lady constance

fellow sewers.......... got a weird question for you.......... since wool only stretches one way, when you cut 'on the grain' / going with the grain for a sleeve, when you get to the top of the sleeve to fit into the arm hole, there will be quite a bit of stretch.... considering that the sleeve for many jackets of this era ARE CURVED, what do you all find your fabric ends up doing where you have obviously have end that are so near the BIAS of fabric??????????????? should one place it on the fabric so that the TOP of the sleeve that will insert into the jacket IS CUT ON THE GRAIN? { and care little for the rest of the sleeve being cut on the grain? i am using a suiting weight of 100% wool....... just for my trial patterns fitting.......and having a devil of a time since really the top of the sleeves are basically being cut on the bias when you come to sewing....... remember that we are working with a sleeve that is curved to the shape of the arm ............yah know it has a curve to where the elbow actually is on the person......... i am bamboozled......... there HAS to be a trick to this..... do i need to place the pattern peice to a certain angle so i dont hit the bias part/ angle the fabric naturally exhibits? if so, what degree? lady constance

Lady Brower, wooo hooo!! that you live so close to that many events!! yah know, i have to admit that i DO like the creative process about re enacting ... and garb making..... and to look at older garments from different time periods, i often wonder what their thought process involved... why did they construct a garment this way verus that? why are the seams on the arms so different than nowadays?...and i am sure that much had to do with the width of the loomed fabric... i often think about what particular kind of math did they teach back then because there is formulaic way we can see things were done.... when i was making my first couple of shirts, i could see the math.... it was like euclidean geometry... squares, triangles,rectangles...like some stone mason tried to teach a tailor to lay a floor but instead chose fabric....and i thought , if only a mosaic maker would have taught sewing instead of a stone mason!!---it seams { LOL} that they were afraid of curves..... and how can that be? think of flying buttresses! think of ogives in building construction-- they KNEW the strength of curves and the weight bearing faculities.....but never applied it to sewiing.......stumps me why that is so....yet there is no cross over in other applications and use!! have yah heard of margo anderson? she has designed a series of patterns for re enacting... many different time eras.... alot of detail and accuracy....she has a fabulous website and reading her blog entries cracks me up.... anyway--i natter on....{ imagine that} as of late, the 8 year old has taken the notion of wanting to sew... and use the machine... she is actually piecing scraps of her oldest brothers fake fur and attempting to make herself a wolf costume....sewing all the scraps together...i am delighted by her interest and motivation.... perhaps i have another "kass" on my hands... and i do everything to promote and fuel it.... lady constance

Lady Brower, i simply LOVE LOVE your additions to the patterns that you amended to make period correct!-- having done that a few times { and plans to quite a few more things!! as i listed} you have done very well.....and i really like your initiative and drive and ability to do these things!! so---what pirate festival thingy are you and your dear husband going to attend wearing your fine garb? blackbeard fest there in VA? and i sense that i scared you with my frustration rant.... i am so sorry.i will think 3 times before writing out my feelings again. and Michael...i too must ask you to forgive me for causing you discomfort and pain too.. i am sorry. even at my grand old age of 44, i am still learning to say what i mean and not say it mean. my promise is that i will think 3 times before voicing my frustrations... i will look within and make sure i have thought out in entirety the entire issue.... peace and joy, lady constance

i dont hate/ malign/slander/ calumniate/ gossip about people..........i wont and have not nor will i ever, EVER say ill of a person.........we must seperate the " deed " from the " deeds creator/author/inventor"........ i beg of you to consider NOT crossing that line in your mind that says""" to notice the faults of an object means that it has ANYTHING to do with the PERSON who made the said object.......'''''' a reference to a material objects lacking qualities has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PERSON WHO CREATED IT! nor is it a reference to, or judgement of the person who created it........ think LOGIC........ but am i to assume we cannot address false/ lies/ false claims or faulty products? am i to assume we cannot address ISSUES we are having.....with MATERIAL OBJECTS that have no soul or living as a being? { going metaphysics here!!} products versus their creators............ people versus deeds....... if a child hits another child or destroys an object, we dont "hate" the child, we are not even disgusted with the child-- WE "HATE" THE bad BEHAVIOUR!" { consider the difference between the two thoughts!!} if we run across a make and model of car that simply does not perform well, we certainly dont reccomend that another person purchase that make and model of car { perchance do you know anything about corvairs?}........why would we want to see that person suffer? and if the faults of windows 95 was not made manifest and addresssed, would there BE windows 98? windows xp? windows vista? the patterns offence is one of OMISSION... not of commission..... it is not what is there that is offensive, it is what is NOT there...it is what it lacks , not what it possess....... what has this to do with the CREATOR / AUTHOR/ MAKER of the pattern?? quite simply, this has nothing nothing nothing to do with the maker of this pattern....... perhaps that was not so clear.... i shall re-read my post and see where i erred in transmission of verbal information that could have been miscontrued as such....... pretty clear MY frustration... YAH i have good verbal skills.... i will try to remember my responsibility to use MORE words, and MORE clearly!!... i sure hope this clears things up.... PAX, lady constance and if ever there is a decision between being "right "or being""" LOVING""", i CHOOOOOOSE to be LOVING.....which often brings one to ask " truly, what IS loving?"... indulgence? over protecction? honesty with love? aiiyyy the work of a lifetime...

