Leather Party Pluderhose: The Documentation

The party pluderhose is a project I had been thinking about for some time--I wanted a pair of pluderhose which were a bit more durable, and which I actually handsewed (the Brunswick suit was machine sewn, if with a considerable amount of handwork).

Once again, I have a love/hate relationship with this garment--they are so extra that I love them, along with the challenge of drafting them.  On the other hand, they have a lot of material in them so are not particularly lightweight to wear, and do require the wearing of stockings.  Also, while period codpieces only had two points holding them up, because I make most of my late period gear for SCA fencing, it needs to be more secure than that--and tying those fiddly little points with cold hands is a nuisance.

This is the full documentation, which covers just about every step of my design, construction, and decisions.  If you just want to look at the photo shoot and read an overview, click here for my previous post. 

Party Pluderhose (and Chocolate doublet): The Overview and Photoshoot

About fifteen months or sew ago, I decided I really wanted to make a pair of leather pluderhose.  Something exaggerated, slightly shocking, but subdued in colours.  Something which would be relatively comfortable, and suitable for both rapier combat, as well as the bardic and partying afterward. And for court, I suppose.

This is what I came up with.

Bad Penny Pluderhose: Drafting the Foundation Shorts (Again)

A couple of years ago, I made my last pair of pluderhose and wrote up a tutorial on drafting them throughout the various stages.  When I revisited them with the plan to make another pair this year, I found that my most excellent instructions...didn't work.  Partly because I didn't take one of my measurements correctly, but my old instructions are also clunky.  Especially in the section regarding some rather esoteric and personal measurements.

The garment itself is somewhat complicated, and I am sure has been the cause of many grey hairs in re-enactors--partially because there are no patterns or instructions for them online.  Well...there is one, but it is not remotely period as it seems to be based on modern pajama pants).  Reconstructing History also sells a pattern, which I have no experience with, and no desire to--I don't need help going mad.  So, when I went to draft out a new pluderhose foundation pattern, and found that my old instructions had issues, I realized I would have to mostly rewrite it.  As before, this pattern is based on the pairs worn by Nils and Erik Sture (mostly Nils, because I believe Erik's pair of foundation breeches got stretched with wear).

This tutorial series for the pluderhose consists of four parts; the base breeches/foundation shorts; panes and lining; codpiece; and assembly.  In the example pairs, the foundation breeches were made of a fine leather, similar to chamois or a soft deerskin--previously I used a heavy cotton (cotton drill), this time I have deerskin splits to use (which should be attributed to my madness, because it will be a pain.  Spend the extra money, and don't use splits if you decide on leather, since they are uneven in thickness).  Depending on the particular style, the foundation breeches can be around knee length (and sewn to the legband at the bottom) as in Nils', or free at the bottom and a bit shorter as I believe Erik's was.

Foundation shorts of Nils Sture's pluderhose, 1568. 
Patterns of Fashion 3, by Janet Arnold

Project Roundup: What Have I been Doing?

...not much, to be honest.  I have only completed a couple of project, and my major projects have been having...issues.  Two of the major projects from last year--the Hasting's Suit, and the Patchwork Paletot--have both been shelved until further notice.


My other major projects have been having issues getting past the drafting stage--a 1760s Redingote was on deck (I even have the fabrics for it) but I never got around to cutting out a mockup to check the fit, and now it's getting warm enough that it would be next winter before I get to wear it.  The pluderhose for a slightly secret project--I am trying to keep the details a surprise, but not that I am working on German Ren again--have been...problematic.  I found issues with my drafting system not creating a pair of the undershorts which will fit, and went through a full 6 drafts before I got close to having mobility. 

Because it's a good, generic sewing photo.

1570s Brunswick Man: The Overview of a Year's Journey

So...this is it.  The final post on the projects I've been working on for the last year--the 1570s Germans.  It has been a long journey, full of working on new and old skills, and on my writing skills--a full ten posts have been published to cover the various steps, not including this one and the unpublished doublet drafting system.  In addition, each item was entered in a Historical Sew Monthly challenge over the course of the year.

1570s Germans Continued: The Jerkin

This has been a rather long journey, and it is finally nearing its end with the completion of this project--a slashed jerkin as part of my 1570s Germans suit.  The suit consists of pluderhose, doublet, jerkin, and hat, all drafted from my own patterns.  Like the other garments in the set...you don't get to see it being worn until the debut (probably in January).  Because the two garments are so closely related in pattern and design, I highly recommend reading my documentation for the doublet first. 

