I Sewed My Great-Great Grandma's Underwear

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  • Опубліковано 14 вер 2023
  • This video has been sponsored by Babbel. Start speaking a new language in 3 weeks with Babbel 🎉. Get up to 60% OFF your subscription ➡️ Here: bit.ly/vbirchwood60
    In this video, I embark on the journey of sewing my great-great grandma's underwear... Let me explain. I'm a Volga Tatar, and these are the traditional Volga Tatar undergarments that my great great-great-grandmother would have worn. I've been heavily researching Volga Tatar historical fashion, even though a lot of information is very challenging to find, and I thought it was time, now that I recently finished sewing a Volga Tatar historical dress, to also sewing some matching historical underwear.
    Thanks so much for watching and I'll see you in two weeks for another video!
    🕯 Support my art on Patreon - / vbirchwood
    🌲 Schedule a 1-1 call with me: calendly.com/vbirchwood
    ✨ Leave a donation: ko-fi.com/vbirchwood
    🌙 Books I read, supplies I use, gear I film with (affiliate links): www.amazon.com/shop/v.birchwood
    🪡 Follow me on Instagram - / vasibirchwood
    📖 Business inquiries - vbirchwood@helmtalentgroup.com
    Further reading:
    -M. Zavyalova, 'Tatar Milli Kieme' [Tatar Costume], Kazan', 1996
    Guzel Valeeva-Suleimanova, 'The Decorative Applied Art of the Kazan' Tatars', Moscow, 1990.
    -Суслова С. В. 'Татарский костюм: историко-этнологическое исследование', Казань, 2018.
    -groznijat.tripod.com/fadlan/r...
    -folkcostume.blogspot.com/2011/...

КОМЕНТАРІ • 229

  • @VBirchwood
    @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +32

    This video has been sponsored by Babbel. Start speaking a new language in 3 weeks with Babbel 🎉. Get up to 60% OFF your subscription ➡ Here: bit.ly/vbirchwood60
    Are you looking forward to more Volga Tatar content in the future? 🥰 Thanks for watching!

    • @Karasus_drug_dealer
      @Karasus_drug_dealer 9 місяців тому +1

      YES I AM, THE FIRST I EVER HEARD OF IT WAS THROUGH YOUR CONTENT!!!!!!! Please continue educating us on all you learn about your culture.

    • @Nate-ti7ne
      @Nate-ti7ne 9 місяців тому

      Wow :0 This is your best video yet!!!!

  • @blueocean43
    @blueocean43 9 місяців тому +98

    Ooh, the wide crotch suddenly made way more sense when you said that they spent a lot of time on horseback. That would indeed be more comfortable for riding than split crotch or modern crotch seams, and possibly sturdier as well as there aren't any seams to wear out between your body and the saddle.

    • @raraavis7782
      @raraavis7782 9 місяців тому +20

      True. I haven't been on horseback for years, but I ride my bike a lot and crotch seams are the bane of my existence. I now know, why special bike underwear is a thing ☠️

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +14

      Yes absolutely! I can confirm too the under trousers create quite a nice bit of padding in the crotch area, so I can imagine it’d be very helpful when riding horses all day.

    • @Uffda.
      @Uffda. 8 місяців тому +3

      There’s a cool documentary about the oldest known pair of pants (trousers)- this is a feature, and quite possibly why we even have pants

  • @endlessgarden6801
    @endlessgarden6801 9 місяців тому +158

    it's really banal but hi from Ural❤I have always been surprised at how many ethnic minorities live here and I am so interested in learning something about the Tatar culture from you, thanks to your videos I began not only to be interested in historical fashion, but also to sew) thank you for sharing your culture, I hope that more English-speaking people outside will know more wonderful cultures outside Europe👏

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +26

      Hi!! Not banal at all, as I love it when other people from the Urals comment 🥰 so glad to hear about your interest in historical fashion and sewing and glad you liked the video. Рәхмәт for your comment 😊

    • @Mycopoks
      @Mycopoks 9 місяців тому +16

      Привет из Самарской области, брат. Не подумала бы, что иностранные блогеры будут вообще освящать тему малых народов России, но оказалось и такое есть. Уж привыкла, что все думают что все мы русские

  • @beckstheimpatient4135
    @beckstheimpatient4135 9 місяців тому +98

    I love learning more about the Tatar people! As a Romanian, we obviously have some shared history with some of the branches of Tatar culture, and I personally am fairly certain I have "some" genetic heritage due to... well... Tatar raiders... though that could be from any of the many related peoples that raided what is today Romania.
    Because of that, we tend to see Tatar culture through a very narrow lens - which is why your work brings so much joy! A new lens, a new perspective!

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +45

      Thank you for your enthusiasm and kind comment!
      I should have mentioned this in the video (as it’s very important) but my project is specifically only related to Volga Tatars. The different Tatar groups are not genetically related, and sometimes didn’t even interact. It’s because “Tatar” was often a name given to us by others. The main theory for the ethnogenesis for Volga Tatars specifically is that we are descended from the Bulgars, who were nomadic around the Volga-Ural region. Historians know that Crimean Tatars, Siberian Tatars, Volga Tatars, and other Tatar groups are all not genetically related, and our clothing is also vastly different too! I’ve focused in my own research on Volga Tatar since it’s my group, but one of my books has examples of garments from other Tatar groups and they vary so much.

