Clothing patterns based on rectangles

Jay Angler wrote:Awesome shirt, Nicole - but on the practicality side, is he going to wear it to work?

Knowing him, he just might, hahaha! He actually doesn't care what people think about his appearance, and thinks it's fun to go around looking different. When I was making my pirate hat, I ended up accendetly making a funky top hat. He told me I needed to save it so he could wear it walking downtown, haha!

You've done part 1 and 2  - can you see yourself sewing him an efficient, low waste work shirt from what you learned?

For him, I think the things I would change would be having a button-up front, so it's easier to put on. The woven fabric (my grandpa's old sheet), doesn't really "give" when trying to pull it over the head. He got the shirt on fine, but he didn't seem to happy wiggling in and out of it every time I needed to check how it fit/looked on him.

He also really didn't like the square "patch" at the base of the neck--he thought it looked far too medieval for a pirate. The other thing he didn't like was the collar. Since I'd chosen to just make the front and back out of one long piece of fabric, and I followed the directions for making a neck "hole" (basically a horizontal cut, and then a cut down the front), it made the neckline hang oddly. He didn't like how much it gaped open (thus, I made a fancy ruffled cravat to tie the neckline a little tighter, and to cover up the patch he didn't like).

My husband actually sweats quite a lot, and generally avoids button-up shirts and just wears t-shirts all the time. So, even if I made it entirely modern looking, I don't think he'd wear it unless he was feeling festive. Basically, the only way I could make him a work shirt, would be to make him a knit t-shirt.

I think the shirt will be getting lots of wear, since we've been pirates every year for 3 or 4 years. And, he also likes the steampunk look, and the shirt could easily be used for that, too. I'm happy to have made him a historical shirt, and that I've learned a lot in the process, and that we were able to use an old cotton sheet to make his outfit, rather than buying a cheap polyester "pirate" shirt.

I also wasn't that happy with the neck-line. I definitely cut the back of the shirt to be a slight crescent, and if I make it again, I'd cut it even more.

I also added the flap at the front, wider underneath and narrower on top so it is essentially like what I think they call a "golf shirt", but not stretchy.

My husband always wore short-sleeved shirts to work,  so I wonder if that option would work? I wonder what it would look like made out of t-shirt material with the neck-line adapted the way I did mine? Your husband might still find a collared shirt too warm. It's pretty hard to justify sewing t-shirts!  Part of the whole problem is that clothing is stupidly cheap - just the way food is, but it's not quality clothing that lasts, just like it's not nutritious food to eat!

Well, I thought I'd share my first attempt at a ladies' smock shirt made from rectangles. I think it ended up a bit like the shirt Inge had mentioned here: https://permies.com/t/154258/sewing/fiber-arts/Clothing-patterns-based-rectangles#1220198 although I didn’t realise that until I started this post.
My idea was that I wanted a fitted shirt, so it had a more feminine outline and not end up too baggy. I used some very old sheeting. It is extremely soft, is probably about 80 years old and is not fit for the beds anymore but does as a trial fabric. The back and front are the same (although the back neckline turned out slightly higher by happy accident) with a panel the width of my bust. The idea was to use smocking on the sides to give shape, and the sleeves to take away some of the fullness. I put a triangle gusset under the arms to blend the armholes. Unfortunately it hasn’t turned out quite how I wanted (but I have a plan).
I did not make the sleeves long enough (mis-measured my arms), so they finish halfway up my forearms. I therefore didn’t bother finishing the cuffs.
I do really like the elasticity of the smocking. It is quite resiliant and there is no rubber to degrade (or obtain). It could be used in a different application to make a warm fabric – the folds trap extra layers of air under the fabric. I did the top stitching in embroidery cotton, but it could be done in matching thread just the same. I did the smocking first and then sewed it together. It was difficult to guess how much the smocking would reduce the material and in the end I think I used too much fabric, so the garment has ended up far too baggy. I think as well that I will rotate the position of the smocking at the wrists so that it is at the inside of the wrists rather than the outside.
I’m going to try again and make the garment without smocking first, with the minimum fabric, so that I can get it on and off comfortably, and then add the smocking detail to take away the fullness later.
Don’t hold your breath however! I hand sewed it all over Xmas, and we don't watch so much screen at other times....

