kass

VERY nicely done!

Someone mentioned it either at a Pirate Brethren event or on the Pirate Brethren Yahoo group. I don't remember in what context or who mentioned it, but I came over to answer someone's question about clothing and then last summer, Stinky Tudor asked me to be a moderator and then I just had to stay!

I try to write my patterns with the beginner in mind, Chaos. So the answer is "all of them". But some of them are more difficult just by virtue of their design. But the Waistcoat pattern is dead simple. So is the Frock Coat. The complicated ones in this time period are the women's.

Now available: Waistcoats Sailor's Jackets Breeches and Slops All based on extant garments and information from the Admiralty Slop Contracts. Soon to come... garments!

Why Paisley of course, Captain Sterling! I was joking... But there is a mention in the Admiralty Slop Contracts of "flowered" breeches. However we think it is a type of long pile wool, not a fabric printed with flowers. But could you see it? Foxe and Blackjohn and JoshRed and all our authentically-minded friends in slops that look like Bermuda shorts?!?! Oh... the humanity!

By short coat, Chaos, do you mean a waistcoat or a sailor's jacket? A Sailor's jacket was worn instead of a frock coat, not with one. A waistcoat, however, was worn under a frock coat. And I think a black frock coat over a red waistcoat would be grand!

HarborMaster, Black is a VERY period colour. It's also a very expensive colour (hard to maintain, hard on the fabric). So there you go. I would much rather make you a red frock coat though. Red would be far more appropriate. [FYI--Frock coats are different from frocks. There are frocks mentioned in Slop Shop inventories for the period, but they are a different garment altogether...] Captain Bob, I've gone blind now. Please stop moving! You're giving me mal de mer...

That would describe Mr Foxe alright... Have you ever seen his picture with his "crew". It's him on the Bonaventure surrounded by about 15 women, all hanging on him.

Help me do some market research, guys! What colour Frock Coat would you buy? And what colour Sailor's Jacket?

Pete, you're the best!

Hee hee! No reason to, Rand. As long as you bought it from me, I'll think it's perfect!

We can certainly square you away with some slops and a waistcoat once the new site is up and running, Rand. I cannot wait until I have the website in a state to show you guys! About machine versus handsewing, let me tell you something I bet you don't now: the best, tailor-made Italian suits are still made largely by hand. There's a reason... It's not snobbery. It's talent. There's no machine in the world that can replace the skilled craftsmanship of a master tailor. Machines are just faster. And I'm one of those annoying people that can tell if your clothing is handsewn from 20 feet away. But that's just me...

It's not improper at all, Bill. On the coat you saw, I used a matching thread. But on my husband's olive green coat, I'm using a tan silk thread to match his buttonholes. Very contrasty... And natural linen thread is NEVER a bad choice!

Don't know, Silkie. It's just a guess. I'm not a skin doctor. But I've never read a reference to skin protection for sailors. Of course ladies wore masks to hide their skin from the sun, but they also didn't work in it all day.

When you live everyday in the sun, Dusi, since you were a child, you build up a tolerance. These men would have had skin like leather, but they probably hadn't had a sunburn in years.

Sure. Look at their feet. Rope sandals!

There will definitely be some great GAoP things on the new website, Rand. In addition to the patterns, there will be garments for sale -- ready-to-wear and made-to-order -- that, depending on your timeline, could be made up in time for Maryland's Pirate Invasion Weekend or even opening day if you chose stuff we already have in stock. But no more teasers until I can show you the new website!

He was in the hospital for five days, Jib, so I expect the answer is "morphine".

Hi Rand, At the moment, there's not much on the old website because we've been working on a new website since the first of the year and that's set to launch early next month. When we launch (and I'll announce that here), we'll have all kinds of photos of our garments there. Right now, everything is roughcut or in the process of being photographed. I could show you some things, but the Great Coat, Breeches and Waistcoat aren't shot yet. The Frock Coat was typically worn over a waistcoat, although a sleeved waistcoat could be worn alone. The Great Coat was a cold-weather garment worn over both the Frock Coat and the Waistcoat. Remember that there weren't heaters in those open carriages!

It's a very quick stitch, Captain Grey. It really only takes a couple of hours or so. It's mindless, sitting-in-front-of-the-TV work. :)

You're very welcome, Bill. Don't forget to post pictures of your new waistcoat!

Right in one, Bill! You understand perfectly. Lemme see... Diargam, diagram... Okay, here's one working from the inside of the lining: Yes no?

oops!

Hi Bill, Well, what was done on extant clothing of the period isn't exactly topstitching. You can fake it by doing a row of running stitch (or better yet, backstitch) about 3mm from the edge of the pocket flaps, fronts, etc. But it's not how it was done in the period in question. What was done is called "point rabattre sous le main" or what modern tailors call "prick stitch". Prick stitch is a way to attach the lining to the outer material at the same time giving a topstitched, sharp edge. You see, topstitching looks alright from the outside, but it looks the same underneath, and it kinds tends to make your edges curl outwards. You don't want that... Prick stitch looks like a running stitch or backstitch on the top but a blind stitch or small tacking stitch underneath. It's almost invisible! So it doesn't pull your coat edges all out of whack. Lemme see if I can find a picture of one of my coats with prick stitched edges... This is a little blurry, but maybe you can make out what I mean here: Does that help or did I completely confuse you?

Hee hee! I swear to you, people: I don't pay him for this! The last thing I want is for everyone to follow my patterns slavishly and there to emerge a kind of "GAoP sailor's uniform" whereby everyone is wearing the exact same clothing in different colours and fabrics. I know pattern companies whose clothing you can spot across a parking lot! That's just not how historical clothing works. There should be variation. There should be differences. Different people should make different choices. I try to include those choices in my patterns. And I try to give even more choices in the historical notes for those adventurous souls who want to depart completely from what I've wrought. Actually, Greg, you're probably better off not being a 21st century tailor. The most difficult people to teach period techniques to are experienced modern sewers. They have too much to "unlearn" before they can start thinking about things from a period point of view. They tend to say, "That doesn't make any sense" alot... This is why I encourage people who want to realy learn about historical clothing to make one item entirely by hand at some point. It really has nothing to do with authenticity or historical accuracy. It has to do with experimental archeology and learning through doing as they did. I teach this class called "From the Inside Out" that is about getting into the period mindset. Once you understand the mindset, you can make better choices about what your character would do and not do. And you don't have to quote Defoe or Pepys every time you want to speak. And I'm not laughing at your pattern drafting skills. It takes a special kind of brain to see something in three-dimensions and distill that down into how you have to cut the fabric in two-dimensions to get that shape. Not everyone can do that. You do it quite well for someone who's never been taught. Good work, man!