    • @antoinepetrov
      @antoinepetrov 9 місяців тому +17

      ​​@@VBirchwoodI am Bulgarian and I just learned that Volga Tatars descended from Bulgars, tribes which founded the country Bulgaria.

  • @kjtherrick4031
    @kjtherrick4031 9 місяців тому +38

    It's great that you had enough of the red linen blend to make the drawers too. The entire outfit looks wonderful. With that much room in the drawers, the user could continue to wear them through pregnancy and any other weight gain for as long as the material held out. Very practical!

  • @_______________2192
    @_______________2192 9 місяців тому +14

    One type of Tatar female underwear that is often missed in historical reconstructions is кукрекче, тешелдрек - a sort of rectangular or trapezoid bib with neck and back straps that would be tied or buttoned on the back and worn under the shirt. It mainly served as a modesty panel, covering woman's breast and protecting it from showing in the deep shirt's slit; however, it was also used as breast support. Since кукрекче could be seen, it was decorated with tambour embroidery or applique.
    Ыштан would be usually tucked into stockings and rarely seen. Source - my great-grandma dressed like this her entire life, though her pants were usually striped xD

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +10

      Thank you so much for this info! I hadn’t heard of кукрекче, тешелдрек before! Hopefully I’ll be able to find out more about it somewhere on the internet. Doesn’t surprise me too they’d decorate them with tambour embroidery, as that is such a Volga Tatar thing to do 😂 everything gets a little tambour embroidery if it’s seen hahaha.
      I did know about the ыштан being tucked into stockings though! I’ve been tucking them in recently and it’s very comfortable.

  • @anja8595
    @anja8595 9 місяців тому +7

    This feels like a strange compliment, but I really appreciate how much your videos respect my attention? Things like not having jump cuts. I can sit and enjoy with a tea.

  • @pippaseaspirit4415
    @pippaseaspirit4415 9 місяців тому +15

    A possible explanation for the uncertainty surrounding women’s undershirt (or lack of it!) is that the extra layer was worn for warmth in areas where this would have been necessary.

    • @7337blackwolf
      @7337blackwolf 9 місяців тому

      That's exactly what I was thinking!

  • @RR4711
    @RR4711 9 місяців тому +10

    Perhaps if a particular dress had a inner lining they wore it without the undershirt, but if it was unlined they used an undershirt.

  • @elizabethhatfield2115
    @elizabethhatfield2115 9 місяців тому +8

    The large amount of fabric around the crotch made it easier when sitting atop a horse. I had friends who bred horses and did Mongolian costuming reenactment, so that's where my information comes from. --Lyssa WA, USA

  • @raraavis7782
    @raraavis7782 9 місяців тому +22

    How convenient it must be, to be an ambidextrous sewist. Especially with all the handsewing. Love your exploits into sewing historical garments from less well known cultures. Very interesting!

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +5

      Thank you!! 🥰 so glad you enjoyed the video! It’s definitely very convenient and I feel very grateful to have either hand as an option.

  • @NomadicElfling
    @NomadicElfling 9 місяців тому +6

    I grew up in a house without AC, and one of my tricks was putting a bowl of ice in front of a fan helped make summers a lot more bearable

  • @archeanna1425
    @archeanna1425 9 місяців тому +22

    Bashkir?! Beautiful horses!! What a complex culture.
    The use of basic rectangles makes a lot of sense because it would mean no waste of fabric as it came off of the loom, it would just require what some think of as narrow looms. Sarah Howard has a YT channel - Wear your weaving - with lots of useful information about using various looms. Thanks.

    • @jfm14
      @jfm14 5 місяців тому

      Bashkir horses are really something special!

  • @BurhanBayhan
    @BurhanBayhan 9 місяців тому +57

    Such a meaningful way to connect with your Volga Tatar ancestors, keep up the great work! 🍃

  • @pmclaughlin4111
    @pmclaughlin4111 9 місяців тому +13

    These are some of my favorite videos. As an American, I am pretty sure that most of the people I know wouldn't even have heard of the Volga Tartar (or even know what Turkic/Central Asian) would be
    add that to the material culture twist
    Wonderful-thank you for sharing

  • @strategicgamingwithaacorns2874
    @strategicgamingwithaacorns2874 9 місяців тому +6

    My mom is a quilter, and she makes a lot of accidents like V's one in this video.
    Her handy little tool is a little seam-ripper she calls Jack.

  • @LiljaHusmo
    @LiljaHusmo 9 місяців тому +35

    I love your exploration of the Tatar dress! The undertrousers remind me of the construction of the Norse thorsberg trousers or the skioldehamn trousers! Must be a very practical & comfy way to make trousers for lots of different places to have them 😊

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +17

      Thank you Lilja!! ❤️ and so true. They are very similar to them! Just goes to show that this type of cut and construction was practical for so many cultures. What’s cool too is that this style of underwear persists in Volga Tatar culture even back many centuries, so the cut must’ve been exactly what they needed if they didn’t change it for many hundreds of years!

