Tudor MercWench Smith

6 hours ago, madPete said:

you should try the shellac again, sounds like Miranda had good luck with it

 

I can bring my bottle to 1721! I barely even dipped into it for my hat so I've plenty to go around and no opportunities for the foreseeable future to use it before it goes bad

1 hour ago, Stynky Tudor said:

I'll take credit for finding the material at the Thrift Shop, but the main credit goes to you for your hard work sewing. From what you've shown so far, the shirt looks amazing!

We will have to call the sizing "Mens XL?". I did my best to match it to general standrd size proportions while still working with the width of the fabric and leaving no scrap lol. Guess I'm finally one of those people who doesn't use patterns but cuts to measurements and just sews it.....at least when it comes to rectangles. Anything tailored give me a pattern or I'll cry....

Side note....need to work with checked patterns moee often...my cuta and stitches have never been so straight lol

On 4/3/2024 at 1:38 AM, madPete said:

ooooh... aaaahhhh... Nice gussets!😁

 

Have some large rubber bands or string handy and/or some blocks that you can prop up the brim after soaking it thoroughly. Let it dry and evaluate. Repeat until you are happy with stiffness. Once its close, you can do smaller sections at a time and shape them.

 

I made a wooden hat block that shapes the crown flat and holds the size. I've used it a couple times now.  By the way I found another black felt hat at Goodwill today. Not sure I will have time to do anything this time around, but its a larger size so at least I dont need to stretch it.

In lieu of rubber bands, string or blocks I used.....cardboard, straight pins and one of my kids' keepy-uppy balloons....but the initial spritz and shape seemed to go great.... (Decorative red cord added after drying to get a visual on where it would sit and to determine if I needed to adjust the shape at all)

I feel like the crown looks slightly wide and bulbous when it's sitting there but when it's on it looks pretty snazzy. 

Spray worked great, went on nicely, dried startlingly fast. Made it just slightly stiff without feeling hard or crusty. Ultimately went at it with three rounds of light mist. Might do a bit more when I get home tonight. We shall see.

Still no updates on the Mantua plans. Still trying to pivot from my fabric stash failure. At what...three weeks out I'm trying to decide if that would be too ambitious 

On 3/30/2024 at 11:47 AM, madPete said:

guess I missed that!

In fairness, I do blather a lot of nonsense in my posts lol....Easy to miss.

I'm secondary fairness, the shirt is also actually more Stynky's contribution....I traded him my labor making it for some other fabric. I wasn't even going to toot my own horn about it, honestly, but I need people to ooh and ahh over my gathers and gussets appropriately or I lose all wind in my sails. 

In other news, shellac has been soaking in isopropyl alcohol since Sunday night, and I've got to say I think it's about ready....no floaters or sticky bits! 

I went with the isopropyl instead of methylated alcohol as it was cheaper, available in smaller volumes and because I guess there are some nasty health risks from methylated that I didn't necessarily want to wear on my head....I know the stuff is jus a carrier and will evaporate but why risk it when according to all I read 91-99% isopropyl does the trick.

Might start spraying the hat down tomorrow..will see. Don't really have anything to shape it on.

2 hours ago, madPete said:

yeah, I know its not "kosher". but we needed one for a lot of potatoes.

It's better then mashing a crews worth of taters with a wooden spoon and the bottom of a water cup!!!

*eyes up that potato masher with intent*

23 minutes ago, madPete said:

nice work! the narrow cuff is fine.

Now what are ye making for the auction?

The shirt is for the auction! 

In other news, Mantua project is on hold. Went to get some of the grey fabric I made my Mr Smee slops out of off the roll and only had like 3 yards when the pattern calls for 6. An alternative roll I had in the stash has enough yardage but even washed is far to stiff (it's basically a canvas, but will make ab excellent coat for my SCA garb once time allows). So now I have to decide if I want to do it out of either the same blue i did the jacket-waistcoat out of or the striped fabric that would make an excellent gown in general but might look too fancy for what I'm trying to do with this garment. Oh well, c'est la vie....

More shirt work today and putting together a canvas lining for the trunk

On 3/26/2024 at 4:21 PM, Mary Diamond said:

Sleep, lovely sleep, what a concept!

Freshly returned, I am in similar throes - many irons in the fire, as it were. Lovely latchets are due to arrive Friday 29, to be tested and broken in. Assorted sewing projects sit in a waist high pile, awaiting my attention… we shall see what actually gets finished.

