I ordered two of their Longhunter shirts from Fort Downing. They are on sale right now (until the end of August)for $30, plus shipping. I got one in wine red and one in gold. I was not too sure about the gold color but Frances Sanders with Fort Downing was very helpful in describing the color and even offering to take the shirt back if I was not satisfied. As things turned out, the gold is a great color, sort of a deep, earthy yellow ochre. And the wine red is a very nice deep color, as well. The shirts are also available in sage green, hunter green and navy blue.

This is your basic 18th century box pattern shirt with gussets at the armpit, made to fit fairly loosely. The medium weight osnaburg cloth is of a good quality and the fabric is pre-shrunk before cutting and sewing. The fit is true to size (medium in my case), except the shirt body is a little bit long on me. I am kind of short-legged. Not a big deal and easily taken care of at my end. The sleeve length is just about perfect. The workmanship is first-rate.

If you are looking for a good quality osnaburg shirt at a great price, you had best jump on this opportunity. Like I said, they are on sale through the end of August. Here is the website address: http://www.fortdowning.com/Shirts.htm

Take care.

Lobo

Lobo,
Thanks for the good news on the sale. I can't agree with you more on the quality of work and customer service exhibited at Ft. Downing Trading Company in general, and Frances in particular. I have purchased wool and linen breeches, wool longhunter shirt and a linen lace dress shirt (with ruffles) from her, as well as an unsleeved waistcoat.

Now I'll have to check out the sale. My next article of clothing from her will the 1770s coat.

Sparks

This message has been edited. Last edited by: sparks,

I see most of the persona's are in cloth.Anyone's persona making their clothes out of leather,(tanned deer hide 7)?Spanish tanned goat hide,bought when I was in Barcalona,Spain,soft and smooth,straw color.Was a time when I worked leather,got some hides still.Dont have a persona just shoot BP,what can I make out of this?

Walking Crow; would love to see some of that goat skin ye got,If its like any others I've seen,You could dang near make under briches,it's so soft! Most of my gear(incluing breech clout) is leather of some sort. Am making a brain tan frock coat at the moment(with detachable bear hide cape) The list of what you can make with your hides/ leather is only as limited as your imagination! Bullet bags,flint wallets, gun covers,tool pouches ect,ect

J Branson you got E Mail.

Walking Crow-
I would recommend keeping leather for pouches, mocs, belts, leggings, etc. Cloth is FAR more comfortable for clothing. It also dries much faster than leather. Linen and wool also have the added advantage of retaining heat when wet. So, IMHO, leather is best reserved for the above items. Hope this helps,
Art

I called today an ordered 2 got the wine and the navy blue. Thanks for the link......B Staley

I called her yesterday and ordered two shirts and an open front for outerwear. I ain't quite up a breech clout any more, so got a pair of breeches to go along, and some Delp socks.

I think I need some half boots now, and be good to prowl.

Rich

Idaho Sharpshooter,
If you provide your personal email I'll send you what I know about half boots. It's a bit off topic for this thread.
Sparks

My stuff came this afternoon. Woo-woo!! I'll be a dandy dressed up and packing my Fusil.

Rich

Even better, Sparks agreed to meet me for brunch and bring along his half-boots so I could actually see a set before ordering them. All it cost me was lunch and I got more than two hours of valuable information the period dress and such I am looking to acquire.

Thanks for the help! See you at the gun show Saturday morning.

Rich