    • @Iflie
      @Iflie 9 місяців тому +14

      It would certainly keep you warm with all that extra fabric holding warm air. Ant drafts getting up the skirts wouldn't get to you. And if you were pregnant you could keep wearing the same clothes just pulled less tight, very practical when fabric was at a premium.

    • @michellebyrom6551
      @michellebyrom6551 9 місяців тому +7

      ​@Iflie good point about maternity adaption. I once had a pair of harem pants and matching waistcoat. The pants had a drawstring at the waist and were gathered into embroidered, buttoned cuffs at the ankle. I found a peasant style blouse and these pants were the most comfortable and smart outfit at all stages of my first two pregnancies. They wore out after that. Lol. Anyway, as my belly grew the bow on the drawstring got smaller. Eventually, it naturally fitted over the hips from the back to tie under the belly. Very secure. Modern clothing would become twisted or slip down. Those babies are in their 30s now. Oversized drawstring pants are worth remembering.

  • @trenae77
    @trenae77 9 місяців тому +22

    When I joined the DAR it was through the one grandparent I never had the chance to meet. Learning about a side of my father’s family that had never really been discussed (no shady mysteries, just the mistaken assumption us kids wouldn’t be interested in someone we never knew) was a blast as I learned the real diversity of my father’s family. So glad you are finding a path toward connecting to your own roots!

    • @samparkerSAM
      @samparkerSAM 9 місяців тому

      Very Cool, I'm related to Rev Alexander Haddon, My Grandmother was also D.A.R.

    • @annapruitt5546
      @annapruitt5546 9 місяців тому +2

      Wait what is DAR? Idk if I just missed a part of the video or what, so I googled the acronym. The top result was for the Daughters of the American Revolution, described as a “lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a person involved in the USA’ struggle for independence” from the intro paragraph on Wikipedia. Could you tell me more about it?
      How someone would join the group and what a membership entails, are there affiliated costs? what type of stuff do members do in DAR, and what all does DAR offer/provide to members? Like in your original comment, you said joining DAR enabled you to learn more about your father’s family and their history, which is really cool! So I’m curious about the research and discovery process; does DAR have access to all historical records and databases or something like that?

  • @alyssastevenson9879
    @alyssastevenson9879 9 місяців тому +5

    Unpicking hand stitching has to be one of the most painful things. However finishing a hand stitched seam brings such delight!!
    Thank you for another lovely video😊

  • @iainmc9859
    @iainmc9859 9 місяців тому +10

    Have a look at traditional japanese trousers (hakama); they are effectively exactly the same, other than the drawstring. All made out of rectangles with the same baggy crotch. I made a pair for Aikido. Supposedly they were made out of relatively narrow rectangles because Japan did not have wide looms until they opened up to western trade after the Shogun era.

    • @sallythekolcat
      @sallythekolcat 8 місяців тому

      I believe the majority of Japanese homeweave was made on backstrap looms prior to the tall loom coming in. So the resulting fabric would be body width or so. Even with a full loom, most cloth woven by a single person would be no wider then the weaver sticking both elbows out, as they needed to be able to work the shuttle on both sides and beat on both sides. That's why broadcloths was such an advancement. it came in 1.5 yard widths, instead of 3/4 yard widths.
      Imaging making sails for ships our of 3/4 yard wide canvas. all the seams.

    • @iainmc9859
      @iainmc9859 8 місяців тому

      Hi Sally, thanks for the extra info regarding backstrap looms. I'd just picked up 'narrow'@@sallythekolcatfrom my reading for the hakama and hadn't taken it any further than that. Coming from a village whose prime trade was weaving in the industrial era I should know the difference. We even had weavers riots as people lost their jobs as machinery 'improved'.
      I strongly suspect that sails may have been made, like the Polynesians did, from grasses (bamboo) for most of Japan's history; although that again is a presumption rather than expert opinion 😁

  • @saritasarit
    @saritasarit 9 місяців тому +18

    This are beautiful. I see a woman being able to wear this throughout all the stages of her live, as she gets pregnant or gains and loses weight. I wonder about periods in this type of garment. I know that some turkic traditional “panties” are like a triangular scarf and it was used for periods with extra absorbency under the tunics. I would legit wear this type of clothing.

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +8

      Thank you!! I regularly think about how I will never need to adjust the sizes of any of my Tatar clothing, and also long as the fabric will last (of course with some future mending) I’ll be able to wear the garments, because that’s exactly it - they’re designed for the natural changes of the body 😊
      I also think these yshtan would be very suitable for periods, as the way they gather at the crotch isn’t too dissimilar from 18th century Georgian (British) menstrual aprons (I’ve recreated one before).

  • @o2bsam
    @o2bsam 9 місяців тому +31

    This is a super interesting and unique way to approach sewing. Sewing this way has definitely connected my curiosity for hand made garments with an added interest in my ancestors and their life and times before me. Untouched hair, is the best hair. See you in Two weeks!