Glad you came to the conclusion to take the sleeves off for a waistcoat- you can always add them back on once you have more time. The mantua can be a bit fussy - pay attention to the fitting, whipping ahead of time or thoroughly pinning to test fit, and you will be fine.

Thanks for the tip on the Mantua....it might have been the lateness of the hour but as I was looking at the pattern and reading the instructions it might as well have been a foreign language.... not sure how well it will go....

That will have to wait till I've more time to dedicate to it.

Last night's insomnia project was taking the cut pieces of the auction shirt I had cut and turning them into less pieces and more shirt.

The main seams on the body and sleeves were machined, with the body getting a French seam treatment and the sleeves getting a hand finished flat felling...I would have flat felled the body seams too but time and ability to keep my stitches consistent over long stretches made me go with the French. It still looks an lays nicely and will be a strong seam, and then any visible stitches will be hand done.....

Forgot how much I did miss hand stitching. I shillyshallied so long on hemming my skirt previously cause I somehow forgot how much I enjoyed the hand stich work. Then again, that would be an aggressively long line of stitch, so my concern was probably valid. Oh well...

Progress from last night and tonight....

I intended to do a narrow cuff but I now worry it might be too narrow. But otherwise I'm pretty chuffed with the results so far...

23 hours ago, madPete said:

 

Your colorful language "I finally made the call to yoink the sleeves off the blue jacket"

has me asking... Is that done with a cutlass, a drunken pirate with a broken rum bottle, or a sailor's fid?  😁

All cutlasses have been confiscated least the mutineers get a hold of them (again) and they have yet to figure out to reach the rum bottles but it's just a growth spurt or two away til they do at which time the bottles are bound to break.

Alas, twas done with some period appropriate(ish) scissors between breaking up brawls amongst the crew.

In other news, what does one do when one can't sleep at 12:30 at night from anxiety? Cut out the pattern for a Mantua and trim up some scrap linen into a neck scarf of course!

I guess this is one way to make up some time on my projects list....

1 hour ago, madPete said:

Here is where I got that recipe. This guy knows what he is doing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHma3dpYqRw

The video is about 8 mins long and there are some good tips in there. If you need some shellac, drop me a line and I will send you a ziploc baggie  full. But you need to start now.

Between getting the supplies, and dissolving the shellac is gonna take you a week or more. You have to let the shellac dissolve at least a couple days (video says a week). Shellac is also called french polish and can be found at wood working stores, but the quantity is way more that I needed for hats.

Thanks for the video link! Seeing that you can "reactivate" the shellac with steam makes me more comfortable with the idea of trying this. My chief concern was doing it but shaping it wrong and then having it stuck in a shape I don't like.

If youve got a baggie to spare I will take you up on the offer

Ok so we are a month out from 1721 and I'm hitting the panic sewing phase .....except unlike last time I have not been meticulously sewing every spare second I get. Lol

So some executive decisions were made tonight... mainly I finally made the call to yoink the sleeves off the blue jacket I made during last round to turn it into a waistcoat. A waistcoat was the #1 thing I needed to add to my kit, and I have no good fabric in the stash, and budget for kit upgrades went out the door with the plumber last week so any hope of new fabric and patterns went off the table. All in all I think it was a good choice. Just gotta whip up the arm holes and if I get nothing else done, I will be good to go.

Other panic progress made today included finishing up the flat felling of the seams of the Mr. Smee plants that I've been dawdling with, and braiding some embroidery floss into a twine type thing to tie up the back

If I can get some undisturbed sewing machine time, I'm hoping to get the shirt finished this weekend. Going to wash up some fabric to be ready for a pass at a Mantua this week.  Maybe hit up @madPete  for that shellac spray recipe again to finally de-flop my hat next weekend. Neck scarf will fill in any hand stitching time I get not filled with the finishing bits on the other items.

Why oh why did I procrastinate all over this lol?!?

On 1/21/2024 at 1:57 PM, Tudor MercWench Smith said:

*Ding ding ding*

Round two!!!

