Hunting shirt

[tombear]

I've finally finished it! It must have taken 18 hrs + actually sewing.

Its very rough in places but should be strong enough to use. A few washes will soften it some.

I used too thick linen thread for the button holes so they are quite bulky but what the hell!

I think I need a rest from sewing for a bit!

ATB

Tom

PS still waiting on a 2" double D buckle to go on a belt to go with it. I've since washed and ironed it again and the finish has improved no end, much softer and less crinkled.

 

[tombear]

Bumped as replaced the pics and added new text.

 

[DutchDave]

It's looking great! My Compliments,

 

[Eric_Methven]

What an excellent project.
One good way of softening linen is to simply sleep in it every night for a week. That'll break in the fibres and it'll forever after be much softer.
I'd love to get hold of the pattern for a few minutes so I can copy it onto some dressmaker's tracing paper I picked up at Lidl last week. That shirt would go great with my capote and buckskin pants.
BTW, I have a coyote Daniel Boone fur hat (with face and tail) if'n yer interested in trade.

Eric

 

[tombear]

Hi Eric
I won't be using the pattern again for a loooong time I guess so your welcome to borrow it, drop us a PM with where you want it sent and I'll get it off.

The mother in law got me a nice big piece of russian twill hemp linen which should make a decent pair of drop front trousers when I can find a pattern, and maybe some breeches. At the moment I am using the remains of the flax linen to line a 1.2mm leather snapsack as per the one on page 67 of Pierre Turners excellent "Soldiers Accoutrements of the British army 1750 -1900" except I couldn't afford (or like to be honest) the cowhide with the hair still on. Its just taken me 3 hours just to hand sew the boot pocket to the lining before it goes in. wibble.

I must need therapy as I'm up again in 6 hours now! Sewings bloody addictive!

ATB

Tom

 

[Eric_Methven]

PM on it's way.

Eric

 

[jimcam]

Thats awesome.Some piece of work so it is.Be very proud of the finished item.Fantastic looking.Jim.(Night owl).

 

[Toddy]

Impressive Tom

I have patterns for 18th century fall front britches..........up to a 46" waist iirc.......Believe it or not the National Maritime Museum is the place for those kinds of things. They have a massive collection of officers clothing

cheers,
Toddy

 

[GrowUp-DaveyBoy]

That looks like a great shirt for some trtaditional, but fairly popular activities here in the States --- bow hunting, black powder shooting, certain re-enactments and traditional scoutcraft. Really terriific. You should be proud of how nice that turned out.

 

[tombear]

Thanks folks, kind words are always appreciated!

Unlike some of the stuff I've made I'm hoping to get some use out of the linen hunting shirt, even the kids think it looks good so won't run away and hide if i wear it in public!

After a summers larding up I must be about 46" waist now so If I could maybe borrow the pattern Toddy, pretty please....?

The brass buckles have arrived from the US so the 1 1/4 " sling one is now fitted to the snapsack, which is finished apart from i need to marry the linen liner to the leather outer once all the neatsfoot oil I have rubbed in has dried out some. I know it's not the best thing for the leather in the long term but I wanted it to be as weather proof as I can make it. I'll probably give it a top coat of the tallow and beeswax leather dressing I made a year or so ago. I don't know if its the turpentine or the pine resin i mixed in but to my suprise it hasn't gone off.

I'll get the 2" and 1 and 3/4" belts made up tomorrow, currently they are clamped up and drying out where I wet and folded over the ends to take the buckles.

ATB

Tom

 

[Toddy]

No bother send me a pm with your address and I'll get the pattern into the post on Monday.

atb,
M

 

[tombear]

Cheers! PM sent.
:-{D)

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

I've finished the snapsack

and fitted it with a 18th C type sling buckle so it can be adjusted to either go across the back diagonally or with the strap across the chest around both shoulders as they are sometimes shown, as sort of chest rather than head tumpline.

The inside is lined with the left over flax linen and has a internal pocket which on the origonals would have kept the spare shoes, heel ball and other mucky stuff away from the spare clothes etc.

I had to sew 10 gromets for the draw cod to go through, which were a bit of a pig.

When the neatsfoot oil has dried out some it should go the same colour as the prototype I made from some thicker stuff.

and then I'll polish it up with some of the leather dressing.

I also finished the two belts and gave them their first coats of dressing.

With a haversack and pouches on one of the belts I should have enough carrying capacity for over nighters. How comfortable they are, or aren't I'll discover in due course!.


ATB

Tom

 

[GordonM]

Very excellent, Tom! Nice stuff for good use or a very accurate impression.

Thanks for the inspiration,

Gordy

 

[tombear]

Cheers! :-{D)

having your average modern mans aversion to being wet iIm still puzzling over getting something to use as a waterproof, both while moving and to sleep under/ on.

My own attempts to make oilcloth from linseed oil with some beeswax melted in have never proven satisfactory so i will have to probably buy that in. A poncho would by not in keeping with the period so short of making a cloak I'm a bit stumped. Its something I need to research, which for me is half the fun!

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

Just remembered what is missing from the linen shirt, the hooks and eyes for the neck hole/slit. I did a bit of research and knocked these up from some brass rod from the model shop, I'll sew them on tomorrow (the longer two)

A bit fiddly and I totally misjudged the amount needed for the first two, which are rather small compared with originals.

ATB

Tom

 

[Cromm]

Now that is great work indeed.

 

[tombear]

Just finished the shirt to go under the hunting shirt, unbleached Valencia flax linen, completely hand sewn with lap fell seams except some which were rolled.

It's huge, down to my knees and baggy even on me. I only varied from the Reconstructing History pattern by adding reinforcing bits at the top of the side split and since i'd just seen a article on extant version that had fallen out of a rats nest in a roof that collasped in New England I only put one button on the collar. The possibility of me doing two near identical button holeswas minimal... Perhaps I should get out more...

Next its the period leg coverings.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

which I won't be modelling (pesky restraining orders....)

Made from callico from the Queens Street Mill museum at Burnley as at the time I didn't have any more flax linen and the Reconstructing History pattern advised you practiced on something cheap to start with, which is sound advice as they are a pig to do.

I'm trying to get my head around the instructions for the reinforcing around the knee slits and how the bottom cuffs are finished. I'm not sure if I should make tunnels for the draw cord tapes or what.

The open fly is a bit disconcerting I can tell you!

ATB

Tom

 

[Orcryst]

Really great thread here Tom. The linen hunting shirt looks really great, as does the rest. Is it all for re-enactment or for everyday use? Either way, great stuff. I'd love to have the skill to do something like this.