Hello again!  I apologize for being out so long.  I've been training for an evening job as a tour leader and spending the last bit of time on wedding plans.  I'm going to try to get back to posting on here again, as well as starting to post the construction of the wedding on my other blog (screams silently about patterning a morning coat).  So, for now, here is an explanation of the construction techniques used in a riding habit shirt (also applicable to a shift or men's shirt):

The front is split all the way down and only fastens at the collar.

The back ends just above the waist and gathers into a tape which ties around the front.

Right side of collar.  The first step is to split open the neck "T" and insert the triangle gussets you see.  These can be whipped onto the shirt or back-stitched.  I noticed extants had a line of back-stitches just off of the edge on most of the shirt.  The gussets have a top and bottom piece, so the raw edges of the shirt are hidden.  On top of this is the shoulder reinforcement strip, back-stitched on.  Finish the front edge or slit with a small roll (and a bride if slit).

Left-side of collar.  At this point you gather the neckline up.  I attached it to the collar by whipping on each individual gather (inside and outside grab different parts, think corregated cardboard).  I did the back-stitch line about 1/4" above seam.  The collar is a folded piece with back-stitched, then flipped right side out, ends.  You can see the inside of the ruffle which is detachable.

Exterior view of sleeve and gusset.  The gathering is attached just like the collar.

Interior of gusset; left side is body, right is sleeve.  The side seam is felted (back stitched, one side graded, and folded over twice then stitched down).  It transitions into the gusset by use of a fabric strip reinforcement that goes all the way around the armscye and hides the unfolding of the felting.  It's whipped down.  The sleeve portion of the felted seam transitions differently.  Back-stitch the seams first.  Then the side that the seam folds too (up in this case) is actually clipped right at the gusset point.  The sleeve and gusset piece on the other side fold over the raw edges left.  So, one side felts to the sleeve piece and the other felts to the gusset.

You can see the stitching for the fabric strip on the inside.
Moving into the cuff is weird as well.  The interior folded piece just stays folded after the split, but the other side (bottom of pic) is technically rolled to the outside of the shirt.  The cuff is attached just like the collar.

I used thread dorset buttons (no metal ring) and my button holes were about 1/2".  The lace was gathered onto a bleached linen tape (just like the collar).  That way I can just whip the tape to the shirt and easily remove it if I need to wash the shirt.

I know there are a lot of areas of the shirt I didn't mention, but it's generally all rolled shirt-tail hems or felted seams.  I just wanted to talk about the problem areas I had to do some research into.  If you have any questions or want me to post about an area I forgot please ask!

Bodice Assembly

When putting together a woman's jacket or a bodice for a gown, the assembly techniques are generally the same.  I've already shown in a previous post how to lay out the front pieces and stitch them together.  Leave the seam allowances at the ends un-sewen (shoulder seams, side seams) so you can fold it over later.

When stitching the back seam I generally use a back-stitch on the fashion fabric.  The lining can be done the same or with a butted edge.  For that you fold over the seam allowance on both sides, put wrong to wrong side and do a very tiny whip stitch.  Grab just a few rows of the weave each time.  Don't stitch too tightly, but do keep it snug.  When finished you pull the two sides apart a bit and the seam should be able to lay out flat (hence why not too tight of stitching).  This same technique can also be used on selvages and I've seen it on shirt seams like that.  If you're doing a jacket, you can put the fashion and lining backs together and stitch around the neck and bottom hem up to seam allowances.

The sides can also be done a few different ways.  I like the method I found in Costume Close-Up.  Fold over the front fashion fabric and line it up on the back pieces.  You will stitch a spaced back stitch very close to the edge through all three layers.  The front lining will then be folded towards the seam and stitched down, enclosing the raw edges.  You can also use the same technique explained for the back seam, but use the back stitch on the fashion fabric seam instead.

Sleeves use the same techniques as the side or back seams (underhand whip the hem) and I've seen the armscye left raw and whipped, with all allowances sandwiched in the sleeve, and where it's inside the bodice.  It's all up to you and whether your fabric frays and if you want to see stitches externally (and where).

Exterior of a side seam for a 1790s jacket I'm building.  Shows the spaced back stitch on the side seam (horizontal in picture) and the underhand on the bottom hem.

Repeat imagery of the ever so useful backstitch I keep mentioning.
The overhand stitch.  Same usage as underhand, but shows up as a small dot on both sides.  Just up and down with the needle very close together.
Similar to over hand, but as a seam.  Resembles the spaced back stitch in form and function (just doesn't back up on the small visible stitch).  Use for side seams or armscyes.

