Thursday, March 31, 2011

Tan Fall Front Trousers Completed

For a while now I have been dreaming of tan trousers... after all what man doesnt look good in a nice pair of fitted fall front trousers. It took a long time to find the fabric as it is difficult to get a medium weight woolen tan fabric. Thankfully a girlfriend managed to get me some woven tan wool. I did have to be careful as she was only able to get me 1.4m of the fabric. Thankfully Nic is quite thin so this was just enough wool.

Tan Woven Wool.

 Nic wanted me to use his Brunswick fall front trousers as a pattern for the tan trousers. The pattern that I had from his seamstress was very basic and not well fitted. I ended up making three toiles until I finally had one that I was happy with. I referenced Late Georgian Costume many times in making the toile. I think that it is a very useful book for this period.

 Finished Toile ready for cutting out.

*New tip that I was taught by a friend. When sewing darts they will sit smoother if one doesnt backstich over the end of the dart. Instead run off the fabric smoothly and then tie the ends of the threads together to stop the thread from coming loose.
I have now started tying a knot at the end of the dart.

Unfortunately the woven wool freys badly, this meant that I had to had sew down the fabric in a flat fell the inside leg seams to preven the freying.




 The lining is interfaced with horsehair.

I had metal shank buttons made using the tan wool. The suspender buttons are bone and are placed inside of the waste band.

The completed pants front.

Completed pants back.

Nic wearing his pants in a presentation on colonial Australia.


We are both very happy with how the pants turned out as he can wear them as pants with shoes or with boots due to the skinniness of the legs.... well until I get the time to make him some panteloons.


2 comments:

  1. As you say, the wool frays. I think I missed a point. How do you finish the corner edge?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am not sure which corner edge you are referring to? If you mean the corners of the points in the fall, I trimmed the corners off very carefully, turned them, pressed them and then prick stitched them to keep them stable so that the fabric was unable to move and tear at the seams. Since writing this I have also seen a version of a french seam used where the seams are turned inwards then whipped over the edge to hold them together. I think that it is better not to use a woven wool, I prefer a more melton/superfine, which does not fray.

    I hope this helps.

    ReplyDelete