18th century costume build

[TTailor]

I thought I would share a few photos from my most recent job.
I built a number of costumes for an Opera Company in 2014, and was asked to recreate one of the coats in a different fabric for an upcoming filming.
Of course, during the great studio pandemic cleanup of 2020 I tossed those 7 year old patterns thinking I would not need them again!
Isn't that always the way things go?

Luckily, I have pretty good notes on how I drafted them, and I was able to look at the original garments as well.
By the way, this is not museum reproduction 18th c pattern making, it is an interpretation for stage/screen. It is very long, even for the singer, who is 6'3" tall. Approx 75% of his height. It also has a side panel so I can achieve a bit more shaping through the waist and more flare in the skirting.

[Schneiderfrei]

Wonderful work Ttailor.

[peterle]

Wow, very nice! Did you attach all the possamentery by hand?

[TTailor]

Wow, very nice! Did you attach all the possamentery by hand?

No, we were able to apply quite a bit by machine but it did have to be hand basted in place first.
The "buttonholes" were created by folding a trim and machining it, they were then basted in place, then machined on.

The trim that runs down the coat front is made of two different trims, a wide open weave underneath and a narrow one on top. We were able to make a single trim by pre stitching the narrow to the wide by machine.
That was also hand basted on to make sure the trim had enough ease, then machined onto the coat.



The skirts had the same trim with an addition of a sequined beaded lace laid under the other trim.  The lace needed to be trimmed and have some beads and sequins removed then tied off by hand. Then it was basted in place then machine stitched onto the coat. All the places where the trim stopped had to be secured by hand, turned and finished.
At every stage of applying trim, we test, then baste, then stitch and check that the application of the trim is not distorting the hang of the garment.

All these trims are made with a chain stitch so its tricky once you cut because in one direction especially it just spontaneously starts to unravel.

[Greger]

Rather fancy.

[peterle]

Thank You for the detailed info. Even with machine a ton of work.