We were wondering if smocking would be "elastic" enough to replace the elastic at the top of underwear. It would be bulkier. Maybe there are reasons that "underwear" is a relatively new invention!
Nancy Reading wrote:

My idea was that I wanted a fitted shirt, so it had a more feminine outline and not end up too baggy.

From some of the "period clothing" Youtube's I've watched, baggy was a big part of clothing back then, and they tended to "add" bulk to make the person the shape they wanted, rather than try and jam people into something that wasn't their shape.

That said, most clothing was made for a specific person, rather than 1-size fits no one.

Either way, that's a very nice shirt you've ended up with - well done!

Jay Angler wrote:We were wondering if smocking would be "elastic" enough to replace the elastic at the top of underwear. It would be bulkier. Maybe there are reasons that "underwear" is a relatively new invention!

The stretch will probably vary according to the fabric, but the smocking I did gives a 'stretch' of almost twice the 'resting' length. The length before smocking is almost twice that, so there is excess fabric than required for fit. It might work for 'bloomers' though? I'll try and take some pictures.
I think the actual elastic effect will vary depending on 'reeding' dimensions and the way the smocking stitches are taken.

These patterns are very interesting and I do really like the look of several of them (like Nancy's smock I love it!) --but with so many wonderful things to do with scrap fabric, I do wonder about where the obsession with zero-waste sewing has come from?
I totally understand with handwoven fabric, wanting to use the piece you've taken the time to weave--and not cut that--or the example of pieces woven on smaller looms patched together.
But otherwise, why not take up quilting? or patchwork in general? cut scraps into long strips for braided rugs? or light my daughter recently did, cut leftover fabric into very thin strips that are crumpled and used to stuff a seat cushion.

Melissa Ferrin wrote:

-but with so many wonderful things to do with scrap fabric, I do wonder about where the obsession with zero-waste sewing has come from?

I am currently reading "Fibershed" by Rebecca Burgess. I'm not far in, but the statistics regarding the waste, environmental damage and human damage being done by the clothing industry is huge. As with many "awakenings" the pendulum tends to swing from one extreme to the other - excessive waste to zero-waste. I have clearly pointed out in many of my posts, that a main reason for *not* making my own fabric for clothing, is the waste this would generate if I used the typical modern pattern. However, I've also identified that "zero-waste" is the opposite extreme and not my goal.

Personally, I'm looking for a compromise -  patterns that are comfortable and pleasant to wear, use fabric efficiently, and can be made on basic equipment. The recent action in the Pin-weaving thread: https://permies.com/t/174135/permaculture-fiber-arts-tools/fiber-arts/Shaped-loom  shows that many of us who are looking to control where our clothing comes from, and possibly to eliminate exposure to certain toxins, feel as I do - it's a lot of work to start a pair of pants by planting seeds in the ground. I want to find ways to get the maximum benefit out of that effort.

One big advantage I noticed while exploring "rectangles" as the basis for patterns, is that the remnants of fabric are by nature also more or less rectangular, and thus, easy to upcycle into some of the projects you mentioned. The tendency to end up with a long, skinny, curved piece that isn't much use for anything happened far less often. At least the recent project I worked on where that happened, I was using 100% cotton, so those bits got used to wipe up some greasy pans and then went in the wood-stove.

Of course, fashion industry clothing is wasteful.
But I just meant that a quality made-to-measure garment can last an adult person decades or be worn by many children. And there are plenty of uses for scrap fabric.  The time an effort going into to making patterns that use only rectangles and creat awkward garments, could instead go into patchwork and other scrap fabric projects.

I think we've got several threads on how to use excess fabric:
https://permies.com/t/148706/sewing/fiber-arts/sewing-cabbage
https://permies.com/t/163461
https://permies.com/t/72865
for example.

I think some of the garments here are excellent in their own right, I accept mine has a way to go yet!
As always it's horses for courses. Zero waste can be arrived at in different ways and there are many ways of spending one's time usefully.

Melissa Ferrin wrote:Of course, fashion industry clothing is wasteful.
But I just meant that a quality made-to-measure garment can last an adult person decades or be worn by many children. And there are plenty of uses for scrap fabric.  The time an effort going into to making patterns that use only rectangles and creat awkward garments, could instead go into patchwork and other scrap fabric projects.

Yes, they *could*. But, many of us are simply not interested in/ haven't time for those extra projects. I think there's plenty of room for all of us to pursue the designs that interest us, without worrying whether our needs, abilities, and interests make sense to anyone else.

