The 1642 Tailor

This is really the blog page of the 1642 Tailor where I will post news and stuff we are making. First off here are a few photos of a work in progress. A gentleman’s doublet that is being constructed in as close as possible a manner to some I’ve seen in museums and looking at pictures from the period. The brief was to make a black, or near black doublet that would fit several periods, from 1630 until 1650. This short tabbed style seemed to fit the bill. I also wanted shoulder wings and a stiff standing collar. The breeches, when they are made will hook to the doublet, so it needed a girdle stead and eyes in the interior.

Black was tricky to dye in the 1640s so I picked a wool that was dark brown rather than actually black. The pattern was made up to the correct size and pieces laid out to ensure the pile of the fabric ran in one direction. The fabric was doubled over so that one pattern piece represents two on the paper and to ensure I had the correct number of lefts and rights.

The interlining was a canvas linen and I cut a collar and bellypieces from several layers of buckram. The pewter buttons are an original floral design. All I had to do now was sew it together