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +6

      Best of luck on your journey discovering the garments of your ancestors! It’s a worthwhile one 😊

  • @katerrinah5442
    @katerrinah5442 9 місяців тому +13

    They look so comfy! And the colour is incredible!
    Seeing people connect with their heritage through clothing makes me so happy. I've recently found out for sure I'm 1/4 Eastern European and Balkan (my maternal Grandfather is a big mystery) and the first thing I did was go look up folk dress from the regions I have ancestry from.
    There's so much beautiful traditional clothing out there and I am so happy to see people like you talking about it 😊❤️

  • @annematusiewicz3712
    @annematusiewicz3712 Місяць тому

    About 11:40 in when you realize you've sewn the piece on backwards- so relatable. And what beautiful hand sewing! The time you've spent sewing has paid off.

  • @ushere5791
    @ushere5791 9 місяців тому +10

    i think your new pants are beautiful!! they do look comfortable, and how can anything NOT be beautiful when it's that glorious shade of red? :)

  • @fikanera838
    @fikanera838 9 місяців тому +9

    How interesting! I live in Czechia, & would really love to learn some of the traditional textile techniques from my area (Southern Moravia). I agree with you, that it adds so much to your understanding of the culture & daily life once you actually see & feel what people wore at that time. ❤

  • @mariellouise1
    @mariellouise1 8 місяців тому +1

    You’re so fortunate to grow up with your grandmother. She was even luckier to grow up with you.

  • @caspenbee
    @caspenbee 9 місяців тому +25

    I'm learning so much in these videos! The single word for gender is very cool to think about. I think having the same underwear for everyone would demystify the other sex a lot and change the way one thinks about one's body too.
    On a different note, measuring the photo for ratios is pretty genius and I wish I'd thought to do that for garments I've wanted to make!
    The amount of gathers creates a silhouette that obscures the wearer's shape a bit. Going back to gender, I wonder if this silhouette contributed to or reinforced a more unisex idea of gender? Maybe I'm projecting too much onto something I know nothing about -- they sure look comfy though!
    A lot of this style looks similar to historic nordic garments. In nordic clothes, tablet-woven wool wraps are worn around the legs of trousers to keep the heat in (and possibly help circulation like compression socks) during the winter months. Is there anything similar for Volga Tatar?

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +5

      Thanks so much for your comment!
      I have a theory about the gender thing (though this is just my own theory of course). The Volga Tatars converted to Islam in the 900s (the official agreed-upon date when Islam arrived to the banks of the middle Volga is 922AD according to one of my books), but before then they were likely shamanistic (likely Tengrists) and different forms of shamanism have more of an emphasis on gender neutrality.
      By the time of the 18th and 19th centuries, Volga Tatars already had many more "traditional" gender roles, many of which weren't as noticeable pre-900s at least based off of my own research. I suspect this could be because of a number of factors, such as religious differences, how communities were structured, how nomadic or fixed to one location my ancestors were at various times; perhaps as well too Christian and European influences. But I suspect this single word for gender and the unisex undergarments is perhaps a remnant from some of the more fluid gender structures we see in shamanism, which are ultimately the roots of the Volga Tatar people.
      Much like the Viking leg wraps, there is a similar garment for Volga Tatar men (leg wraps of sorts) that is mentioned in my book, but they're referenced as being worn in the 19th century (maybe earlier as well but I can't say for sure as the example I can see if specifically 19th century). They are heavily embroidered with the traditional style of Tatar tambour embroidery, and they were often given as a gift from the fiancée to her fiancé. I'm not sure if they were only worn for winter, but there are examples of them made from a lighter cotton or linen material, so I suspect it was more of a year-round thing.

  • @incryowl
    @incryowl 9 місяців тому +3

    Such a good video! I was listening intently to everything you said, hehe. It's especially interesting since my mother is Tatar too. Although, she's Kazan' Tatar, but, well, all of us are connected anyway 😂

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +2

      Thank you!! Kazan Tatars are Volga Tatars 😊 Volga Tatars are Kazan Tatars and Mishar Tatars (and we are genetically related) and then the other Tatars like Siberian Tatars, Crimean Tatars, Lipka Tatars aren’t genetically related to us Volga Tatars most likely (according to research)

  • @InsoIence
    @InsoIence 9 місяців тому +3

    And *this* is what makes all of us so special and interesting - differences. Heritage is precious, as a random person on the internet, thank you for your contribution to its preservation.
    This is beautiful.

  • @theverbind
    @theverbind 9 місяців тому +9

    Love this accurate but funny title, so excited to watch all of this after work!! Also please consider writing down what your hard won research has found!!

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +6

      I can’t take credit for the title as my best friend came up with it 🥰 hope you enjoy the video!! I’m planning to put together a longer video in the future on my research (but it’ll probably be much further down the line as there’s a lot to unpack)

  • @alex9190
    @alex9190 9 місяців тому +4

    im a lefty too and can also do some things with only my right hand. like making baskets and using scissors and playing guitar. it feels weird doing it with my left hand

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja 9 місяців тому

      Scissors have an inherent handedness in how the blades cross, so it’s really hard to cut properly with the scissors in the hand they weren’t made for because the thumb is pushing the blades apart instead of together.

  • @joannebishop3295
    @joannebishop3295 9 місяців тому +4

    These look so beautiful and practical for a woman to wear through her monthlies, pregnancy and the thicks and thins of life. The women's rational dress movement could have taken lessons from these Tatar women. Very beautiful and practical clothing.