Melissa Ferrin wrote:Of course, fashion industry clothing is wasteful.
But I just meant that a quality made-to-measure garment can last an adult person decades or be worn by many children. And there are plenty of uses for scrap fabric.  The time an effort going into to making patterns that use only rectangles and creat awkward garments, could instead go into patchwork and other scrap fabric projects.

Hi Melissa. If you mean you prefer sewing clothing using patterns that fit, not existing of only rectangles ... that's what I do too. I think it's interesting to know it's possible to make a shirt or pants from rectangles (especially if it's hand-woven). But if I have plenty of fabric (f.e. an old bed sheet) I will cut and sew a 'made-to-measure garment'.

In working up to new sewing projects I pulled this from the back of my closet.  I made this by altering that tunic from the bog for an SCA event I attended with a boyfriend more than 20 years ago.  It survived a week long camping trip and some machine washing before the seams started fraying and I put it away for either repair or to become a Halloween basic.  

My youngest niece fits into this nicely now.  She says she'd be happy wearing it to school, so I am going to try to rescue it.  Currently I am planning to make a liner from light green fabric I have on hand.  Attaching the liner will hopefully reinforce some of the existing stitches.  I  haven't decided yet how to handle the fraying seams. I  am considering making an attempt atdarning, sewing a patch from the back, or maybe just covering the seams with flat stitch ribbon trim in a complementary color.  If I want to get really artistic maybe I can find applique flowers that go well with the flowers already in the trim and use them to patch those areas from the front.  Most likely it will be the ribbon, though.   That will support seams that haven't shown damage yet, and I can use it camouflage some areas where I think my stitches look messy.

When I made it my mother asked me to use the same pattern to make her one.  I have two coordinating peachy-rosey colors in a cotton linen blend.  After repair of this one I will finally start hers.  Following posts here I have learned enough that I think I can manage seams that won't fray, and I will be able to include pockets.

Edited to fix an autocorrect goof

Casie Becker wrote:

Most likely it will be the ribbon, though.   That will support seams that haven't shown damage yet, and I can use it camouflage some areas where I think my stitches look messy.

I think it's awesome that you're going to resurrect  the dress and the fact that your niece is willing to wear it to school shows me how a classic pattern doesn't age!

I like the idea of using ribbon reinforcement. I find it's *really* difficult to fix the sort of fraying in your picture with out a "patch" and the ribbon will act as that patch.

Impatiently waiting to see how it looks when the repairs are done!

Do I need to put the ribbon on both sides of the seams, if it will work on one side is it the inside or the outside?  

That dress is actually the pinnacle of my sewing skills and when I made it I both had no understanding of how to finish seams for clothing and little time before I needed it and the other outfits.  Most of my knowledge at that point was from watching my mom piece quilts. It's a different skill set.

If you have experience struggling with repairing damage like this I would welcome your advice.

Casie Becker wrote:Do I need to put the ribbon on both sides of the seams, if it will work on one side is it the inside or the outside?  

If you have experience struggling with repairing damage like this I would welcome your advice.

Judging from your description and what the damage looks like, putting "ribbon" on both sides would be ideal.
1. You could use something pretty and matching on the outside, and scraps from rags that don't have to match, but do have to not clash to the point they show through on the inside. (or you could just buy bias tape if money's not an issue, but check prices - things like that can be expensive and you're going to need a lot of yards.

2. Next you need to measure all the seams that you need to cover and calculate a total length allowing for folding in the ends. With the outside, if you can't buy one continuous length off a roll, you need to think about where you will join pieces of ribbon and may have to accept some wastage.

3. Ideally your stitches should show minimally, or be a decorative feature. So in a perfect world, your outside ribbon would be a little wider than the inside material. Stitch the inside on both sides of the seam first, and either use the work to practice your final stitches, or just do it quick and dirty, knowing the stitches won't show in the end.

4. Lastly, you stitch on the decorative ribbon using either a fancy stitch with something like embroidery thread, or with tiny mostly hidden stitches at the edges of the ribbon on each side.

5. Accept that this will be time-consuming! I would work at it a bit at a time with some goofy videos or relaxing music on, or I take it with me when I visit a friend and I stitch and chat. That only works after you're comfortable with the stitch and it doesn't take all you focus. You mentioned your niece will wear it. Would she be interesting in learning and helping with this project?

