What would you pay for a hand sewn sailors jacket?

[Gentleman of Fortune]

So I am sitting here, cutting out the lining for a 1706 pattern sailors jacket ( a short one with mariners cuffs) out of 100 year old hand woven linen

that I will hand sew into the closest wool that I can find to Kersey wool (Its some antique wool that I found in a German Flea market), and I am thinking, "what would I pay for something like this?"

I mean, we are living in the age of Walmart where everything at a low margin and the only way you make money is by selling THOUSANDS of them. We hate to pay more than $20 for a shirt to go to work in, let alone $100 one to use 5 weekends out of the year.

I have probably spent 20 hours alone in researching and developing a pattern from the period pictures we have. I am just at the point where I am sewing the sleeves of the lining together and if I charged myself $5 an hour I would have to get $100 for work to date and I am guessing that I am ¼ the way done.

Now I know that the professional tailors/seamstresses on this board are already itching to reply with their own woes but let me say I already know you are not properly compensated for your time either.

I am a neophyte with a thread and needle but I am just guessing that by the time I am done, I will have about 60 hours into this thing. My next one will be faster as I already have the pattern but still, hand sewing takes time so lets say jacket number 2 takes 30 hours. $5 x 30 is $150. I spent about $30 on the 100 year old hand woven linen, and another $20 on the wool. Buttons from GGGodwin would add $20 and the linen thread was $5. Which leaves me a bear minimum of $245 to break even.

Or you could just go to ebay and get a machine sewn out of faux distressed leather, made to YOUR size for $125!

Maybe I am just in a funk right now but geesshhhh!

[Iron Bess]

If you wear it proudly....

.... then it is an effort well worth it.

Good for you, say's I!

[Tudor MercWench Smith]

I envy you your patience, sewing talent, and good luck to find all sorts of old material goodies! I would kill to have the time, energy and talent to make myself some really nice gear, but alas, am forced the e-bay route at times.

Enjoy your lovely jacket! Share pictures when it's finished!

[Sealegs Constance]

Hand sewing the jacket eh? I admire your patience, and your craftmanship. Would really like to see a picture of it when it is done. :)

[Gentleman of Fortune]

I guess maybe that is part of my point.... I have no sewing skills, no time, no engergy etc etc. I work on this bloody thing late at night and in the wee hours of the morning when the Warden, my 2 1/2 year old, and 3 month old are asleep.

Sorry to vent on a forum like this....

I am just a little frustrated right now. I feel like its an excersize in futility. At the end of the day (or in another month of so), sure I will have a swell jacket, but I doubt that there will be an event to go to or a handful of folks that give a rats ass and could tell the difference.

Maybe I should collect baseball cards instead.

GoF

[Rumba Rue]

Before I got a sewing machine, I did everything by hand. I have excellent hand sewing skills that I still use on various things.

So I give you big kudos for doing what you are doing. It makes the garment more special to you, even if the general public doesn't know it.

Rumba Rue

** **

[Hetha]

I am also one who started hand sewing, long before I ventured into investing in a machine. I hev a true appreciation fer th' time an' effort, and painstaking measures ye hev taken. I still tend to return to hand sewing, whenever certain detailing calls for it,(buttons, embroidery, patterns, etc.) Ye hev much to pride yerself on, an' let there be no shame in it, no matter wot anyone says, ye'll hev a garment t' be proud of, an' I fer another, would like t' see th' end result! Blessings t' ye, patience with yerself, and good luck!

[Captain Jacob Badger]

'Back then' everything was 'hand sewn'......using a machine is just progress.....ifin ye wants an authentic, then ye either makes it yer self...or....ye pays someone wi' yer skills t' makes it...which costs.

we are lucky to have a very good seamstress aboard that does 90% of our costumin'....(cheers sam)......an' I knows fer a fact she makes our stuff 'at a loss'.....authentic or naught.........

so.....in all, ifin I was after the 'quality clothin' that ye be makin'....money ain't the problem.........'tis how soon could ye make it, an' how soon I could wear it.....

keep up the good work, don't be downhearted......have an' ale on me sah!

[Fox]

GoF, keep at it, you'll know its true worth when it's done

This talk of old fabrics reminds me of a question I was going to ask. The other week someone told me of a silk mill somewhere in England they had visited which was selling off original 18thC silk by the yard - it was pretty expensive but they had a shed full of it. Alas, my friend didn't remember the name of the place or where exactly it was. Soooo, has anyone else heard of this place and if so can you remember details?

[Patrick Hand]

It's an argumenent on "art" ...................

what is art worth... the time that went into it for the finisehd work.................

why bother because noone else does................. it is still art.............

You have made something that is unique..... maybe a very small market... but it is still art..................

art is art............

the final... how do you feel about your "creation".......................... see art is art....... (and you only saw it as a period Sailors Jacket.......)