  • @AlabasterClay
    @AlabasterClay 9 місяців тому +3

    Beautiful! It is wonderful to feel the connection to the past. I like to think of "Grandma's grandmother." It feels more relatable than saying great great grandmother. Not many people have a memory of their great great grandmother. But you can imagine your Grandma as a little girl enjoying the company of her own grandmother.

  • @nanettebromley8843
    @nanettebromley8843 9 місяців тому +9

    Interesting video. I saw the trousers and thought of the thorsberg trousers of the viking period. Same with the pictures of the under dress/tunic. Which makes sense as it was simple construction from squares and rectangles with very little fabric waste as fabric was very expensive/time consuming to make.
    Its amazing how much yarn/thread goes into something as simple as a scarf.

  • @annerigby4400
    @annerigby4400 9 місяців тому +4

    I am at 10:21 and it occurs to me that I would have used one large rectangle for the middle section and wrapped it under to the other side (so folded it up) and I would have used two large rectangles for the sides and folded them back, so that would have been three pieces and then gusset/gore bits which are probably narrower at the bottom and wider at the top and then folded back like the side pieces and then they would be sewn to the side pieces and to the outer edges of the middle section. Since you're using scraps, this approach was likely not possible, but that is how I would have wanted to tackle it.

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому

      This is a genius idea!! Thank you! I’m definitely going to do this for my next pair if I’m not using scraps. It’ll probably speed up the time it takes to make these by double ☺️

  • @bethliebman8169
    @bethliebman8169 9 місяців тому +6

    Nice research and creative problem solving! I love how this underwear turned out.

  • @JosieAreSee
    @JosieAreSee 9 місяців тому +2

    Oh my goodness. You’re great great grandmas spitting image! 😮❤

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +5

      That’s my grandma in the 1970s 😊 but thank you!

  • @anthonystark6379
    @anthonystark6379 9 місяців тому +4

    I absolutely love the tone shift of the past few vids to your previous normal. It's like you're finally having fun in your authenticity, and it really shows how passionate about this you are ❤

  • @KhalideKashmiri
    @KhalideKashmiri 9 місяців тому +1

    Сәлам! It's a pleasure to see a tatar woman involved in historical reconstruction, as our culture is underrepresented and virtually forgotten by almost everyone. Do you consider sewing something else? Калфак probably or an альяпкыч to finish your outfit?
    On the final note, i express deepest gratitude for your work, great job 🟩⬜🟥!

  • @samparkerSAM
    @samparkerSAM 9 місяців тому +1

    Hello from New Orleans Louisiana, Very Interesting, I have similar story, we have Lace from the 1800's , Including piece work, My Grand Aunt also saved a Lace Top from her Mother with pearl buttons. As a Child my Grandmother gave me a Matador Costume from the 1900's , We are Minorcan, ... I also saved Several Suits from my Grandfather that I treasure.

  • @helgarai
    @helgarai 9 місяців тому +1

    It was so cool and unexpected to see this! I'm married to a Tatar from Bashkiria and have a little of those roots myself. My hubs said your face was very recognizable for the area where he's from. I also think it's interesting how many tatar words made their way into the Russian language, like these yshtan became the Russian "shtany", which is just the word for "pants" now.

  • @bluesoulsearcher5424
    @bluesoulsearcher5424 9 місяців тому +1

    Wow. I feel so many similarities with you. Thank you for making this video & sharing how you’re connecting with your ancestors 🥹 Ethnically I’m an Ashkenazy Jew. So much of our unique original culture, knowledge & history was suppressed by different religious (male) & zionist factions in our communities for hundreds of years never mind the knowledge wiped out with whole communities during the Holocaust 😔
    The pain of disconnection is slow & aching. So, after some research I now have historical references with which to start on my own sewing & recreation journey. Looking forward to seeing more of your projects ❤

  • @pyenygren2299
    @pyenygren2299 9 місяців тому +3

    It is exciting to see you figure out patterns, and then sew the clothes.

  • @jocelynleung7480
    @jocelynleung7480 7 місяців тому +1

    I've made Chinese historical underwear trousers with a crotch gusset which looks "unflattering" (just like you said, whatever that means) but it's SOOOO comfy!

  • @nurmihusa7780
    @nurmihusa7780 9 місяців тому +8

    Amazing work as always. Thank you for taking us along your journey!

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +2

      Thank you for watching! 🥰

  • @hnelson5609
    @hnelson5609 9 місяців тому +1

    Beautiful color!! If it makes you feel any better ive been sewing since 1985 and make simple mistakes even now. Its just the nature of the beast. Can't daydream or work for long hours. Check everything twice, at least. You sew a beautiful hand seam btw!

  • @vincentbriggs1780
    @vincentbriggs1780 9 місяців тому +4

    They look so comfy, and the red fabric is gorgeous!
    Oh nooo, it's so frustrating when you accidentally sew something backwards :( I did the same thing recently on my red voile shirt. Sewed in the gusset and closed the side and sleeve seam and then noticed it was inside out, and the fabric was so delicate I had to be very slow and careful with the unpicking, and cut a new gusset.