This is the 16 year old who mends her own clothes.  I can offer, but unless it brings her joy I am happy to work on this as a gift for her. After work tomorrow I better start measuring all those seams so I know how much to order.  At least I don't have to worry about if the ribbon scratches since I am making a lining.  Might even use the lining as the backing material.

I will get you some photos tomorrow but I wanted to say thank you for the advice.  The local craft store is clearing out the summer colors so I was able to snatch up the perfect yellow and green ribbons.   I'll post some pictures of the work in progress tomorrow.

Being there at this time also let me get a good deal on the trim ribbon for my mother's version.

Here is a salwar pants pattern I use for Persian SVA clothes.

https://sca.berkeley.edu/how-to-make-a-turkish-salwar/

Zero waste and super easy and quick to whip up a pair or three a couple hours before you head out to an event...

:) Sandy

Here are some petticoats I made using two rectangles.  One for the body which was my widest measurement x 1.5 and a narrower rectangle that was 1.5 times that.  



It would also work for a regular skirt if you like ruffles.  

I finally got up enough nerve, and found enough time,  to try making a pair of pants. As I've stated before, my goal is to have practical, functional clothing that minimizes fabric waste, but if zero waste means bulky, baggy clothing, it would not only get in my way, it may use just as much fabric or more.

So I started with May Lotito's post here: https://permies.com/t/154258/sewing/fiber-arts/Clothing-patterns-based-rectangles#1335177

Here's my pattern drawn out:


I drew the gussets separately as I couldn't decide whether I wanted the bottom of the pant legs narrow or wide. I actually first cut it out of a flannel blanket I got for $2 at a thrift shop. The first step is to sew on the gusset. I thought about the location, decided it was not going to work for my long legs, so I moved it up a little. I then had to sew the leg seams and crotch before figuring out if I was right or... not... sigh... still *way* too low for my body shape. However, #2 Son's girlfriend is barely 5 ft tall, and despite that, I suspect her torso is the same length if not longer than mine. So I had her try the pants on - made a large hem, and folded over the top, and she's got an upcycled pair of PJ pants! But it was back to the drawing board for me!

We had a red flannel fitted sheet that had a hole in the center, but the fabric that is against the side of the bed and tucked under was in good condition and wide enough to cut this pattern from.  I moved the gusset up higher and got sewing:


So the hypotenuse gets sewn to the back panel of the pants and I put the point of it 57.5 cm from the bottom, and you can see it in the picture above.
I added the pocket - because I consider pants without pockets useless. Two rectangular pieces.



The next step is to sew the inner pant leg seam. Cutting the gusset from the lower back panel, and then moving it upwards from the original specs, makes for a somewhat weird looking seam as you'll see in the photo below, but in real life, the two angles are above and below my knee, so it isn't at all obvious that it isn't a smooth curve when I'm wearing them.



The next step is to sew the crotch. I use the system where you turn one leg right side out, tuck it inside the other leg, and stitch the "U" shape together. Of coarse in this case,  it was 3 straight lines with the short leg of the gusset in the middle.



At this point, I did a fitting. The circumference is very generous, but I felt that the "seat" of the pants did not go up high enough. I had already been contemplating this likely issue and came up with the slightly bizarre idea of making a two piece waistband with the seams at the center front and center back and making them wider at the back than the front.  So each half was 58 cm long with the front 7cm and the center back  10.5 cm wide. I sewed the "straight" side to the top of the pants, and folded the "angled" side in and stitched it into a casing, after sewing a couple of button holes for the drawstring.  It may be unique, but it absolutely worked! My plan for these pants is to wear them under wind pants when I'm doing my field work. They aren't going to show, but they need to feel snuggly and comfy in our damp climate. I've worn them several days already and they've been great.



What would I do differently???  May had said to keep the ratio of the gusset 1:2. I'm having second thoughts about that for my body. If I made the current short part of the gusset longer, would it give me the extra length I need from my crotch to my back waistline? I'm not a big person, as you can see in the picture above, but I *am* an outlier so far as "average" ratios are concerned. I'm sure very few of us fit "average" in every way, but I'm known to tell people that, "we're all unique - it's just some of us are unique squared." (maybe cubed even!) If I did that, would it allow me to use a regular long narrow rectangle for the waistband?
Other than that, if I was sewing for "off property" use, I'm thinking I would make two pockets. Since this pair is for wearing underneath wind pants with 3 pockets, 1 was adequate, but if I were to sew another pair out of material suitable for summer work pants, I would definitely need more pockets.

