A "Threaded Bliss" Tutorial

Reproducing the Costume Close-up Jacket, 1775-1785:

A Step-by-Step Guide

Part Three

In the first installment of this tutorial, we covered fabric selection, enlarging the book pattern, and completing the sleeves.  The second installment looked at assembling the bodice pieces and finishing the front, back neckline, and bottom edges of the jacket.  This final installment concludes by focusing on all of the details you need to complete your jacket project, as well as your outfit as a whole.

Construction details: ...continued...

The Bodice: ...continued...
6) To finish the two slits at the front of the jacket, prepare two pieces of self-fabric binding.  Cut two strips of fabric 1" wide and 10" long.  Fold the strips in half lengthwise and crease to mark that measurement.  Then, holding the fabric wrong side up, fold the sides in to meet that center fold mark and then fold the whole thing in half again, re-creasing the center fold.  The creates finished edges that will bind the slits.

Folding the strips to create the binding for the front "slits" that

shape the front the jacket.

Begin attaching your binding at one end of the bottom of the slit, leaving about 1/2" hanging over the bottom edge of the jacket.  Work the binding around the slit, carefully fiddling it into the top corner and back down around the other side.  With the jacket laying right side up, fold the ends of the binding under, so that they cover the hem, and tuck them under the binding on the other side.  Use a slipstitch or a plain hem stitch to tack down the binding on both the outer side and the lining side of the jacket.  (#53-57)

A completed front slit.

7) Next come the eyelets down the front.  The original jacket has ten eyelets on each side, though the line drawing in Costume Close-up only shows nine per side.  I opted for eight in this project, though I did nine in the pink/green/yellow Indian print, and none at all on my first version for Ashley because she perferred the cleaner look of pinned-in stomacher, rather than a laced-on one.  The long and short of it is that there is no hard and fast rule about the number of eyelets on any garment: even stays varied considerably from widely spaced lacing holes to very closely placed ones, and with a jacket, you have the option (as with a gown) to simply pin the stomacher, too.  Look through some period images of jackets to get a sense of how fashions were trending as far as lacing spacing, and of what look you prefer, and also consider how high or low your waist is and what looks best with your own proportions when calculating the number of lacing holes.  I don't think I'd go less than maybe 7 on each side and probably no more than 10 or 11. 

Mark your eyelets on the lining side of the jacket, making sure they will lace straight and not spiral (as you would for stays.  I haven't found an image of a spiral-laced jacket, but if anyone else has, do please let me know so I can correct this!).

Mark the placement of the eyelets on the lining side, down
both sides of the center front of the jacket.

Using an awl, proceed eyelet by eyelet, making your hole and then finishing it before moving on to the next. Use an overcasting stitch, rather than a buttonhole stitch, to make your eyelets and work though both layers. As you move on to the next eyelet, do not cut your thread; carry it from one lacing hole to the next, as this will help keep the threads strong. This technique was used in the original jacket, and you can see an excellent picture of it in Costume Close-up, pg. 42. (#58-60)

Completed eyelets.

The eyelets viewed from the lining side.  Note the threads
carried from one to the next.

Setting the Sleeves:
1) Before setting in the sleeves, attach the front of the shoulder pieces with lapped seams.  Fold under the seam allowance of the front (straight) edge of the outer fabric shoulder pieces, place them over the seam allowance of the top edge of the jacket fronts, and stitch them down using a spaced backstitch or plain backstitch (again, whichever stitch you've been using thus far). 

Attach the shoulder piece at the front using a lapped seam (here, the
shoulder piece is at the bottom of the photo, with the body of the jacket at the top).

Then turn the jacket lining side up and do the same for the lining pieces of the shoulder, folding their allowances under and slipstitching them down to cover the backstitching you just did.  (#61-63)

Completing the lapped seam for the shoulder pieces, folding under the
lining and slipstitching it into place.

2) Pin the sleeve into the bottom half of the armscye, positionng the sleeve seam so that it falls about 1" below the shoulder seam you just completed (**Note: this is where the sleeve seam falls in the original, and where mine fell as well, but yours might need to be different based on your own body type.  The position of the sleeve within the armscye should be something you worked out in the muslin/patterning stage, but if it isn't, be sure you do that now before proceeding).  Begin pinning at the sleeve seam and continue around the underarm area until you are within 1" of the top edge of the armscye on the back pieces.  Backstitch - and here you have to use a regular backstitch for strength - the sleeve in between these two points, leaving the top shoulder part free.  Repeat for the other sleeve.

Shoulders and Finishing the Neckline:
1) Put the jacket on over your stays and lace it closed. Pull only the lining part of the shoulder piece back to meet the top part of the back and pin it so it fits snugly.  Once you get the fit, fold over the seam allowance of this lining piece along the neckline only.  Backstitch the seam, thus compeleting the armscye and preparing the way to finish setting in the sleeve.  Repeat for the other side.

