Hunting shirt

[tombear]

Cheers! What I'm hoping to do is some period treking rather than reenactment as such, to see what camping/travelling/bushcraft was back in the 18th C, a period I am becoming increasingly interested in, especialy with regards to the colonial frontiers.

The linen shirt is actually getting worn quite a lot as its very comfortable, especially around the house as its long enough to wander about in minus trousers...

I've just finished the drawers


I

When I make the linen version I'm going to make them a little shorter and fit a proper fly so they can be worn as outer ware as well as underpants as they are remarkable comfortable, coming way up high compared with modern underwear. Ok I look a complete plonker but what the hell!

ATB

Tom

 

[Orcryst]

Cheers! What I'm hoping to do is some period treking rather than reenactment as such, to see what camping/travelling/bushcraft was back in the 18th C, a period I am becoming increasingly interested in, especialy with regards to the colonial frontiers.

.....

The linen shirt is actually getting worn quite a lot as its very comfortable, especially around the house as its long enough to wander about in

That is a superb idea, one that i've actually thought about in the past but never really seen it as a feasible endeavor until now.

The linen shirt does indeed look very comfortable, top class on all accounts Tom

 

[rik_uk3]

There are some American sites that specialise in 18th c re-enactment, perhaps you'd be better off looking at them than asking here as those guys really go for it and have a greater deapth of knowledge than we do I would think.

 

[tombear]

I do frequent various sites overseas but since I am in the uk and it is here where I I am collecting the kit together and will be using it and it is the British traditions that most interest me it is UK sites that have so far provided me with most useful information.

There seams to be quite a high cross over between reenactment, experimental archeology and for want of a better term bushcraft and from the feed back I have received here and at other sites I see a growing interest in our native outdoor skills as opposed to those of other cultures which have already quite a following.

Heres some of the sites I've been getting information from so far.

http://www.historicaltrekking.com/

http://www.northwestjournal.ca/

http://frontierslivinghistory.tripod.com/

http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/

http://www.tcha.mus.in.us/costume.htm

http://www.18cnewenglandlife.org/mens.htm

http://www.crazycrow.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=CCTP

http://www.cg-tinsmith.com/index.htm

http://www.csmid.com/trek.html


The first three have been particularly useful.

The American sites have a tendency to be particularly interested in the black powder element which isn't my thing and some of the reenactment ones can go on about developing a "persona" (and can be a bit dodgy about historical accuracy) but most are very good for what I am after. Which is fair enough as that is what they are for and I am just feeding off their research after all.

My next big project will be the breeches once I have the spare cash for the Reconstructing History fly front breeches pattern, unless I can borrow one to trace the pieces.

ATB and thanks for the input

Tom

 

[stovie]

Crackin' work throughout, Tom...you have my admiration..

What you need to do is a set of photos with each item of clothing being modelled...All in the best possible taste (of course)...

Perhaps Bushcraft Betty could accomodate??? Now there's a thought, an 18th C BB picture....Biker, get sketching

 

[tombear]

Cheers! Most of it is done late at night after the kids are abed and a dim view is taken on me hammering and drilling things!

Betty would look a hell of a lot better in it than me and thats a fact! I've taken to wearing bits of it about the house and garden to get used to it and worn in. Oddly (and it is) when I turned up to pick the kids up from school (I nice sweaty up and down valley walk) in the linen hunting shirt no one noticed (or at least was too polite to laugh, which will do me) I suppose being rural they are used to Swannis and stock coats etc.

Although its up elsewhere heres some of the other period kit I have assembled so far. Not shown is the belt pouch I did a week or so back and the gorgeous Smoke and Fire Whitney blanket capote which saddly they have had to stop making.

ATB

Tom

PS Especial thanks to Toddy for all the sewing advice!

 

[treadlightly]

Thanks for posting those links Tom. Although I have no expertise and therefore no chance of following in your footsteps and making stuff, I find your projects inspirational.

 

[tombear]

You should realy have a go. Apart from the odd repair I'd never sewn until I started on this kick. I think the first thing I made was either the blanket shirt thats on another thread, or part of the Saxon costume the middle son wanted mentioned on this one.

The tricks of it seem to be,
Don't be affraid to ask for help
Use good patterns and leave plenty of seam allowance, you can always trim it off later.
Use plenty of chalk lines, they wash off and make life oh so much easier. Its very easy to wander off when hand sewing.
Don't hurry and if you start making a pigs ear of a piece leave it and start again another day.

Charity shops will provide a suprising amount of materials.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

Hi folk
the 2 quart brass kettle arrived and I'm chuffed to bits with it

The only not quite right thing about it is that the lugs for the handle would have been more likely to have been made of sheet brass than cast brass, which was common later on but thats no biggy and can be rectified easy enough.

Since it will soon get blackened I made a case from the last bits of linen left from making the hunting shirt and the last bit of linen thread I had in the house. I made it plenty big enough so it could be folded inside to protect the tinning from whatever I store inside it.

In the same package came two made in India horn combs that I will make leather cases for when time and materials permit.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

I've started on the next item, probably the most difficult bit, the breeches.

I've cut out the parts (in the embarrasingly large size)

The outside will be natural coloured Russian Drill 100% hemp, the lining the Irish Linen herself scored in Manchester and the pockets from the remains of the unbleached flax linen I made the shirt from. Tomorrow i should get a bunch of bone and horn buttons from these guys

http://www.twojs.me.uk/HornItems.htm.

I have e-mailed the patterns designer to see if they have some photos of finished breeches as I am having trouble getting my head round the instructions, mainly as I'm self taught and new to this. Unfortunately looking at their site they are at various fairs this week and next so I may have a wait.

I've been wanting to try breeches for walking or a while, I have a pair of Rohan ones picked up on spec years ago which are too small for me and some lovely cord barbour ones I got just before I fell off the side of Feartherbed Moss, was on crutches for 6 months and porked out, so they have never been worn!

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

Got this far with the breeches

Going to fit them, do any alterations, button holes etc tomorrow,

Herself is about a third of the way through a Monmouth museum type cap for me to go with.

ATB

Tom