Funny you should mention that, I was just sewing this over the weekend...

http://www.festiveattyre.com/p/how-to-make-easy-italian-chemise.html

It is totally rectangles/squares (except the sleeve gores that are triangles cut from squares), and while I was making it I told hubby I bet this was because you could just weave the right size on your loom...

Cat Knight wrote:
http://www.festiveattyre.com/p/how-to-make-easy-italian-chemise.html

It is totally rectangles/squares (except the sleeve gores that are triangles cut from squares), and while I was making it I told hubby I bet this was because you could just weave the right size on your loom...

Exactly. And we've got people experimenting with peg looms which could be made specifically for the sizes needed for this pattern. Even if you didn't set up your loom specifically for the pattern width, spare rectangular scraps are more useful for upcycling into edgings, reinforcing bits, or even garden ties, than the squiggly bits left from most modern patterns.

First a question: how many inches did you overlap the sleeve panel and each of the front and back panels? Did you use the 2" and 6" that was suggested?
Second question: did you do the 7" or a different size gusset?
Third question: how loose around the neckline do you find the finished chemise?

I find it interesting that this pattern cuts the gussets into triangles, whereas the "Pirate shirt" pattern keeps them as squares. This adds a seam across the hypotenuse of the triangle when you stitch the arms closed, which recreates the "square". It probably makes it easier for a beginner to sew the pattern, but it makes the underarms - already a weak point - possibly a little weaker. This is more likely to be an issue with home-spun fabric than a high thread count industrial cotton and if I were to attempt this with a lower count material, I'd be inclined to use a scrap of cotton bed-sheet as an interfacing on the triangles.

Jay Angler wrote:

First a question: how many inches did you overlap the sleeve panel and each of the front and back panels? Did you use the 2" and 6" that was suggested?
Second question: did you do the 7" or a different size gusset?
Third question: how loose around the neckline do you find the finished chemise?

I find it interesting that this pattern cuts the gussets into triangles, whereas the "Pirate shirt" pattern keeps them as squares. This adds a seam across the hypotenuse of the triangle when you stitch the arms closed, which recreates the "square". It probably makes it easier for a beginner to sew the pattern, but it makes the underarms - already a weak point - possibly a little weaker. This is more likely to be an issue with home-spun fabric than a high thread count industrial cotton and if I were to attempt this with a lower count material, I'd be inclined to use a scrap of cotton bed-sheet as an interfacing on the triangles.

I am a wide and busty lady, generally called a plus size. I did 7"? and 3" for the front, because my fabric was wider.
I did an 8" gusset, it was still too small for my "wings." Someone with particularly muscular arms will have the same problem, although I doubt I cut my sleeves the same size...I didn't measure lol
I'm going to alter them. In fact, if I was doing it again I'd use rectangles. Or if I was weaving them myself on a loom.
I pleated my neckline, using the technique from this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-ORcHRlq_Q  it is not particularly loose nor tight. It is Just right <3

I didn't have linen, so I made mine from cotton. I want to note that all the seams will either need to be surged or overstitched because it is fraying like mad already.

Now, one thing to note is that this underdress should be made from linen and it has no real shape itself and no bust support. In the middle ages another dress would be worn over the top, and that dress would be made from wool. the over dress would be sewn to have a very fitted bodice that acted as bust support. Also of note is that if you shorten it a lot, it is a shirt. Finally, I just wanted to say I see a striking resemblance to alter boy robes in the one I made with a pleated top. I cant help but think that somewhere back in the middle ages every woman thought this was pretty funny and the priests were largely clueless.

One thing that I like to do it make no math patterns (also for quilts and cooking), my philosophy behind that is that very few were school educated prior to about 1900 or so in the history of the human race. I just can't see the average middle ages housewife measuring things out with a acrylic quilting ruler. There is always some "easier" way, such as weaving panels the right size from the get go ;)

