Owertrooser keeper-uppers

[Nomad]

Went to Fife Country today and bought me a hat (a Hoggs of Fife 'Indiana' in waxed cotton). While there, I also bought a pair of Hoggs waxed cotton overtrousers (as well as some other stuff). I was impressed with the way the trousers actually fitted me almost perfectly, but noted that the elasticated waist and adjuster straps will do nothing to stop them sliding down my backside (as almost all overtrousers tend to do, especially if your waist size is about the same as your hip size). So, I grabbed some webbing, went to the sewing machine, and did this...

2" webbing up the back, and 1" over the shoulders. The tri-glide buckles are set fairly high so that they don't get under rucksack belts and the like. I'll probably trim the 1" straps back a bit once I've worn them in anger. Sewing the straps on, especially the wide one, needed some care because I was fighting with the elastic in the waistband. The original adjuster straps were sewn through the elastic, so I kept them on and just stretched the back section straight so that there would be no bunching under the webbing. The front straps were fitted right next to the front parts of the waist adjusters, and stretching next to those was easy.

No measurements were taken. I just guesstimated the length of the 2" strap - sewed it on, put the trousers on, and ran the strap up my back and picked a height. The join is quite high up on the back (at the lower end of the shoulder blades) for two reasons: I don't want a lump lower down where a ruscksack is more likely to be in contact, and I wanted the 1" straps to branch out quite high to reduce the chance of them sliding off the shoulders. I pinned the 1" webbing in place for a trial fit and to get a (generous) length and angle for those straps. Once happy, a line or two of chalk, pins out, and sew them on. There was some excess 2" webbing at the top, so I turned it over to get a neater finish. With that done, I unpicked the original waist adjuster straps. They feel really good and the straps stay in place. The positions for the front fixings was chosen carefully to ensure that the straps didn't run over my shirt pockets.


I recently discovered that my sewing machine can do bar-tacks if I set it to zig-zag and a very short stitch length, so I went all bar-tack with this...

Here's the outside of the Y-join with the extra bit of webbing folded over (a 1/4" bar-tack to hold it down...

I'm thinking on ways to blouse the hems around my boots, but haven't decided on how yet. The trousers are fully lined with polyester, and the hem is just some thin fabric tape over the cut ends of the cotton and polyester. I'm debating whether to just turn them up a little, or maybe sew on some fabric tape to make a channel. Another way is a bit of webbing on the outside and some Velcro, but I'm not keen on that (too prone to getting full of dirt).

 

[Toddy]

Very practical if somewhat bombproof set of galluses there
Nae dreepy breeks there then

Cut trousers to length + about 2cms. Turn up and used iron on seam tape (the stuff that's inside water proof jackets) You can always iron on top of a teatowel to make sure the iron doesn't stick to the trousers or tape.
For security I'd stitch through the tape and turn up too, but depending on how well the tape sticks, it might not be necessary.
I know a beater who swears by the reinforced clear duct tape for the job; me ? I stitch

atb,
M

 

[British Red]

Nice braces - very practical.

Next time I would add a bit of leather at the end on each strap and button them onto the trousers - more traditional, easier for washing, can be swapped to other trousers. Won't affect how well these work mind you.

 

[Dave-the-rave]

Very practical if somewhat bombproof set of galluses there
Nae dreepy breeks there then

Cut trousers to length + about 2cms. Turn up and used iron on seam tape (the stuff that's inside water proof jackets) You can always iron on top of a teatowel to make sure the iron doesn't stick to the trousers or tape.
For security I'd stitch through the tape and turn up too, but depending on how well the tape sticks, it might not be necessary.
I know a beater who swears by the reinforced clear duct tape for the job; me ? I stitch

atb,
M

Galluses? I havn't heard that word in maybe 30 years. My dad used it all the time.

 

[Toddy]

Galluses? I havn't heard that word in maybe 30 years. My dad used it all the time.

Well 'braces' always mind me of bibbed overalls and those funny wee wire loop things, and suspenders are something for stockings

cheers,
M

 

[Dave-the-rave]

Suspenders yeehah

 

[Nomad]

Very practical if somewhat bombproof set of galluses there
Nae dreepy breeks there then

Well, I used what I had.
Almost any webbing is overkill, really, given the weight that has to be supported.

