Any plus four aficianados out there...

[Pat Spade]

Nice ones, Fastuni. Will you keep them or do you intend to sell them? I'd might be interested....

 

[Fastuni]

Thanks guys, yes the flecked fabric is spectacular. I will post tomorrow a photo of the knickerbockers worn by me.
They are a perfect fit for me (36 inches waist) - so I keep them. But I will let you know Pat, if I ever intend to let them go.

The kneeband construction is indeed a simple tunnel with shoestrings. It actually secures quite firmly below the leg.

 

[Nick D]

How many darts are taken out of the front and back of the cuffs? I see one in the photo laid flat, but are there two or one on the other side? How long are they?

 

[Fastuni]

One dart on front, one on back, the inner seam is also darted, while the outer seam has the wedged gap as you can see. Each dart is 5 cm.

 

[Fastuni]

When worn...

 

[Pat Spade]

Wow. This is indeed a very nice pair of Knickerbockers....and a very interesting pair of "Pantoffels", although they do not match

I fully understand that you will hold them, something like this is ultra rare, I think...

 

[Fastuni]

The house-shoes are from: http://www.pantoffeleck.de/
A tradtional German house-shoe maker holding on the designs from the the early 20th century.
They are great and warming, but run about a half size large. I put lambskin insoles into mine.

 

[Two Types]

Brilliant. if only you had the jacket to match!

 

[Fastuni]

It has a jacket, but alas not a proper suit coat, but a short DB Ski-Jacket. It doesn't look good on me.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Oh yeah. My kind of tweed!

 

[Pat Spade]

what will youu do with the ski jacket? Pics?

 

[willyto]

That's a fantastic fabric! I would love to see the jacket too.

I think I'm starting to like plus four and I don't think it's a good thing...

 

[Pat Spade]

I think I'm starting to like plus four and I don't think it's a good thing...

I like them too, it began a while ago...sadly (or luckily for my wallet) there are no good reproductions out there, afaik, and something like Fastuni`s in that shape and fit show how often up...once in a decade?

 

[Michael A]

Wow, those are some fabulous tweed knickers. I experimentally converted a pair of wool dress pants to short pants last fall. The impetus being that I was tired of ruining pants while I was bicycling. They turned out nicely from a function standpoint. If not so stylish as the vintage ones.

10-3-2015 My Knickerbockers by Michael A2012, on Flickr

Same set different view. I just darted the side seam on one side and took a V out of the other side and attached a strap at the bottom made from the excess leg fabric. I used velcro to attach it since it was a first experiment. Old drafting books show a number of different button, hook, etc schemes. I like the drawstring me on the tweeds.

P1150565 by Michael A2012, on Flickr

Michael

 

[Fastuni]

Nice. If trousers are straight cut and have plenty of width, one can easily convert them.
The more darts, the better it falls.

 

[Michael A]

Nice. If trousers are straight cut and have plenty of width, one can easily convert them.
The more darts, the better it falls.

Thanks Fastuni. I'm actually aiming more in the Breeches/Breeks direction than in the Plus Twos/Fours direction so I think that opens up a lot more pants to successful conversion. As sewing goes it's quite easy and I recall doing it in less than an afternoon. Compared to the tartan shirt and flat cap in the first photo I posted above, both of which I made, it was a walk in the park. And as it happens I was at a local thrift yesterday and picked up these,

Shortened (by someone) LL Bean Wool Herringbone Pant by Michael A2012, on Flickr

LL Bean heavy wool cruiser pants that someone has pre-shortened for unexplained reasons. They now fall 7" below my knee and are, I think, perfect candidates for knickerization. A very heavy pant and with suspender buttons even. I couldn't pass them up for 25 cents.

I wear the breeches for bicycling and walking the woods, so I prefer the more minimal size around the calf as the more practical design for the uses.

Michael

 

[Rabbit]

30s (UK) peak lapel tweed and 30s (UK) plusfours

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Great look! Really digging that jacket: SB peak lapel + herringbone tweed! If you ever come across a second one...

 

[willyto]

Looking around for a way to convert trousers to plus fours I found a link to a document from a cycling forum:

Unfortunately it has no pictures but it could help someone who wants to make the conversion.

 

[Fastuni]

This German instruction from the 1930's is illustrated and easier to understand (for me at least... ).

In the end one only needs wide enough throusers, cut or sew in curved "wedges" and make a hem-strap with buckler or add a string or button.

Source: www.return2style.de