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Faire Garb => Sewing => Topic started by: insidiousraven on May 21, 2012, 09:32:35 AM

Title: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: insidiousraven on May 21, 2012, 09:32:35 AM
So, I'm going to make my boyfriend some new pieces for his hunter/woodsman/robin hood costume this year, and I need some expert opinions on fabric and pattern choices.

I have purchased him a leather hood, and am planning to make a new shirt and jerkin to go under it.  The shirt I'm planning on making out of green linen so that it is lightweight and cool.  I'm really debating what I should make the jerkin part out of. Obviously something natural and cool since we live in Kansas, and it will be very hot at faire, but he is also in love with that rough leather/armor/woodsman look. 

So my question would be, what would you suggest to make the jerkin part out of, and what patterns have you found to work well? I'd like something akin to what Charming wears from Once Upon a Time.  It looks like a long, open neck doublet to me. Any ideas?

(http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/entertainment/love_that_tv/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/charming.jpg)

Thanks!
Title: Re: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: amy on May 21, 2012, 09:53:40 AM
Ohhhhhh YUMMY...


I'm sorry... were you asking a question.... I was totally distracted by the picture.   
Title: Re: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: DonaCatalina on May 21, 2012, 10:28:45 AM
It looks like a short version of the one on the right.
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Simplicity-2499-Mens-Long-Duster-Coat-Pattern-Matrix-Style-XS-XL-New-Uncut-/00/s/MTYwMFgxNDA5/$%28KGrHqUOKisE5fIiSTz9BOkQ+CHy+w~~60_35.JPG

http://compare.ebay.com/like/390407147159?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar
Title: Re: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: isabelladangelo on May 21, 2012, 10:31:48 AM
I'd honestly make the doublet or jerkin out of the green linen and get some tissue weight white linen for the shirt. The light weight material near the skin - particularly one in a light color- will help to keep cool.  The leather hood might be too warm for the summer.  Leather accessories, such a belt and pouch, will work well to complete the woodsman look.  
Title: Re: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: insidiousraven on May 21, 2012, 10:55:34 AM
Quote from: isabelladangelo on May 21, 2012, 10:31:48 AM
The leather hood might be too warm for the summer.

It might be, but he has been looking at getting leather armor, and I think the hood would be the least hot out of all the leather things he could get. I doubt he will be wearing the hood up, anyway.  Also, his current costume has a lot of polyester, so getting him out of that will go a long way to cooling him off, though he's never complained before.

Would tissue weight linen hold up for a shirt? I'd worry about it tearing. He will be competing in an archery competition in it.

Also, I don't plan on putting sleeves on the jerkin, so he will only have the shirt sleeves covering his arm.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: isabelladangelo on May 21, 2012, 11:15:50 AM
Tissue linen is sturdy stuff.  It's held up better than my muslin cotton chemises.  :-)  If you want, Joanns has some great Tissue Linen/cotton that I totally love.   It's a good price (I think it's about $10, but I always use my coupons and get it for $5 a yard) and works beautifully for shirts and shifts. 
Title: Re: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: insidiousraven on May 21, 2012, 03:05:34 PM
Also, does anyone have a good pattern for a shirt that ISN'T a poet's shirt?  He'd like it to be tapered long sleeves, not the fluttery kind.
Title: Re: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: Lady Kathleen of Olmsted on May 21, 2012, 04:30:46 PM


The SIMPLICITY JAck SParrow pattern has a nice shirt pattern. http://www.simplicity.com/p-2198-men-costumes.aspx (http://www.simplicity.com/p-2198-men-costumes.aspx)

I mave made several Pirate type shirt. The sleeve is not foo-foo at all. Full, yet nice. Having wrist cuffs helps.
Title: Re: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: insidiousraven on May 23, 2012, 09:32:11 PM
Ok, so I ended up deviating from my original fabric plan and getting a light cotton corduroy for the doublet, and a cotton broadcloth for the lining.

The pattern calls for fusible interfacing, but I feel like that would defeat all the trouble I went to get natural fabrics and keep this thing as light as possible.

Should I skip the interfacing? Is there a better alternative?  I don't want the thing to hang floppily on him, but I don't want to bulk it up either.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: isabelladangelo on May 23, 2012, 10:41:53 PM
Cotton duck or canvas or buckram are what I use rather than interfacing.   (Believe it or not Joann's has some decent buckram but you typically need to search for it and not every store will have it.)  And plans are not fully in place until the fabric is cut.  Even then, it's negotiable ;). 
Title: Re: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: DonaCatalina on May 24, 2012, 08:35:25 AM
I watch the joann's for sales on tent canvas. Who cares if its army drab green when you can't see it?
It's 100% cotton and one or two runs through the machine take out the chemical treatment. It's usually 1.5x as thick as cotton duck.
Title: Re: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: insidiousraven on May 24, 2012, 02:16:52 PM
Great ideas!  I will go with some sort of canvas, probably.

Next question, does anyone know of a pattern that would produce a shirt like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Medieval-Celtic-Viking-Long-Sleeves-Shirt-/330555628055?pt=US_Reenactment_Theater&hash=item4cf6a69a17#ht_3304wt_1037 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Medieval-Celtic-Viking-Long-Sleeves-Shirt-/330555628055?pt=US_Reenactment_Theater&hash=item4cf6a69a17#ht_3304wt_1037) ??

If not, I could probably wing it, though that makes me nervous.
Title: Re: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: gem on May 24, 2012, 02:41:24 PM
Raven, I used the OOP Simplicity "peasant" pattern (http://sew-n-sewpatterns.mybisi.com/product/simplicity-8587-renaissance-peasant-costume-pattern-corset) for Milord's tunic like that, but I did a lot of looking at free T-tunic patterns online. There are TONS! Just Google "T-tunic pattern" and find the tutorial that makes the most sense to you. :)

I actually wouldn't recommend the pattern I used; for one thing it's out of print and not worth $24! But it also ran *huge.* That worked out nicely for us, b/c Milord is a big guy, and I was making outerwear (a rain tunic). For your purposes, I'd find a great tutorial based on your DH's measurements and do that.
Title: Re: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: isabelladangelo on May 24, 2012, 02:46:54 PM
Don't freak!   T-Tunics are VERY easy.  Two tubes for the arms, one very big tube for the body, gores for the underarms and sides if you want them, done!

http://allcraftsblogs.com/clothes_sewing_patterns/t_shirt_tunic/t_shirt_tunic.html
Title: Re: Need some ideas for jerkin/doublet fabric and patterns
Post by: insidiousraven on May 24, 2012, 03:36:58 PM
Thanks for all the help!