Breeches help needed

[Captain Pogue]

I was wondering if I could get some help on picking a fabric for my next pair of breeches. I've got a black pair, but I want to go with something lighter, like a dark tan or dark green. I'm looking for something to go with a pair of black boots. Eventually leading to a matching waistcoat...

Despite the boots I want to keep the breeches historically accurate. I'm at a loss for historically accurate colors and fabrics. I've hit the internet and I'm torn between doing a wool or cotton canvas.

Any input would be greatly appreciated, Thanks.

Pantless Pogue

[Kathyrn Ramsey]

I personally would go with the Dark Tan. And have them from the heavy canvas. You can use the wool, but I find the canvas a we bit cooler and easier to throw in the wash.

[Patrick Hand]

Despite the boots I want to keep the breeches historically accurate. ...I'm torn between doing a wool or cotton canvas.

If "historically accurate" is just the propper "cut" of the breaches, then cotton is much cheaper.....

But.......cotton wouldn't be period.....wool, linen or hemp is correct.....

Unfortunatly.... hemp is going for about $15.00 a yard, and it take about two yards to make a pair.......

You could go with wool if you want a matching waistcoat.....

look up the slops contract thread in Twill, for more information.....

[Jack Roberts]

I agree with Mr. Hand. If its just the "cut" of the breeches, then cotton will be fine.

I myself am going to be making a couple of pairs here soon. (Kass, here I come.) I want to at least one of them out of hemp canvas and the other out of

linen canvas.

If your feeling froggy and adventurous, you could dye the fabric any color you want. That is more work though. Just my 2 cents.

[Captain Midnight]

I'd go with the canvas, myself. It's tough, cool, and when it's dirty, just throw it in the washing machine. I think either color would be nice, but the brown would be my first choice.

[Captain Pogue]

Thanks for your help guys. I really appreciate it. Now I gotta track down some fabric and buttons

[Patrick Hand]

Are you planning on making a pair of knee breaches, slops or trousers ?

And are you planning on compleatly machine sewing them, or machine sewing the inside seams, and hand finishing all the visible seams (very common among all but the most rabid reenactors,) or hand sewing them?

If you can draft a pattern, then you will want to check out Gentleman Of Fortune's web page.....

http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/Justaucorps.htm

Right above the pictures of him in a Purple Justaucorps are two links to period patterns.... but you have to do some fiddling with them to make them work.... (these are what I use to make slops or trousers.... I just change the width of the legs.....)

If you don't know how to draft a pattern, you should check out Kass's web page....

http://www.reconstructinghistory.com/index...hp?c=1&w=38&r=Y

Where she sells patterns, and fabric.....

Now I gotta track down some fabric and buttons

Unless you need some Pyrate garb "right now"..... I'd suggest taking a little more time to figure out exactly what you want....check out Twill, etc.... If you are "set" on making them outta cotton, no problem..... but if in the back of your mind there is that nasty voice telling you that linen or hemp or wool would be better........

Right now, my slops and trousers are cotton canvas..... but I'm about to order some hemp and re-make them right......

[Captain Pogue]

Patrick,

Where do you get hemp canvas? How does it wear compared to cotton canvas; is it hotter than cotton canvas? Does it need to have a lining? How does twill compare to both?

I really don't know the paticulars of the fabrics to make a good decision. I'm currently in Texas looking at moving to Portland, so temperature is an issue.

I'm not in any big hurry. I've got a seamstress that is going to go off of my current knee breeches (C&D Jarnagin Co.) , so it'll probably be machine sewn.

Thanks for all the input,

PP

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Lets not forget linen either, cool too wear and historically correct.

you can also google hemp canvas or hemp fabric and find something.

GoF

[michaelsbagley]

Patrick,

Where do you get hemp canvas? How does it wear compared to cotton canvas; is it hotter than cotton canvas? Does it need to have a lining? How does twill compare to both?

I really don't know the paticulars of the fabrics to make a good decision. I'm currently in Texas looking at moving to Portland, so temperature is an issue.

I'm not in any big hurry. I've got a seamstress that is going to go off of my current knee breeches (C&D Jarnagin Co.) , so it'll probably be machine sewn.

Thanks for all the input,

PP

Well I'm not Patrick, but I just learned this little bit of info a short time ago from someone here in this forum.

Canvas has two threads twisted together in one direction, and a single thread going across the two threads and is done in a simple weave.

Twill fabrics have two seperate threads going in one direction, and then one (or two) seperate threads going in the opposite direction, and is woven in a more complex manner than canvas.

There are probably more complexities that could be explained, but this is the short version of the answer.

As for how different does hemp canvas wear from cotton canvas.... Having not ever used hemp canvas I can only guess... But I would guess it would start out being stiffer than cotton canvas, but hemp would eventualy soften up as nicely. Hemp canvas would probably last longer and be more durable. This is just a guess, so please do not take this as gospel, I'm sure there are plenty of folks here that could provide information based on experience rather than theoretic guesses.

[Captain Pogue]

After reading all yout input I'm leaning towards hemp canvas. Thank you all again for your help. Keep yer wits about ya, I might be asking some more questions.

Reconstructing History - Hemp Canvas

Pantless Pogue

[Patrick Hand]

Captain Pogue.....

I might be asking some more questions.

Ain't that the idea..... ask questions an' figure this stuff out.......

I made first garb outta cotton.... but now I'm re-sewing it outta hemp and linen...(and wool)

ye can be stuborn like I am.... or can get a buncha good information from thoes that have alrady "learned" how to do it.......

so just go ahead... ask th' stupid questions....

'cause we love them.. we ask them ourselved..... dang... we are all learning....

[Captain Jim]

What Patrick said. That and don't decide to save money by making period correct patterns with incorrect cloth to "save money" as you will then have to remake everything over again because, face it, if you didn't care you wouldn't be using correct patterns in the first place.

[Jack Roberts]

Ditto with Capt'n Jim. If you didn't care about being historically correct, you might as well make some draw string pants out of some dollar a yard material you got on sale at Wal Mart.

[Lady Alyx]

Man you couldn't even wear materials to any events in Cali...you'd bake yourself.

I made my boyfriend some new ones..just altered a harem pants pattern and made them to length just below the knees and then put in drawstrings in the waist and at the knees length. Added some pockets sewed some really cool vintage looking buttons at the knee drawstring opening. I bought some kind of polyester/cotton blend at the cheapy fabric store. The material was black with very very thin stripes of purple (alternating thin stripes of black and purple. You can only tell there are stripes if you look very closely. They look great with his black shirt.....cause black on black is kinda boring. If you look at Jack Sparrow pants they have stripes...seems I see that alot. Thin stripes.

Not historical but who is going to inspect at a Pyrate/ Ren Faire..lol

[Patrick Hand]

Man you couldn't even wear materials to any events in Cali...you'd bake yourself.

That is why you want to use natural fibers..... wool... linen or Hemp.... (and cotton)

OK.... Wearing my wool jacket in Southern California or Florida (PiP) is too hot..... but without the jacket, the rest on my garb is comfortable ......

A flashy synthitic Justicorp (coat) may look nice.... but you will roast even quicker than with heavy wool......

Something else to consider.... if your going to be using black powder weapons..... natural fibers don't melt like synthetics do.......

[Lady Alyx]

Some blends I find cooler than heavy cotton.