Cut trousers to length + about 2cms. Turn up and used iron on seam tape (the stuff that's inside water proof jackets) You can always iron on top of a teatowel to make sure the iron doesn't stick to the trousers or tape.
For security I'd stitch through the tape and turn up too, but depending on how well the tape sticks, it might not be necessary.
I know a beater who swears by the reinforced clear duct tape for the job; me ? I stitch

Not into iron-on tapes at all, and if I was prepared to reinforce the tape with stitching, I'd be as well just stitching to begin with. Which is what I'll be doing (leaning more towards the seam binding tape now - very soft and flexible, and I have a metre or so in olive).

 

[Nomad]

Nice braces - very practical.

Yeah, I reckon. The only overtrousers I've ever worn that I actually liked was a pair of sailing hi-fits (like salopettes) - put them on, and they stay where they're meant to. I was visualising the braces on the waxy ones in the shop when I was trying them on.

Next time I would add a bit of leather at the end on each strap and button them onto the trousers - more traditional, easier for washing, can be swapped to other trousers. Won't affect how well these work mind you.

Not into buttons on the waistband (princess and pea paranoia), and washing shouldn't be an issue since the webbing and lining are both polyester. (If I wash them right, both bits will survive.) Can always tie them up or put them in a light bag if tangles are likely to be a problem, or just wash them in a bucket.

 

[Toddy]

It wasn't a complaint; just that the webbing can be a little unforgiving, but will be totally bombproof

The thing with the tape is that it means that there's no edge at all to catch on boots, or to let water pool in a hem. It makes for a very tidy finish. It's still the usual in high end gents trousering.

cheers,
M

 

[ozzy1977]

Good work, better than a bit of binder twine for a belt

 

[Nomad]

It wasn't a complaint; just that the webbing can be a little unforgiving, but will be totally bombproof

Oh, experience suggests it will be fine. A few years ago, I made a hydration pack for my airsoft webbing, and the shoulder straps on that were two layers of the 2" stuff used here - barely noticeable and very comfy. Some testing with high stretches and low bends revealed no issues (no elastic, so strap lengths have to be set for 'gentlemanly comfort' when stretching up). When bending, the webbing slides back over the shoulders a bit as the back curves, and slides forwards again when I straighten up.

The thing with the tape is that it means that there's no edge at all to catch on boots, or to let water pool in a hem. It makes for a very tidy finish. It's still the usual in high end gents trousering.

I have to make a channel for the cord to go through, so there will be some possibility of trapping water, but there shouldn't be much. I think the binding tape they used is plain cotton, so I'll give it a dose of the wax dressing (the shop bunged me a tin FOC, which was nice). I'll keep the boot catching thing in mind, though.

 

[Toddy]

The seam sealing tape comes in different qualities. The waterproof stuff can be either simply nylon tape or three layer stuff for goretex's etc.,
Like this...
https://www.profabrics.co.uk/shop/show_product_info.php?id=TSB3-09

I generally use a tape that matches the fabric; no point adding a water absorbing layer of cotton to a pair of pure wool trousers, for instance.

Your gallouses do look as though they would slide instead of bind, and allow free movement once you've got them set right

cheers,
M

 

[Nomad]

Just done the blousing at the hems. The tape was weird stuff - I found that it stretched a little as I sewed it on, and had to unpick and remake a folded end on each. Even then, I didn't get the same size of gap on both, not that it matters.


Here's the trouser leg inside out, showing the polyester liner and the binding tape that holds this and the waxed cotton together...

The orange mark is tailor's chalk and shows me where the middle is on the front. I did this by measuring, and double-checked that I was doing it on the fronts, to make sure I didn't do something daft like put one of the gaps on the back (it's easy to decide to guesstimate, and then not notice that you started from the wrong side).

The tape I used is in the background. It's a synthetic binding tape. The ends are folded twice - fold back about 3cm, stitch across, fold back another 3cm, stitch across again, through all layers. This ensures that the cord runs against nothing but smooth material, and also gives me three thicknesses to sew through at the ends when they're attached to the trousers.

And here they are...

Not the prettiest sewing in the world (mine never is), but it all seems solid enough. The ends where the folded tape is are triple-sewn - start the machine and sew an inch, go back an inch over the same run of stitches, and then forward again and all the way round. Stitching on top of the previous runs of stitches helps to lock the threads together and increases the strength.

I was able to get them on and off over the boots, although it is quite snug. No catching or anything. Here's a shot of my meticulously hoovered sewing area, with some boots in the way...

The hems are 3 or 4" higher than when they aren't bloused.

I'm really pleased with these now - can't wait to get out for a bimble on a wet day.