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +1

      Thank you!! I’m sorry you had to go through the unpicking a beautiful seam process too 🥲

  • @anthonypc1
    @anthonypc1 9 місяців тому +7

    I'm dyslexic and clicked because I had to know why you sued your own great-great grandma...
    or her underwear ??
    This is a more wholesome video than expected. :)

    • @raraavis7782
      @raraavis7782 9 місяців тому +4

      Weirder things have happened, I'm sure 😅

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +2

      None of that type of tea to spill, thankfully 😅

  • @BCKammen
    @BCKammen 9 місяців тому +1

    Every time I hear the use of Celsius instead of Fahrenheit I have to look it up. Thank you for that little bit of "love/hate" today. The bunching could be for difference in the way a person would sit on a horse or bending and flexing, just my opinion.
    Keep up the great work. Enjoying the history that you are giving and expanding my knowledge.

  • @destinytaylor5862
    @destinytaylor5862 8 місяців тому +1

    I don't know if the people depicted in this manga are Volga Tatar, but years ago I found Otoyomegatari (A Bride's Story) by Kaoru Mori. The art is amazing and the characters dress similarly to the women on your books. It is lighthearted but warning for some nudity, violence, etc.

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  8 місяців тому +1

      The manga looks super interesting! Reading the synopsis etc. it looks like the plot and characters could be potentially Volga Tatar, or they seem like some type of Turkic community at the time. They don’t name any specific one by name, so it’d be hard to say for sure since so many different Turkic peoples have existed in Central Asia, but what a cool concept for a manga. Thanks for sharing.

  • @Dominika-ry5re
    @Dominika-ry5re 9 місяців тому +2

    These look so comfy! Thank you for another video on Tatar clothing, your research on it is impressive. When you were drafting the patter, I was thinking - sure your greatgreat granthmother was also learning to do it at some point, maybe she also wasn't sure how to start (although she knew how the back was supposed to look like) 😉

  • @bonniehyden962
    @bonniehyden962 9 місяців тому +1

    V.! ...what happened? I love your personality coming out in this video! ...and seeing ...just you. ...letting your hair down, figuratively and literally. And those undies are great! I very much look forward to following you on this journey. Blessings to you!

  • @michaelsnider2484
    @michaelsnider2484 8 місяців тому

    Wow, you look just like your grandmother! Lovely!

  • @ameliegonissen7154
    @ameliegonissen7154 9 місяців тому +3

    I think you got something a bit inaccurate with this, it clicked in my brain when you said they were riding horses.
    With horse riding clothes you want to avoid inner leg seams, they are extremely uncomfortable, rub against the saddle and for long rides, they can be an absolute nightmare. So the “crotch” part (the middle square) was probably cut so the front and back are already attached together and not seamed together. You talked about the gussets being cut on the bias, they’re not! The inner leg seam of the gusset should probably be removed and the gusset cut on fold so that (again) the front and the back are attached together. It’s just a theory, but I think horse riding is the whole reason for this kind of unconventional construction.
    Basically you want 3 things when riding horses:
    -full length, so no skin rubs directly on horse equipment (of course this can change if you wear high leather boots for exemple)
    -a good range when it comes to spreading your legs (this is less about riding a horse and more about when you get on a horse. I’ve ripped a pair of jeans before getting on a horse when I wasn’t planning on horse riding and was wearing my regular clothes and I ride in a european style, we get on horses kind of softly. I’ve seen footage of nomadic tribes, some of them just jump on their horses, it’s kind of a hard thing to do and you need to spread your legs really wide, which would explain the amount of fabric in the crotch area)
    -no inner leg seam (like previously mentioned)
    This is just a theory of course, kinda hard to tell from just a couple pictures and diagrams

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +1

      Thank you for your comment!
      I just started making another pair today, and another commenter mentioned how I could cut the pieces on folds to have less seams (and in turn as well no crotch seam). The gores/gussets though I do believe would still be cut on the bias, because in the photo the stripes where they meet with the leg seam go diagonally. So for this pair I’m making today, I cut the gores on the fold with the fold on the straight of grain, meaning where they meet up with the leg seam at the front and back of the leg (not the inside) they’ll be on the bias there against the straight edge of the leg piece. I also cut the legs on the fold so the outer leg seam no longer exists. And finally, I cut the square insert piece on the fold, so they also have no seam inside anymore either, much like you describe!
      Because I only had scraps for this project it wouldn’t have been possible anyways, but I love this new method for any future pairs I make because not only will it speed up the whole process, they’ll probably drape nicer too (and be more suitable for horse riding, though I don’t ride anymore haha)

  • @ChayatsujiKimono
    @ChayatsujiKimono 9 місяців тому +2

    Rooting for you from the Netherlands! I'm so excited to see you going on this journey and thank you for taking us along

  • @emeraldoracle8706
    @emeraldoracle8706 9 місяців тому +2

    I always love your process and seeing you explore your clothing heritage. Also I am glad to hear that it has cooled down for you 🥵

  • @LadyValkyri
    @LadyValkyri 9 місяців тому +2

    I love them! The look super cute AND comfy. You did an amazing job! Hugs

  • @fancyfree8228
    @fancyfree8228 8 місяців тому

    Love this!

