Late period chemise

About a month ago I made a deal with a friend. She gave me a whole pile of leather in exchange for me sewing her a flemish outfit. Win win if you ask me.

So yesterday I made the chemise. From start to finish it took me about 8 hours including drawing up the pattern. I still have to finish the neckline but I need her to try it on first as I don't have a dress form or anything. If I tried to finish it now chances are her boobs could end up falling out of it or it might choke her. So I'm waiting.

I based the pattern off this one here.

Flemish chemise pattern by Vanessa Agnes Nessayem

I hadn't used this pattern before but I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. Last time I made a chemise that wasn't a big poofy Italian style one it turned out a bit retarded. The arms were too short and tight and the shape was just all wrong. To be fair I wasn't very experienced in pattern drafting back then so I probably made heaps of mistakes. But I think I did allright this time around.

I wanted this chemise to be pretty versatile as my friend doesn't have a lot of garb. She could wear this with any later period style I think. I also wanted the sleeves to be able to be rolled up so I changed the sleeve pattern to be a straight and gathered into a cuff. That way they are nice a fitted when she wants to wear sleeves, but can be rolled up out of the way if need be. It's also only knee length. I made a floor length chemise once and I hated it.

So this is the pattern I drafted for Morgaine's measurements.

Flemish chemise pattern

So if you are the the exact same size as my friend (whose measurements I included above just in case someone is) then you're in luck! I've drafted you a free chemise pattern! If not I'm sorry. Get your calculator out. Or you can plug your measurements into Drea Leed's smock generator but that's what I tried to use last time and came out with something strange. I find it helps to understand how to draft a pattern so that you can make the necessary adjustments for yourself that a generator or a commercial pattern won't do. My body shape in particular doesn't like "choose the bigger measurement - bust or hips - and make that the width of your body piece" because my shoulders aren't as broad as the rest of me and if I follow a pattern like that my sleeves end up attaching half way down my arms. But with this pattern I can make my shoulder to shoulder measurement the width of the body piece, and add the extra room in for the bust/hips using the gores. So yeah I'll be using this one from now on.

I finally got to benefit from my large aldi sewing table too. It made rolling out fabric and drawing pattern pieces so much easier. And I love how medieval patterns have so little fabric wastage. All up I used about 2 metres of linen.

Pattern pieces cut out, and tiny pile of scraps

I didn't actually take many photos of the construction as it is pretty similar to a standard t-tunic. Join the two body pieces at the top. Sew the sleeves to the body. Add the gores. Cut the head hole.

That's something I always struggled with when I started my costuming journey. How big to make the head hole. And how to get it the right shape. Many times I cut a head hole way to big or too small or off centre. I've made every mistake in the book. But I eventually found a way that works. It's just big enough for my head and more importantly puts me head in the right spot. When I've got it on I trace the neckline shape I want in the mirror. And incidentally it is ten times easier to mark out the head hole before you sew up the side seams.

Head hole shape

Sew the side seams. Gather the sleeves up. Attach the cuff. 

I included photos of this as it can be fiddly folding everything the right way so it sits nicely.

Start by machine sewing the gathered sleeve onto on side of the cuff but don't sew the 1.5cm seam allowance at each end.

Machine sew the gathered sleeve to the cuff,
leaving 1.5cm at each end open.

Fold the raw edge of the sleeve over twice and pin

Fold the cuff SA over and pin.

Do it to both sides

Fold up the bottom edge of the cuff 1.5 cm and iron flat

Refold the SA on the ends of the cuff

Fold the cuff in half so that the ironed edge meets up with the row of stitching,
and the corners match up perfectly

Pin in place

Before you hand sew that together, work out what type of cuff fastening you want. I chose buttons and luceted button loops.

Pewter fleur de lis buttons

So I needed to stop and lucet the button loops. It didn't take too long as they are only about 3cm long each. I used linen thread so they were nice and thin. I also left nice long ends on my luceting so I could use the ends to sew them in place. I don't know if you've ever tried to sew through a luceted cord but let me tell you your fingers will hate you for it.

Unfold the end of the cuff and sew your button loops in

Refold and pin

Whipstich edges and along the cuff

Sew the buttons on

Finished Sleeve Cuff

Hem the bottom. And at some point when I see her next, finish the neckline.

So this is what it looks like at the moment

Front

Back

It might be a few weeks before I see her again to mark and finish the neckline. I'll update with finished photos when it's done. I'm even thinking of setting up an etsy store to sell them and other things later down the track too. So stay tuned ;)