Blue and Green fashion show is done

Well all the components I wanted to get completed for the fashion show were completed.  The shoes, although completed, I'm not really happy with. I'll make another pair some time in the future I'm sure.  I'd like to submit this entire outfit into the 2013 A&S competition and if I do that I will no doubt have to remake the shoes.

I don't have any pictures of the outfit other than this one, as I was the guy wearing it and I'm also usually the guy taking the pictures.  At some point in the future I may get pics that others have taken and drop them here.

Now off onto my next set of projects.
Coming soon?
1) Landsknecht outfit begins construction...
2) Period folding pocket knife begins construction...

Twelfth Century Braes completed

I recently started down the road of making an entire 12th century outfit.  The starting point was of course, the under garment layer.  I’ve seen others wear braes cut in the very odd fashion, but I’ve never worn them.  After completing them I was a bit concerned.  When I first put them on, they felt very much like I was wearing an oversized diaper.  I slept in them and surprisingly they looked and felt much better the next morning.  The linen was a bit stiff when I first put them on.  After wearing them for about 12 hours they seem to have found a more comfortable way to bunch and fold.  They look much more like the images I have seen after they have been worn in a bit.

 These are self-threaded which means rather than using linen thread from a spool, I simply pulled threads from the selvage edge and used that to stitch the garment together.  The only portion that is not linen is the braided tape I chose to use as a draw string.  I may look for a linen version at some point, but I wanted to put them on and try the fit and could not wait.

I based the construction using the instructions found in The Medieval Tailors Assistant.  I must admit that the instructions regarding the waist band was not all together helpful.  I played around with a few styles of the belt before choosing the structure I did.  The waist band of the braes is actually three layers thick.  There are two layers on the inside and one on the outside.  I wanted one extra layer against my skin and behind the draw string so as to cushion a my waist against a tightly pulled draw string. 

(( Insert image of draw string opening )) 

  

 There are two holes in the front of the waist band which will be used for tying the hosen to, when they are completed.  I wasn’t sure exactly how to do this portion, so I simply made a small slit and then button hole stitched around the hole to reinforce the edge.

My daughter laughed so hard at this one.
She kept saying it looked like I was
wearing a diaper.  "Why are they so baggy?"

  
The sides of the braes are slit at the bottom as was done in the images I’ve seen.  This allows for an alternate method of wear.  I can easily roll the legs up and tuck this portion into the waste band which makes for a very comfortable shortened version.  This might be done when working outside on a very hot day.  Whey I first showed my wife this manner of wearing the braes she did a double take and said “What… What the hell is that!”  I guess that means they look correct!

OK, I'm not proud of these, but simply wanted to show what the braes looked like when they are rolled up as they might be when one is working in the hot sun.

 

New hand sewing project started

Well, I've been out of it from a sewing perspective for a while.  Turns out that I gained just enough weight lately that I don't well fit into my nicer clothes.  I've started a new weight loss program and have taken 12 pounds off already.  In the mean time I'd hate to start new garb.  I decided to go back to my original SCA roots.  I've taken a step back away from Elizabethan and have decided to do a new outfit in 12th century style.  I've chosen this for a few reasons.  Been a while since I've done some hand sewing.  Also been a while since I've done an earlier period.  Most of all, the garb is forgiving for those who are shifting in size.  I'll make the outfit sized for my current girth and will simply wear it a bit loose if'/when I lose the weight.

So far I've cut and began assembling a pair of braes.  I've also cut the material for a shirt and plan on starting assembly tomorrow at sewing guild.  Nothing fancy.  Pattern was based on a layout found in The Medieval Tailor's Assistant.  The material is 100% linen purchased from ... who knows.   Found it in a bin in my basement.  Probably there for 3~6 years.  Had a tag I put on it with the yardage and material.  All I know now is that it is 100% linen.

So far I have about 15 hours of sewing in on the braes.  They are all self threaded.  I used a strip of the selvage edge and have been pulled out to used as a construction thread.  I have been using the warp threads as opposed to the weft threads as they are much stronger and hold up better to the stress of sewing.  Still I find that I must keep my threads to about 6~8 inches of working length and wax the thread well.  The self threaded style of sewing tends to fray the thread very easily.  The thread is not nearly as strong as a spool of linen thread that one might buy.  This is the first time I've tried using this construction method entirely on a complete item.  I've done it in the past for small sections, but never for the construction of a complete garment.