I continued working on the roundhose after a weekend out of town. The things that are left require hand stitching, which I am not very good at. The seams on the cuffs and waistband will be visible and I'm trying to put my money where my mouth is with these as far as historically appropriate clothing goes. I finished one cuff last night (there was a Packer game on so my attention was elsewhere) and I am hoping to finish the other and the waistband tonight. Once that is done it should just be making button holes and eyelets for pointing to my doublet and then these are ready to roll.
Which is good because I have normal housework, a cart to try and build, and get everything packed up for the weekend yet. Nothing like last minute ambition for me.
More pictures after I get the leg cuff and waistband done.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Noe Lesse Monstrous Than the Reste
I'm almost done developing a new pattern for a doublet. I've developed several patterns for doublets over the years; each one better-fitting and more historically accurate than the last.
The waist of the latest version is set at the correct level- about at the natural waist rather than the hips where we wear pants today. The center front has only the slightest overlap for buttons on thread stalks and buttonholes. Although you can't see them yet, it will also have a collar, skirting, and of course, a second sleeve. Both sleeves will be fully attached as they were in the period. It's based on a combination of surviving doublets from 1560's-1580's and artwork from the period.
I've started using cheap felt for making mock ups and fitting rather than muslin. It's the same price or cheaper, I don't have to worry about fraying ruining the shape of the pattern piece, it behaves more like wool, and it's more substantial, and so easier to transfer to paper to make the pattern out of.
I have piles of linen to use for lining, but have yet to buy any outer fabric. I'm having a very hard time deciding what color to go with. It won't be too long however, and I'll keep up with journaling its construction.
I should also mention that I'm wearing a Monmouth Cap by the Bethlehem Trading Post. I just got it earlier this week and it's awesome; Excellent quality at an excellent price.
http://www.bethlehemtradingpost.com/on-line-
shopping.php
The waist of the latest version is set at the correct level- about at the natural waist rather than the hips where we wear pants today. The center front has only the slightest overlap for buttons on thread stalks and buttonholes. Although you can't see them yet, it will also have a collar, skirting, and of course, a second sleeve. Both sleeves will be fully attached as they were in the period. It's based on a combination of surviving doublets from 1560's-1580's and artwork from the period.
I've started using cheap felt for making mock ups and fitting rather than muslin. It's the same price or cheaper, I don't have to worry about fraying ruining the shape of the pattern piece, it behaves more like wool, and it's more substantial, and so easier to transfer to paper to make the pattern out of.
I have piles of linen to use for lining, but have yet to buy any outer fabric. I'm having a very hard time deciding what color to go with. It won't be too long however, and I'll keep up with journaling its construction.
I should also mention that I'm wearing a Monmouth Cap by the Bethlehem Trading Post. I just got it earlier this week and it's awesome; Excellent quality at an excellent price.
http://www.bethlehemtradingpost.com/on-line-
shopping.php
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Adventures with Roundhose
After weeks of hoping that someone had taken a good photo of my Roundhose, I've all but given up. I do however, have this. I haven't really decided if it's a good thing or a bad thing yet.
A visitor to the event wanted to test my...prowess... by seeing if my codpiece was sturdy enough to hold anything. It was.
As below, late 16th century codpieces were typically solid and not meant to hold anything...ladies...
-Dan
A visitor to the event wanted to test my...prowess... by seeing if my codpiece was sturdy enough to hold anything. It was.
As below, late 16th century codpieces were typically solid and not meant to hold anything...ladies...
-Dan
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Jo's got BIG ideas! Look out!
Hey everyone, it's Jo! I wanted to let everyone know about some of the 16th century projects that I hope to be working on over the off season. First, a waistcoat! I will be using the Tudor Tailor costuming book as a guide for this project. The waistcoat will be a medium grey wool with a light grey cotton lining. This is what I am shooting for:
My second project, and the one that I am most excited for, is to build a clome/bee hive oven to do proper bread baking in. Ever since I saw this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ioxF9OUjms I've been inspired to try it out. I have called Lara Templin, the historical interpreter from Jamestown and the video, and left a message to see if she has any insight on how to make the oven or where to even get some plans from. This is what it should look like in the end:
My third project will be to improve my costume a lot and hopefully make a kirtle instead of separate bodice and skirts. I would also like to make better shirts (maybe even a partlet!) and try my hand at my own coif and aprons.
