Is it a chemise, a chemisette, a corset, a stay, or a shift?

These above five words are ones I'd heard, but I just didn't really know the difference.  Here's a brief rundown.

Corset - I think we all have a preconceived notion of this one:  undergarment that is uncomfortable, confining, and makes you hold your posture; however, if made well, it shouldn't be this way.  It should smooth out your torso and provide the fashionable shape of the period.  Elizabeth Stewart Clark mentions that in period sources, a stay is the same thing.  In modern living history, however, "we often use the term 'corset' to describe a steel-boned, fashion-shaping undergarment, and the term 'stays' to describe a more gently-fitted undergarment with shaping provided from a few bones, or cording and quilting" (The Dressmaker's Guide, 117).

The Workwoman's Guide (1840) gives directions on how to make one starting on page 81 & Plate 11, Figure 22.

Liz also tells how to draft your own in The Dressmaker's Guide page 117.

While reading through The Workwoman's Guide, I ran into the word "shift" on page 46.  The corresponding figures found on Plate 6 looked something like a baggy shirt-dress.   Liz Clark refers to this as a chemise.  A shift/chemise is basically a slip (modern term) worn next to the skin and under the corset.  The Workwoman's Guide teaches how to make a few variations, Liz has an entire chapter on them in The Dressmaker's Guide (chapter 4) as well as a FREE Chemise Pattern.

So is a chemisette the same?  No.  I e-mailed Liz to clarify this one for me.  Here's what she said:

A chemisette is a little different; it's a white accessory piece that can either be shaped like a modern "dickie" or is sometimes a complete white underbodice, sleeves included. Either way, a chemisette is made of very fine, sometimes sheer white cotton or linen. The chemisette is worn to fill in the neckline of a low-bodiced or half-high bodiced dress for daywear. Full underbody styles also fill in a short or open dress sleeve. Chemisettes can be extremely decorative, with tucks, insertions of lace or white embroidery, braidwork, complex embroidery patterns (usually white thread on the fine white cloth.)

Any questions?

Are they Petticoats or Pettiskirts?

At training this year at TITP I heard the term pettiskirt.  I assumed it was supposed to be the same as a petticoat.  I checked with Elizabeth Stewart Clark and it's not a term she's run across in period sources.  More common terms for a petticoat, according to Liz, would be underskirts, or even just skirts (The Dressmaker's Guide, 153).  Perhaps "pettiskirt" is just a combination of "petticoat" and "underskirt"?

For additional concise details on petticoats, see Liz's FREE Basic Petticoat Pattern as well as my Petticoat post.

Whitework

I crocheted this edge on the bottom of these drawers to dress them up and to maybe mimic whitework.  Since the original post where I was wondering what whitework really was, Liz Clark gave me the primer (rhymes with swimmer).  My edging is NOT whitework.  See her comment below.  Liz also provided some links to pictures (below). 

Real whitework looks like this:

http://www.vintagetextile.com/new_page_99.htm

Holy moley, isn't it gorgeous!  Don't think I'll be attempting that one anytime soon.


Another one:

http://www.gownrestoration.com/IMGA0041.JPG

...
(Confession:  I crocheted on the wrong side of my second leg!  I noticed after I was a couple inches into it, but still, didn't want to take it out.  Oh well.  From a distance you can't tell!)

Are they Pantaloons, Pantalettes, Drawers, or Bloomers?

The last couple years at TITP I've heard the word pantaloon for the mid-calf pant-things the little girls wear under their dresses. This year, they're using the word pantalette. So are those the same as bloomers? Wait, but what about drawers, or even trousers? How are all these things the same and how are they all different?

I've been dying to put up a post about this (geeky, I know), but just haven't had the time to figure it out for myself. In fact, I really shouldn't be blogging right now, but it's nice to escape reality for a moment and delve into my compartmentalized Internet life.

Anyway, with the help of Elizabeth Clark (seriously, she will reply to your e-mails), her book The Dressmaker's Guide, and some other sources, I think I've kind of got it figured out. (Now if I'm mistaken, you tell me so I can fix it!)