I do a lot of historical recreation and fantasy/sci-fi conventions. I can quickly whip up a shirt for someone just using remnants. These are the end of bolt usually less than a yard pieces or a flaw in the weave/print that the store cut out and then sells at a discount. I started making these for my son when he was a toddler by taking 2 reminents overlapping them to form a cross ❌ stitching down the edge of the overlap cutting out a head hole and stitching up the sides to form a shirt shape. I quickly found out that if the arm piece wasn't 9 inches i couldn't fit my hand in to grab his hand and help him get his arm in the sleeves. To have a baggie enough shirt for freedom of movement but not having sleeves start at the elbow instead of the shoulder I started pleats down the body panel and put a piece of trim across at the bottom of where the sleeves attached, and the head hole scraps as gussets at the armpits. I'd take out the stitches holding the pleats in place below the trim. Creating an effect similar to the smocked shirt posted earlier in this thread. Then came the day that the sleeves were to short, I'd pleat the sleeve like I did the body cut it in half and attach to the middle of the body panel. Started cutting out square neck holes so I would have at least one gusset the weird diamond shape when you took all the pleats out of the head hole scrap.

Then came the day that 22 1/2 inches wasn't long enough for the shirt so cut both panels in half and stitch to a smaller rectangle that is as wide as your shoulders. Started experimenting with a new neckline, figure out how wide you need for your neck and cut a right triangle with one side the back of the neck wide and the other following the grain of the fabric then flip and attach on the wrong side of the shirt one side starting at the point of the hole following the grain up, the other starting at the point and perpendicular to the grain make sure to add trim with the bias tape securing the edges to draw attention to it and let people know it was on purpose. Creative piecing to make pieces big enough.
The djellaba is an interesting ethnic pattern, this lead to making the rectangle vests. The djellaba is essentially 3 rectangles for the body, line up the selvedge edges perfectly, cut the length you want shoulder to hem, then cut length wise down the middle, sew shoulder seams so the selvedge meets in the center front. Attach sleeves and hood.
As you can see colors don't have to match, just pick a theme and coordinate, even strong contrasts can be tied together with trim.

The Zero Waste dress above is a very similar process as the Petticoat you made for this winter - https://permies.com/t/206751/sewing/fiber-arts/Warm-underwear-winter-Petticoats

I really like the way she did the math to use the fabric efficiently, and I totally approve of including pockets!

The only thing I would do differently, is that I would tack the center side of each shoulder strap at the top of the bodice, as I'm concerned that if actually wearing this dress in real life, the strap bits would fall off - at least they would fall off my shoulders!

Glenn Herbert wrote:I haven't made pants like the ones you describe - pants were not in use in that area and period - but I have seen patterns of similar description from the Middle East.

The tunic I and many others make is from a bog body in Sweden in the mid 14th century, known as the Bocksten Man. A search will bring up many images and patterns.

I made medieval tunics for my kids and husband a few years back, using a simple pattern that's a lot a lot like the bog tunic. Here's the tutorial I used Tunics for Everyone!

This is what the pattern looks like on a piece of fabric:



And here's how to put the pieces together:



And here's my son in his tunic!



I just made it a little longer and wider for my daughter to make it more princess gown like:

Thanks for that wonderful link and the pictures Nicole! It's not super obvious on the drawing, but it shows on the picture in the link, that the neck hole does not need to be centered in between the shoulders - I expect it will be more comfortable if it's slid a little ways towards the "front" due to the asymmetry of the human body.

The pirate shirt I made showed the neck to be a "T" shaped slit, and I rounded the back of the T so it put less pressure on my neck and I was *really* glad that I did that.

I'm thinking I'm going to have to watch the local thrift shops for some natural fabric to upcycle into one of these tunics.

I do think I've seen some info from Medieval times which suggested that most people wrapped strips of fabric around their legs rather than wearing "pants".  I'm not sure whether it was because "wear and tear" made strips more efficient from the "time to produce vs time to wear out" perspective, or if they simply recognized that making pants fit effectively is much harder than making a tunic fit well!

For making the neck hole size, I actually used this really cool tutorial The Magic Neckline Trick. It uses the measurements of your hands to figure out the size and shape of your neck hole. It worked perfectly for both my kids (who were 3 and 6 at the time) and my husband (who has a very thick neck) and me (who has a thin neck).

Jay Angler wrote:I do think I've seen some info from Medieval times which suggested that most people wrapped strips of fabric around their legs rather than wearing "pants".  I'm not sure whether it was because "wear and tear" made strips more efficient from the "time to produce vs time to wear out" perspective, or if they simply recognized that making pants fit effectively is much harder than making a tunic fit well!

In the early medieval period (AKA “the Viking Age”) leg wraps were fairly common in Europe. My understanding is that they were typically worn with baggy pants, and over the top of woven hose. The leg wraps serve as a supportive garment as well as an extra layer of warmth, rather than the only thing covering your bare legs in the cold.

