Period Clothing

[Mark Elliott]

After having bad results from a couple of the major period clothing suppliers, I am finally working on some drop front breeches for an 1770-1800 period gunsmith outfit.   It has been a struggle.    I took a class years ago at Conner Prairie and have had to reverse engineer a pair of breeches I made then.   Anyway...

Does anyone know someone in central VA who does a good job making period clothing?   I am looking for someone on the hefty side who has had a good experience.   As many of you know,  I am on the the large side and finding properly fitting clothes of any age is a struggle, not to mention a late 18th century workmans outfit.    I would like to just take the material to someone who knows what they are doing and let them make it.

[crowbarforge]

I had good luck with Cobb Creek Merchants.  www.cobbcreek.com

[Monty59]

Cobb Creek makes a good work ! Go in april to Fort Fred a lot of clothing to buy.
Monty

[David R. Pennington]

I have made most of my own period clothing. All hand sewn. I am as proud of my accomplishments with needle and thread as anything (albeit how poor they may be). Way out of my comfort zone. It helped to have a daughter taking clothing design classes in college. Working on another shirt now. These are winter evening projects for me, when I don't feel like trying to get the shop warm enough to work in it. I do a little sewing at a time, too much gets tedious. Last night I pressed out the collar, puckered the neck opening with a loose running stitch and pinned the collar on so it is ready to sew.

[P.W.Berkuta]

I have made most of my own period clothing. All hand sewn. I am as proud of my accomplishments with needle and thread as anything (albeit how poor they may be). Way out of my comfort zone. It helped to have a daughter taking clothing design classes in college. Working on another shirt now. These are winter evening projects for me, when I don't feel like trying to get the shop warm enough to work in it. I do a little sewing at a time, too much gets tedious. Last night I pressed out the collar, puckered the neck opening with a loose running stitch and pinned the collar on so it is ready to sew.

OK -- how about some pictures???

[JLBSparks]

Perhaps contact someone at Colonial Williamsburg and ask about their clothing supplier.

   -Joe

[Mark Elliott]

Perhaps contact someone at Colonial Williamsburg and ask about their clothing supplier.

   -Joe

The folks doing the CW work are busy with the CW work.  The ones I have contacted aren't interested in any other work.

I am just plugging away on the work myself.   Unfortunately,  there is a lot of tedius hand work that will never be seen.   Then, there are all those button holes that must be done by hand. 

[Mark Elliott]

I had good luck with Cobb Creek Merchants.  www.cobbcreek.com

I checked on Cobb Creek and they don't make clothes in anything close to my size.    The size is always the problem.   

[Doc]

Have you checked at James Townsend and Son's?

Not sure but couldn't hurt.

Doc

[Mark Elliott]

Have you checked at James Townsend and Son's?

Not sure but couldn't hurt.

Doc

I have bought a lot from them before, but the breeches didn't work out.   

Making clothes for larger people is not just a matter of scaling up the patterns.   The body shape is different.   I am sure that is why most makers don't do larger sizes; they would need different patterns.   

There is a lot of quess work and trial and error just trying to do it for myself.   I am sure it will take two or three pair of breeches to really get it right.   However, I will settle for wearable and comfortable even if they don't look quite right.   I doubt if very many people would really know they weren't right, but then again we don't have a lot of period paintings and illustrations of fat people to know what was considered right for them at the time.    Their clothes would have had to have been made differently from normal size people. 

[culper]

Hi Mark,

How about going to a seamstress and having a custom pattern made?  I'm sure it'll be cost effective and it'll be made to fit you. 

Just an idea..........

[Natureboy]

  You might try Cyndi Walker at Rendezvous Clothing Company.  They're on Facebook if you want to look at their style of fall front trousers.  Since she custom makes the trousers, she might be able to work up a pattern in your size.  Her email is periodclothing2003@yahoo.com.

[chuck p]

there is a gal who advertises on historical trekking.com,...does custom stitchery, maybe she can help,
justsara@up.net

hope this helps

chuck