If you have someone who can help you, they can stitch these seams without you having to remove the jacket, but if you don't have the extra set of hands, unfortunately you'll have to unlace and shed the jacket momentarily to sew your shoulder straps down before proceding.  (**Note: the photos show this step and the next one being done on a dressform, but I do not recommend doing it this way because chances are the shape and angle of your shoulders change when you wear your stays, so the shoulder and sleeve cap will not fit correctly unless you fit them directly to your own body.  I fit mine to myself and then switched the jacket to the dressform only so that I could get a good view for these pictures)  (#64)

Pull the lining of the shoulder piece over your shoulder to meet the
back piece and secure it into place with backstitches.  Before you sew the
seam, be sure you have folded over the seam allowance of this lining piece
along the neckline edge.

2) Put the jacket on again and lace it closed.  Pin the sleeve head onto the lining piece of the shoulder, adding small pleats as necessary to make it fit your shoulder.  Stitch down the sleeve head to the lining as close as you can to the edge of the sleeve to ensure that these stitches will not show in the next step. (#65-66)

Fit the sleeve cap to your shoulder, pleating as necessary to make it fit.

3) This step can be completed on a dressform without compromising the fit, since you've already secured all of the necessary measurements.  Pull the outer fabric shoulder piece to cover the sleeve cap and lining.  Fold under its seam allowances on its remaining three sides and pin it into place.  Using a spaced backstitch (or plain backstitch), sew down the shoulder piece where it meets the back and along the edge that covers the top of the sleeve.

A spaced backstitch secures the outer fabric shoulder piece to the

back and to the top of the sleeve.

Fold in the seam allowances of the remainder of the neckline on the two front pieces.  Then, using le point a rabattre sous la main, finish the neckline from the back of each shoulder to the top of the fronts. (#67-68)

Using le point a rabattre sous la main, finish the remainder of the neckline

along the shoulder piece and down the front pieces.

Congratulations, you've just completed your own reproduction of "the Costume Close-up jacket"!  If you do use this tutorial to create something, please send us a link and/or photo - we'd love to see what you make!  And, as always, if you'd like to offer suggestions or corrections to any of these steps, I'm always happy and grateful to receive your input and advice.  :-)

Optional - Making a Stomacher:
1) Because of the gap that remains when the original jacket is laced, Baumgarten speculates that a matching stomacher could possibly have existed.  Of course, it is perfectly acceptable to lace your jacket over your bare stays with only a neck handkerchief filling in behind the laces.  But just in case you'd like to make a stomacher, we'll cover that process here.  It's really quite easy: with your completed jacket laced closed over your stays, meausure the width of the gap at the top and at the waistline.  Also, measure from about 1/4" to 1/2" above the topmost lace (depending on how high your want your stomacher neckline to be) down to wherever you like your stomacher to end below your waistline.  Add 3" to the width measurements and 1/2" to the length measurement.  Using these measurements, sketch a stomacher shape onto a piece of linen lining.  You can choose to make your stomacher with a pointed or rounded bottom; either is accurate for this period.

2) Cut out your stomacher in both linen lining and outer fabric.  As you did to finish the ends of the sleeves and the edges of the jacket, turn the edges of both lining and outer fabric in towards each other, again allowing the outer fabric to be turned ever-so-slightly less than the lining so that it remains visible all the way around when viewed from the lining side of the stomacher.  Using le point a rabattre sous la main, finish the edges of the entire stomacher, and you're done! (#69-72)

The stomacher edges of both outer fabric and lining folded
in towards each other...

...and finished using le point a rabattre sous la main.

Finishing the look: As I mentioned in the first installment of this tutorial set, one of the things that makes a jacket like this so fun is how versatile it can be: an expensive cotton print can be dressed up with a silk petticoat for a middling- or upper-class "every day" impression, or dressed down with a linen petticoat for a "best" lower class look.  My personal favorite choices with my jacket are the blue/ivory changeable silk taffeta pictured in several of the previous photos, and the ivory silk taffeta in the photo at right (sorry, I didn't get a more scenic one in that petticoat!).  With both petticoats, I laced the jacket with ivory silk taffeta ribbon.  I also have a blue stuff petticoat that coordinates with this jacket (which I haven't actually worn yet!); with something like a wool/silk blend, I could appropriately opt for either the silk ribbon or a "less formal" choice like a narrow cotton or wool tape or cording to lace the jacket.

Because of the cut of the skirt on this jacket, it is necessary to wear it with some kind of bum roll or pad to achieve the proper, fashionable sillouette.  It also helps the tails "poof" elegantly at the back.  Be sure to cut your petticoat to accomodate the extra bum room (always shape your petticoat from the waistline, not the hemline.  Period petticoats were consistently cut on the straight of grain at the hem).

In the pictures, I've added a cotton lawn neck handkerchief and a fine linen striped cap trimmed in ivory silk taffeta ribbon (the beautiful handwork of Mistress Nicole at Golden Hind Millinery, thank you again!), as well as pearl drop earrings (by Janice Erickson Smith) and a pearl necklace (by Ashley!) to complete the middling-class day wear look.  As always, underneath are my 1780 Diderot stays and two linen petticoats.

The hat and muff featured in the "header" pictures of each of the installments were made to coordinate with this outfit, as I used the leftover bits of blue/ivory silk from my petticoat as trimmings.  If you're curious about these accessories, check back for the next Threaded Bliss post!

A "Threaded Bliss" Tutorial

Reproducing the Costume Close-up Jacket, 1775-1785:

A Step-by-Step Guide

Part Two

The back of the jacket.