Three months out till the next event and here's my project list for my own kit, in no particular order

Mend

- hem and buttons on the last minute shirt I was working on at Gaines ✅ (finished before I even posted the list so I could feel like I was ahead of the curve)

- hem the purple petticoat from Gaines

- mend the grey short slops, probably put in a gusset 

- possibly alter the black booties I have to make them look more period

- possibly re-pleat red petticoat

- reinforce some weak points on my stays

- reshape hat, find new pin

 

Make

- waist coat (top priority)

- scarves, head and neck

- 3rd skirt

- 3rd pair of slops

- under drawers

- Mantua, possibly

- apron

- knapsack 

- women's shift

- bum roll

 

Shop for

- more stockings

- frail/grass basket

 

 

Gear

- Chest/trunk refinish (possibly my next project, found one for free, antique but not period, needs a few repairs and refinishings and I have to decide if I want to add hardware to make it look more period)

- better/more dishes and cookware

 

From this original list:

In the "mend" category, shirt & petticoat are done, slops almost (gusset it in, patching the tear, but am taking the time to flat fell the seams as these were made in haste and were not done with French seams and the fraying is contributing to eventually structural weakness). Next on the list will be the hat. Still not sure if I want to go full shellac yet. Wondering is just laundry starch would help maintain some shape but with slightly less *flop*. In meantime have to start thinking about best reinforcement techniques for the stays. I've given up hope of altering the shoes I have. It would require massive amounts of fussing for probably less then ideal results.

From the make category....I've made a bag. I love said bag. But that's it. Am now seriously leaning towards the "hack the sleeves off the sailors jacket and take in the arm holes" instead of starting the waistcoat from scratch, mostly just cause I am waffling about fabrics. That would free up time for Mantua...which is significantly less necessary but harder to find a short cut. Added to this list is a shirt I owe Stynky. Got the fabric prepped and cut over the weekend. Probably will get the major pieces constructed tonight or tomorrow, hand finishes to be piece mealed over the next few weeks. 

To buy - shoes have been added to the list. I have my eye on several options but they all fall a little short on one of the three categories (accuracy, fit considerations, price). Otherwise the only other thing I've purchased is some bamboo toothbrushes. Not accurate or necessary but look a bit better should anyone catch me while scrubbing.

Gear wise, chest is now functional with the handles. Still considering a hasp since the lock is busted and maybe some strapping. Have found a couple of good looking Dutch ovens on the local Facebook marketplace that would probably do better then my fancy enameled iron ones from home. In process of negotiation on prices. We shall see 

5 minutes ago, madPete said:

By all means. after breakfast the fire should be available until about 4pm when we start the stewpot. There may be more than one available also.

Great! Maybe this can be used as lunch bread so that way it's not interfering with the existing breakfast and dinner plans lol..also I guess this all depends on of I am flying or driving, which is now in the air (pun fully intended), on if I will even be able to bring my dutch ovens lol

This might be over extending my abilities and time, but I've been wanting to try my hand at Dutch oven campfire bread baking. So, should situations and needs allow, I'm happy to assist in making this delicious plan come to life!

On 2/26/2024 at 2:12 PM, Mary Diamond said:

Better than myself, a leaf buffeted about making what feels like no progress at all!

Compared to how much I had done at this point out from the event back in the summer, I truly feel the same way.....I have so much less to do but feel less prepared to really dive in on any of it.

Though tonight I finally cut and whipped up the bag I've been plotting...no real in progress photos cause its really just a large rectangle, folded and french seamed up the sides, long strap tacked into the seams. Top inside edge is machine stitched down but the outer flap I'm going to hand hem since that will be more readily available. Should suit for quick grab kit, and daily carry items.

Very loosely based off this image, just with more of a flap at top

14 hours ago, michaelsbagley said:

"Williamsburg approved"?

I could see Jamestown approved (which is just down the road), but I'm incredibly surprised to see Williamsburg approved.

I know, RIIIIGHT?!?

Now, that tag of "Williamsburg approved" is self proclaimed on the vendor site....but it is a pretty well known reputable craftsman that I know many people who have purchased from and been pleased, so I don't think it's self congratulatory false advertising. 

The only thing I could think of would be if Williamsburg was indulging in the "it's placeacle to pre-period so it's allowable", but I was always under the impression that they were a bit more of sticklers than that.

Updates....

Handles done on the trunk. Still easiest to team carry it (especially if you have tiny T-rex arms like me) because of how wide the trunk itself is, but the grips are large enough and set in such a way that it can be hauled solo and no one's hands should get punched with how spacious the curve on them are.

Also, purple skirt has been hemmed...finally just did it on the machine. The hemming-and-hawing (pun fully intended) was just stopping all progress in anything so I needed to just get it done. 

After that, I got the gusset patch put in on my torn grey slops, and I started trimming up and hemming down the interior seams. 

So....a slow start but some signs of steady progress.

