Slim - nice job on the vest, I'd say you've definitely got the knack for making good stuff.
All - I thought I’d post a picture of items made from the Chas Childs County Cloth pattern that the good PHP (Panhead Pete) mentioned in his post. This makes the typical loose-fit type trousers of the era and is sold as the “Richmond Depot Trousers” pattern. Though the mule ear pockets are period to the 1860s/70s as seen in some photographs of the era, a simple modification to the pattern can be made to create slash front pockets in the style of California pants. I’ve made six or so pair of trousers from this pattern, it’s straightforward and easy to use.
Following are a couple of pictures of items made from the Chas Childs Richmond Depot Trousers pattern, the buttons on the overalls are repro hard rubber Goodyears from 'The Blockade Runner', the buttons on the right pair of trousers are of the period:
On the left are brown canvas overalls*, based on army-issue bottoms and photographs from the era, made by adding about 1.5 inches to the seam allowance on the Richmond Depot pattern all the way around, making the waist band a single piece with no provision for a fabric back belt or pockets.
On the right are brown jeans wool California type trousers with the slash pocket modification.
*Note on overalls: ‘Overalls’, as perhaps a general term in Victorian era usage, captures several types of over-sized, loose-fitting heavy cotton garments intended to be worn over one’s clothing to protect it from being soiled or otherwise damaged. Research indicates that overalls can include canvas tops & bottoms separately, one-piece items that can be referred to as ‘jumpers’, and aprons. The terminology of these items being generically labeled as ‘overalls’ is supported by their grouping as such in both the 1895 Montgomery Ward (pg 269) and 1897 Sears & Roebuck (pg 178) catalogs, though only ‘overalls’ and ‘jumpers’ are listed for sale on pg 39 under ‘Clothing’, less any apron or specific tops/bottoms references, in the 1875 Spring & Summer Montgomery Ward catalog. The term ‘overalls’, therefore, can lead to uncertainty in period written references as to what type of ‘overall’ is being referred to; a one-piece type or bottoms only, for example. References from 1876-78 in F. E. Conrad cashbooks and ledgers (of the G. & B. Robertson Collection) show that overalls were sold through his merchant activities. Overalls references are also found in several reminisces and diaries of commercial hunters of the 1870s as items of purchase (per Encyclopedia of Buffalo Hunters and Skinners Volumes I & II, 2003 & 2006 respectively, by M. Gilbert, and Getting a Stand also by M. Gilbert, 1996). Regarding some details of 1870s era commercially available overalls, they were available through the Montgomery Ward (in 1875) where both ‘overalls’ and ‘jumpers’ were offered in brown duck, unbleached duck, and blue denim.
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