Photo taken at Colonial Williamsburg, December 2011.

In the previous installment of this tutorial, the background information of this project, as well as the steps detailing the construction of the sleeves, were outlined.  Don't miss that post before reading this one!  This second part of our Costume Close-up jacket tutorial will cover the construction of the jacket's bodice.

Construction details: ...continued...

The Bodice:

There are two possible ways to do the center-back seam of the jacket.  One is as a lapped seam, which is consistent with the technique used in the side seams of the original.  The other is as a plain, backstitched seam, pressed open, with the lining constructed separately and the two laid wrong sides together (more similar to a gown center-back seam, in other words).  Costume Close-up does not specify which method was used for the center-back seam and my pictures of the extant jacket, alas, aren't conclusive, either.  Either method would be acceptable, so choose which look you prefer.  On my first jacket, I used a lapped seam; on the blue chintz pictured here, I opted for a plain seam.  Below, I'll detail both methods so you can choose.

Option A: Lapped Seam:

1) For one side of the back pieces, baste the outer fabric and lining together.  On only the outer fabric of the other back piece, fold under the center back seam allowance (and crease it, baste it, or pin it in place, whichever technique you feel most comfortable with).

Position both back pieces with the outer fabric right-side up.  Place the single-layer outer-fabric-only piece over the center-back seam allowance of the basted piece.  Use the seam allowance you've just folded to match up this center back seam.  Then sew through all three (well, actually it's four if you count the fold as two) layers - the folded outer fabric, and the basted outer and lining piece - using a backstitch or spaced backstitch to complete this lapped seam.  Use whichever stitch you used to sew the lapped seam of the elbow darts, so that all of the seams remain consistent throughout the jacket.  Begin sewing about 1/2" down from the neckline.

Fold under the seam allowance of the remaining lining piece.  Matching it up at all key points to its coordinating outer fabric piece, place it over the seam you just sewed and slipstitch it into place to cover and protect those stitches.  Then baste the lining and outer fabric together along all of the other edges.

Option B:

1) On the wrong side of one of your back pieces (outer fabric only), mark the seam allowance at the center back.  Then place the two back pieces - outer fabric only for each - right sides together and backstitch the two back pieces together along the allowance line you just marked.  Press the seam open.

Repeat for the two back lining pieces, so that you now have two backs: one in the outer fabric and one in the lining.

Outer back pieces pinned together at center back, and lining pieces

pinned together at center back.  The seam allowances are marked

on each to guide the backstitched seams.

Lay the outer fabric back over the lining back, wrong sides together, and pin them along the center back seam so that they do not shift and remain perfectly in line with each other.  Using a tiny running or combination stitch, sew down the center of that seam to join the two backs together.  Your stitches will disappear into the seam line.  The pieces should be joined from about 1/2" down from the neckline to 1/2" above where the waistline notch mark is (be sure this mark is transferred from the original pattern!).  Once this is finished, baste together the outer fabric and lining around the edges to fully join them together so they won't shift in the next step. (#26-29)

Joining the outer fabric back to the lining back along the center back seam.

The completed back seam!

That's it for the options.  Now on to what we can confidently determine from the original jacket!

2) Baste together the outer fabric and lining pieces for each of the front/side pieces (wrong sides together).  Along the side seams, make your basting stitches a couple of inches away from the edge.  This will help with the next step: mark the side seam allowance on the wrong wide of the outer fabric and turn it under, clipping the corner slightly so that it lays flat.  Be sure to turn under only the outer fabric! (#30-33)

Mark the seam allowance for the side seam and turn it under, clipping the corner.

Turn under the seam allowance of the outer fabric only.

3) If you chose Option A for Step 1, this part will sound familiar!  Position one of the front pieces and the back piece right sides up.  Lay the seam allowance of the front piece over the side seam allowance of the back piece, using the turned under seam allowance of the former to match up your edges.  Pin it into place, being careful not to catch the lining of the front piece in this seam.  Using a spaced backstitch or a regular backstitich (whichever you've been using), sew this seam from the very top down to about 1/2" from the edge of the bottom hem line.  The seam should be sewn through three (or four, if you're being technical about it!) layers: the front piece's outer fabric (and the bit of it that's folded under in the seam allowance), and the back piece's outer fabric and lining.

Fold under the seam allowance of the front piece (outer fabric only) 

and place it over the side-seam allowance of the back piece.

As you proceed around corners at the waistline, carefully work the fabric so that it lays flat as you sew. (#34-42)

Carefully maneuver the fabric around the corner, so that it lays flat.

Backstitch through the three (or four!) layers of the seam,
being carefully not to catch the lining of the front piece in this seam.

A close-up of the spaced backstitch of the side seam.

Repeat for the other side.

4) Flip the jacket so the lining side is up.  Fold under the seam allowances of the front pieces' linings to cover the two seams you just sewed (again, clipping the corner slightly as necessary) and slipstitch them down. (#43-47)

Fold under the seam allowance of the front lining to cover

the seam you just sewed (clipping at the corner as necessary).

Using a slipstitch, secure down the front lining to the back lining,
being careful not to go through the outer fabric.

Again, sew from the top to 1/2" from the bottom - don't go all the way down!

