Natural Dyeing with Madder Root

The Madder Root

Prior to the creation of man made, synthetic dyes in the late 19th century, all dyeing was done with natural products. One such dye was extracted from the the roots of the Madder family or Rubia, a type of perennial scrambling shrubs and herbs. These Madder plants grow in many parts of the world, and were popular in Europe during the early 1800s, being introduced from the exotic lands of the Middle East, particularly Turkey. In this post, I will explain how to extract and dye fabric with the roots of the Madder plant. I will be dying a piece of jean cloth from Family Heirloom Weavers to use as interlining in my coats.

Federal Enlisted Trousers

These trousers were custom made for a gentleman in the New England Brigade, a local reenactment group. One of the customizations I made was to put the watch pocket on the left side of the trousers, as he is left-handed. They are half lined with polished cotton, finished by hand, and were drafted from a custom pattern made according to his measurements.

Federal Enlisted Frock Coat Construction – Part 1

Today begins a series of tutorials on constructing a Federal Enlisted Frock Coat, as was used during the American Civil War. I’ve made about a dozen of these coats in the past year, with more under way as you read this. In this post, we will mainly discuss the tail facings, preceded by some cutting photos.

Staying the Fork

Most of you have experienced a pair of trousers developing holes and tears in the crotch, probably at the least convenient time. Tailors have developed a way to help prevent these issues, called staying the fork. Since this area of the trousers takes the most stress, it’s important to reinforce it. The stay also prevents the bias from stretching in this area, and offers a little more protection from moisture.

Devere’s Graduated Rulers

I’ve been drafting patterns using a copy of Louis Devere’s The Handbook of Practical Cutting on the Centre Point System (1866) for almost two years now. Of the available drafting manuals from the Civil War period, this seems to be the most complete and easiest to learn.