Sources:

The sources for construction and the primary inspiration are essentially the same as those for the doublet; with a few changes to show slashed jerkins.

The Next Piece: Stripey Doublet of Eyeblinding..ness?

Yeah, a stripey doublet...I know.  After doing a bunch of resource gathering, I noted a number of doublets with horizontal stripes...and remembered that I had a bolt of lovely voided striped velvet.  Especially after making this year's pluderhose, I needed a new doublet to go with them.  I designed the doublet in an (early) 1570s German style to match the pluderhose.

End of the Road, Finished Pluderhose

So, this is something unusual for me--this project isn't based on any one particular object...normally, my serious projects are duplicating one object or another (or I don't care).  However, this one was primarily testing my new system for drafting pluderhose, based on the Erik and Nils Sture examples, as part of making a period (1570s) suit.  So--a pair of 1570s German Pluderhose.

Pluderhose: Putting it all Together

Things have gotten a bit wonky, since drafting the poofs is part of this post, but that is getting done before I have drafted the codpiece (which is done after the majority of construction is finished).

Revenge of the Pluderhose: the Codpiece of DOOOM!

Making the codpiece was definitely a learning experience--the last time I did it, I cheated in the forming of the...for lack of a better word...bulgy bit.

Revenge of the Pluderhose: The Panes of Torment

I'm kinda seeing a trend in how I feel about the garment, here *looks pointedly at the title*.
This, the second of the series of posts on the making of /period/ pluderhose, deals with the panes and lining....originally, I was going to include the codpiece in this post, but I suspect that it wouldn't be a bad idea for it to get its own post.  I will not (yet) be showing how to do the lining--that is, the poofs; that particular set of images will wait until I actually begin construction of the garment--they are not exactly complicated, and use a lot of fabric.

Now, if you are reading this, I hope you've been following along and already have drafted the foundation breeches from PART I.  If you have not, you should go there and make them forthwith, because you build the panes from the foundation breech pattern you've already fitted. Strictly speaking, the foundation breeches aren't 100% necessary--the Svante Sture pair doesn't seem to have them, and longer pairs may not have them; so if you are doing without, you will more or less follow the directions there, ignoring the taper of the legs.

If you are doing this correctly (ish, being as there is no true way) there is little shaping of the panes, and what there is follows the foundation breeches; what this means, is that we will be cutting from the panes to give some of the shapes..  However, the pane length is at least 15% more than that of the foundation breeches--I made them closer to 30%--, to allow the draping.  Like the foundation breeches, I am basing it on Erik and Nils Sture's pluderhose.

At some point before beginning, you should decide how many panes you desire--I have seen examples that (appear to) have anywhere from Four to Seven.  Five appears to be the most popular number, however.  More panes would, of course, require more fabric in the lining since you will have more sections .

Seven Panes!

Joachim Ernst von Anhalt by 
Lucas Cranach the younger, 1563. 
Four Panes

Brunswick Man. 1573. Five panes.

        

Featured Garment: Männertracht aus Braunschweig (23v)

It's back!  Well...occasionally, anyways.  Lately, I've been in a mood for German Renaissance--not Landsknect, but 1560s to 1580s; i.e for pluderhose.

Yes, pluderhose. Yet again.  I'm really not sure where my minor obsession with them came from--the challenge of drafting and understanding the blasted things, the drapey-fittedness...just liking to say the word.  This week's example is from one of the 16th Century German clothing books, Kostüme der Männer und Frauen in Augsburg und Nürnberg, Deutschland, Europa, Orient und Afrika.

Honestly, this Featured Garment is fairly typical--I don't see much that is truly unusual about it, beyond the beauty of the draping.  It has a lovely simplistic elegance in the design (well, with the exception of those shoes...).  On to the discussion:

From Bayerische StaatsBibliothek

 Doublet?  Check.  Jerkin?  Check  Fancy Pants?  In spades.

Revenge of the Pluderhose; the Madness Returns

UPDATE 3-19-18: I am currently reworking this drafting system to streamline and make it a bit simpler to measure.  While I was going to just edit this one, I will have to take all new photos as well, so I will work on publishing a fresh version (which will be linked here).  I did change a few things before I made this decision, so if this makes less sense than you might think, then it's my bad.