The bottom 1/2" of this lapped seam remains unsewn for all layers.

This enables you to fold under each piece in the next step to finish the edges.

5) This step replicates what you did to finish the ends of the sleeves in Part One, Step 4.  Fold under the seam allowances of both the outer fabric and the lining (i.e. fold them in towards each other, so the raw edges of each will be concealed) about 1/8"-1/4" down the straight fronts of the jacket (don't do the neckline curves yet) and all the way around the bottom skirt hem, over the points of the tails as well.  Fold the lining in ever-so-slightly more so that the edge of the outer fabric peeks above it when viewed from the lining side of the sleeve.

Fold the lining and the outer fabric under (i.e. in towards each other). 

The lining should be folded in ever so slightly more than the outer fabric,

so that the outer fabric is visible when viewed from the lining side.

Folding in the corners of the tails.  The lining is treated the same way

and then laid down on top and finished in the same way as below.

Using le point a rabattre sous la main, the stitch illustrated by Baumgarten on page 8 and identified as having been used on the original jacket, finish all of these edges.  When you get to the vent/slit marking at the bottom of the front pieces (make sure you've transferred these marks from the original!), stop sewing about 1/4" away from it. Tie off your thread completely; otherwise, when you cut the slits, you'll break the seam you're working on. Begin sewing again on the other side of the slit, again about 1/4" away from the marked line.

Do not sew over the mark of the front slits.  Leave about 1/4" on either side of each
unsewn so that you won't snip your thread when you cut the slits later.

Then do the back neckline edge the same way.  You only have to finish the top, curved edge of the joined back pieces - don't do the straight edges where the shoulder pieces will be joined.  (#48-52)

Finish the neckline in the same way as above.

**Please note: The original jacket includes interfacing that supports the lacing holes at the center fronts.  I have omitted this from my version for the simple reason that I have found the interfacing to be unnecessary in my previous project.  I used it in the first version for Ashley, but then somehow just forgot about it in the Indian cotton jacket (that was a really quick project), and despite lots of hard wear in camp over the summer, the holes remain perfect without the added support from any interfacing (and both of my fabrics in that jacket are fairly thin).  Because all of the pressure of body movement falls on your stays and not your outer garment, the holes will not pull or tear, even without the interfacing layer.  All of that is just to say that in the case of interfacing, I have consciously diverged from the original, and the choice to do so on your own piece is, of course, yours.  It is easily added in before you begin turning under your edges; the finishing technique will not change with interfacing sandwiched between the two layers.**

That's it for this portion of the tutorial.  Up next will be completing the eyelets and those front slits, setting the sleeves, and finishing the shoulders and neckline.  We'll also cover making up the optional stomacher.

A "Threaded Bliss" Tutorial

Reproducing the Costume Close-up Jacket, 1775-1785:

A Step-by-Step Guide

Part One

A reproduction of the Costume Close-up jacket, laced with ivory

silk ribbon and paired with a blue/ivory changeable silk taffeta petticoat.

Photo taken at Colonial Williamsburg, December 2011.

Probably one of the most frequently reproduced extant garments amongst eighteenth century costumers and re-enactors is the 1775-1785 French cotton jacket (CW acc. no. 1962-259) featured in Linda Baumgarten’s Costume Close-up (pgs. 39-42). For Ashley’s visit to Fort Frederick a couple of years ago, I reproduced this jacket using the pattern and construction details in the book, supplemented with photos I’d taken of the jacket in one of the study drawers at Colonial Williamsburg.

The original jacket featured in Costume Close-up (CW acc. no. 1962-259).

Photo linked from the Colonial Williamsburg E-museum.

For additional photos of our own, see this earlier post.

Since I made that first jacket for Ashley, I’ve since made two more for myself using that same pattern: one in a tri-color cotton block print for camp wear last spring, and the other (which I started last Thanksgiving weekend and finished almost exactly a year later, pathetic I know) in a Dutch chintz reproduction fabric. Considering the popularity of this jacket’s style (today, though not necessarily in the last quarter of the 18th century - that's still a matter of debate!), it’s relative ease of construction, and the fact that it’s just downright cute and fun to wear, we’ve decided to do a detailed step-by-step tutorial on how to reproduce "The Costume Close-up jacket" from the book pattern through to the final stitch and the proper way to wear it. Using the original jacket as the guiding document source, our goal here is to lead you through to create the most accurate and exact reproduction garment possible, utilizing only the hand-sewing and period construction techniques used in the period (though we will be using a pattern rather than draping, since this is intended to be an exercise in reproduction!).  We hope this guide will prove useful to those who have hitherto been wary of attempting period clothing from scaled patterns, and hope it will encourage you to start sewing!

This is the first full tutorial I've ever attempted, so please feel free to let me know if I can clarify anything along the way.  In offering this tutorial, I don't claim any kind of expertise; everything I describe here is what I've gleaned from personal research - books, examining extant garments, and experience; outside of a single workshop on stays, I freely admit to being entirely self-taught.  That said, I strive to gather as much information as possible before pursuing a project like this, and I've done my best to provide the most historically-accurate construction process possible.  If there's anyone more knowledgeable than myself who would like to contribute something further or offer any suggestions or corrections to this tutorial, I'm always pleased and grateful to welcome your input!