Pantaloons: According to Liz (and I'm sure sources she's researched), "pantaloons are actually men's clothing"! They were "an earlier style of roomy men's trousers, no longer worn in the mid-19th century"! In fact, "it's a very old word -- 'pantaloons' shows up in literature and other primary sources as early as the 1620s! Those pictures of people like Sir Francis Drake, or Henry the 8th, in their bloomy short pants? Those are pantaloons. So are the skin-tight knee-length trousers worn by dandies like Beau Brummel in the very early 1800s -- so even as a man's garment term, the meaning evolves over time. They are not a woman's undergarment, though the terms gets used in modern circles because it sounds old-fashioned." Ha, ha -- maybe because it sounds like saloon! Wow, I've totally been using pantaloons incorrectly.

Pantalettes: We are right in that pantalettes are female clothing, "but they are a much earlier term for underdrawers (1800-1830-ish)" according to Liz. (I'm telling you, she e-mailed me a more detialed definition of pantalettes than even what is in her book!) Also, that "style of drawers is rather different that we'd recognize for the mid-century. Pantalettes are longer (as long as the ankle in some cases), and are two tubes, no crutch [crotch?] at all (they look rather like linen chaps, actually!). They stay up with a drawstring run through the upper, outer hip section of the leg tube, tied around the waist. They were worn by some adult women in the early Jacksonian era (roughly the Regency time-span), and then evolved into mainly a little girl's garment in the 1815 to 1835 range." OK, so that's not what we're talking, either.

Bloomers: "Bloomers are radically different [as] the term refers to a style of 'reform' dress worn by Mrs. Amelia Bloomer, rather than to undergarments. The Bloomer Costume consists of a short (knee to mid-calf) length dress, worn over corded or quilted stays and some petticoats, with long trousers of the same fabric beneath them. The trousers might be gathered to a band at the ankle (Turkish trousers), or might be straight-legged. Sometimes, if the dress is silk, the trousers will be wool. I've not yet seen any reference to a Bloomer costume being done in a cotton print, only silks or wools. A woman would still wear cotton or linen drawers under her trousers."

"In the late 19th century, and early 20th century, 'bloomers' come to mean underdrawers that have a generous leg, gathered to a comfortably fitted band near the knee. However, that terminology change happens a good 50 years after the mid-century, so I don't recommend the term when discussing mid-19th century clothing."

Drawers: Sorry to say it, but, yes, the most boring-sounding term seems to be the most accurate one for our time period. Liz says,"drawers are the term used at mid-century to describe a cotton or linen bifurcated undergarment for men, women, or children. It's by far my favorite term for that portion of undergarments, because it shows up so often in period sources, including in clothing diagrams and wardrobe notes from period magazines and workbooks, as well as in private letters and diaries, and advertisements. The frequency of the term 'drawers' leads me to believe it is the most common term at mid-century, and therefore, the one I feel living history people ought to use, for greater clarity in communication."

Liz also mentions knickers as a related term in The Dressmaker's Guide. This was a shorter, fuller, French garment "of the later 1800's" and "not appropriate for wear in the mid-century."

One last less-common, but related term I ran across was trowsers in The Workwoman's Guide. On page 50 and corresponding with Plate 7, The Workwoman says, "These are worn by men, women, and children of all classes, and almost all ages, under the different names of trowsers and drawers. They are made in a great variety of ways. Those mentioned here are the kinds most generally approved. Drawers for ladies and children are usually made of calico, twill, and cambric muslin. Those ladies who are invalids, or who ride much, frequently wear flannel or wash-leather drawers, with or without white calico leglets. For men, drawers are composed of very strong twill, calico, linen, flannel, and stockinet."

In this case, trousers or trowsers is referring to undergarments, not men's pants. All the drawings on Plate 7 are undergarments, NOT outerwear.



If you want to make drawers, you can find everything you need in The Dressmaker's Guide by Elizabeth Stewart Clark. She also has a FREE pattern for split drawers on her site.

Another free, online pattern is Vera's Quick and Dandy Drawers.

Well, this post ended up a lot longer than I'd planned, but I think it answers most of my questions. Huge thanks to Liz!

Foundling Cap (baby or small child bonnet)

I also tried this Foundling Cap found on page 18 of The Workwoman's Guide which corresponds with Plate 2 images 1-4. Once I figured out how to cut it out, it was quite snazzy.

The directions did not say what fabric to use specifically for this cap, but general cap fabric includes "soft calico, or checked muslin, with muslin frills, for the poor, and of fine lawn or cambric, with cambric frills or lace borders for the higher classes."

These instructions list three sizes, 1st size, child of 2 years, and child of 4 years, so there's some versatility in usage.

