Project Specs:
Fabric: 3.5 oz Bleached Softened Linen from Fabrics-Store.com
Yardage: ~1 yard total
First event:
Iterations tried: 5 currently.
Starting February off strong with something exciting was high on my list to keep my early motivation from Tempore Atlantia going. Originally, my February plan included only doing one new set of calzones. Except that in doing so, I was faced with a set of possibilities for how to do that, so I've tried multiple options.
My main issue with my first set of calzones is the fit. They're weirdly bunchy, the waistband is a bit untidy and awkward to wear, and they just feel slightly off. The first, and easiest, possibility for moving forward was to see pictures of calzones or bragas that fit in a similar weird/chunky way that my originals do, accept that that's a good way to go, and that'll be that. I didn't particularly like that plan, as their extra fabric around the front isn't a pleasing sensation to wear. However, there are numerous examples of garments that fit in this manner. The second option was to try limiting the leg width to what is necessary to get around my hips and add gores to the leg. This seemed like a good way to balance the more form-fitting shape I think I want. The con here is that this is not as likely to be accurate.
I decided to start with the gore method for my first set in this project but found that there was only so big I could make the inner gores and still maintain a comfortable shape up to a point. I ended up adding a side gore to make the originally rectangular leg panels closer in shape to my thigh. Neither of these gores truly made much of a difference in comfort level, and this version was scrapped as a failure. It looked even sloppier, and really highlighted the trial and error nature of the fitting. The third set had properly fitted sides but was still assembled as a front and back piece, and helped me conclude that this is the wrong decision. Mark 4 used the same fabric pieces as Mark 3 but cut the front and back pieces in half at the center seams and assembled them as a left and a right side. This was more successful, but the folded-down waistband with drawstring was still insufficient for the standard I wanted to uphold.
My first set was, up to a point, my only even remotely successful set- Marks 2, 3, and 4 were all ultimately scrapped. I tried making edits and updates along the way, and ultimately, I decided that a fitted shape was just not going to happen without curving seams, and I wasn't ready to go that far off script, especially for something that is going to be a mainstay in my primary kit. I was lucky enough to take a class in June all about this specific garment. One of the recommendations during this class was Margo Anderson's Italian Lady's Underpinnings patterns. I picked up a copy of this pattern and set about on Mark 5.
This pattern was pretty quick to knock up. That may be because I'd made 4 other versions and had an idea, but I managed to get it done from start to finish in about a week, including learning how to fingerloop braid. The Margo Anderson patterns use two side pieces with four small triangular gores in the crotch area and a waistband into which the body is gathered. The seams are then felled to finish it and eyelets are added to the waistband for closure. I then decided to wear them for a workday at home to see how they hold up through a day of activity and eating etc. My conclusions on this experiment were as follows:
I could stand for probably an inch less fabric in the body of the legs.
I could stand for probably an inch more in the waistband to account for eating, sweating, and bloating, etc.
Mark 5 held up quite well at St. Paddy's Day Bloodbath and was more comfortable and reliable than Mark 1. The fingerloop braid I made for the tie was a little too short- it could probably stand to be as long as 12" but is currently around 8". All of my earlier experimentation could probably have been solved easier if I hadn't tried to experiment and relied on secondary sources more. My major complaint there was that while everyone has pictures of a couple of extant garments, but no one had the original museum listing, so I have no way of corroborating what they say about the pieces.
Mark 6 will be the first version that I try putting all of the things I have learned together for a hand-sewn garment that matches extant patterns. It is sewn with run-and-fell seams, folded hems, and the adjustments above. According to the sources I found, the reference piece has four gussets
I would like to try to simplify the gusset on the legs into two gussets that line up with the center seams instead of four. This was to make the seams neater, but also to help with some of the weird folding I was getting between the two sides of the gussets on Mark 5.
I did decide to be brave and display this project at the 2021 Known World Virtual Arts and Sciences Display. My formal documentation can be found here.