HEY SILAS... i got some jugs you can make a covering for!!!--- and a booty too!!! any one want to see the hemp bikini silas' is working on??????????? see-- if ever silas looses his day job, he will strike it rich making hemp bikinis to sell online for piratical folks!! wench constance.... errr i mean lady constance........

!!!!&*%^_)*&%^V(*M_)R#^%(_+_((*&^^$#@!!!!!!!!!!!! SIGH!!!!!!! well-- the RH patterns that my loving husband ordered have NO marking lines that said newer patterns are supposed to now have-- meaning lady constance must reinvent AND redraft a 30 freaking dollar pattern!!!!! silas is determined to make it work... i suggested cutting the arm hole bigger at the armpit end of the fronts and backs and just keep cutting it til the darn sleeve ACTUALLY FITS into the hole!!!!!!!!!!! we are just hissing about having to do the work that OUGHT to come with a 30 dollar pattern............ SCREW THAT!!! i went and got out my jack sparrow costume pattern, traced onto one inch square drafting material and adjusted for the sleeve shape-- i am drafting on lower arms correct shaping-- because the TOP OF the arm holes from jack sparrow costume WORK!!! i have peiced this jacket together about 4 times.......I SIMPLY redrafted the shape of the bottom and elbow--and added slanted side vents to the bottom of the jacket.........it is cut out of a summer weight wool in dark gray/ almost black with a slight basket weave pattern of differing darker colored threads. lining too, of linen that i shall dye...... i HIGHLY reccomend that jack sparrow pattern-- take agooooooooooooooood long look at the sleeves... ABSOLUTE PERIOD CORRECT sleeve seaming{ seams on the sides of the arms}......... you do have to adjust the bottom of the sleeves for a more correct GaOP time period.. but good God, { and He is very good!!!}--save yourself purgatory time and fleeting thoughts of knowing that anger and impatience ARE slight reminders of what hell is going to be like---NEVER ENDING FEELINGS OF ANGER AND IMPATIENCE!!!!!!!! hell for me would be a RH pattern and having to make 20million jackets with THOSE patterns and having to make them fit!!!!!!!!!!!! { vent!} and then, i was looking at my other patterns..... i have a matrix long coat pattern pattern{ think parish priest cassock pattern }that i can make the gunnister jacket out of........ shorten--- instead of long . combo of gunnister and quintfall hill jacket.......... absolute perfect match.... i will have to trace the pattern peices together as 2 piece converted to one piece front and a make the back from a 2 peice to a one piece .... and simply recut the sleeves to make the seams like those of GaOP........ ...poor silas...i told him i NO longer wish to know any more about what HELL must feel like than i have already expereinced trying to use those RH patterns........ i am soooooooooo glad that you ALLLLLLLLLL wrote about wool......THANK YOU! from the bottom of my heart..... know what i think? i think we need to plan a sewing convention............ find some place in the middle of where we all live... meet there and share and sew and get everyones stuff done.......THAT IS WHAT I THINK.......!! so-- what say you all??????? where is the middle of all of us? lady constance