Wish me luck!
My second project, and the one that I am most excited for, is to build a clome/bee hive oven to do proper bread baking in. Ever since I saw this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ioxF9OUjms I've been inspired to try it out. I have called Lara Templin, the historical interpreter from Jamestown and the video, and left a message to see if she has any insight on how to make the oven or where to even get some plans from. This is what it should look like in the end:
My third project will be to improve my costume a lot and hopefully make a kirtle instead of separate bodice and skirts. I would also like to make better shirts (maybe even a partlet!) and try my hand at my own coif and aprons.
Wish me luck!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Something to haul all this stuff
Another project that I'm hoping to have done in a couple weeks. Ya, I know. At a lot of the events we go to, we have to park an annoyingly far distance away. Well annoyingly far away when you have to haul a couple of canvas tents, bunches of weapons, armour, and furniture. One thing I've been wanting for years is a hand cart to haul some of our boxes, furniture, tupperware in the off hours, etc.
I know I don't have the time right now (or the skill...yet) to make a fully period constructed cart. So, I'm planning on a simplified and pre-17th century cart inspired by these pictures:
I know there will be some modern concessions right off the bat. First off, dimensional lumber. Secondly solid plank wheels. Eventually I'd like nice period ones with spokes, but for now I'll deal with solid ones (and I already have them). After looking at designs and what's possible in the time I have, I'm looking to do a 3 x 5 bed with rails. Right now I'm trying to figure out the axle. The wheels I have available have a 3 inch hole for an axle and finding a 3 inch diameter wooden axle in 2 weeks promises to be difficult and expensive. Once I figure that out construction can begin.
I know I don't have the time right now (or the skill...yet) to make a fully period constructed cart. So, I'm planning on a simplified and pre-17th century cart inspired by these pictures:
I know there will be some modern concessions right off the bat. First off, dimensional lumber. Secondly solid plank wheels. Eventually I'd like nice period ones with spokes, but for now I'll deal with solid ones (and I already have them). After looking at designs and what's possible in the time I have, I'm looking to do a 3 x 5 bed with rails. Right now I'm trying to figure out the axle. The wheels I have available have a 3 inch hole for an axle and finding a 3 inch diameter wooden axle in 2 weeks promises to be difficult and expensive. Once I figure that out construction can begin.
Roundhose: Part Deux
Got some time to work on the pants a bit more over the weekend. I started out by making sure my measurements were correct on the leg gathers and waistband. I've made pants before that I had measured not once, but twice, and still ended up screwing up the sizing. I took secondary measurements and things looked okay after a couple minor adjustments.
I then began the stitching in earnest. I did some by hand and some by machine. The machine stuff is interior and won't be visible when the pants are being worn. The hand stuff I think will be visible. I only had a little bit of time due to sick kids and other plans for the weekend, but I was able to get the lining and exterior pleats all stitched in place. I then pinned the lining and exterior together and everything surprisingly lined up well. So I'll consider that a win.
Some pictures of the lining and exterior together:
And more of a closeup of the waistband area:
Next will be the leg bands and waistband. Those I am going to try and do by hand and not have them suck like buckets of things that suck. I am going to do a button fly as opposed to a codpiece, as well, that's just how I roll.
Beer for the night: Sam Adams Summer Ale and Killian's Red. Still trying to find a few bottles of Capital Autumnal Fire for the bandings.
I then began the stitching in earnest. I did some by hand and some by machine. The machine stuff is interior and won't be visible when the pants are being worn. The hand stuff I think will be visible. I only had a little bit of time due to sick kids and other plans for the weekend, but I was able to get the lining and exterior pleats all stitched in place. I then pinned the lining and exterior together and everything surprisingly lined up well. So I'll consider that a win.
Some pictures of the lining and exterior together:
And more of a closeup of the waistband area:
Next will be the leg bands and waistband. Those I am going to try and do by hand and not have them suck like buckets of things that suck. I am going to do a button fly as opposed to a codpiece, as well, that's just how I roll.
