A Jacket for Cycling, A Project Journal for April

A couple of weeks ago, at around 10pm, I got a wild hair to start on a new project...I could feel cold and wet in the air (we got 4-5 inches of wet snow that night), so I had a rain jacket on the brain.  Again.  I do every time it rains, go look at commercial examples and discard them because they don't meet my standards of fit and durability--as well as invariably having hoods, which I detest wearing.

Taken this very morning, in fact, as I double checked the sleeve fit.

 So, I went out, found a few yards of medium brown bull denim, and off white wool in my stash--both of which were from the thrift store--and started drafting, first on paper.  Just a rough sketch of the design idea and proportions.

Because I typically leave my computer at my work to prevent the risk of damaging it while commuting by bike, I had to do my drafting freehand, from memory.  Normally I will go off of one of the various Victorian drafting manuals I have saved. 

I quickly took the pertinent measurements (chest, waist, hip, verticals thereof, overall to hem, neck, overshoulder) and plugged them into my completely not to scale pattern.  Originally, I had planned to go with something along the lines of my Sailor's Topcoat, with a separated sidebody, and the skirts grown on to the front body.

Once I had it sketched out on paper, it didn't take long to draft up at full scale.  I wasn't letting myself overthink on this project, which is something I am terrible about doing.  Overthinking in sewing can have advantages--you've done everything multiple times mentally before even starting, but it can also hold you back as you are expecting perfection before you ever make the mistake.

In sewing it together, I decided to not cut the sidebody free, as I figured just sewing the fish would get me close enough to check the fit.  Happily, the body fit quite well right away, although I had to take a little out of the point of the shoulder--I usually do, as I don't have the right shoulder slope measurement in my head.

At that point, I decided it would be based on slightly later Sac coats (1880s or so, compared with 1860s), with no sidebody, and a dart where the side seam used to be.  However, the back is narrower than the modern drafts for suit jackets, something I prefer.  And since this is not a historical piece...I can do what I want!

 I quickly transferred it to the denim, adding in the vent overlap--English style double vent, of course.  It seemed like the best option to help protect my backside from splashes.  The skirts were angled and given a slight convex curve as well.

As well as the breast and front patch pockets marked on the front, because this /is/ for cycling--which means I can't make much use of the front pockets while on the bike, since stuff will get in the way--I added a poachers pocket in the rear.  I have no idea if this is how historical poachers pockets were done--I know they existed, but when I went and did some research on the topic a few years ago I did not find much information.

I decided to make the back in two pieces, overlapping about one to two fists above waist level.  The highly scientific method used to decide was based on "do I think I can comfortably reach into there?".

Just for a bit of flare and colour, I took scraps of scarlet flannel which I had laying about, and decided to use that for facings.

After pondering it for a day or two...I decided to alter the pattern yet again, with swing vents in the back similar to Norfolk jackets--the primary sporting jacket of English rich dudes.  Lots of pockets, ease of movement, and usually made of tweed.  Because I did not plan for it, the pleats are not integral, but were pieced together.  The piping isn't for decoration...it's reflective for safety and having it on there was a major reason I decided to include the applied pleats.

On the whole, I am happy to stay that the reflective material was not difficult to work with--no moreso than any other fabric, and certainly easier than most knits!  I had bought it as a 20 meter piece from Amazon a couple of months ago, when I first started thinking about making myself cycling specific clothing. 

Each length of the pleat/trim consisted of a wide piece, and two pieces half the width, sewn together with the piping in between.  This was rather a pain, I would like to note; I need a piping/zipper foot in my sewing box.  But I got it done, pressed--happily the reflective piping did not melt--and installed.  Which you can see meant I had to cut my nice jacket back into pieces...

Obviously, this photo was the step before the previous one, but the words flowed better this way.

The following step was to install front pockets.  Changing my plan yet again, I moved from patch pockets to hidden ones underneath the piping.  Much more work, especially since I didn't know how to assemble this style, but giving a much cleaner appearance as well.  I will cover how the pockets went together in another, short, blog post.  They are designed for cross opening, and are fairly spacious.  Pocketting material was whatever I had laying around which was relatively sturdy (some blue/white cotton Oxford shirting)--my usual method for choosing pocket material, to be honest.

And proof that the piping works, since this was taken with flash.

I have actually be fairly busy this month; I also finished up my first pair of front fall breeches (details to be in yet another blog post).  They were self drafted off of a pair in Waughs Cut of Men's Clothing, if I remember correctly, and also fit fairly well.  Comfort-wise, they are fairly good!  I really need to make myself a pair of braces to hold them up, though.

An Officer of the Rank of 'Oberster Feldprofoss' in the Imperial Army
Jost Amman, 1556.  Object #89.GA.15 Getty Museum.

I also /finally/ finished the Pluderhosen I have been plugging away at for the last year!  They were a fairly major project, and all this time I have managed to keep the details of what they look like a secret, even from my closest friends.  A couple of people know, from my brainstorming, but they are being bribed with homemade alcohol to keep quiet.
Suffice it to say that it was a major pain in the butt and hands, and actual sewing time hit the 3 day mark, and then some--78 hours of work time, not including all the time drafting and grumbling.  Now I just need to finish the doublet which goes with it!  And possibly a cape.  I really want one of those capes you see in some German Woodcuts.... (such as the one above)

 

 I've actually been finishing up projects left and right in the last month even though I haven't been posting on my blog; I've been knitting at work as well, and made a couple of hats from Sally Pointer patterns (link to her Ravelry shop, and I have no affiliation other than satisfied customer) in the last couple of months; a thrum hat for a friend's birthday gift, and the above pictured 15th century Scholar's cap, which still needs to be fulled.  It has issues, but should work for its intended purpose (to go with the "wizard's robe" I sometimes wear for parties, D&D sessions, and reading at home)--if I ever decide to make a period outfit which requires one, I'll make a new hat to go with.





© John Frey, 2019. The Author of this work retains full copyright for this material.  Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this document for non-commercial private research or educational purposes provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all copies.