Here is what happens when you get too comfortable:


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I went back to my first love--the late 18th century. And I went over to the dark side--I became a Fusilier.

Fusilier is a great word.

Back when flintlocks were new, the 7th Regiment of Foot were raised as "Royal Fuzileers" to escort James II artillery trains. Troops with fusils were less apt to blow shit up then matchlock-armed infantry.

English ( Read more... )

Let's see that *&^%$ gravel get in my shoes now:


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Riding to Fort Ticonderoga, twelve hours of dodging floods, gives me some time to catch up on sewing.

I have some scraps of yellow linen left over from the trouser project. Since early 19th century trousers were ankle-high (and my 19th-century shoes are gravel magnets,) gaiters seem like a good idea.

There are plenty of references to matching gaiters ( Read more... )

Sorry for the disappearance.

My job decided to eat my head. I didn't get my tailcoat finished in time for the Genesee, but the good news is I saw many good tailcoats and learned much.


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In a way I lucked out on the tailcoat.

The only really unfamiliar bit is the collar, and I stumbled on Beth's blog early in the process: fashioningbeaubrummell.blogspot.com/2010/09/getting-started-pattern-for-tailcoat.html
Aside from fantastic pics and links, she found out the hard way that the bloody collar shape isn't anything like it is in the ( Read more... )

My sewing form has streamlined my process quite a bit. Our measurements are the same, but our proportions are slightly different, so lots of small clothes dressing and undressing for the Regency coat. Then this happened:


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Back after a brief diversion to the 1760s. I needed a waistcoat to fight the Cherokee:


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Sorry for the delay. Many distractions--life withtayloropolis chief among them. I found a great picture of one of Peales and I decided I wanted buttons on my shirt:


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