The pattern: A scaled drawing of an extant jacket in the collection of Colonial Williamsburg, accession number 1962-259, included in Costume Close-up, by Linda Baumgarten, pgs. 39-42.  The jacket is French in origin, but fashions were swiftly carried across the Atlantic and similar styles were certainly worn simultaneously in the colonies.  Its silhouette and fabric date it to 1775-1785.

Enlarging the pattern:
Everyone has a different and personally preferred method for enlarging scaled patterns.  There's plenty of information available online that describes the various possibilities, so I'll just give a brief description of my approach.  My only complaint - and it's a very minor one! - about Costume Close-up is that the patterns aren't given on a full grid (as they are in Patterns of Fashion, for instance).  When reproducing something from this particular book, then, I find it easiest to draw in my own grid, and then enlarge the pattern by hand onto gridded paper from there.  It's slow going, but I think the extra time is worth it if you're looking to make as true and exact a reproduction as possible.  Of course, if you know you'll need to change the pattern significantly to fit yourself, a meticulous scaling-up process like this might not be necessary or even practical, and you might prefer to try an alternate method that allows you to capture more generally the shape and key proportions of the pattern.  Luckily, the original pattern fits me exactly in the body and very closely in the sleeves, so enlarging the original and sticking as close to its lines as possible makes sense for me.

The process of translating the scaled pattern of the original into its actual size.

Be sure to make a muslin of your pattern and to make all necessary adjustments on it so that your pattern is finalized before you begin cutting your fabric.  Though a slightly less formal garment than a gown, a jacket like this should still be worn over stays, so do your pattern fitting and alterations wearing them.  Baumgarten speculates that the original jacket was worn with a stomacher, so a gap of a several inches at the center front should be retained as you fit your muslin.  The jacket could also be worn without a stomacher, the gap laced across either bare stays or a neck handkerchief.  Period images indicate it is also appropriate to have the jacket closed at center front, so if you'd like to make the edges lace closed entirely, just add in the extra width to accommodate that as your tweak and finalize your pattern.  There are many options with this pattern, which is yet another reason why I love working with it.


Selecting the fabric: The original jacket is made of a block-printed and "penciled" cotton quite similar to some which can be found in the billet books of the Foundling Museum (which you can see in Dress of the People and Threads of Feeling, both by John Styles). Because jackets took considerably less fabric than full-length gowns and were more stylishly and closely tailored than bedgowns, they were a popular choice across many social levels. Middling- or even upper-class women might choose to wear a fine printed cotton or silk jacket for undress, while such a garment might be a way for a working-class woman with less to spend on her wardrobe to still achieve a fashionable appearance in a more practical and affordable way. Because of the small amount of fabric they require, jackets like this one could also easily be cut from the fabric of an old, disassembled gown.

When selecting your fabric for this project, as always consider the social level you intend to represent.  In the case of a jacket with only a yard or two of fabric, though, there is a reasonable amount of leeway and you can have a lot of fun in devising stories to explain your possession of certain exotic or expensive fabrics if you portray a woman of lower status.  Making and wearing a garment like this can be a fantastic way to open up all sorts of conversations with visitors, guests, and students about not only fashion and clothing construction, but also about consumer culture vs. recycling with expensive items like textiles, the geographic origins and circulation of goods, and the cross-pollination across social classes that took place on so levels.

For my jacket, I wanted a cotton print similar in style, scale, and coloring to the original.  I also wanted a print that could appropriately be either dressed up with a silk petticoat (for middling daywear) or dressed down with a linen one (for a "best" working class outfit).  When I was searching for fabric over a year ago, the October before last, there was very little available in the way of prints (neither B&T nor Wm. Booth had restocked their cottons at the time), so I went searching for an Indian block print.  That let me to Time Traveler Textiles, where I was thrilled to find some of the Den Hann & Wagenmakers' "Wilhelmina" design in blue/mauve/ivory available at an affordable price, so I opted for that (Wm. Booth has since ordered a bunch of gorgeous prints - including this one - from DH&W and Duran, if you're interested in something similar).

"Wilhelmina" in mauve, by Den Haan & Wagenmakers.  This is a reproduction

of an 18th-century Dutch chintz found on an extant jacket and petticoat. 

It is currently available directly from DH&W or through Wm Booth.

One final note on fabric before I get into the construction details.  If you ever intend to wash your jacket, be sure to pre-wash your fabric before you cut it because it will shrink (trust me, I speak from experience...!).  The one exception might be a chintz like the one I've chosen, which is treated with the light, shiny glaze that gives the fabric its name.  Washing it will remove the glaze, so if you'd like to retain that important period detail, consider carefully which is more important for your specific needs: washability or the crisp period textile finish.  For this project, I opted not to pre-wash my fabric, but again, that's a personal choice.  I don't know the effects of dry cleaning on chintz, whether or not it will shrink the fabric or destroy the finish.  If anyone has any experience with that, do please let me know!


Construction details: Because each step will be illustrated with multiple photos (and because this is already an epic post!), I've broken down the construction process into discrete sections that I'll post over the next week.  This will help keep things organized and allow those who wish to skip certain steps to do so more easily.  The time lapse between the posts for each section are also designed to help give anyone who would like to "sew along" the chance to do so at a comfortable speed.  Please let us know if you do decide to sew along because, as always, we'd love to see what you create!

