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Eyelets

My quest to actually figure the bloody things out

Well, so here it is, at a pivotal point in my Historical Clothier career where grommets and machine sewing buttonholes are just not cutting it anymore. So, now I need to learn how to do these things by hand.

Enter the eyelet.

So I decided, today, to learn. I've been curious about them before, but since I was in charge of the kids and they were down for a nap I though it would be a good idea to a book- specifically The Medieval Tailor's Handbook", because I was starting my research on 100 year war era garb for a West event called "The Court of Love and Beauty" . Obviously, the theme for this event is the 100 years war, and the Protectorate and her consort need to be dressed accordingly. So they went to a Caidan Lux to get 'er done!

He He He :-)

Anyways, Elizabethan has been my focus for the last few years (before then I went just a little more East in my focus....), so learning a new era has been an interesting experience. I'm still working on my Tudors (they were supposed to be done for St. Isadorian Anniversary, but it was superceded by a new wardrobe for both Alana and I for GWW, but since the Seneschal for the College is one of the Stewards for Caidan 12th Night, it would be fitting) and a set of "costumes" for the masked ball at the Carnival themed 12th Night feast (which will have their own page. Anybody have any links for "Period Costumes"?).

The Court of Love and Beauty is my next major project- and my second for '09 and I will have a page for them as well. They probably won't be incredibly spectacular, but because it's new for me, they deserve their own page. That, and since I'm learning how to draw, I can post my "Artwork"

Anyways, all this brings me to trying to figure out eyelets.

So these are my first attempts. The first hole was done with a big nail. I made the hole, base stitched around it and then went to work with the buttonhole stitch. I used a single length of embroidery floss doubled.

The second hole is just like the first, except I opened it a little wider using a pencil tip.

The third hole is just like the second, except I doubled up on the embroidery floss.

The fourth is just like the third, but I pushed the pencil all the way through and, while the pencil was still in the hole, I base stitched around the whole, then removed the pencil and did the stitch using the doubled up floss..

I'll be honest with you all- I have no idea what one of these looks like when it's done properly. So I emailed this picture to Brianna for her input. Being a Sunday, and the fact that I sent it to her work email, I'm not surprised I haven't heard back from her yet. But when I do, I will be more than happy to share!

I am open to anyone else's opinions too. And if there is someone who actually knows what they are talking about (unlike yours truly) and wish to give me some tips, I would be thrilled to learn! Just be aware I will probably post them and give the author full credit for their remarks.

10/20/08

Ha! Brianna answered!

"First off, don’t use floss, use regular thread or buttonhole twist.  Floss will rub through and break too easily when the garment is worn regularly.  The period thread was waxed linen."

And this is why I ask! What I lack is the practical experience and applications. I would have learned that lesson WAY too late to save any of the eyelets on the nice pieces I'm doing, either currently of in the future. And, quiet frankly, my research on the thread would have come a year or two down the road after I had finally cursed and spat at failing eyelets for long enough.

That's one of the many reasons I love me my Brianna. She saves me years of heartburn!

"Number four looks the best, but I don’t have a size comparison to see reality.  The only major problem I see with four is that you don’t have enough stitches in it and that they need to be more even."

Fair enough. Yikes! Wait... Regular thread? More stitches? EEEEEK! I don't really want to spend eons trying to do some eyelets! Well, now in all fairness lots of people do it everyday in the reenactment circles, so maybe it's not as bad as I think. I suppose learning how to do it properly, then actually doing it properly, is best.

Sigh. Gone are the days of the three foot rule....

Oh Oh Oh! More from Bri:

"Additional comment on the eyelets: I would mark the locations and then mark the actual circle for the stay stitching.  I would run a first line of small stitches along that line and then run a second line, filling in the line so that I had a solid circle to work to.  Then I would put the awl through the center and enlarge the opening, using a larger diameter object (like the pencil) to complete the opening.  Make sure there is at least a 1/16^th of an inch of fabric between the opening and the stay stitch line.  This will give you something consistent to make the stitches over.  This should give you a more regular, even look until you can do it by eye. "

As I said before, gone are the days.....

11/10/08

Taking all advice into consideration, here is my first "real" attempt at an eyelet! All in all, it seemed to be a functional success! I think it would behoove me to learn the embroidery version of a running stitch simply because I  didn't realize just how much I was going to be relying on the basting stitch as a guide. If that puppy is done good and proper, then there is very little thinking required and I get the job done much, much faster.

On that same note, I also double up on my thread. Yup, I used regular thread, so doubling up seemed to make sense at it made for a solid eyelet. but in order to do it as fast as I needed to, I doubled up the thread- that is, cut a really long piece and put both ends through the eye of the needle, giving a total of four strands when all was said and done.

This method though required the good tension is held on all the threads as you pull through. I wasted more time trying to figure which of the four hadn't been pulled taught.  Grab a hold, young man and give it a good yank! No sir, that didn't do it. Boy! Yank them one at a time then! Ok....Is it you? Nope, You?  Nope. You?!? Nope. Aha- it must be you! Errrr....Nope... Oh wait, did I already yank you? Your welcome... No seriously, who didn't get yanked? Oh, you look little limp, we'll give you a tuggin'! Aha! Got it! Oh hell, now your all too tight.... sigh....I'm spent....

That and you have to keep your pencil from flopping around when your laying down your initial stitching. If you don't, it screws up the proportions of the hole. Your hole should be symmetrical, but if your pencil flops then the hole gets lopsided.

Mmmmmm... dynamic tension. Yup, got to have that dynamic tension in order to keep your thread taut, but not so taut that it bursts before it's time. Especially when your dealing with eyelets, you have to make sure your thread is taut, but not overly stretched. Stretched thread are thin. Properly tensioned threads are fat. It just fills the hole better when your grouping is tight with fat threads.

1/27/09

So, Ok, I have a question... Does the eyelet have to look the same on both sides? Mine don't, so I have to wonder if they should, or if that's another trick for another time.

Any thought?

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