In time for New Years, Wool Breeches: Sewing Journal
Since my son wanted some wool breeches and waistcoat to go with his Lafayette coat, I thought I’d whip some up before Grand Illumination!
Historical Seamstress & Homeschooler
Since my son wanted some wool breeches and waistcoat to go with his Lafayette coat, I thought I’d whip some up before Grand Illumination!
In the manner of sewing 18th century gowns, I’m impressed with how little was cut, then draped with tucks and pleats which brought definition and beauty.
My frustrated son showed me his breeches with a huge 6″ rip across the top of the knee, with 2 dangling buttons, one of which he fixed with a straight pin.
Now that I have a set of stays to wear, I fiddled with adjustments for a second set of stays for my dress form, and hopefully attain a better fit.
Completely hand sewn, I even hand stitched as quickly as I could on the Duke of Gloucester Street in Colonial Williamsburg last spring to wear the next day.
My daughter thanked me profusely, while she daintily touched and admired it she repeated, “It’s so pretty. The colors are nice. They all go so nicely together.”
When we purchased the fabric from Colonial Williamsburg’s Mary Dickenson store last March for her birthday, she wasn’t too certain of this 18th century print.
After wearing the simple version of this gown at Under the Redcoat, I created embellishments to fancy up the gown for other occasions.
My son outgrew last year’s blue waistcoat with buff lining, so he requested a new blue waistcoat with white lining that he first wore a few weeks ago.
Hand sewn with linen thread, hand sewn button holes and dorset buttons, that I learned to make at the Costume Design Center in Colonial Williamsburg.