Additional photos illustrating each step can be found on this project's flickr set.  The numbers listed in parentheses at the end of each step correspond to the numbered photos from the set.

Sleeves:
1) Lay each sleeve over its lining, right side of the outer fabric facing up. Bring the side of the sleeve closest to the cap/head over to match the other side, so that only the chintz is folded, right sides together.

Folding over just the outer fabric...

Backstitch a seam through both layers of chintz and the one layer of lining.  Leave the bottom 1/2" at the elbow end unsewn. (#4-8)

The sleeve ready to be seamed.

Leave the bottom 1/2" unsewn; this is necessary to ensure you have the

allowance to finish the edge of the sleeves (in a later step).

2) Bring the other side of the lining over to the seam you've just sewn, turn under its seam allowance, and slipstitch it into place to cover the backstitching.  Again, leave the bottom 1/2" at the elbow end open.  Repeat for the other sleeve. (#9-12)

Cover your backstitched seam by folding under the seam allowance

of the other side of the lining and slipstitch it into place.

The completed seam.

3) On the original, Baumgarten observes that the darts used to shape the elbow were sewn from the right side using a lapped seam (illustrated in Costume Close-up on pg. 39). To do this, first make a small snip - only about 1/4" to 3/8" - at the center of the inverted "V" at the elbow (bottom) of the sleeve.

Snipping the "V" to prepare for the elbow dart.

Then turn the sleeve right-side out.  Fold under the seam allowance of the outer fabric of one side of the "V".  Bring it to overlap the seam allowance of the other side of the "V" and pin it into place; then top-stitch (a spaced backstitch works nicely) through the folded edge of the one side and the outer fabric and lining of the other side.  Be sure you do not catch the lining of the first (folded) side in this seam.  Again, leave about 1/2" from the edge unsewn, as you did above.

Fold under the outer fabric of one side the "V" and overlay it on top

of the other side's outer fabric and lining.

Using a spaced backstitch (or a plain backstitch), top-stitch the

dart to form the lapped seam.

Then flip the sleeve inside-out again.  Fold under the seam allowance of the lining that is now hanging loose and slipstitch it over the seam you just made (just as you did in Step 2), leaving the bottom 1/2" unsewn. (#13-20)

Slipstitch the lining to complete the lapped seam, leaving the 1/2"

closest the edge unsewn.

4) Fold under the seam allowances of both the outer fabric and the lining (i.e. fold them in towards each other, so the raw edges of each will be concealed) about 1/8"-1/4" at the bottom edge of the sleeve.  Fold the lining in ever-so-slightly more so that the edge of the outer fabric peeks above it when viewed from the lining side of the sleeve.  Using le point a rabattre sous la main, the stitch illustrated by Baumgarten on page 8 and identified as having been used on the original jacket, finish the edges of each sleeve.  Turn the sleeves right side out. (#21-25)

Finish the edges of each sleeve by turning both fabrics in towards

each other and finishing them with le point a rabattre sous la main.

Congratulations, you'd just finished your sleeves!

Coming up in the Part Two of this tutorial: the body of the jacket!

A "Threaded Bliss" Tutorial

The Standard 18th-Century Petticoat

We've had a request from one of our loyal readers for a detailed tutorial on how to make an 18th-century petticoat.  Confused by the directions on a commercial period pattern (and I don't blame her, they are quite horrid) and frustrated by the conflicting information she's found online, she asked if we could offer a straight-forward, easy-access guide to cutting and assembling an accurate petticoat.  So here goes!

The pattern: No pattern or complicated draping is necessary to make a standard "straight petticoat" (i.e. one intended to be worn without skirt supports).  Of the extant petticoats in this "straight petticoat" category that I've encountered that date from approximately 1750-1785 (including quilted ones), almost all have a skirt width of between 100"-120".  When making one, I wouldn't go much under or over that.  Under 100" looks too skimpy on one extreme, and at the other extreme, greater volume can be (and was) achieved through multiple petticoats, a quilted petticoat, and/or the way you choose to lay your pleats at the waistband.  The general rule of thumb I've heard repeated by re-enactors is a skirt width of 3 to 4 times your waist measurement, which works out to within the 100"-120" range for the average individual.

Other than that, the only "pattern" you need comes from two key measurements: your waist measurement (with stays on) and your waist to floor measurement (with appropriate shoes).  Keep in mind that these instructions are only for a petticoat that will *not* be worn over skirt supports.  If you plan to wear side hoops or a bum or hip roll, you'll need to accommodate that with shaping at the waistline.  It's not complicated, but in the interest of keeping things simple and easily accessible here, we'll save the "shaped petticoat" for another tutorial!