Directions:
Start with a rectangle, along the grain, 9" x 13.5"(first size).
Fold down a long edge 2.25" and press.
Fold the whole thing in half width-wise, with flap on the inside (see picture).

Fold under the raw edge and hem down the flap you ironed over.

The directions say to form a runner (narrow casing through which a thin woven linen tape or string is threaded to draw up a portion of a garment to fit) here. Now I'm not sure if that is supposed to be next to the hem, or within the hem. I added it next to the hem, but the original image doesn't appear to be that way. And I thought those little lines were just decorative!

Next, round off the corners (by where the ears will be).

The pattern says to now create another runner all the way around the edge. I didn't do that in this step, I did it after I stitched my back seam.

To create the back of the bonnet, measure up and in 2.25" from the bottom and side. Cut in that 2.25". Then "slope off the crown in a semicircular form" (see image above).

Then, stitch, right sides together, the back, bottom part that looks like the trunk of 1/2 of a Christmas tree (see what I mean?). The directions then say to neatly fell this seam. I had no idea what "felling" was, so I asked Liz: "one edge is tucked under, covering all the raw edges, and it's hemmed down flat" like ". . . the inner seam of modern jeans. . . ."

Run gathering stitches along the curve and gather down to fit the straight part.

Stitch gathered part to the straight part, right sides together and fell. The directions suggest adding a backstay which is described as "a strip of calico . . . neatly sewn on the inside, over the gathers, to make them set softer to the child's head. . . ."

The backstay should be 5 5/8" long and 1/2" - 5/8" wide, cut the direction of the grain.

I didn't leave enough fabric to fell, so I just made my backstay a little wider and stitched it over the lumps.

Then, I created the runner along the bottom, and yes, I succumbed to hand stitching! The rounded corners were just too lumpy to do it with the machine.

You can see a string hanging out of my runner along the bottom of the cap. I don't know if this is how it was really done (another thing to learn), but it did tighten up the floppy back-bottom of the cap very nicely. (Actually, I had to remove the string to sew on the ruffle, then I fed the string back in after.) To put the string through my runner, I threaded it on a long needle, knotted one end and fed the needle through the runner. I scrunched up my fabric along the string and tied another knot at the other end.

I made the chin-stay, cut along the grain, 6 3/4" x 1 1/8". These "are generally sewn on at the left corner of the cap, and the button on the right. Some persons prefer having two buttons sewn on the cap, one at each ear, and the stay made with two button-holes, so as easily to be changed and washed, without changing the cap also, as babies are apt to wet them. . ." (!!).

You can also see the fabric for the ruffle in the above picture. I made one big loop, twice the circumference of the entire bonnet (the pattern says about 1 2/3 yards). I didn't take pictures of attaching it, though, because I'm still not satisfied with my method.

I covered a plastic button, and I think it looks quite pretty. I had difficulty putting a button hole in my tiny, little strap, so I just formed a loop at the end of the strap with a string to fit around the button. This makes the strap a little loose, so I could shorten it.



Other sizes:
Child of 2 years
Cap: 10 1/8" x 15 3/4" (cut along grain)
Distance from bottom to the slit: 2 7/8"
Depth of slit into cap: 2.25"
Depth in front to be turned back: 2.25"
Depth of frill: 1 1/8"
Length of frill: 2 yards (cut along the width of the fabric)

Child of 4 years
Cap: 11.25" x 18" (cut along grain)
Distance from bottom to the slit: 3 3/8"
Depth of slit into cap: 2.25"
Depth in front to be turned back: 2.25"
Depth of frill: 1 5/8"
Length of frill: 2 1/2 yards (cut along the width of the fabric)

These little caps are just so pretty and delicate. I love them!

Infant's Day Cap Tutorial (Baby Bonnet) -- partially

I realized I need to outfit the baby for TITP this year. After discovering The Workwoman's Guide in Google Books with everything in it, I thought I'd give one of those patterns a try. I've never made a baby bonnet, so I thought I'd start with how they used to do it.

When you use The Workwoman's Guide, it's like learning a new language. The first thing I had to learn was how long a nail is. My husband being the geek he is knew some engineer had already discovered that and Googled it for me: 2.25". Easy enough.

This pattern is titled "Infants Day Cap" found on page 20, with images from Plate 2, figures 9, 10, and 11. It is suited for the "higher classes" and made of worked cambric or spotted lace. It is "generally worn only by infants," so there were no larger sizes listed.