The butted and whipped seam.  Not the prettiest of examples, but it would be the lining anyway. (Also used to piece together stays, but I'll be doing a workshop on those in November).

Just like modern stitching you need to find a technique that works for you.  Every extant garment is different and there are probably many stitches we haven't ever seen!

My caraco is nearly completed (one more cuff, then some details).  I'm hoping to do a pair of mitts soon, a 1780s gown workshop, a stays workshop, and eventually a riding habit workshop in January.  I move in two weeks, so if I disappear for a while I promise I'll be back!

Caraco 3

I apologize for the delay, things have been hectic with preparing to move soon.  Hopefully I will have more time for projects once October comes around.

I have nearly completed the caraco and hope to try it on and take pictures this weekend.  In the mean time, here are a few up-close images of construction techniques.  These can be used in any style of jacket or the bodice of a gown (or anywhere else you can imagine!).

This shows an interior shot of how to lay the lining to the fashion fabric.  In case of a jacket, you would use this along the exterior edges; front, neckline, bottom hem, and sleeve hems.  Simply fold over the fashion fabric at the seam allowance line, lie the lining on top and fold back the edges a small amount (1/16") past the fashion fabric.  I usually pin the lining in the middle area to make sure it doesn't shift.  The other edges I baste together flat (temporarily in some cases).

Here's a shot of how fold the corners.  I recommend the right side (where the fashion fabric shows more) used at the bottom as the front and as the neckline on top.

This shows the small "whip" stitches I described in one of the previous posts.  You can also do a spaced back stitch leaving a long stitch on the wrong side or do it pretty and make it look like a dot on both sides.  I recently did a workshop on hand stitching at work and will bring my book home this weekend to post up here.

In the near future I will try to post from the workshop, more comprehensive instructions on my caraco, roll hemming kerchiefs, and soon to start patterning and building my next pair of stays!

Hand Sewing Techniques

I'm going to try to cover some of the basic stitches and their uses.  There are so many other stitches and I really recommend purchasing Kannik's Lady's Guide to Plain Sewing books.  I'm mainly covering the types that I'm going to be mentioning a lot.  I noticed that one of the hardest things to find information on is what stitch is proper to use where.  I'll try to mention a few of the most common uses and they'll come up later in instructions.

One of the best tips I have gotten about 18th century hand sewing is that today we stitch a seam and open it up.  Back then, they would most often fold the seams then stitch.  I'll explain it more further on.

Running Stitch

The most basic of stitches.  Up, down, up, down.  That's it.  On average, there would be about 8-10 stitches per inch.  That depends mostly on how much work the seam will get.  If you're doing a side seam for a petticoat, you can run a little longer.  This can be used in open seams or as a basting stitch.  Yes, I did just say they folded then stitched, but some seams like petticoat sides or center back on some jackets couldn't be.  However, in both cases, I'd recommend a back stitch or a combination stitch for strength.

Back Stitch

Probably the most useful stitch to learn.  You come up a stitch length past your last stitch and then go down meeting with that last stitch.  It creates a very strong seam.  Again, about 8-10 per inch on average.  If you do a few running stitches, then one back stitch it's known as a combination stitch.  Combinations are great for petticoat side seams where you want speed and strength.  Back stitches can easily create open seams or lapped seams.  For lapped seams you spread out the stitch showing a short "prick" on the outside and a longer stitch inside.  Fold over the seam allowance on one piece and lay it on top of the other then stitch near the edge (1/8").  If you're doing a lined piece you can fold the outer layer on one side, lay it on both layers from the other side, stitch, then fold the last lining piece over to hide the edges.  I'll show examples when I get to jackets.  The spread out back stitch can also be used along edges to keep them from rolling, attach skirts on gowns, or stitch on trim and robings.

Point a Rabattre/whip stitch/plain hem

Whatever you call it, this stitch can be used just about anywhere.  You can use it to hem, roll edges, and stitch in linings.  I show two uses below, the first as a way to stitch a lining in at the edge and the second as a rolled edge.  I'll expand on the lining use at a later point.  Keep in mind this stitch is small as well, only showing a small prick on the outer side.  

If you roll two layers together and make sure to go through both on the prick stitch then it's a Mantua Maker's seam which is a fast way to seam and finish edges at the same time!  

If you do a back or running stitch with the two edges off set, fold over the allowance twice then whip it down to one side it's a flat felled seam.

There are many more combinations of these three stitches as there are many other stitches.  Again, I recommend the Lady's Guides.  They're inexpensive and probably the most useful books you will own if you want to hand stitch your clothing.  I'll be referencing the use of these stitches in all of my instructions.