  • @berthaowens1588
    @berthaowens1588 9 місяців тому

    Love it, well done. This made me happy to see it coming together.

  • @susanjohnson5824
    @susanjohnson5824 9 місяців тому +1

    Fascinating love the deep dive into garment history

  • @fjolliff6308
    @fjolliff6308 9 місяців тому

    You are amazing!

  • @pyzikscott
    @pyzikscott 9 місяців тому

    Fantastic!

  • @allychristiansen
    @allychristiansen 9 місяців тому +2

    This is so cool! I've been wanting to research my ancestors' clothes and try making them, it's cool to see you doing it and getting so much happiness from it!

  • @desertkhaat
    @desertkhaat 9 місяців тому

    I'm really enjoying learning about the Volga Tatar dress & it's absolutely lovely to see you getting closer to your ancestors as you embrace your roots: I look forward to your ongoing journey!

  • @katienewell7350
    @katienewell7350 9 місяців тому

    This is awesome!

  • @suzz1776
    @suzz1776 9 місяців тому

    That kit u have with the awl is beautiful

  • @kimlorton3002
    @kimlorton3002 3 місяці тому

    I love these! They look lovely and very comfortable! Great job!

  • @cherylrosbak4092
    @cherylrosbak4092 9 місяців тому

    I love watching as you discover your culture.

  • @Jane-cr9bp
    @Jane-cr9bp 9 місяців тому

    Those undies look very comfy! Thanks for sharing your culture, Vasi. It's so interesting!

  • @cosplaygoose3246
    @cosplaygoose3246 8 місяців тому

    Those look heckin' comfy ngl

  • @ladystitch-a-lot
    @ladystitch-a-lot 9 місяців тому

    They look so comfortable and cute 😍

  • @janeevans4758
    @janeevans4758 9 місяців тому

    You are so very talented, you really do create mind blowing items.
    Thank you for sharing your wonderful talented makes with us.

  • @shutterchick79
    @shutterchick79 8 місяців тому

    Cool video... Historical fashion and language learning in one video - 2 of my faves 😊

  • @CassianGray
    @CassianGray 3 місяці тому

    The finished product looks so relaxed and comfy! While what others have said about the extra fabric in the crotch being for riding horseback is mostly likely the main reason, I also wonder how the extra fabric would've helped with dealing with periods. I recall an Abby Cox video on historical "periods" (haha punny) and her diaper linen diaper had lots of bunched fabric like this. Maybe menstruating people wore a second pair of yshtan? or something similar?

  • @user-cd1bd8vl2i
    @user-cd1bd8vl2i 9 місяців тому

    This video is a treasure! Learning about Tatar clothes is not easy, I couldn't find much resourses. Thank you for the reasearch and clear explanations!

  • @haleyhoudini
    @haleyhoudini 9 місяців тому

    Wow you look so much like her!
    Thank you so much for the educational and beautiful video 😊

  • @my-mysknitsaloon
    @my-mysknitsaloon 9 місяців тому

    Yes, I just love the historical Volga Tatar clothing you're making.

  • @alisonbufarale3406
    @alisonbufarale3406 9 місяців тому

    They are soooo cute! Love the whole outfit, the underwear really completes it. ♥️♥️♥️

  • @christine132
    @christine132 8 місяців тому

    Iove this more vlog-like style! I love seeing your personality and true voice come out.

  • @lilykatmoon4508
    @lilykatmoon4508 9 місяців тому

    I really enjoyed this video. I love learning about different cultures, and I enjoy how you light up when sharing your new knowledge and your heritage. It’s interesting how you describe your handedness because I’m actually the exact same way. I eat and write with my left, cut, hit (with a bat), and throw with my right but see with both. I have rheumatoid arthritis and can have days where only one hand is really bothering me so it’s convenient that I can just sew with the other. When both are bad, all bets are off, lol. I also appreciate you sharing your thought process on how you made your pattern. Thanks for taking us on this journey with you ❤

  • @alex9190
    @alex9190 9 місяців тому +1

    wow, that kit you took the awl from is BEAUTIFUL!!!!

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +1

      Thank you!! It’s antique 😊

  • @ericalarochelle3779
    @ericalarochelle3779 7 місяців тому

    Great to see this insight into Volga Tatar material culture! From a horseback riding perspective, I am curious how the pants would work. The clothing I have worn, and seen others wear, tends to be close fitted to limit chafing. If you ever come across resources about experimental archeology/living history/current use, I'd be quite interested in checking it out, even if Google Translate is required!