This is the first of an intended series of posts on drafting and making up a suit of German (or Swedish) Renaissance men's clothing.  Later in the century, that is--Elizabethan era, not Lansknecht--although the patterning could be used for that as well.  Last time I wrote on this, it was part of a mad frenzy of sewing the Svante Sture suite

The garment is somewhat complicated, and I am sure has been the cause of many grey hairs in reenactors--partially because there are no patterns or instructions for them online (ok, there is one, but it is not remotely period--it seems to be based on pajama pants).  Reconstructing history also sells a pattern, which I have no experience with, and no desire to.  So, when I (for some unknown, warped, reason) decided I wanted to make another suit, I figured it would be a good thing to show how I draft a pair, since last time I made them I didn't have the blog.  Plus, the last pair didn't have the foundation breeches.  This pattern is based on the pairs worn by Nils and Erik Sture (mostly Nils, because Erik's pair of foundation breeches is stretched in a way that happens with the sewing.  You'll see).

I figure it will take around three parts--one each for the foundation breeches and the shell, and one on making them up.  The foundation breeches were made of a fine leather, similar to chamois or a soft deerskin--sadly this isn't an option for me, and I will likely use a heavy cotton (either canvas or ticking).  Depending on the particular style, the foundation breeches can be full length (and sewn to the legband at the bottom), as in Nils or free at the bottom (as I believe Erik's was).

Arnold, Janet. Patterns of Fashion 3.  Pp. 64

Research Dump, No. 7

Norse Stamp Pattern Jewelry
A class on the design of "Viking" armbands, and pendant decorated with stampwork.
http://www.fitp.ca/articles/FITPXXI/viking_silver.pdf

Period Tailoring Techniques--making a doublet interior--part 1
An article more or less discussing the interlinings and canvassing of a doublet.
http://www.reconstructinghistory.com/blog/period-tailoring-techniques-making-a-doublet-interior-part-i.html 
Part II: http://www.reconstructinghistory.com/blog/period-tailoring-techniques-making-a-doublet-interior-part-ii.html
Part III: http://www.reconstructinghistory.com/blog/period-tailoring-techniques-making-a-doublet-interior-part-iii.html 

Rock of the Eye
A discussion on drafting patterns by Rock of the Eye (less poetically known as "eyeballing it").  There is some good ideas and thoughts in here, although it takes them some time to get there.
http://www.cutterandtailor.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=853 

Sture Suit: Finally (almost) Complete

Project:

              The full project will be a head-to-foot German renaissance outfit, patterned on the extant suit of Svante Sture.  All in all, this includes a doublet, pluderhosen, shoes, netherstocks, a hat, and probably a belt of some sort.  This documentation will only discuss the doublet and pluderhosen.

The find:
               The find this project is based on is the suit that was being worn by Svante Sture at the time of his murder on May 24, 1567.  The suit was saved and placed in Upsala Cathedral by his widow Marta.  The suit consists of a black velvet doublet and pluderhosen, trimmed with a greenish-grey silk.  The puffs of the pluderhosen were of the same fabric.  Overall, the outfit was fairly moderate—suitable for an older gentleman, or my more subdued taste.

The full suit. (From Patterns of Fashion 3, by Janet Arnold)

              

Pattern:

              The doublet is a fairly simple form of construction—single piece back (integral back collar), front pieces, sleeves with an interesting cap, shoulder wings, and a single piece peplum.  I chose to leave off the shoulder wings—in the first attempt at making the doublet I included them…then decided that I really did not like how they feel and look.  There were also a couple of pieces inset into the side, presumably to accommodate for weight gain—I left those out as well, because—while contemporary—they are believed to not be original to the pattern.

Pluderhosen: Some assembly required

Pattern Traced from Patterns of Fashion, by Janet Arnold.

Continuing on from my last post--A Road To Madness--I believe I managed to rectify my mistake, by extending the dart into a seam going the full width of the piece.  This will result in the back panel being slightly shorter (around 1/2 inch, since I'm using as small of a seam allowance as I may), but that should be acceptable---that piece 1/2 inch shorter than it should, should not be noticeable.

Here, you can see the modified dart (left) and the original plan (right).

The (A) Road to Madness: Take the exit marked...Pluderhosen?

Over the last two days I managed to fully assembled the Sture doublet, with two major differences off of the original: It untrimmed (for now.  Strips of silk will eventually be applied), and I left off the shoulder wings because I quite honestly do not like the things--I don't like drafting them, I don't like wearing them, and they add a fair amount of thickness to the seam (at least with these fabrics)
There were a few issues in the making up, with ease (which was remedied once I got the bright idea to measure off of my existing doublet), mainly.  These were summarily overcome, and all that is left is the hook and eyes (and someday trimming)


But that is not what this post is on.  This particular post is on the Sture Pluderhosen, a maddening pair