Construction Details: Below is a step-by-step guide to cutting and assembling a "straight petticoat".
1) Before you cut your petticoat panels to the appropriate length, you need to make a decision about how historically accurate you need/want to be. 
     - If you want to recreate a petticoat that mirrors an original as closely as possible, you should try to replicate the width of period fabrics, which differed from the width of fabrics available today.  Silk, for instance, which we typically find woven in 54" or 60" (and occasionally in 45") today, was very narrowly woven in the 18th century.  Period gowns and petticoats retaining the original selvages have panels that are (on average) between 17" and 23" (for satins and taffetas).  Linen, as Linda Baumgarten explains in Costume Close-up (pg. 58), was available in a slightly wider variety of widths, most commonly 27", 31 1/2", 36", or 45".  Between 30" and 36" seems to be the typical range for cottons, while wool was woven in such a wide range of widths that basically anything goes (even 60" - after all, that's why one type was called "broadcloth"!).  So after selecting your fabric, and if you choose to take the route of strictest historical accuracy, you must first adjust its width accordingly before preceding to the next step.
OR....
     - Your other option, while not strictly period-accurate, is also perfectly acceptable: work with the width of your fabric as it is, regardless of the content.  Unless I'm doing an exact reproduction of an extant gown and/or petticoat, this is the route I choose, with the justification that 18th century seamstresses would *never* have wasted fabric or time by separating panels and re-stitching them; they would have taken full advantage of wider widths had they been available.  This is a personal choice and up to your own individual accuracy ideals.  Just so you know that in choosing to retain your modern fabric width, you're making a conscious, educated choice.

2) Now that you've settled on your fabric and decided on the width you need/want to use, decide on the appropriate length for your petticoat.  If you're working on a formal gown, a longer toe-length gown (about 2" off the floor) is ideal (though you'll probably want shorter if you intend to dance in it!).  If you want a working-class impression, just at the top of the ankle bone is best because it helps the petticoat stay clear of fires and mud.  A walking-length petticoat (about 3-4" off the floor, about mid-high ankle) is the fashionable ideal for 1770s and early 1780s daywear.  Period paintings and fashion plates are a great place to get a comprehensive sense of what styles look best worn at what length. 

Once you've decided on your preferred petticoat length, measure from your waist to that length and add 1 1/2" (this allows for the waistband and a 1/2" hem; if you want a larger hem (don't go over 1"), account for that here).  Cut the appropriate number of fabric panels (to equal the 100" to 120" width) to that length.

Two panels of 54" linen, cut to the appropriate length and

laid on top of each other.

3) Stitch together your fabric panels using either a combination stitch or a mantua maker's stitch.  If you have only two panels, leave the top 9 to 10" open on each side for pocket slits.  If you have more than two panels, sew the entire length because you'll need to cut slits into the center of two of the panels in a later step.

The two panels seamed together with a combination stitch. 

I usually don't make my seam allowances so large (18th century

ones were typically tiny), but the selvage on this fabric was very wide

and so had to be accommodated.

4) Finish your hem by folding it up 1/2" and then rolling it 1/2" again to encase the raw edge.  Secure it using a slip stitch or hem stitch.  Hems during the second and third quarters of the 18th century were typically small (why waste fabric?), averaging about 1/4" to 1/2", but if you have the fabric and prefer a deeper hem, you can go up to 1" (but not over). 

The 1/2" hem rolled and pinned...

...and stitched down (outside view is on the bottom, inside view

on the top in the photo).

Rolling the hem twice is the most common (and easiest) way to finish it, but if you're working with thicker fabric (wool or a quilted or marseilles fabric), or if you need to eek out as much length as you can, you could also bind the raw edges of the hem.  This was called ferreting in the period, and is achieved by taking tape (wool, linen, or silk works, the fiber matched to your petticoat fabric), stitching it to the bottom of the petticoat, and then flipping it to the inside and securing it so that about 1/4"-1/2" of the tape remains visible on the right side.  Your third period option is to face the hem, typically with a light-weight silk; this treatment is almost always reserved for silk petticoats and silk gown skirts, though it is seen on expensive cotton gowns as well.  Your facing strips can be anywhere from a narrow 1" all the way up to 9" (sometimes even more is seen).

5) Now it's time to finish the pocket slits.  If your petticoat uses 2 or 4 panels, all you have to do is roll the selvage edges of the side slits and hemstitch/whipstitch them down.  It also helps to stitch a couple stitches, forming a bar, across the very bottom of the slit to prevent it from tearing. 

The thread bar, formed from a series of overlapping stitches, 

that secures the bottom edge of the pocket slit.

If you're working with a thicker material (quilted/marseilles, for instance) that is difficult to roll, you could also bind the pocket slits.

If your petticoat uses three panels, fold your petticoat "tube" in half on one of the seams (that seam will be your center-back, and its opposite point your center-front), and then in half again, so that you've divided it into quarters.  Cut 9 to 10" down on the fold (and on the grain of the fabric), forming your two pocket slits.  Narrowly roll in the edges, as above, and whipstitch them down.  To finish the bottom edge of each slit, make buttonhole stitches to strengthen the curve and stitch a thread bar just above.  As this method is already expertly detailed in The Lady's Guide to Plain Sewing, Book One and by Nicole of Diary of a Mantua Maker, and because I didn't use this technique in my example, I'll refer you to those resources if you'd like extra guidance here.

6) Next, measure your waist in stays and divide that figure in half.  Add 2" to that number and that is the length into which you need to pleat each half of your petticoat.  Adding the 2" allows for a little overlap at the sides when the petticoat is tied on, so that the pocket slits don't hang open, and it allows for greater adjustability in your waist size without using the dreaded drawstring waist (horrors!).  If you'd prefer your petticoat to meet and tie exactly at the sides with no overlap, don't add the extra 2" and just use half your total waist measurement instead.

