0

Two Week Breeches Challenge: It's the Fin-hole Countdown!

Cue the music: IT'S THE FIN-HOLE COUNTDOWN! Da-da-da-daaaa. Da-da-da-da-daaaa. (And now both you and I will have that song stuck in our heads for the rest of the day.)

I've done it! the breeches are done (almost). You can't wear them, but all of the pieces are together and they are (nearly) functional. All that needs to be done are all of the buttons and associated nonsense. I'm two days behind my schedule, and need to get everything done by bedtime on Friday to successfully complete the challenge.

The remaining work almost reads like a professional wrestling ad. "In three days time: 17 buttonholes, 15 buttons, 6 eyelets. Only one will enter, but will he leave."

In all seriousness though, I'm very happy with how these turned out. I absolutely love the wine colored wool. I did make a few minor adjustments to my pattern to make the breeches more historically accurate, such as removing the back gusset. Not that there is anything inaccurate about the gusset. Extant garments and paintings simply depict that it was not as common as breeches without gussets.

I also ran across a few snags such as having to resize some of my pattern pieces because the wool moved during cutting and having to recut a leg placket because it decided to go for a walk about.

The second go round was much easier than making my first pair. Not only because now I know how to put these things together, but I have also noticed a major improvement in both my sewing abilities and also the quality of my stitches.

Two Week Breeches Challenge: One Week In

It's Friday again, which means that I'm one week in now. Of course, I'm not quite as far along as I'd like to be. I'd like to have the whole construction of the breeches done, and only have the finishing left to go i.e. buttons and button holes. I will have to settle for the completed main part of the breeches. Here they are. Side note: There is no good way to photograph a pair of breeches unless they are on you. Nothing about these stupid things can be easy!

I still need to attach the fall lining, waistband, and finish the legs. If I can get all of those things done over the weekend, I think that I'll be in a good place to meet the deadline. (Spoiler alert: I didn't get all of that done).

Tune in next time for more trash talk directed at a piece of clothing

Two Week Breeches Challenge: Days 6-7

Before I go any farther with progress updates, I would like to address my construction order for these breeches.

If you have never made a pair of breeches before and are using a new pattern, do not follow the same order that I'm using. If you have never used the pattern before, make the waist and knee bands first to make sure that they fit properly before starting on the meat of the breeches. I am using a pattern that I know fits me properly, and am sewing out of the commonly accepted order to work around my schedule. Because my primary sewing time is after my daughter goes to sleep, I try to get all of my long seam sewing done after she goes to bed, when I know I will have a few hours to devote to sewing. Apologies for the out-of-order construction, but it is what it is.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming...

Day 6 - Wednesday

I'm caught up! I think... maybe. Today I got the second pocket facing attached and top stitched. Then I attached both "pocket linings" and sewed the front pieces together at the crotch seam. I know it doesn't seam like much, but it's actually a decent amount of work. The breeches are starting to look more breechy. This picture shows the fall front in a closed state. I still need to attach the fall lining but will do that a little later, as I will be cutting it from 3.5 oz linen for added comfort.

I really hate that the inside pocket piece is referred to as the lining, because it lessens the importance of the piece--it's really important. The piece actually becomes the top piece of the body of the breeches that attaches to the back panels via the side seam and to waistband. Unlike most linings, you can't discount it and need to take care cutting and attaching it or you will screw up your breeches.

 The picture above shows the breeches with the fall down.You can see the detail on the pocket flaps and can make out how the pocket lining under the flap becomes the top part of the breeches that you will sew to the back panels.

Day 7 - Thursday

Well, I have a giant, funny looking woolen skirt. If you try to put these on yourself at this stage in the construction, that's what they will look like. You can see the ridiculousness in the picture on the right. I had to fold the back fabric over a few times so that I could get the whole thing in the frame. Because breeches have the diaper butt when completed that means there is a surplus of fabric before you attach the waistband. Breeches are definitely the mullet of 18th century clothing. I've attached a less ridiculous view of the butt seam.

I made good progress today. The back pieces were attached to each other and then to the front pieces on the outside side seams. Sewing the side seams is probably the most challenging part of breeches construction in my opinion, because there are a lot of pieces that can easily cause mistakes if they are not placed and pinned properly.

When sewing the side seam, you sew the front leg piece to the back leg piece for most of the seam. Once you get to where the pocket flap starts, the back leg piece gets sewn to pocket lining, and the lining becomes that top part of the breeches body.

What makes this so challenging is that to properly attach everything you need to make sure that the pocket flap is tucked down into the leg so that you don't accidentally sew it into the side seam. You also need to make sure that notches cut where the pocket lining becomes the body doesn't gap or you will have hole in the side of your breeches.

The pocket flap solution is pretty self explanatory: DON'T SEW THE FLAP INTO THE SIDE SEAM. End of solution. Making sure that you don't have a gap where the pocket lining becomes the breeches body is a bit more complicated. I solve it by first using pins to prevent gapping. Then I sew a bar tack across the two pieces tighten up that joint. Is the bar tack overkill? Probably, but I haven't had a gap to date.

The pictures below show detail on the sewing. The two pins close together toward the top of the first picture are at the crossover joint for the side seam. The second picture shows the completed seam with all of the various pieces together in a rat's nest of fabric.

In case you're wondering yes, I draw on all of my seam allowances. I'm obsessive compulsive about my seam allowances all being correct and uniform. I will draw on all allowances unless I'm sewing a straight piece of linen and can use the threads to keep everything consistent. Eventually, I hope that I'll be more confident in my spacial acuity that I won't have to draw on every seam allowance before putting needle to fabric.