Gentleman of Fortune Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Here is an idea. Lets do a weekly online class to make a hand sewn 18th Century shirt. Fall is here and its getting darker and colder outside so this is something we can do to prepare for next spring/summer's event season. (I am sure Hurricane and all the other Florida and West Coast folks are laughing at us now but they are welcome to join in as well!) Here is how it works. Get some fabric and sewing supplies, and we will come up with a weekly "lesson" that breaks down the shirtmaking into little pieces so that by the end of the 8 weeks (I am guessing at a time frame) all the participants should have a completed hand sewn authentic Early 18th Century "pirate" shirt. We can "base" the lessons off of Kass McGann's free pattern directions here http://www.esotericcreations.com/index.php...rticle=12&mn=ht If you are able to do 3-4 hours of sewing each week, you should be able to get this project done. If anyone is interested, chime in so we will know whether or not its worthwhile to do. Come aboard my pirate re-enacting site http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/ Where you will find lots of information on building your authentic Pirate Impression! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarborMaster Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 YES !!! Count me in !!! I am very interested in this new project. I am not Lost .,I am Exploring. "If you give a man a fire, he will be warm for a night, if you set a man on fire, he will be warm for the rest of his life!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloody_Mary_Bonney Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 this is perfect i could start the out fit for my beau But why is the rum gone? Save a horse ride a cowboy! Take me away and take me farther, suround me now and hold me like holy My toes are getting pruney Also my head is round that window is square.... My name is Micheal J Kabous and i eat babies! Your toast has been burned and no amount of scraping will remove the black stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Midnight Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Definitely count me in, too! "Now then, me bullies! Would you rather do the gallows dance, and hang in chains 'til the crows pluck your eyes from your rotten skulls? Or would you feel the roll of a stout ship beneath your feet again?" ---Captain William Kidd--- (1945) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Sound plan GoF! Foxe"With this Fore-Staff he fansies he does Wonders, when, God knows, it amounts to no more but only to solve that simple Question, Where are we? Which every chi'd in London can tell you." - Ned Ward The Wooden World Dissected, 1707ETFox.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeaufortsPyrateWench Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Count me in as well!!(New here have been reading posts for a while just now getting time to post.) If anyone would like to swap or trade patterns I have lots, I do all my own garb. Let me know what you need I may have it. "If you would have fought like men you would not die like dogs!" Anne Bonney Women who behave rarely make history! - unknown "SAFETY MEETING!!!!" Capt. Mason There is no problem that cannot be solved with the use of black powder!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slopmaker Cripps Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Greg, If you need any help just let me know. Always glad to help whenever needed. Cheers, Adam P.S. How did you figure 8 weeks? That's extremely long for a shirt....even 100% handsewn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMike Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Great idea. Thankfully that's one project I accomplished about seven years ago. Still have the shirt too. Yours, &c. Mike Try these for starters- "A General History of the Pyrates" edited by Manuel Schonhorn, "Captured by Pirates" by John Richard Stephens, and "The Buccaneers of America" by Alexander Exquemelin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentleman of Fortune Posted September 30, 2005 Author Share Posted September 30, 2005 For those of you who already have a shirt... pass the word onto your friends who don't and have them join us here at the pub on this project. Adam, I think this project won't get too far without the experience of some of you folks on the board. I will probably be PM'ing several of you to figure out the best approach. I through out "8 weeks" as just a refrence point. As I said in the above post, the trick will be breaking it down into a weekly lesson that will only require 2-4 hours per week. As a lot of folks here on the board might not have a lot of extra time, I would not want to saddle anyone with 8-10 hours of sewing in a single day/week as they would soon drop behind. The point to the whole excercise is to help each other develop/improve their hand sewing skills, give the participants a cheap way to improve their kits, and ultimately, raise the level of authenticity throughout the hobby. If 10 people start and 4 people finnish, then that is 4 more authenticly shirted people than before. I would like to stress that this class is not just for the die hard authenticity freaks. Its for anyone who want to put together a pirate kit and needs a shirt. GoF Come aboard my pirate re-enacting site http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/ Where you will find lots of information on building your authentic Pirate Impression! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Hand Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 GoF... sounds like a good idea..... I'd espescially be interested in seeing how you, and others do that "stupid" gusset at the coller of the shirt...... I've tried about three different ways..... and it wasn't untill the last one that I "think" I have it figured out......... And how to finnish the gathering at the shoulder.... (I flat fell all my seams, but without adding an aditional strip of cloth, I can't figure how to finnish the gathered part. Period shirts were very well made, but without access to an original... I've made a LOT of guesses...... <as an aside.... you may want to start with "how to hand sew.... the "very basic" stuff...... for those who may not even know how to do that.......> Still a GREAT IDEA......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloody_Mary_Bonney Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 <as an aside.... you may want to start with "how to hand sew.... the "very basic" stuff...... for those who may not even know how to do that.......> that a great sugestion But why is the rum gone? Save a horse ride a cowboy! Take me away and take me farther, suround me now and hold me like holy My toes are getting pruney Also my head is round that window is square.... My name is Micheal J Kabous and i eat babies! Your toast has been burned and no amount of scraping will remove the black stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentleman of Fortune Posted September 30, 2005 Author Share Posted September 30, 2005 I too have a lot of unanswered questions.... And I myself am far from "an expert" at hand sewing. That is why, if we can do this as a group project, we can call on each others experience (especially those that have touched the actual garments) to get the best results possible. I am hoping to start this project Nov 1st. In the mean time, those interested in participating should start hunting down about 2 1/2 yards of linen, and some linen thread. I think it should go without saying (but i will say it anyway) if someone is going to go through all the trouble of hand sewing a shirt for authenticity, they might as well make it out of authentic/period correct materials. GoF Come aboard my pirate re-enacting site http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/ Where you will find lots of information on building your authentic Pirate Impression! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Jim Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Brilliant…appreciated…necessary…Just the sort of thing that this particular forum should be used for. Bravo. And I’m off to get my linen…little Pyrate homemaker, that’s me. My occupational hazard bein' my occupation's just not around... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kass Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 For linen, an inexpensive yet wonderful source is Fabrics-store.com They sell the perfect stuff for about $6 a yard. And if that's still too rich for your blood, click on the link that says "Fabric Doggie Bag". Here you can get pre-cut leftovers at a discounted price. Same quality. Just smaller pieces of goods. Greg, since you're not starting until November 1st (and God willing, I will be completely moved into the new house by then), would you like me to do my "Handsewing 101" song and dance? Basically I teach you the most common period hand stitches while teaching you to make a period pin cushion out of scrap fabric. Very utilitarian. Takes about an hour even if you can't thread a needle. Building an Empire... one prickety stitch at a time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Midnight Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 That's an excellent idea, Kass. I'd love to learn authentic period stitches! :angry: "Now then, me bullies! Would you rather do the gallows dance, and hang in chains 'til the crows pluck your eyes from your rotten skulls? Or would you feel the roll of a stout ship beneath your feet again?" ---Captain William Kidd--- (1945) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloody_Mary_Bonney Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 For linen, an inexpensive yet wonderful source is Fabrics-store.com They sell the perfect stuff for about $6 a yard. And if that's still too rich for your blood, click on the link that says "Fabric Doggie Bag". Here you can get pre-cut leftovers at a discounted price. Same quality. Just smaller pieces of goods.Greg, since you're not starting until November 1st (and God willing, I will be completely moved into the new house by then), would you like me to do my "Handsewing 101" song and dance? Basically I teach you the most common period hand stitches while teaching you to make a period pin cushion out of scrap fabric. Very utilitarian. Takes about an hour even if you can't thread a needle. sign me up for the class But why is the rum gone? Save a horse ride a cowboy! Take me away and take me farther, suround me now and hold me like holy My toes are getting pruney Also my head is round that window is square.... My name is Micheal J Kabous and i eat babies! Your toast has been burned and no amount of scraping will remove the black stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick MacAnselan Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 In the mean time, those interested in participating should start hunting down about 2 1/2 yards of linen, and some linen thread. Count me in! By the way, what minimum width should the fabric be? Also, should the linen be 'natural' color, or are there some other colors that would be common to the period? The Dread Pyrate MacAnselan aka Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain_MacNamara Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 Count me in... aye... I needs a new shirt Captain of the Iron Lotus It is the angle that holds the rope, not the size of the hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kass Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 Okay, here are the specifics. For this project you'll need 2 1/2 yards of white (bleached) linen. Unbleached (natural) linen or half-bleached may be used if you desire the poor farmer look. It should be as close to 60" wide as possible, but we can work with any width. If you can only get 45" wide linen, buy four yards instead of 2 1/2 just to make sure you have enough. Buy handkerchief weight linen (2.8-3.5 oz) for a fine shirt or 5oz for a more durable shirt. Do not buy "optic white" or coloured linen. It's inappropriate. I recommend buying your linen from this site: Inexpensive Linen I've been buying from them by the bolt for years. They are great! Be sure to check their "Fabric Doggie Bag" for leftovers. You don't need a single piece 2 1/2 yards long, so you can buy two 1 yard pieces and one half-yard if you like. Piecing is VERY period appropriate. Even very rich people had pieced clothing. Other stuff: Thread (preferably linen) A needle A tape measure or ruler We'll start here on November 1st. This should give everyone enough time to order linen and gather supplies. If you're interested in learning period hand stitches, I'll be running a short class here on 17 October. All you need is a needle, some thread, and some scraps of fabric. The fabric and thread don't have to be period-appropriate, but if they are, you'll be making a documentable pin cushion. You don't have to know how to thread a needle to join the class. No need to sign up. Just check this board on the 17th and 1st. Kass Building an Empire... one prickety stitch at a time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentleman of Fortune Posted October 1, 2005 Author Share Posted October 1, 2005 Whooo hooo! do you have a swim suit calender too? GoF Come aboard my pirate re-enacting site http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/ Where you will find lots of information on building your authentic Pirate Impression! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kass Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 That's next year... After the GAoP patterns come out. Seriously, I feel like the period accurate bloody Martha bleedin' Stewart! HELP!!! I'm living my own nightmares!!! Building an Empire... one prickety stitch at a time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Grey Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 Would you like me to make a "sticky" topic for this, so it doesn't get lost in the shuffle? This is a fantastic opportunity and, if I can, I would love to join in. Captain, we always knew you were a whoopsie. Rumors of my death are entirely premature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kass Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 Yes please, Captain. Can you put dates on them? I'd really like the shirt workshop to say "Starting November 1st" and the hand stitches workshop say "October 17th" if you would. Thanks! If this goes smoothly, there will be more to come! Building an Empire... one prickety stitch at a time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloody_Mary_Bonney Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 thank you kass i wouldnt have had any idea with out you probibly would have sewn my fingers together or somethin But why is the rum gone? Save a horse ride a cowboy! Take me away and take me farther, suround me now and hold me like holy My toes are getting pruney Also my head is round that window is square.... My name is Micheal J Kabous and i eat babies! Your toast has been burned and no amount of scraping will remove the black stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentleman of Fortune Posted October 4, 2005 Author Share Posted October 4, 2005 It doesn't seem like the Good Captain Grey is going to allow us to discus the topic... "in" the topic. Maybe you could open it up and delete non-essential e-mails when the class starts? Anywho.... Its time for folks who are joining in on the class to start sourcing out their linen material and linen thread. Kass posted one of her favorites for linen... anyone else have some? You can get some interesting stuff via e-bay if you look in the right places http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=6212969942 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=6213162239 Have your digital cameras ready to post pictures of your shirtmaking progress! GoF Come aboard my pirate re-enacting site http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/ Where you will find lots of information on building your authentic Pirate Impression! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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