How many of you build your own shirts?

[Tommy tornado]

I advise you to take it back to the store. It is not one to learn to sew with.
Sent ya a PM.

Slim

Bought it via Ebay for about $7 total.  It will stay with me.

[Tommy tornado]

Ottowa Creek Bill,

When you hand-stitch cloth do you use a back-stitch or other?  I have been reading a couple of sewing books from the library, and have been debating between hand or machine sewing.  The shirts I have bought over the years are a mixture of both.

[Delmonico]

One advatage to hand sewing is you can take your sewing with you.  I always have something like that around.  I used to work security and sat for hours when there wasn't anything going on, I sewed.  Also have done it at kids softball games, waiting in the car and at doctors offices and even in the hospital, both as a patient and waiting for somebody having tests or surgery.

At home there are 5 sewing machines so I just use them.

I haven't tried making a shirt from scratch with out a pattern but mostly just use the front back and sleeves and do the rest to suit me.

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Tommy,
If you can get your hands on Beth Gilgun's book, "Tidings From the 18th Century", do so. I would reccomend this for any one that does hand sewing. Beth is highly regarded as a person who knows her craft and is used quite often by researchers as a resource looking for information on clothing and sewing techniques of both the 18th & 19th century, she has worked for the smithsonian on several projects in the past regarding clothing and it's construction. Hand sewing (technique) didn't change much from the 18th through the 19th century.

For me any seams I sew, I use a backstitch, usaully 12 to 20 stitches per inch depending on the material and what I am making. That was the most common stitch to use then for general sewing. To end my stitch, I use a back stitch lock stitch. They also used the running stitch, overcast stitch and whip stitch, yes, they were used for some sewing, but primarily for basting, hemming and finish work. Do stitches per inch matter? Well, if you are going to the trouble of sewing by hand and want to create something that existed during the era you represent, spent money for a pattern and material, yes they do matter, and more stitches per inch (close stitches are very stong) are hard to tell from machine sewing.

References
Bradfield, Nancy, Costume in Detail: Women's Dress 1730-1930
Kalm, Peter, Peter Kalm's Travels in North America
Martin, J.P., Private Yankee Doodle
Montgomery, Florence, Textiles in America, 1650-1879
Neumann, George C., and Frank Kravic, Collector's Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution

Most of the above reference materials/books can still be found on the internet, I think.....

Bill

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

What Delmoinco says is true. If you are working on a project, take it with you and work on it when the activites die down and you find yourself with some idle time, especially at the bigger functions.

Bill

[Tommy tornado]

Bought some basic Navy and Grey dyed 100% cotton cloth from Jo-Ann fabrics that was on sale.  Going to begin working on the shirts in the next couple of weeks in between teaching, track, and football clinics.  Thanks for the advice and pointers from everybody.  I will post the final products when I am done.

[Delmonico]

If you run into problems ask.

[Silver Creek Slim]

I finished my first shirt on Saturday. 

Slim

[Delmonico]

Nice.  thats why I keep making shirts, to have one no one else has one like it.  Plaid bib shirts show up now and then in photos, I have suggested them to the compainies, but they never listen.

Got a book I need to bring to the convention and show you the Custer style bib shirt pocket, I've put them on most of my bib shirts.  It's at an angle on the left side. 

[DArchangel]

slim, great looking shirt!!!

[Chantilly]

Slim - what a great looking shirt and you matched the plaids so well!!  I am impressed!! 

[Silver Creek Slim]

Thanks, pards and ma'am. I didn't plan on matching the plaids, it just happened. I wore it to verk yesterday. My female co-verkers could barely believe that I made it myself. 

That would be great Del.

Slim

[Delmonico]

Slim, if you have any scraps from the shirt, dont throw them away, bring them to the Conv. and I'll immortalize yer shirt in my next flannel crazy quilt.  (Material scraps are like scrap lead, If ya ask everyone you know, they seem to show up.)

[Silver Creek Slim]

Slim, if you have any scraps from the shirt, dont throw them away, bring them to the Conv. and I'll immortalize yer shirt in my next flannel crazy quilt.  (Material scraps are like scrap lead, If ya ask everyone you know, they seem to show up.)

I always keep material scraps. I'll try to remember to bring some along.

Slim

[Trinity]

I finished my first shirt on Saturday. 

Slim

Thanks Slim!      Thanks fer givin' me Vertigo! 

(Nice shirt!)

[Silver Creek Slim]

Yer very welcome, Trinity. 

Slim

[Drayton Calhoun]

You might want to try Buckaroo Bobbins too. They have excellent patterns for both shirts and riding britches. The instructions are pretty good. They also have a pattern for a duster/range coat. The duster is caped so you should be able to make a Josey Wales coat also. They have several other patterns too.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Okay,

Our local reenactors store is called Sacramento Dry Goods and is run by Dale and Joanne (pronounced Jo-Anne).

Both have had to retire from SASS due various reasons, but Joanne often gives classes for our reenactors pon perioud clothing, and she IS Laughing Moon Patterns ...

http://www.saccitydrygoods.com/default.asp

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

First, I didn't make these .... I bought the pattern off the internet and paid $30/shirt to have them made ... it is a traditional square shirt and I am told it is fairly easy to make (this coming from an expert seamstress, so should be taken with a grain of salt ) ...

[Willie Dixon]

hey all,

it's nice to see some friendly familiar faces here.  I hope this isn't considered poor taste in necro-posting, however, I've found some excellent resources for anyone looking at proper period correct garb including extant primary sources:

"Key Line System of Garment Cutting"
http://www.archive.org/stream/keylinesystemofg00vana#page/n0/mode/2up

1850's patterns for trousers:


"The Tailor and Cutter and London Art Journal: An Index of Cutting, Fashion and Trade"
http://books.google.com/books?id=a3ADAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA315&dq=The+Cutter%27s+Practical+Guide+to+Jacket+Cutting+and+Making&hl=en&sa=X&ei=BlDNT4LYOaaO6gGM5P3jDg&ved=0CDwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false

and then arguably the best, although mainly a secondary/tertiary source but compiling plenty of primary sources within:

"Men's Garments from 1830 -1900" by R.I. Davis
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0887346480/?ref=cm_sw_r_pi_dp_f35Jub1WFBSPM

I have his book on "Men's 17th & 18th Century Costume, Cut & Fashion"


and has proven indispensable for all the other historical reenactment I do from late Elizabethan through the Napoleonic/Nelson's Navy eras.  It's also a wonderful read, easy to go through, pick out your favorite articles of clothing, and in rather plain English, it explains how to make it yourself.  I'm sure the Victorian Era one on the 18th century is much the same.

I haven't started making my CAS garb yet, right now I'm cheating with a button down nice shirt, a Chaps frock coat, and denim jeans and Ariats... because in SASS that's okay lol

but as I dig deeper, these have been already very helpful in attaining the proper tailoring fit and finish for a well tailored garment.