FrontierFolk.net

[KMac]

Howdy Neal,

Thanks to the basic outline you gave us, my first shirt is almost finished. I'm copying a basic design using the outline that you posted. Everything is either square or a rectangle just as you stated. I have one question though. The design I am copying has a small square that is sewed to the open top where the collar attaches. Can you explain how that square is supposed to be sewn in? After it is sewn in it looks like a small triangle at the base and on each side of the collar. Do I need to make the split where the collar is attached bigger? I measured the opening at 9 inches but apparently it needs to be slightly longer. Hope that this explanation makes sense. The sleeves, cuffs, attachment point for the sleeves, all went well until I started on that infernal collar. Thanks!

Respectfully,

Ken McWilliams
_________________
Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God

NRA Life Member

[KMac]

[quote="revwartaylor"]Hello Everyone

The topic of shirts seems to be a very common thread throughout the forums here at FrontierFolk.
Neal[/quote]

Howdy Neal,

Thanks! This post alone made joining this forum worthwhile. I am just finishing my first shirt and although I made a few goofs, they were not that hard to fix. The goofs made me realize that most anyone can do this if they just suck it up and jump in with both feet. I bought the cheapest cloth they had that was correct. Osnaburg. I think I spelled that correctly. All told, my new shirt cost me about 15 hours ( perhaps a bit more) of my time and less than $5.00.
It also gave me a new appreciation of what those women who did all of this by hand did for their households. I did use a machine for parts of the first one, but plan to make the next one entirely by hand. To be honest, there are parts of making a shirt that go better by hand anyway. Especially the collar and cuffs.
And I have to thank Julie Hudson who helped me do the reinforcement pieces at the neck! Otherwise my new shirt would not have fit me properly. I'm still letting her make the bigger items for me. My biggest goof was sewing on one sleeve backwards. It looked great except that all of the seams were showing on the left sleeve. My wife then came to my rescue and used a seam ripper to take it off so it could be done again, properly this time. About the gathered sleeve so the cuff will go on, I found that by using a needle and thread that you could run the thread all the way through the material and then pull it to the length that is needed. What you get then is a gathered sleeve. Thanks to your post I learned a lot about sewing cloth and got a neat shirt for my time and a few bucks. Thanks again for a really great post. Any chance that you could do a post about making a waistcoat? And perhaps a list of cloth that would be correct for the era? For example, how wide does the wale on corderoy need to be to be correct? BTW, for those who don't know this trick, if you aren't sure that it's 100% cotton or wool or linen, take a small piece and burn it. If it melts it has synthetic in it.

Respectfully,

Ken McWilliams
_________________
Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God

NRA Life Member

[Riku]

I made this trade shirt.
http://frontierfolk.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=29966
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member of F.E.W.S.
''Inkkari pinkkarit on rauhallista porukkaa mutta rajansa kaikella..........
Toi oli ihan kun Riku! Kohta tulee pataan!"

[rich pierce]

Nice work; I'd be very happy to do as well.

[KMac]

[quote="Wilawane"]I made this trade shirt.
http://frontierfolk.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=29966[/quote]

Great looking stitching. I really like the treatment around the neck opening. I'd call that a class A dress shirt. I must confess that I didn't do that much hand sewing since I wanted the shirt in time for Martin's Station. I used a butternut colored Osnaburg for the one I just finished. But my next one will be completely hand stitched in a dyed green cotton. Has anyone else used natural plant dyes? If so what mordant did you use to fix the dye? Thanks.

Ken
_________________
Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God

NRA Life Member

[virginiaregiment]

Ken,
for most 18thc hunting shirt applications LINEN would be a better choice than cotton. Green was also not a horribly common color to dye linen in the 18thc.
JM

[revwartaylor]

Ok guys im back....more posting to come today...continueing where I left off at. Sorry about this....been very busy
_________________
The Public Advertiser
7-21-1807
Fourth of July, Williamsburg Virginia
"Domestic Manufacture and Hunting Shirts are the best correctives of British Insolence.

[KMac]

Thanks for that reply. If green isn't common, what would be a more common color? How about yellows?

thanks,

Ken
_________________
Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God

NRA Life Member

[Isaac]

[KMac]

Howdy JM,

I have given up on cotton. Forgot to mention that in the last post. It holds water (sweat) and is cold at night. I learned a lot more than I thought at Martin's Station. Linen has already become my first choice in materials, especially for summer wear. Wool may be fine for fall, spring and winter, but linen breathes much better when the heat is on. My next waistcoat will also be made of linen. BTW, if green was not a common color, why are all the Ranger folks wearing it? (or most that I have observed thus far)

Thanks,

Ken
_________________
Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God

NRA Life Member

[KMac]

[quote="Isaac"][quote="KMac"]Thanks for that reply. If green isn't common, what would be a more common color? How about yellows?

thanks,

Ken[/quote]

White... or unbleached (offwhite)

Isaac[/quote]

Thanks Issac,
Forget white! I've already discovered that bleached white was not so common. Off white or natural seems to have been far more common. I already have two white shirts and both are due for a bath in tea or walnut. I am still looking for a good mordant. Any ideas on that?

Thanks,

Ken
_________________
Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God

NRA Life Member

[Isaac]

[Isaac]

[KMac]

[quote="Isaac"][quote="KMac"][ Thanks Issac,
Forget white! I've already discovered that bleached white was not so common. [/quote]

While I agree that offwhite and unbleached is rather common, what makes you think the above (quoted section)?

Isaac[/quote]

I based that on what I was told by a historian (?) that I met at the station.

Ken
_________________
Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God

NRA Life Member

[virginiaregiment]

Ken,