18th Century Riding Habits: Slow Progress

In July I posted that I had begun sewing two 18th century riding habits for The Feast of the Hunters' Moon. I need to have them done by October 9, although really I want them done a week before that so I can take them to be professionally pressed at the dry cleaners.

Needless to say, the pressure is on and I constantly feel time is ticking past.

Each riding habit takes about 8 yards of fabric, so I bought the fabrics on the bolts and have them stashed in a corner of my sewing room. (Having them on the bolt makes it much easier to cut the fabric.)

One will be in shades of plum/maroon and the other in teal and green. 

Most patterns come in a variety of sizes rather than just one size per package. That meant that I had to trace the pattern pieces before using them. Luckily I have a big roll of pattern paper on hand, but it took quite a while to get all the pieces I wanted traced.

Then, to check fit, I cut the pattern out in an inexpensive white muslin. This helps me understand how the pattern pieces will work together as well as how the riding habit will fit when worn.

This dart really threw me - and that is exactly why it is best to make a practice piece on a pattern this extensive. Usually darts start in the side seam under the arm and taper to a point at the tip of the bust; this pattern has the dart begin at the center front and taper back toward the shoulder.

Believe it or not, this is the jacket. It will have a peplum skirt attached at the bottom.

I tackled making the petticoats (the 18th century word for skirt) first. Each petticoat took three yards of fabric to make and they are very, very full.

There was 135 inches of fabric at the waist that needed to be gathered to fit around a 35 and a 40 inch waistband. It took forever (to gather, you slide the fabric along loose stitches until it is all bunched together) and my fingers were sore by the time I completed the gathers and pinned the skirt to the waistband.

Big commercial pattern companies such as Simplicity and Vogue rarely leave out steps when you are sewing their patterns. Small company patterns, like this one, are often missing steps. 

Case in point? I realized quickly that, despite there being no directions to do so, I was going to need to finish the edges of the waistband opening. Luckily I caught that omission before I gathered the skirt and added the waistband. (This photo is from before I started gathering the fabric. You can see the long, loose gathering stitches along the edge of the fabric.)

The completed waistband opening on the teal petticoat. (Those long threads are the gathering threads that I will pull when I gather the petticoat to fit the waistband.)

The maroon petticoat was pretty straight forward to make as the fabric selected for it was a standard size. But the teal petticoat was a different story. Its fabric width wasn't standard, plus, it was in two pieces - someone had cut two yards of it from the bolt, changed their mind, and rolled it back on.

The non standard width also meant that I was on my own placing the pattern pieces - I would not be able to follow the pattern's cutting guide.

I had to sit down and plan, plan, plan before I cut - if I made a mistake, I would not have enough for the jacket of the teal habit, and the fabric shop had no more of the fabric left nor was any more available to order.

Needless to say, I'm having some tense moments as I stitch these two riding habits. The petticoats are done, and now I am ready to move on to the jackets and waistcoats.

Wish me luck!