10-25-2007, 12:34 PM
Wes, to make braccae, what I did was this. I got a pattern from a fabric store for medical scrubs. You know, like they wear on ER. I laid the two pant pieces together along the OUTseam. Then I traced over that with a piece of that white banner paper you can get at WalMart or other store.
The idea is to eliminate the outseam. You'll need to overlap the outer edges of the leg/hip curve for that, but you can keep the strange shape of the inner leg. That makes them fit correctly around the rise measure.
Then you want to check the width around the leg, making sure it's not too tight. Adjust the angles if needed to make the shape simpler.
I added around 4" to the waist, since they're supposed to ride higher than modern pants, and checked the dimension to make sure it fit around the belly ok. They should ride high like 18,19th century trousers.
I made a pair from an old bedsheet to make sure they fit right. Then I cut the good cloth. Adjust the length to what your unit says is correct for them, mid calf, just below knee, whatever is right for your centurio. Same pattern can make ankle length, just extend the leg down.
They're not exactly like the Thorsburg braccae, but if people are close enough to inspect your crotch seam, well, they're probably friends anyway, so they won't complain, right? :lol: Last time I did a little research on braccae, there weren't many samples to compare with, so I just wear them, and don't worry about them. I can't explain this part, but I got tired of getting nearly undressed to urinate, so I built an openable fly into the most recent pair I made. If you know how to make, say, 19th century cavalry britches, you can do something similar, but put the buttons facing the inside, so they don't show. Add a drawstring and you're done. Easier than a Charles Dickens frock coat!
The idea is to eliminate the outseam. You'll need to overlap the outer edges of the leg/hip curve for that, but you can keep the strange shape of the inner leg. That makes them fit correctly around the rise measure.
Then you want to check the width around the leg, making sure it's not too tight. Adjust the angles if needed to make the shape simpler.
I added around 4" to the waist, since they're supposed to ride higher than modern pants, and checked the dimension to make sure it fit around the belly ok. They should ride high like 18,19th century trousers.
I made a pair from an old bedsheet to make sure they fit right. Then I cut the good cloth. Adjust the length to what your unit says is correct for them, mid calf, just below knee, whatever is right for your centurio. Same pattern can make ankle length, just extend the leg down.
They're not exactly like the Thorsburg braccae, but if people are close enough to inspect your crotch seam, well, they're probably friends anyway, so they won't complain, right? :lol: Last time I did a little research on braccae, there weren't many samples to compare with, so I just wear them, and don't worry about them. I can't explain this part, but I got tired of getting nearly undressed to urinate, so I built an openable fly into the most recent pair I made. If you know how to make, say, 19th century cavalry britches, you can do something similar, but put the buttons facing the inside, so they don't show. Add a drawstring and you're done. Easier than a Charles Dickens frock coat!
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
