I decided to sew this jacket when the second trimester of my first pregnancy was approaching and I couldn't hook up any of my doublets over the growing belly. Pregnancy was a bit of an excuse for sewing this jacket, because I always liked its pattern and I didn't need it before. Since then I call it my "pregnancy jacket“ and soon I will use it again, as we are expecting a second baby at the time of writing this post.
What did I want to achieve?
Linen preserved jacket from Victoria and Albert Museum and my woolen copy – I tried to fully reconstruct the jacket with a few exceptions (I missed the collar behind the neck and sleeves' fastening with cuffs.)
Similiar, embroidered jacket from Victoria and Albert Museum.
VERMEER, Johannes. Woman Reading a Letter
I was originally inspired by Vermeer's image of a woman in a blue jacket, a doublet from the second half of the 17th century - the woman is probably pregnant. I liked the bows and three-quarter sleeves, but in the end I decided to make the sleeves longer. I wanted my jacket from wool, to be warm enough.
VERMEER, Johannes. Woman Holding a Balance
Pregnant woman again in a similiar styled jacket.
BORCHT, Pieter van der. Monkeys starching and setting ruffs
Detail of Borcht's engraving.
Step by step
The pattern of the preserved jacket from the V&A Museum is available in the publication Seventeenth Century Women's Dress Patterns, its reconstruction is described in detail in the book. The cut is displayed on the measuring net in inches, so it is good to have a cutting mat to enlarge it to the actual size. Unfortunately, I did not have a cutting mat and I firstly created my mat in inches on a pattern´s paper - yes, that was a little delay, but I did not want to wait for the mat.
Based on the pattern, I drew a jacket on my improvisation mat.
What made my work easier was the actual size of the pattern - it exactly matched my body. I did not have to modify the pattern, but still I decided to assemble it on cotton before cutting the wool.
The jacket from the old sheet was perfect, exactly my size, as I said.
Then I cut the linen lining of the jacket.
And then the woolen jacket…
First try.
This was followed by the fastening of the sleeves and wings. Thanks to the very detailed instructions of Women's Dress Patterns, sewing went very fast - I tried to follow all structural principles, including the stitching used on the lining or the way of sewing bows.
The lining is stitched with a prick stich.
The inner side of the armholes.
I hesitated a little with what ribbon to use to tie my jacket. Originally I wanted to have more common cotton strings, but my hearts fell through silk blue ribbons, although I prefer materials less ornate. The picture shows a cotton ribbon vs. silk.
There was a brief dilemma over the number of bows.
5 bows?
9?
The full number won.
The edges of ribbons are finished with blue cotton thread to avoid fraying.
Now I´m ready for Mukařov. :)
Nearly at my 8th month of my pregnancy at one small event in Mukařov, fully satisfied in my new warm and comfortable jacket. I had four warm layers under my jacket and I felt very comfortable.
I usually wear a partlet with the higher collar underneath my jacket/waistcoat, which fully replaced the collar I left out of the original pattern.
And what was hiding under the jacket…
And what I love about historical costumes is the ability to wear them even during pregnancy - unless it's the narrow waistcoat you can´t hook up. My rehearsal before camping - the string of the bodice was too short, I had to pull out a longer one out of my 15th century kirtle, the skirt could not be closed even on the third hook, so I attached a string to adjust the width to my liking. Everything was very comfortable until the end of my pregnancy.
With an apron no one knows what lies beneath it. :)
We thank for this photo our friend Martina Jejkalová.
What did I use?
- Old sheet
- Any cotton thread for machine sewing of a cotton jacket
- Thick natural white 100% wool from Wooltrade
- Partially bleached 100% linen from Wooltrade
- Beige linen blacksmith thread
- Blue silk ribbons from Sartor
- Blue, soft cotton thread
What will I do differently next time?
- I will finally buy a cutting mat
Highlights:
- Silk ribbon is very difficult for work with pins, because pins tears and destroys the fine ribbon, it is best to pinch the ribbon carefully with blunt office clips (but in the end you can feel free, bows on the jacket with period stitching hold very firmly)