7) Pleat the front half of your petticoat to the figure just calculated above.  Begin by dividing the front panel in half to find the middle.  Make a 3" to 5" box pleat at the center.  This creates a smooth, flat front which helps contribute to the illusion of the narrow waist and full hips that was so fashionable.  It also reduces bulk and allows the front of your gown or jacket to lay as flat as possible across your stomach (who would object to that?!). 

A 4" box pleat at the center front.

Then make knife pleats (1/2" to 1" wide up to about 1775ish, and then you can go narrower if you'd like to) facing towards the pocket slits so that the panel equals your measurement calculated in step #6.  In this example, I did a 4" center box pleat with a series of 1" knife pleats.  Don't stress the pleats too much; as long as they look more or less even on the outside, it doesn't matter what they're like on the inside.  If you look at extant gowns, more often than not, the skirt pleats look perfect from the outside, but are shockingly uneven and even messy on the inside.  What no one sees, no one knows!

The front panel of the petticoat, showing the center 4" box pleat

and the 1" knife pleats angled towards the pocket slits.  The

total measurement for this completed panel is half my waist

measurement plus 2".

8) Pleat the back panel of the petticoat by making an inverse box pleat, 3" to 5", at the center.  Then make knife pleats facing towards the center-back inverted pleat, about the same size as the ones you did for the front, until you reach your required measurement from step #6.

The 4" inverted box pleat at center-back, which mirrors the one you

just made for the front.  The 18th century was all about symmetry!

The completed back panel, showing the inverted box pleat and

the 1" knife pleated angled towards center-back.

9) You can skip this step, but I find it makes the next part easier.  Do a running stitch or blanket stitch across the top of the pleats on each panel to secure them in place, about 1/4" from the top.  It can be as messy as you like because the stitches will be fully concealed beneath the waistband.  I prefer a blanket stitch when using thicker fabric (like marseilles) or fabric that tends to unravel easily (like the linen in this example), but a running stitch serves very well when you're working with something like a firmly woven cotton or taffeta silk.

Blanket stitches secure the pleats in place and prevent the fabric from unraveling.

10) The last step is to finish the waistband.  Again, you have options here that are commonly used and generally approved by reenactors and historical clothing experts.  Truly documented waistband treatments are almost nonexistent because waistband treatments happen to be one of those things that rarely survived the passage of time on extant petticoats.  These two methods, however, are both firmly and confidently within the realm of historical probability, however, so use them with confidence!
     - One option is to cut two lengths of cotton or linen tape (1/2" to 1" wide), long enough to wrap around your waist and tie in a generous bow.  Stitch the tape to the top of each panel to form the petticoat waistband and ties.  You can either sew it right-sides together, then flip it over and whipstitch it down to the inside, or fold it in half and secure it in one step with a spaced backstitch, catching all layers at once.  The latter is my favorite, mostly because by the time I get to this step, I just want to be done with the petticoat already!

1" cotton twill tape, folded in half and pinned across the top of the petticoat pleats.

One option is to use spaced backstitches to attach the tape waistband.

     - Your second option is to make a waistband of self-fabric.  Cut two rectangles 1 1/2" wide and the length of one panel plus 1".  Fold under the short edges 1/2".  Place one of the long sides even with the top edge of the petticoat panel, right sides together, and backstitch them together about 1/4" to 1/2" from the top.  Flip it over, fold under the edge, and whipstitich it down on the inside.  Cut two lengths of narrow tape (that is, two lengths per side, or four total), about 30" long, insert the ends (maybe about 1/2") into each side of the waistband, and tack them on.

A self-fabric waistband is also an option...

...with narrow tape ties tacked at the sides of each panel to wrap around the waist.

Congratulations, you've finished your petticoat!

The completed front panel...

...and the completed back panel.

The fabric: Petticoats can be made of any period-appropriate fabric.  When choosing your petticoat material, keep in mind that printed petticoats were only worn when they were made of fabric matching your gown; never was a printed petticoat worn with a solid color outer garment.  The reverse, however, is perfectly acceptable (that is, it was common to see a printed outer garment with a solid color petticoat).  Be careful with plaids, as they tended to have regional or ethnic associations.  Checks appeared only on aprons, men's shifts, and as lining material, so it's best to avoid those as well for this particular project.  Use only woven stripes with a balanced design.  If you're unsure, it's best to stick with solid colors that could feasibly be achieved with natural dyes.  Keep in mind that wool takes dyes more easily than linen, so you would be more likely to find brighter colors in wool and more muted shades in linen.

Finishing the look: Always wear at least two petticoats.  To don your new petticoat, pull the strings from the back panel around your waist to the front and secure them slightly off to one side (this helps to keep your center front as smooth as possible). 

Then wrap the ties from the front panel around your waist and tie them in the back.  Tuck in the ends so that they're less likely to pull or come undone. 

The completed petticoat (which actually sits about

2" further off the ground on me than on the dressform)

And finally, if you create a petticoat using this tutorial, we welcome your feedback and we'd love to see photos of your finished project!