Beer for the night: Sam Adams Summer Ale and Killian's Red. Still trying to find a few bottles of Capital Autumnal Fire for the bandings.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Roundhose: Part the First - Pictures
As promised pictures of my adventure with pants!
First off the most important step of any such under taking. Good beer.
Next, holy crap that's a lot of fabric.
The pleating begins! Getting each leg cuff set for a 19 inch cuff band and the waist set for a #$@^%* inch waist band.
More by the end of this weekend!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
What the Heck Are Roundhose?!?!!?
First off, I'm Dan. I'm the guy that isn't Chris that will be contributing to this blog. I'm a research nut and take every chance I can get to proselytize for using period materials and techniques to construct clothing. I figured it would be good to provide some historical background for the type of breeches that I made and that Chris is making.
"Hose" was the usual name for pants in 16th century England, though "breeches" was used as well. Like us, the Elizabethan people had several varieties of "hose" to choose from- many unfortunately unspecified in wills and inventories from the period outside of color and/or material. There were also several names for presumably the same or a similar sort of hose in the period, and many of these names may have been interchangeable (just as we can call a sweater a jumper, or a blouse a shirt, etc.). You may know roundhose better as trunkhose, though other names for them in primary sources include scaling hose, sliding hose, or when this kind of hose had vertical strips of fabric laid over the top paned hose or paneled hose. There are certainly a few more, but these are just a few examples. Many modern people authoritatively call this sort of hose "slops" (a name that comes up very very rarely in sources), or more frequently "pumpkin pants" - a name that makes me twitch (It's inauthentic to say the least). I should note that there were several other different styles of hose worn by the Elizabethans such as Venetian Hose and Gascon Hose or Galligaskins, but that's for another day.
Anyways, back to roundhose. Roundhose or Trunkhose can have panes (the vertical strips of fabric mentioned above), but don't necessarily- Those made by Chris and myself don't. They tend to end somewhere between just below the crotch and the mid-thigh (Who wears short-shorts? We wear short shorts...) based on artwork and extant garments, and were typically very full. Their fullness might be the result of being pleated or gathered into narrow waistbands and legbands, stuffing- called "bombast" in the period, or a combination of both. This sort of breeches might also have that triumph of archaic fashion- the codpiece! Codpieces tended to be much more tame than most people expect and were not meant to contain one's, to use a scholarly term, junk by the latter half of the 16th century. They would instead be stuffed to give the illusion of virility and constant attention. Codpieces were going out of fashion however, and by the late 16th century they had been almost completely phased out in new garments. Alternative methods of closure included a button fly or lacing shut, but they don't really have the same sort of charm- do they?
Here are some pictures featuring what are probably unpaned roundhose...
Here's an Englishman ca. 1568-69. He looks like he's had a busy day.
A French image from 1572. His hose have pockets! How exciting! (Yes, they had them by then- don't let anyone tell you otherwise)
Here's a peddler from somewhere between 1580 and 1600. His hose have canions, an occasional feature on roundhose/trunkhose (but rare on unpaned round/trunkhose until the very end of the century and the beginning of the 17th). They are close-fitting extensions of the breeches that might be of the same or a visually-related fabric. Yes, I know what his cap looks like.
I'm afraid this is necessary...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcvjXAtzaMU
-Dan
"Hose" was the usual name for pants in 16th century England, though "breeches" was used as well. Like us, the Elizabethan people had several varieties of "hose" to choose from- many unfortunately unspecified in wills and inventories from the period outside of color and/or material. There were also several names for presumably the same or a similar sort of hose in the period, and many of these names may have been interchangeable (just as we can call a sweater a jumper, or a blouse a shirt, etc.). You may know roundhose better as trunkhose, though other names for them in primary sources include scaling hose, sliding hose, or when this kind of hose had vertical strips of fabric laid over the top paned hose or paneled hose. There are certainly a few more, but these are just a few examples. Many modern people authoritatively call this sort of hose "slops" (a name that comes up very very rarely in sources), or more frequently "pumpkin pants" - a name that makes me twitch (It's inauthentic to say the least). I should note that there were several other different styles of hose worn by the Elizabethans such as Venetian Hose and Gascon Hose or Galligaskins, but that's for another day.
