Seeking a pattern source.

[Tyler Underwood]

Does anyone know of a reputable vendor that I could purchasea commutation style jacket pattern from? I know Homespun patterns have a CSshell jacket pattern. However it doesn’t provide any information on thestyle. Needless to say I am not gettingthat warm and fuzzy from it. Any advicewould be greatly appreciated.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Seeking a pattern source.

Tyler,
You probably know this already, but "commutation" is not the style of a coat, but the way the coat was procured and paid for. That being the case, what makes a repro coat "commutation" is in the eye of the beholder, to a certain degree.

One approach is to reproduce a particular coat. If you are interested in the Kent, Paine, & Co. jacket, for example, (I forget the name of the soldier who wore the relic coat), you might find out if any of the usual suspects has examined that coat and/or made a pattern.

Otherwise, you can make a "conjecture" piece that would be typical of a coat procured under the commutation system, whether that was a commercially produced piece (such as the Kent/Paine jacket) or something that was homemade.

I hope this helps!

[DougCooper]

Re: Seeking a pattern source.

Agree 100% with John - grab a pattern based on an existing jacket produced during that period. The RD pattern should work well, as it represents a common type of shell jacket (9 button, 6 piece) and it is based on numerous existing jackets. Charles Childs is a good place to start. http://crchilds.com/Patterns%20CS%202013.html

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: Seeking a pattern source.

John and Doug, thank you for the advice.
I am still very new to the CS side of things and I was underthe impression that there was a major difference in the construction comparedto one of the several types of depot jackets. This information really help’s,thanks again!
John, how is your Charleston frock coming along?

[whitewashedreb]

Re: Seeking a pattern source.

Okay, a day late and a dollar short. The jacket pattern mentioned is based on a jacket worn by one of Morgan's men.They put the history of the garment in the instructions. I would nice if they said what the pattern was copied from. The patterns biggest issue is that the sleeves are very short, and the waist is sized for typical reenactors. I have made 2 of them. The first fit a person about 5'5" perfectly in sleeve length. I am 5'11". I had to add about 1.5 inches to the length. Hope that helps.