Hose are a type of sock that’s sewn from (usually) wool, (usually) cut on the bias to allow enough stretch to get them on. These are one of the few pieces of historical clothing that weren’t squares and rectangles - probably because trying to closely fit squares and rectangles around a foot, leg, and ankle is really, really hard, if not impossible.

As time moved on, people started wearing just the hose, without the legs wraps. They stayed about knee-length for women since the fashion had always been long skirts for them. For the men, the hose got longer as the tunics got shorter, right through about 1200 to 1450. About 1450 is when we start seeing the two separate hose getting joined up at the crotch to make “pants” rather than “very long stockings”.

Consider basing your projects on a Japanese kimono or haori (羽織). Both garments are cut and sewn from squares or rectangles. I can find old kimono in open markets for under US$10, and repurpose them as curtains, shades, kitchen rack covers -- anything that requires a rectangular piece of fabric. Once "undone" the fabric pieces can be pressed and sewed into something fabulous.

Sources:
Kimino sewing patterns: https://www.google.com/search?q=japanese+kimono+sewing+patterns&rlz
Inspiration: https://www.movergarments.jp/SHOP/JOOO01-01.html
I am lucky to be able to buy the old silk haori very inexpensively and use them instead of a suit jacket over pants or a skirt. But you can still use the patterns for your own fashions.
Other styles of traditional Japanese clothing based on rectangular pieces of cloth: https://we-xpats.com/en/guide/as/jp/detail/3021/#Yukata%20%E6%B5%B4%E8%A1%A3

And when you are down to the tiny pieces of cloth that you are considering throwing away, try this: https://www.google.com/search?q=making+paper+from+old+cloth&rlz=

Good Luck!

I finished a t-tunic for my elder child the other day. (They’re called t-tunics because when laid flat, they make a T shape.) It was all rectangles of cotton flannel, so they’ll have nice warm pyjamas for winter. This style also makes a nice dress when cut longer, though it really looks best with a belt.

The interesting part is the way I construct the sleeves and side gores. Most rectangularly constructed items have you add a square gusset under the arms to give more room there. Instead, I take the triangle that’s cut off the sleeve rectangle to add shaping, and sew it to the top of the sleeve, in lieu of a gusset.

If the side gores are cut longer, you can also run them up into the armscye. This gives you more space around the chest and in the arms, which means you can use a narrower piece of body fabric and still have the garment fit.

First pic: sleeve diagram, showing where and how I cut and shift the gusset.

Second pic: The sleeve and its attached sleeve-gusset laid on the body piece for attachment.

Third pic: the final sleeve gusset-and-gore combo sewn in place. I should note that I do this by hand - I’m sure it’s doable on a machine, but I have MUCH more control this way. Plus I just prefer hand sewing most things.

Phoenix Blackdove wrote:

I take the triangle that’s cut off the sleeve rectangle to add shaping, and sew it to the top of the sleeve, in lieu of a gusset.

Interesting - that's pretty much how the black and red pants I made were done. The pants gussets are shorter relative to the material length, whereas your gussets are essentially tapered to the mid-point of the sleeve length. The real difference is that the pants fabric goes all the way up to the waist rather than stopping at the crotch, but the sleeve stops at the underarm. But the mechanics is essentially the same. Once you have a feel for the ratio you need for the body you're sewing for, it's a matter of straight lines. Much simpler than the complicated curves of many patterns I've tried to sew.

Jay Angler wrote:Once you have a feel for the ratio you need for the body you're sewing for, it's a matter of straight lines. Much simpler than the complicated curves of many patterns I've tried to sew.

This is part of the reason I became so interested in zero waste designs and historical garment construction. That, and in many cases you can simply draw the pattern straight onto the fabric itself. Pattern preparation/drafting is my absolute least favourite part of the entire sewing process, so methods that just… don’t need it… are fantastic IMO.

Incidentally, if you want a really brain-bending pair of pants to try, I present Holly McQuillan’s zero-waste spiral trousers: https://fadanista.com/2020/01/01/zero-waste-spiral-trousers/.

I haven’t tried them myself, yet, but they’re high on the list once I clear some space in the workroom.