fabrics DO have a name-- but i suppose that only if you are in the design and fashion industry would one knows its correct name... meaning, those of us to love hancock fabrics and jo annnes have to know the fabric names/contents and weave better than the people who work there!--if only they would give us the genus species type of info!! { have a lovely book on textiles from good will that describes the process-- old one and new ones-- it even gives electron micrscope pics of the real cotton. wool/ silk/ linen threads and the new viscose, polyester, rayon--- VERY INTERESTING! it speaks of looms-- the many types varieties and so on.... it is realy the history of fabric all in one concise volume!!} i bought 8 yards of boiled wool { this crud must have been made in china, not napping it as wel as it could have been}.. i washed it and dried it-- did not lose too much as far as yardage....but NEVER in my life have i ever seen a dryer SPIT lint FLUFF.... shop vac'ing it out will have to be done...!! { i could make PAPER with this fluff!!--get out my paper making stuff!!} going to use it anyway.....it seems sturdy and period correct........???????? now it is the pattern-- RH.........the sleeves are throwing me fits!--i have done it in a 55 linen 45 cotton{ comments not wanted as to PC subject--i am doing the piratical thing of using what is on hand--scabbard in hand to those with less than nice words,caustic words}, and my intention was to make one, and then use it for lining the real wool one { sew it inside out for the lining}........ i have even flat felled the linen ones seams......ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!-- now i DO have expereince with sleeves having to match the correct arm hole........ and my markings are true to the pattern........ WHAT IN GODS NAME AM I DOING WRONG? i am beginning to think it is the pattern and not the seamstress....nope i KNOW....... can some one add WORDS to explain the process???????? Mickey-- i know you have used the RH pattern for such { and i note, we did make the sleeves larger size as instructed by fellow users} and Patrick, i like that you made your own pattern...i intended to do the same, but my dearest husband saw fit to order the Rh pattern hoping to releive my adjusting the butterick pirates of teh carribean pattern......any advice?

i was wondering specifically WHAT kind of wool you all purchase for sailors short jackets, womens mantuas, skirts.....i am lookig for its name!!!! melton? pickney? boiled? i bought boiled wool for sailors jackets { and found out WHERE i bought it from is HERE where we LIVE--- i DO plan on marching to their doors and seeing if they will allow me to SEE and purchase and save myself 10 bucks shipping across 6 LOCAL zip codes......... i just cant even imagine using a wool suiting for a sailors short jacket--- am i wrong in this assumption?......... summer weight- OR- winter weight { actually have not seen winter weight wool here in my locale in YEARS......... and also wondering, has anyone lined a sailors jacket with summer weight wool? { i can see doing that ! looks fab in my minds eye} and ONE more question--- period blankets of wool-- any particular fashion of binding the edges? stitch type? { blanket stitch i am guessing} thank all of you for reading this...

and i thank you , THANK YOU lady souris! i can barely make out the pleating{my problem!}--- is it angled on the sides of the gown , yet straight down the back?--- AND you too, a fabulous job sewing!!! jolly goood job! lady constance

the back and fronts are attached currently..... please note the bellshape of the back pattern peice----do you all have a curve like this to the sides of the front pieces and back of the gown? for the folds/draping ? or do you have wedge shaped pieces that are inserted between front and back panels?{ for drape/folds/ curving of the gown } and i might even try box pleating the sides...... kind of a v shaped box pleat.. narrow at the top and v'ed off towards the bottom........... and then sewing on an elipse under the underside that cannot be seen........ i do definitely need a body double of the hips.....and thebumm roll and all the underskirts on......arghhhhhhh..... { i keep telling myself this is fun-- and i am learning all the way..........all the time..........

sorry ladies-- i have not gotten silas to upload my pics....{ sorry the camera and photo bucket are beyond my skills--actually they are beyond my limited amount of time to post on the web.... dont know if i am slow learner, or out of guilt, cant ignore my kids/ families pressing needs... easier to let silas have the time and me manage other issues!!} i took an elizabethan pattern for a dress, placed the pieces on pattern drafting 1 inch blocked square material... then i used some ideas from pattern making for theater for cut of skirt shape added to the elzabethan dress pattern...nad from janet arnold and nora waugh....... actuallly i am wondering if instead of my bellshaped curve for the skirt cut if it should be the opposite direction concave versus convex for the proper draping........ i am working in junk fabric { half linen/ half cotton} and just baste stitching... i promise to beg silas to post them....... sendhim a PM tellinghim to do so { there are soooooooooo many ways to skin a cat!!} Lady Brower------- you freaking amaze me!! why do yah have to live so darn far away.... and HOW long have you been sewing???????? you are a marvel! i want your sewing skills!! import them to me! LOL..... capn sterlin--- how about some of he mantuas you have made for your daughter? cheeky--- please post close ups of the back... PRETTY please! kate souris--- post teh back of that lovely mantua yah just finished! PLEASE! LADY constance

