Okay so I need some advice from all of you! My brother wants new pants for this year so my mom and I are the lucky ones who will be sewing them. I've made garb before but my brother never likes to make things simple :) He really wants them made out of brocade because he loves the look of it. The problem is that he always forgets how unbelievably humid it can be in the summer! If he has to change half way through the day he ends up bummed the rest of the day and I hate to see that happen. The brocade he already bought from Jo Ann's is man-made and I fear will wear like saran wrap come summer weather. He is a larger man and diabetic so heat is bad. I was thinking paned slops because I could use a cooler fabric underneath and then just strips of the brocade. But I've never made them and don't know what I'm getting into there. If I could just use some brocade in a combination with a cooler fabric, I think everyone would be happier. So what are your suggestions? Please help!
If he will go with it, paned slops with a light weight cotton inner showing through seem to be the way to go. I haven't made any of them, so my advice is a bit speculative, but certainly with heat and humidity an issue, I'd try to get away without lining the panes... Maybe clean finish the edges and turn them in, and hide the stitching with some trim? I'm trying to think of a way for them to look good and stay cool. If you HAVE to line the panes, maybe use the same light weight cotton as the inners?
I was thinking something similar. Do you think broadcloth would work okay because I already have a lot of that and it would be one less thing I have to buy? So my next question would be can anyone tell me how difficult slops are to make? Also which pattern has worked best for making them?
I like Fantasy Fashions paned slops. (http://www.longago.com/medievalmen.html)
I do modify the pattern a little to make it fit better.
The Marques's pants in this shot are strips of cotton brocade with finished edges over copper silk. The inner lining is a very lightweight cotton. I use bridal netting for the stuffing to avoid weight and heat.
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x71/Dona_Catalina/Scarby%202009/TrentandDonJuan.jpg)
Thanks DonaCatalina! I'm starting to get an idea in my mind of how I want these to look.
And I just love the Marques's pants! Those are lovely!