Saundra Ros Altman's: Past Patterns

#016: Men's Spring-Bottom Winter Trousers with or without Foot Straps Circa 1843-1856

Winter Trousers with or without Foot Straps $15.00 (US dollars)

Order the pattern in one of the Three Waist Sizes: Sizes 28"-34", Sizes 36"- 42", and Sizes 44"- 52".

The Fabric Requirements are for a man who stands 5'6" tall. Add 2"-4" for every 1" of height above 5'6". In 45 inch wide fabric purchase: 2-7/8 Yds. for sizes 28"-34" and 3 Yds. for sizes 36"-52". In 60 inch wide fabric purchase 2 yds. for sizes 28"-34" and 2-7/8 Yds. for sizes 36"-52".

Fabrics: The original trouser color is dark navy blue ground with a horizontal robin's egg blue stripe spaced 2" apart and dark sky blue vertical stripe spaced 1-1/2" and 3/4" apart. The fabric is a wool tricot. Substitute fabrics are: Bottom weight, plain woven wool or broadcloth, in solid colors or heather, even or uneven stripe, plaid or check. Twill weaves such as basket and herringbone are also appropriate. Do not purchase worsted. It does not shrink easily. See below for a half scale image of the original trouser fabric.

Notions: The original lining and facing fabric is a heavily glazed tightly woven dark brown cotton. The pocketing is a bottom weight tightly woven medium weight white plain weave cotton. The canvas facing is a medium weight tightly woven unbleached plain weave linen. Of 45" wide fabric cut - Lining: 3/8 Yd. Pocketing: 1/2 Yd. and Linen canvas: Sizes 28-42 - 5/8 Yd., Sizes 44-52 - 7/8 Yd. The original foot straps appear to be 1/6th thick Japanned cow hide leather. Purchase a rectangle of leather that is at least 20"x 13" from which two foot straps can be cut.

One spool of 100% linen 35/2 sewing thread. Four hole reproduction Japanned black metal buttons: six to eight 1/2" for the fly and pocket, seven 5/8" to 3/4" for the waistband and suspenders. The original wool twill tape is an olive green, purchase 1-2/3 Yds. 1/2" wide wool twill tape.

A life size image of the Japanned metal two-piece suspender button and the wool tape.

Tailor's Supplies-All Notions but the heavily glazed lining fabric and the Japanned leather for the foot straps can be purchased from: Wm. Booth, Draper, 2115 Ramada Dr., Racine, WI 53406. Phone: (262) 886-9133, e-mail: wmboothdraper@wi.rr.com, http://www.wmboothdraper.com . Purchase the glazed cotton and 1/2" wide wool tape from Needle and Thread, 2215 Fairfield Rd., Gettysburg, PA 17325. Phone: (717) 334-4011.

This is a pattern package rich with information. It is divided into seven sections:

• The California Gold Rush—Briefly summarize the discovery of gold in California and how it affected the world and also briefly describes the wool trousers in newspapers, letters and catalog that were worn during the gold rush era.
• Fabric Glossary—Wool described in the newspapers, etc. for trousers.
• Foot Straps—Documents when foot straps first appeared in Europe as well as the variety used in an attempt to keep the trousers looking neat.
• Construction Notes—Explains how to measure, when the trouser crease appears, how to layout the trousers on directional fabric using the middle line, how to wear mid-19th century trousers and explains a let-out seam used by tailors.
• Essentials of Tailoring—Outlines the minimum tools needed by a journeyman tailor or a home tailoress and how to make them and their uses.
• Historical Stitches—Illustrates the stitches used to construct the original trousers.
• Making Up—Describes and illustrates in detail how to make a pair of reproduction trouser similar to the originals.
Matching Patterns: Wear these Winter Trousers with Past Patterns' #006-Men's Drawers, #007-Two Mid-Nineteenth Century Shirts, #018-Single-Breasted Vest and #009-Double-Breasted Paletot.

Final Testing: Final instructions and pattern tested and edited by Holly Turner of Holly’s Custom Sewing. Phone Ms. Turner at (573) 438-4596.

This pattern is copyrighted and is for personal non-commercial use only. Dressmakers and other commercial users contact Past Patterns.

Phone us at (937) 223-3722 or use the Order Form to order by fax or mail.