  • @user-tq5on1df6n
    @user-tq5on1df6n 9 місяців тому

    ужасно интересно, спасибо! и кстати, очень даже flattering)

  • @saulemaroussault6343
    @saulemaroussault6343 8 місяців тому +1

    Oh you have such a beautiful name ! 💚
    As much as I can tell my ancestry is 100% French up to the 17th century ? Then German on my father’s side ? Mayyybe ? Maybe a bit of Spanish because my mother’s father might have had spanish ancestry ? Then again it comes to borders, where they were at the time etc.
    I’m always keen on learning about other cultures and their history, especially about Eastern Europe/Central Asia/Middle East as my partner is Armenian :)
    I’m sloooowly building up the confidence to make her an Armenian traditional shirt/tunic (I make things for me, and it’s okay if it’s messy, but if it’s for her it has to be Right)
    I’m always very sad to realise that there isn’t a lot of material available to learn about the details of some cultures. Sure you find mentions, pictures… but if you want recipes, patterns.., there’s nothing, or nothing left. It’s tragic really.
    Recently a friends relative published a book on 18th-19th century wool processing in the South Alps, and he only was able to do so because there were people to talk to about this, who had memories about their grandmothers working, and inherited cloth made by them. Some of this fabric was stashed in an attic with tools, including tools used to process the wool. It wasn’t trash, more like forgotten treasure, but someone buying the house might have thrown everything away. (Overall he managed to photograph and study a dozen of pieces, mostly blankets, which were staples for a long time. Every household had at least one, but we have no idea if there are more remaining)
    10 years from now it might have been lost forever, and it’s France, aka a rather well studied country, with rather well preserved traditions (at least in archives), and a culture of writing at least some things down. I don’t imagine how much is being lost, or was lost, in more unstable or less known about regions.

  • @robintheparttimesewer6798
    @robintheparttimesewer6798 9 місяців тому +1

    Everything you make is so lovely. These do look comfy which your right should be the only criteria for underwear!
    Also congratulations on keeping your ambidextrous ability! My isn't as good unfortunately when I started school teachers were still allowed to hit kids. Every time I was seen using my left hand I was hit! Though I still do something's that are usually only seen in left handed people, like my watch is on my right. It confuses people!

  • @tashokukisune
    @tashokukisune 9 місяців тому

    I think they look beautiful! ❤️😊

  • @SeaSelka
    @SeaSelka 9 місяців тому +1

    Hello! Interesting video, I like watching you work on your next project. I was born on the Volga (my ancestors are from the Saratov, Penza and Tambov regions), ethnically we seem to be Slavs, but my grandmother had a very atypical face for central Russia, rather Asian. We know little about their history; her parents were expelled from their native lands during the repressions after the Revolution. My appearance is similar to yours - rounded face, dark eyes, shape of the nose and lips. But my hair is lighter and my skin is a different shade, completely covered with freckles.

  • @nekkidnora
    @nekkidnora 8 місяців тому +1

    Votre prénom est VASILISA??? Comme "Vasilisa la belle"??? C'est trop beau, trop cool!

  • @alex9190
    @alex9190 9 місяців тому +7

    oh so thats how math works 😂

    • @nimuek3107
      @nimuek3107 9 місяців тому +2

      I had the same thought.

    • @VBirchwood
      @VBirchwood  9 місяців тому +3

      Hahaha pretty amazing how math can be super useful in moments like those, right?! I wish this was the type of math they taught us in school though 😂

    • @nimuek3107
      @nimuek3107 9 місяців тому +3

      @VBirchwood I could never pass math In high-school because it became too abstract, but now as a weaver and dressmaker, I use math constantly....I feel like if the same information had been presented in these types of contexts I would have done fine.

    • @AllTheHappySquirrels
      @AllTheHappySquirrels 9 місяців тому +2

      Knitting and sewing made math make sense for me, but it felt hopeless in school 😅

  • @suzettehenderson9278
    @suzettehenderson9278 9 місяців тому

    Those look so much like the trousers found in the Tarim basin!

  • @unknown5150variable
    @unknown5150variable 9 місяців тому

    WOW! You're talented, and it also seems like you really enjoy what you do. I couldn't leave without adding a comment to help boost the algo in your favor. Good luck with your channel 👍🙂

  • @jennglow4647
    @jennglow4647 9 місяців тому

    Cool 😀

  • @emmaaustin123
    @emmaaustin123 9 місяців тому

    There exists a youtube video of the first pair of trousers ever made. Very very similar pattern. I love your videos. Take care

  • @trohandideklerk6011
    @trohandideklerk6011 9 місяців тому

    My first thought was that the lots of ekstra fabric would accommodate a pregnancy very well, as well as weight gain and weight loss over time.

  • @akashanumberfive199
    @akashanumberfive199 9 місяців тому

    Yes comfort but I bet also you could have a pretty comfortable menses in those pants. Much like the proverbial " apron" used in like the 1700s. Good but if absorbent fabric. Easy clean so several of those should be you through a week.

  • @melinnamba
    @melinnamba 9 місяців тому

    These look a lot like the oldest known trousers. There is a documentary here on UA-cam called "the invention of the trousers" that shows a group of archeologists recreating the oldest trousers that have been discovered. They also wondered about the amount of fabric in the crotch area and figured out, that it was likely a design choice to make riding on horseback more comfortable.

  • @necromeme
    @necromeme 9 місяців тому +1

    imo the wrinkled fabric on the crotch while the legs are smooth creates a really interesting and beautiful visual affect!

  • @geekazoid47
    @geekazoid47 9 місяців тому

    Your French pronunciation is very good!

  • @YouHaveAGoodPoint
    @YouHaveAGoodPoint 9 місяців тому

    Will you show us more construction and drafting on the red tatar ensemble too?