Lilly--- THEY ARE GORGEOUS!! you did a fabulous job! and i got quite alaugh reading ' done before centuries end........' oh how i know that sentiment well!!! lady constance

kate and cheeky and lady brower.... can all of you upload a pic fo the back side ofyour mantuas? working on a pattern from a dress and added extra material for the gathering it needs to be mantua.... i box pleated center back and then the sides... not draping the way i like... undid said stitching and left center back box pleat and then box pleated again -- enclosed a larger box pleat around the center back one.......... FABULOUS DISCOVERY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR MAKING THE FABRIC HOLD THE MOONSHAPED DRAPING with the frontmoonshaped pleats----- the mantu seems to be draping/ hanging the way woodcuts and art work depicts them hanging.... oh happy fault!! { well aint that a catholic[sic* universal*] thought}.......... i am just soooooooooooo delighted with the result of my happy mistake!! but perhaps my eyes are once again playing tricks on me...{ i just had eye exam today-- } can you all { and anyone else who has mantua} show the BACK of the gown ???????? thank you all in advance.....

ayyyee cheeky... thee dost so make the dress look stunning! can we be seeing the back of the mantua? { groveling at your feet for such said pictures} good job i say, good job! very fine needlework and the colour is so flattering.... someday i shall be as good as all the rest of you... i would settel for passable... progress and process.... i dare say that hanging with the likes of you all, it is good for me and my reputation.... THANK GOD! lady constance

ohhhhhh and welcome billiesdarling! cant yah see the grog i poured for thee? swill it rite down adn speak up on all issues! welcome to the pub! lady constance

well---i am a good will hoe! was just tehre today no luck-- BUT I DID find a piece of 100 silk in a pale blue, a wool skirt i can chop for stays and a funky patterned skirt for an awesome stomacher.... now if silas would get off the bernina..... { he bemaking slops into breeches... fun to watch! he maybe attacked later tonight!} lady hoe

hmmm as i have a whole passal of children, i can attest to them having imaginary friends.. as in i just sat on and squashed their little friend.......... over the years there have been wolfie, benji ,woody,pincess, ping-ooowh{ the most ANNOYING imaginary friend ever! it only SQUAKED... and i had to serve as interpreter}, stikly, turt.... right now the 4 year old has honey bunny...a stuffed littel bunny that is about the size of a real bunny of 2 months....but when honey bunny cannot be found, honey bunny is on adventure....eating socks and dirt lumps left of the floor " noooo momma! dat for hunee bunneee! no sweep his food off foor!" honey bunnee eats bees and spits out fluff when he does not like what you are doing...... i find the children often conjure/ find an imaginary play friend when real ones are so unsatisfactory... the imaginary friend is more than willing to do what the child wants, play what the child wants and not excessively bossy at all....infact they are perfect in a world that is less than perfect to childs sense of fairness and loving concern and attention.... and i have fixed more pb&j's , extra cookies and snacks for imaginary friends over the years.. yes i indulge my childrens imagination... and these creatures can alos be sent into time out and into the corner right along with the offending child yes, i had a few-- although i think she was all the same person-- she just changed her name as i grew-- as i got smarter and older so did she! crazy as it sounds, i think all along it has been one of my gaurdian angels..... does the book you are reading address indigo children? teh concept? very interesting mission...... thanks for sharing....

..........runs screaming from computer........... cant take it anymore....!! i love to fabric shop--even online,but CANNOT find blanket weight wool anywhere!! maybe i dont know what i am looking for? what it is called? as the dh and a few sons are going to ohio , i was asked if i could purchase wool to make and use for blankets.......{ asking me to buy? what are yah kidding? thought it would be an easy task!! AU CONTRAIRE! can some one direct me to a source.. and tellme what i am looking for... pickham is what i think i am looking for.. the weight and drape.... or loden.... [ but i dont necessarily want it all in green} thanks in advance... and if anyone has quite a bit of yardage, and is willing to sell, let me know.. lady constance

the tails could be added to a ladys mantua neck line or the bottom of the skirt... maybe on the of ladies here would love to embellish her clothing......... or what the heck be pirate cross dresser.......