On 2/22/2024 at 2:23 PM, michaelsbagley said:

Regarding later shows and bock heels, is it the higher (1-1/2+ inch heel) that bothers? Or would a lower 1/2 to 3/4 inch heel be tolerable? I have gotten later 17th ceentury style shoes perviously with that 1/2-3/4" (ideal for 1660s through 1690s) which would be closer for a 1720s impression, although finding those shoes can be very hit or miss (or more often miss).

 It's honestly a combo of height and shape. I can deal with higher height if it's a narrower heel (perhaps weirdly) or can deal with a square block heel if it's pretty low, maybe a half inch. 

I too figured that they were much too early and wrote them off as an option but then read that they were Williamsburg approved and that got me wondering.....I still haven't been able to find any sources that would place them that late so I wonder on what grounds they put their stamp on them, as I feel like they would have some kind of source 

Happy day!!!

What are general opinions on this style? It's based off finds from the Mary Rose, so documented to much earlier, and they are listed as "colonial Williamsburg" approved which would be later, (but I am not seeing on what they document them to be accurate to their setting), but that doesn't mean that the difference would be split to find these in 1721.

My problem is the block heel that is on most of the shoes here and that I've found might not work great with my weird feet. Something flatter, or at least closer to flatter would probably accommodate my insoles better. 

Also something that dates to earlier would be a way to maximize use of investment as I could use it for other periods as well

I've also found a pair on Etsy that are based off the Vasa finds, which again is early, but they are least have closed sides, that might suit but they are coming from overseas so I'm not as inclined towards purchasing them.

31 minutes ago, madPete said:

😁😁😁

I blame this one.....for the green wool habit specifically but also obsession with historical clothing in general....

on the waist coat topic I am currently ruminating on two different ideas (before I will more then likely pull the trigger and purchase the RH pattern). . .

First, just hack the sleeves off the blue jacket I made. The fit in the shoulders without the sleeves was a little wonky, but the sleeves themselves also aren't anything to write home about. A little snippy snip, a little whip stitch and I could have the whole item knocked off my list, and I still have my black wool frock coat for any cold moments during the event.

Secondly, I already have the RH women's riding habit pattern as it is a bucket list item in my life to someday ride a horse sidesaddle through Hyde Park wearing an inordinate amount of green wool made in just this pattern, but I digress. That pattern happens to have a waistcoat pattern, women's wear of course, but habits were often made to follow the masculine fashion, and mixing pieces is kind of the vibe I've always envisioned. So I am tempted to whip one up on that pattern and see if it works.

Again . . . I know neither of these options ultimate will yield what I want them to, so they more then likely won't be done but I have to think it through, and unfortunately for you all, you have to bear the brunt of my musings.

Progress report; none

Just kidding...plenty of progress in the brain, just not much physically yet. 

Trunk update: 

Handles have been picked, purchased and received. I'm pleased with the choice. A little more ornate then the originals I was trying to match, but general shape and color, and wide enough set that grip concerns are negligible.

I just now need to get up the guts to drill holes in my trunk or wait til the manfolk gets home from his work trip to do the power tool thing. After I get those on I will see how I feel about adding corner brackets and strapping. 

On fabric side, after a fun discussion on discord last week about bags, I'm planning a canvas bag project. I've got a roll of cotton canvas, not great for much but would suit this point well, if not the most accurate fiber for the use in period. Pics below are proof of concept....ignore the weird size, shape, cuts, angles, seams and straps. It was literally a quick and dirty practice round with a scrap I had used to test for shrinkage. But a simple rectangle with two seams (I'll probably do French seams for  strength and fray prevention) with a little flap and a simple strap to sling it various ways seems keeping within period "bag theory". Final version will be wider (and with straighter seams and ironed fabric). I will detail construction once I'm actually working on the final.

Third concurrent project is hemming this flipping purple petticoat. I'm trying to decide between stitch counting concerns should I just break down and do it on my machine and the executive dysfunction that is preventing me from getting cracking on it by hand

If I wanted to be extra fancy I could get the wide format file at that and print it on the wide format at work so.....pirate some of their toner and paper lol

20 hours ago, madPete said:

Reconstructing History RH704 is a versatile pattern. I believe it has instructions for short sailor waistcoat, long waistcoat and sleeved waistcoats. I think she's in Europe now, but when I ordered last time it arrived quickly. There are some resellers too, might even find on eBay.

https://reconstructinghistory.com/products/rh704-1700s-1730s-waistcoats

You know I've looked at this pattern about a dozen times and somehow never actually read the note that it's got the sleeveless and short options lol