Phoenix Blackdove wrote:

Incidentally, if you want a really brain-bending pair of pants to try, I present Holly McQuillan’s zero-waste spiral trousers: https://fadanista.com/2020/01/01/zero-waste-spiral-trousers/.

Mind-bending is right and you either need fabric that's identical on both sides, or to have a need for two pairs the same size. The only 'rectangle' involved is the shape of the starting fabric! I'm not sure that the seams would be comfortable to use them as farm pants either!

However, it is promising that fashion developers are starting to wake up and consider the environmental impact they're having and look for ways to reduce their footprint. Fashion ideas tend to trickle down to those who need practical clothing and I followed the rabbit hole and found a reference that seemed to  be actually designing 3 outfits to use the same bolt of cloth with the pieces printed on it (so not the same colour) and arranged for minimal waste. I know that in the past, I've often used scraps from another outfit to make inset pockets on a current project in an effort to reduce the amount of fabric needed - or to preserve a larger remnant for future use. It often takes extremists 'zero waste', to get average producers to up their game to 'reasonable waste'. When I made my striped shirt, I curved the back of the neckline because with my neck shape, I was really worried the pattern as set would be uncomfortable. So I "wasted" a bit of fabric for comfort and practicality, but it was cotton, so it could be composted or used to start a fire, so it was also "waste" that could be used for another purpose. The biggest fashion waste is clothing that only gets worn 6 times and then sent to the land-fill! Assuming it doesn't go straight to the land-fill because no one bought it!

Here's my two favorite patterns. They make efficient use of rectangular fabric... The first could be made from fabric only 12.5" wide (narrower now, because I lost weight).

I like the natural slope you've added to the shoulders of the yellow robe. You've done  a great job of combining efficient fabric use with real-life human body shape and needs.

The nice thing about the pattern at the top, is that if you've got a limited piece of fabric, the gussets could be cut from a different, but complimentary, fabric. That gives flexibility that's sometimes needed.

This is also true to a degree with the yellow robe, as the area marked "for hood and pockets" could be complementary fabric also.

Both patterns will be easy to sew and the few seams involved with the yellow robe make it a great hand-sewing project. I have to admit that if I'm doing a lot of long gussets like the first pattern, it's much quicker to use my sewing machine!

I've seen the comment in this thread a couple of times that zero-waste patterns are all baggy and/or use more fabric than "regular" patterns. That isn't necessarily the case, as this blog post talks about: https://lizhaywood.com.au/zero-waste-and-fabric-economy/

I've actually made the top she talks about in that blog post, and she's right -  I managed to get a top for a 36" bust out of a 1.15m square. There's no way I could have gotten a top that looked even half as good out of the same amount of fabric, using "regular" pattern design. This one even comes with a fancy bow tie around the neck!

What I find delightful about Liz's work is that 99% of her patterns start with either a square or a rectangle of cloth. That rectangle then gets measured, cut, and sewn in creative ways to turn into a finished garment. She's one of the best 'rectangle based' designers I've come across, and one of the few zero-waste designers of modern clothes that I would actually wear. (Well, some of them. Cowl necks and fluttery sleeves annoy me.) I have a few of her PDF patterns bookmarked for when I can afford them/have the time to devote to them (culottes and long sleeved shirts, here I come).

Phoenix Blackdove wrote:I've seen the comment in this thread a couple of times that zero-waste patterns are all baggy and/or use more fabric than "regular" patterns. That isn't necessarily the case, as this blog post talks about: ...

There's an exception to every rule! That book looks interesting enough that I put in a "please purchase" request at my regional library. That said... the last 3 books I requested they buy seem to enter a 4th dimension, but I went in, buttonholed the Librarian, spent the better part of an hour finding which cracks they'd fallen into, and she promised things would get moving again!

However, the example Ms Haywood used involves a lovely integral tied bow at the neck - I *don't* consider that safe farm clothes. I don't even put my hat tie under my chin unless the wind demands it, as it's just not safe around moving equipment or large animals. Safety first - always - we need every permie we can get!

Yes, we all need "city clothes" too, and it would be good if those can be made long-lasting, economically, and in styles that will last years instead of months. Quality fabric can make that difference, and using a smaller amount of that quality fabric, can make the outfit affordable. The Spiral Pants linked above fit that description and for people who work off the farm could fill that need efficiently and they certainly weren't bulky.

Let's see if my regional library can score that book in less than their usual snail's pace. It would be interesting to read, even if I don't decide to make something from it.