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Post by armando on Aug 28, 2020 13:09:51 GMT -7
So with my wife’s help I am putting together some breeches (all hand sewn).
Looking at lots of examples from the period.
- most of the original pieces are missing buttons but when they do have them I’ve noticed they seem to be fabric/thread. Is that what I should be looking for? Like Blue Cat thread buttons?
- if using wood or pewter, what size should they be? I feel like another historical interpreter told me to make them a smallest possible to be historically correct but I don’t know how functional that would be.
- I noticed at least one example did not have the usual knee band for securing the bottom. Instead it had drawstrings which really surprised me. How common was that?
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Post by brokennock on Aug 28, 2020 14:33:29 GMT -7
Good questions. I'm looking forward to some more informed answers than I can give.
My next purchase is wool breeches, I planned to get them with drawstrings at the knee.
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Post by Sicilianhunter on Aug 28, 2020 14:55:43 GMT -7
Armando,
EWOAF seems to be an excellent resource on clothing as well as other things.
Maybe he can chime in.
I’m curious as well because I have a fall front breeches build in my near future !!!
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coot
City-dweller
Posts: 152
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Post by coot on Aug 28, 2020 16:17:01 GMT -7
(Blue Cat is my wife). She says that death head buttons on breeches are a fashion item for the well-to-do (Mt. Vernon has George's breeches with death heads). Most economical and practical would be "self" buttons made of the breeches fabric over a bone or wood mould (form/core). Use bone if you expect to ever wash the breeches, as the wood doesn't like taking a bath. Button sizes vary on breeches. Waistband and pocket buttons are normally 3/4" to 1"; knee buttons tend to be 5/8" to 3/4". Buttons tended to be larger on garments towards the end of the 18th century (smaller near F & I era, larger toward the end of the Rev War.) There is usually a small buckle & strap at the bottom of the breeches, drawstrings are perhaps for the very poor and were more of a style pre-1700. Other options would be pewter or brass buttons. Pewter was less expensive but avoided by sailors as pewter doesn't like salt water. Uncovered wood buttons are mostly a modern "old timey" construct - in period, the wood "buttons" are actually the inner core of a self (fabric covered) button or the core of a cheaper metal button, with a thin (typically stamped with a design) piece of metal formed over the wood core - for those who wanted to look as if they could afford sterling buttons. While the death heads are both very correct & elegant, they were/are both more expensive and fragile than the self buttons. With the death heads, the button holes should be cut after the death heads are in hand - they need a larger/looser hole than other types of buttons in the same size and will not hold up to being forced thru a tight button hole as you can do with metal buttons. Hope this helps.
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Post by spence on Aug 28, 2020 19:31:21 GMT -7
coot said: "There is usually a small buckle & strap at the bottom of the breeches, drawstrings are perhaps for the very poor and were more of a style pre-1700." The majority of the original breeches I've found pictures of have that strap and buckle arrangement along with a split with buttons on the side. I have found a few, only 3, I believe, with ties instead of the strap. A couple have tapes or ribbons, one has strings, but all seem to be set up as drawstrings. The tapes: ![]()   The strings:  All three are museum specimens, said to be from 1750-1800, I believe. I made mine with strings, no problems. Spence |
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ewoaf
City-dweller
Posts: 203
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Post by ewoaf on Aug 29, 2020 7:12:50 GMT -7
The strings come in around 1790 as they were trying to emulate buckskin breeches with the nankeen as your examples show. Note the bracers buttons, which is a giveaway that these are 1790s-19thc. Bottom line, unless you're going for a regency look or making leather breeches, go with buckled garters. Button sizes do vary, but typically for the cuff placards, I prefer half inch to 5/8". Possibly larger for the fall and waist. Self same cover buttons always look nice and are cheap.
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