This little chap turned out well. The fronts of the legs are about 1/4″ too long, but we can fix that at a later date. Also, the two-button waistband is annoying. Even one more button on the bearers would take some strain off the fall buttons. Oh well, frugal government contracts. Speaking of which, another […]
Read more "Sleazy"Linen tape is used to secure four small regimental buttons, as seen in this inside view. The knee band is sewn to the button and buttonhole stand, which overlap it. Not visible here is another button sewn to the knee band on the same side as the others. Blocked by the buttonhole stand is another […]
Read more "Leg Buttons"Snug without constraint: the secret to breeches is that simple. Their cut brings them right against the joints where movement is limited. The only exception is the backside which expands slightly for sitting. Imagine the wearer sitting astride a horse and the shape makes sense. The fit at the knee is complex. While the front […]
Read more "Kneebands"Linings are a great way to check fit one last time. Breeches should be tight. Make sure that the crouch seam is snug against the nether regions. Whip or tack the linings with big (one inch) stitches. If everything looks good, transfer any changes to the body and cut the lining back open. Turn the […]
Read more "Legs And Linen"Attach the waistband to the breeches body as shown with back stitches. There is slightly more waistband forward of the outer leg seam, and the back of the leg is gathered to fit. Note that the outside leg seam is finished as far as the button stand. A quick pin up of the legs proves […]
Read more "Waistbands"Since these breeches do not have fall extensions, turning the edges of the cuts is not an option. Make sure the fall cuts are parallel to the center front seam and slightly shorter than the height of the bearer. The fall is around eight and a half inches wide. The cut should overlap the bearer […]
Read more "Fall and Bearers"Breeches start with the waistbands and the bearers. Turn all four sides of the waistband linings and back or overcast stitch them in place on the top and sides. If the wool is thin, turn those edges as well. Leave a 1/2″ free at the bottom to turn up when attaching to the legs. Bearers […]
Read more "British Army Breeches"Very happy with how the old rag turned out. The fit is better, and it kept me alive once again over this past weekend. There was a minor scare on the blog today. Long story short if Google asks you if you want to save space by deleting some stuff, just say no. It took […]
Read more "Done"After another trip to help out at the museum, it occurs to me that others may benefit from my inebriated experience. I am by no means an expert, but I may be able to help someone with the agony of men’s breeches. Breeches are weird. They do not fit like 20th century pants. If the wearer’s […]
Read more "Thoughts On Late 18th Century Breeches"