First problem: "higher classes". The people we've portrayed are, well I don't know, they ran a half-way house (inn). They're not low class, but not high either. Second problem: I don't have worked cambric or spotted lace, nor do I quite know what either is (boy do I have a lot to learn).

I have a lot of (cheap) muslin, though. From what I understand, muslin in the "olden days" was much better than our muslin today, but when I use muslin, I just remember ours is not the same as theirs. I do like it, though. So soft and easy to sew on. Justification: no one who sees the cap on the baby will know those things either. (I know you sewing history gurus are cringing, sorry. Maybe I can get some worked cambric or spotted lace sometime and try it.)

Instructions:
I hope these make some sense, use the pictures.

You should have a rectangle a total of 18" by 5 5/8" (the grain goes the long way). Fold that in half for a rectangle 9" by 5 5/8".

Press some marking lines in the folded rectangle: fold in half, top to bottom, press, unfold. Fold in half, left to right, press, fold in half again (so it's in quarters), press, unfold. Cut a little notch out of the furthest bottom right section (not the folded side). The original picture also shows a little curve out where the front brim curves back around the neck. You probably should round out that part (see original illustration).

I cut my circle 3.25" in diameter. (Finished it's supposed to be 2.25 in diameter, so I added an inch, but 1/2" would have probably been okay.)

The next instructions are:

It is finished as follows: make the runners and hem in front very small and firm, either at regular distances from each other, or otherwise, according to fancy. Sew up the back, H, and make a small neat hem at the bottom, JK, to admit another bobbin; afterwards, whip the top, LM, having previously with pins divided it into quarters. Hem the circular piece and crease it into four also, and gather the cap into the crown, drawing the whipping evenly, and making each quarter correspond.

Wow. Huh?

I took my best guesses and then e-mailed Liz (I probably should have waited to hear from her, though, but I just couldn't help myself). I'm sure if I read more of the book I'll get more answers and this will all make a little more sense, but who reads books anymore these days? Just kidding. I'm a fan of actually reading through this kind of stuff to get the overall picture. I just haven't yet.

Hem the front as small as you can, tucking your raw edges under.

OK -- a note on hand stitching here. I can see why with something like this hand sewing is ideal (and the project is so small, it really wouldn't take much more time). You have so much less bulk!! Nevertheless, I used my machine (justification: the house where we volunteer was one of the first in Utah to have a sewing machine).

Iron some equally distanced lines in the front part of the bonnet (more narrow part -- I goofed this up once and put them on the longer section, which is the back). Fold along one of the lines and stitch very close to the fold. Open and iron. Stitch along the other lines also.

These little lines are called runners: "A runner is a narrow casing through which a thin woven linen tape or string is threaded; it's used to draw up a portion of a garment to fit (such as a cap brim.)" Thanks, Liz! So if I wanted to, I could run some string through these little runners to tighten up the cap.

Next, stitch the two longer ends, right sides together so you form the bonnet. You should probably whip the ends together.

Make a small hem along (tuck raw ends under!) the curved out (neck section) of the bonnet.

Mark with pins or use your iron to mark quarters in the bonnet (bottom seam, top, both sides). Run gathering stitches all the way around the back.

Mark with pins or use your iron to mark quarters in the circle.

Gather up the back of the bonnet to fit the circle, match your quarter marks. Sew together.

The original instructions say to hem the circular piece. I'm not sure why, and I didn't do it.

I added a ruffle around the edge. I cut it 1.25" wide by 40" long. The circumference of the bonnet was 20". I wasn't sure what I was doing, so I didn't take pictures. It was the most time intensive part.

I added ties 18" long by 1.25" wide (folded into quarters with raw ends in and stitched together). You could also use ribbons.


You can see where I could have rounded off the back corner when cutting.

I still have to finish the inside. I suppose I have several options. I can make another circle, hem it and hand stitch it over my raw inner circle. I can also take a ribbon and stitch it over all my other raw ends.

Another option is to make a second bonnet and hand stitch that inside this bonnet (wrong sides together). The original instructions do say, "These caps look very pretty with a white or delicate blue or pink satin or silk inner cap, to set off the work."

If I do this again, I will probably just make 2 identical bonnets, not finish any of my edges, put right sides together with a ruffle squished between, stitch around all the edges, leaving a turning area, then turn the bonnet through the hole. That's probably the more modern way to do it.