I don't have much time for sewing anymore, but with a huge event coming up in the end of June 2023, where I'm in the planning committee for recreating the 500th annversary of Gustav Vasa's victory celebration in Stockholm together with 250 reenactors I am now up to my neck in projects. I have promised to make a peasant outfit for a good friend, my husband needs to get a doublet and hat, and fix the last things of his joined hose, and I want to finish my pink gown and add a new shift, partlet and hood for myself.
For this challenge I go to the peasant outfit for a friend. He doesn't live where I can do any fittings, so I needed something that was easy, and not depending on exact fit. For this challenge I will turn against the view of peasants from other reenactors. When going to reenacting events you only see tight hose for the men, and there is a strong backlash against "LARP pants" which are usually baggier and more like pyjama trousers. Now there are actually a lot of evidence for peasants wearing trousers that are very much like those. Instead of pretending that it is my own research I will guide you to this post by Marlein made it - Swedish 16th century trousers
For the pattern I used the pattern that Marlein has made, and then given out to some other friends. It is made from 3 m of fine wool.
Now I didn't know what size the pattern was in, and the person I borrowed the pattern from said that she had had to enlarge it to fit the person she made it for. So I added a generous seam allowance. I then sewed it together by machine. The person I am making this for just want to use them for one event, so I don't go for perfect historical accuracy here.
Having sewn them together I realized that they were huge. So I sewed a couple of seams further and further in.
This way when the person gets the trousers. If they are too tight, he can unpick the tightest seam and use the next, and when he is happy he can just cut away the seam allowance, since the wool doesn't unravel and doesn't need to be finished.
To keep the trousers up I made a lining and two handmade eyelets that he can tread a ribbon through. If the lining is too big he can also pull a ribbon through it like a drawstring.
What the item is: A pair of peasant's trousers
How it fits the challenge: Medieval reenactors think that all peasants were tight hose, but in the end of the Middle Ages there were baggy trousers as well
Material: 3 m wool
Pattern: Made by Marlein made it
Year: Early 16th century
Notions: sewing thread and linen thread for the eyelets
How historically accurate is it? 60%, correct fabric and pattern but I sewed the seams with a sewing machine
Hours to complete: 4
First worn: not yet
Total cost: $80 (good wool is expensive)