I decided to make a pair of late 16th century trunkhose. Partly to see how they work, and partly to add some variation to my wardrobe. I have made several pairs of breeches but thought I'd try something a bit different.
I bought the Men's Elizabethan Trunkhose pattern from the Tudor Tailor.
http://www.tudortailor.com/shop/?item-details=112984398&item-name=Pattern-for-Men--39-s-Elizabethan-Peascod-Doublet-and-Trunkhose---Small-Sizes
It's based on very thorough research from Janet Arnold and a collection of extant sources. The pattern is nicely printed and is of a high quality. The instructions for trunkhose construction are a single double sided A4 sheet and may as well be in hieroglyphics for their usability. I found their instructions cryptic and terse with only a handful of small grainy photos to help. My own failings may be at fault but as I felt the same way over the instructions for one of their doublet patterns I suspect that blame can be shared.
Enter Margo Anderson. Margo has an extensive background in theatrical costuming. She has published a range of garments including a set of trunkhose.
http://www.margospatterns.com/Products/ElizGntlmnWrdb.html
Margo is aiming for the historical recreation market as well as a more generic ren faire audience.
An example would be that because of her theatrical background Margo sometimes forgets about linings for clothes as stage costumes don't need them.
The Margo Anderson patterns come with a seventy page document on historical sewing techniques quite apart from the actual patterns. I am sure that the patterns aren't as accurate as anything that references Janet Arnold, but they are similar. The enormous advantage over the Tudor Tailor are the thirty pages, with very extensive diagrams, on how to construct the garment.
So which way to go? Since I had bought both patterns I made up the foundation garments for both to see which fitted better. The Tudor Tailor won easily. It was a much better fit straight off the pattern. So I will compromise. Since the patterns are similar I will use the Tudor Tailor pattern and construct it using the Margo Anderson documentation. I am not sure how well it will work but if I stay with the Tudor Tailor instructions I will have nothing sewn at all.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Working with leather for clothing
Garment grade leather can make stunning clothes. I found that there are several things to think about before sewing that first stitch.
When laying out your pattern check for imperfections in the leather. Marks, blemishes, and holes are quite common on hides and there's no point making a garment that's damaged before you start.
To cut the leather you can use a rotary cutter or a stanley knife. A good pair of shears will also work. A solid cutting board under the hide is essential for a clean cut, and helps make sure that you don't damage your table.
When laying out your pattern take care in deciding where to sew. Once a line is stitched, the holes are there for life. This also means you can't pin leather. When laying out the pattern to cut I use small tins of tuna. You can buy special pattern weights as an alternative.
When pinning seams for sewing I use hair clips. They hold the pieces together firmly yet don't damage anything. They are not as robust as pins so care will be needed when handling the pieces and feeding them into the sewing machine.
Leather doesn't need a 5/8" or 1/2" seam allowance. No fraying means a smaller seam allowance is possible.
A standard sewing machine (such as a Brother NS30) will happily sew simple seams so don't be put off by the idea of sewing leather. It's true that thicker skins or many layered seams will need a more powerful machine but get some offcuts and test what your machine can do. Trimming and layering seams will help. Remember that leather won't fray around the edges.
Your sewing machine will need a couple of extra toys to sew successfully.
While we are on seams you will need to decide how they will be finished. There are several alternatives you can use.
None of this information was created by me. It's the result of many generous people who posted blogs on working with leather. Here are the sites that I have found most useful.
Links to all of these and others can be found here.
https://www.pinterest.com/raygleeson/leather-working/
When laying out your pattern check for imperfections in the leather. Marks, blemishes, and holes are quite common on hides and there's no point making a garment that's damaged before you start.
To cut the leather you can use a rotary cutter or a stanley knife. A good pair of shears will also work. A solid cutting board under the hide is essential for a clean cut, and helps make sure that you don't damage your table.
When laying out your pattern take care in deciding where to sew. Once a line is stitched, the holes are there for life. This also means you can't pin leather. When laying out the pattern to cut I use small tins of tuna. You can buy special pattern weights as an alternative.
When pinning seams for sewing I use hair clips. They hold the pieces together firmly yet don't damage anything. They are not as robust as pins so care will be needed when handling the pieces and feeding them into the sewing machine.
Leather doesn't need a 5/8" or 1/2" seam allowance. No fraying means a smaller seam allowance is possible.
A standard sewing machine (such as a Brother NS30) will happily sew simple seams so don't be put off by the idea of sewing leather. It's true that thicker skins or many layered seams will need a more powerful machine but get some offcuts and test what your machine can do. Trimming and layering seams will help. Remember that leather won't fray around the edges.
Your sewing machine will need a couple of extra toys to sew successfully.
- A leather sewing needle will help. This will have a triangular head and is designed for punching a small neat hole rather than opening a gap between threads.
- You'll also need a teflon pressor foot. This will allow the leather to slide easier so the stitches will stay even. Sticky tape over the base of the pressor foot can also be used, but I haven't tested it.
- A heavier upholstery weight thread will help keep things together.
While we are on seams you will need to decide how they will be finished. There are several alternatives you can use.
- Spread the seam open and pound it with a rubber mallet. This will make your seams flatter and they will stay mostly open. Trim them if they are too wide. In my opinion it's not that great a solution.
- Ironing a seam flat. This takes great care as leather burns just like any other skin and is very easy to damage with excessive heat. Use a press cloth and practice first. It works really well to hold the seam open, but I have badly scorched at least one large piece that I had to replace.
- A flat fell seam works well. Trim the excess from one side and fold both seams over in the same direction. Sew flat. It also helps reinforce a seam. This is my preferred method.
- Spread open the seam and sew it open with a second line on either side of the main seam. Keep the secondary lines close to the main seam. Basically top stitching the seam open. Trim back the excess on both sides.
- Glue or tape the seams open. Spread the seam and flatten with a mallet then use leather glue. It's rubbery so the seam will move with the garment but the seam will stay open. I found this a messy option but it does work.
None of this information was created by me. It's the result of many generous people who posted blogs on working with leather. Here are the sites that I have found most useful.
- http://www.designsponge.com/2012/02/diy-project-leather-lunch-tote.html
- http://fivemuses.blogspot.ca/2012/06/sewing-on-leather-stitching-and-seams.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+ClioPhineas+%28Clio+%26amp;+Phineas%29
- http://andreasnotebook.com/how-to-sew-leather-straps-for-handbags-and-purses-guest-post-by-paradiso-designs/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+typepad/1214749844s27842/the_train_to_crazy+%28The+Train+To+Crazy%29
- http://nicolemdesign.blogspot.com.au/2010/07/how-to-sew-leather-few-tips.html
Links to all of these and others can be found here.
https://www.pinterest.com/raygleeson/leather-working/
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