Anyways, back to roundhose. Roundhose or Trunkhose can have panes (the vertical strips of fabric mentioned above), but don't necessarily- Those made by Chris and myself don't. They tend to end somewhere between just below the crotch and the mid-thigh (Who wears short-shorts? We wear short shorts...) based on artwork and extant garments, and were typically very full. Their fullness might be the result of being pleated or gathered into narrow waistbands and legbands, stuffing- called "bombast" in the period, or a combination of both. This sort of breeches might also have that triumph of archaic fashion- the codpiece! Codpieces tended to be much more tame than most people expect and were not meant to contain one's, to use a scholarly term, junk by the latter half of the 16th century. They would instead be stuffed to give the illusion of virility and constant attention. Codpieces were going out of fashion however, and by the late 16th century they had been almost completely phased out in new garments. Alternative methods of closure included a button fly or lacing shut, but they don't really have the same sort of charm- do they?
Here are some pictures featuring what are probably unpaned roundhose...
Here's an Englishman ca. 1568-69. He looks like he's had a busy day.
A French image from 1572. His hose have pockets! How exciting! (Yes, they had them by then- don't let anyone tell you otherwise)
Here's a peddler from somewhere between 1580 and 1600. His hose have canions, an occasional feature on roundhose/trunkhose (but rare on unpaned round/trunkhose until the very end of the century and the beginning of the 17th). They are close-fitting extensions of the breeches that might be of the same or a visually-related fabric. Yes, I know what his cap looks like.
I'm afraid this is necessary...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcvjXAtzaMU
-Dan
Roundhose: Part the First
In looking at my calendar I realized I only have a short time before a 16th Century themed event that I'm going to be working. Its traditionally cooler out (as it is the first week of October in Northern IL), and my current pants are made for WI summers. A friend made up a pair of red wool roundhose this summer and they looked awesome. So having a need for warmer pants and the want to make a pair of round hose, the task begins in earnest.
This is another one of those projects I started a while ago and never did anything with. So for the last, let's say 2 years, I've owned the wool and linen I've been wanting to make into a pair of pants. For the last 4 months, the pieces have been cut out. I used Reconstructing History's pattern RH109 1620 Trunkhose, for the base of the pattern and then shortened them up. Why didn't I use RH's 16th Century Trunkhose pattern you ask? Well, I already had this pattern, and I'm lazy.
After talking with Dan (the guy who made the roundhose I am envious of) I adjusted the lining length and started pleating last night. Compressing a full 5 feet of wool (per leg) into a 20 inch leg cuff. These should be some rather full pants.
Pictures to follow once I figure out where my media card reader is.
This is another one of those projects I started a while ago and never did anything with. So for the last, let's say 2 years, I've owned the wool and linen I've been wanting to make into a pair of pants. For the last 4 months, the pieces have been cut out. I used Reconstructing History's pattern RH109 1620 Trunkhose, for the base of the pattern and then shortened them up. Why didn't I use RH's 16th Century Trunkhose pattern you ask? Well, I already had this pattern, and I'm lazy.
After talking with Dan (the guy who made the roundhose I am envious of) I adjusted the lining length and started pleating last night. Compressing a full 5 feet of wool (per leg) into a 20 inch leg cuff. These should be some rather full pants.
Pictures to follow once I figure out where my media card reader is.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
A New Beginning...
I have so many half started projects and items in transition in my house that it looks like a workshop on strike or even a graveyard of prototypes. I have this horrible tendency to want to try something new and then become distracted or disillusioned when I hit an impasse or the next bright shiny thing comes along.
It is time to finish projects and time to do things the right way. I'm hoping that this will serve as an outlet to share what I'm working on, how I'm doing it, and be a push to make these things actually happen.
It is time to finish projects and time to do things the right way. I'm hoping that this will serve as an outlet to share what I'm working on, how I'm doing it, and be a push to make these things actually happen.
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