Cheeky-- you simply MUST give tutorials on hairdos for the Gaop---{ please, please, pretty gorgeous please!!} all the caps i have seen online are simply wretched!!! having seen you and met you, i KNOW you know this stuff....and WELLLL do you know this!! tis the fru fru stuff i am soooooooo into!!! ***************************************************** as far as second skin models---> ahh yes the dh loves to wrap me in cello wrapping.. and then somehow, he simply cant bear to put the duct tape on after that.......but there is something rather appealing to my help when we are talking about a t shirt that must be pasted to me..... and having to sit there as it dries.... { hot blow driers aid the process!!} wood glue HARDENS!! linen strips and muslin strips work well.... infact you can semi dry each peice as they are applied... { aids drying time} ********************************************************* capn sterling--- darling, i donot beleive there are any such *easy* directions for anything made from historical garments....so i doubt any one could hold that against ye, cap'n....nay - no one! ********************************************************* Lady Brower----- ah yes --real life some how does get in the way of sewing projects!! peace and plenty of project time hoped for all of you! lady constance

Lady Brower.... please accept my apologies for thinking that your mantua was not split open down the front!!{ scheduling eye appointment tomorrow!!-- i was wrong-- sorry m' lady! and all of this talk of how the mantuas sleeves are set in........... argh!!! i know not the method of which you all speak... i saw only ONE pattern that a mantua was cut from whole cloth..... and it was for a shirt jacket length mantua { riding gently over the hips and covering half of the buttocks area.... and i beleive it was on costumers manifesto.... and in the mantua garments construction using 21 century technology and knowing of ways, with all the box set pleating of a mantua, i see no reason why i cant make 2 halves of back and the joining together of the back hidden under the center back box pleat { as there area a series of box pleats}......infact, if one cuts as such, one could then more easily DO the arms and back half as one piece..........fabric width at least 54! preferably 60inch! observing RH patterns, these patterns do not seem to allow to have major yardage of fabric for porper lay of the mantua as i have seen in art work--- and wood cut pics...........so i suppose that i prefer the rich look instead of every day.... i can say though that for my persona ,i will contruct a shorter cut mantua.... cooking over an open fire would be a night mare in large mantua.......{and i cannot resist cooking at events...another of my loves!!}--- altrhough my dearest husband says he can and will model the mantua for me to get the folds to lay just right... ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh-----and have i got an idea for you all as far as making a model casting of yourself to place/ fit garments on...... comes from my oldest boy who also costumes........ he amazes me--- !!! WOOD GLUE AND STRIPS/ SHIRT on skin tight til dries { wear plastic garbage bag}...strand sit infront of fan or add quick paint drying agent..... CUT OFF when dry---- then you close it by , get this---- LACING-- stuff it with whatever-- mount on pole -- lady constance

the more and more looking i do at 18th century stays, i find that there are MANY MANY differnt extant examples for us to see!! i have seen so many that lace both front and back...... and would i be correct in assuming that if it laced front and back, it would have more than likley been worn by common folk? { who had no servants to lace them up?} would you agree? please redeem my ignorance......... cheeky sent me a link to www.laracorsets.com ........... there are quite a few there tht are close.... many examples to look thru! her pricing is moderate.... if only i could get away from a few womans jobs here at home ..... ahh duty before pleasure! lady constance

ayyyyyyyy...valentines causes quite a few storms even this century!!LOL.... actually in all fairness to men, there is a rare holiday on march 29th i believe.... it is truly a mans holy day.. i mean holiday.... steak and BJ day.........{ do i need type the latin/ medical term fellat_ _ } of course, being pirates, i say it is a monthly thing... just assign any random day you desire to make your beloved's day........ lady constance { there is a reason for my no longer being just an indentured slave, but a" lady" now!

WHY, cap'n......... what are ya doing looking at such womens fripperies??? i suppose your mistress wont attend to your affairs as proper like her place to do is! i can see why yah 'ave so many loves...... none of em do as ye ask them!!-- i tell you stop spoiling them with baubles and trinkets... and defintely NO affection til their behaviour is more proper of ye well trained misresses i suppose lady brower forgot to mention that she is also making a stomacher-- so ye shant see her stays! shooo shoo-- out of the ladies privit spaces..........!! lady constance

Kate, perhaps my eyes are not so well today.......... i cannot see any seperation at all.......... Lady Brower, i f i am wrong, please say so that i may issue you groveling galore for my eyes ineptness!! thank God, i know Lady Brower will address issues with me , if i insult , hurt, or wound her....or have my eyes screwed on crooked............. and Kate......... so glad you joined the topic!! and how is your mantua going? any recent pics? al of you gals are suchhhhhhhhhh inspiration for me to keep trying to wreck gorgeous wads of fabric! HA HA HA lady constance