--- In SCA-Garb@egroups.com, rhianon bortai <reahnon1@y...> wrote:
> Hi List
> As I am still new to this I have a few questions on
> garb. What exactly is a chemise, and what is it used
> for? I hear so many people talking about it but am do
> not know exactly what it is. I am currently doing a
> pattern that has a blouse, skirt, vest, and overskirt.
> Some one called the under skirt a chemise but it
> shows as the overskirt is open in the front. I am
> taking it that a chemise is something you wear
> underneath a dress. Also what is a good pattern for
> one. Can you use a simplicity pattern (8192) without
> the bodice type thing. And on this pattern are the
> sleeves ok for a chemise (B). Some one in my Shire
> said they used that one for a chemise.

Hi Shari,

A Chemise is probably what you are calling "shirt" in your ensemble.
It was a white linen shirt worn to keep sweat and oils off your good
fabric. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, it was usually the
chemise that got washed (because they didn't have dry cleaners!).
Chemise is the French term. The English called the same shirt
a "Shift" and the Irish called it a Leine (pronounced LAY-na).

I don't know anything about Simplicity, but there is a very simple
period chemise pattern I can show you right here. It's based on an
Italian chemise from the late 16th century and you can see a picture
of it in Burnham's "Cut my Cote".

First, go to: http://www.fabrics-store.com/Shop/enter.html?
target=Linen_BasicsIL020zm_3zo5_oz.html and buy yourself about four
yards of the white linen (3.5 oz in the upper left).

Measure from your neck to the middle of your calves (this is where
the chemise will end -- If you make it waist-length, it will pull out
of your skirt and annoy you). Call this measurement "body length".
Also measure from the point of your shoulder to your wrist, around
you bended elbow. Call this measurement "arm length".

If you are slim (< size 18), cut two rectangles 30" wide by your body
length long. If you are larger than size 18, you may want to make
the panels 45" wide. These are your body pieces.

Cut two rectangles 30" wide and your arm length long. These are your
sleeves. If you want pouffier sleeves, make them 45" wide by you arm
length long instead.

Cut two squares measuring 10" x 10".

Cut one 3" wide band that is 40" long.

If you are going to pleat the top of the body pieces, do it now. If
not, you can inser a drawstring later.

Attach the two 10" squares to either side of the front body piece
(fig 1). Once attached, fold the squares in half diagonally and sew
the other vertical side to the back piece.
____ _________________ _____ __ _________________ __
| || || | \ || || /
| || || | \ || || /
|____|| ||_____| \|| ||/
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
|_________________| |_________________|
fig 1 fig 2

Now fold the sleeves in half along the 30" (45") side. Place the
fold so it's at the top of the sleeve (top of the arm when worn).
Sew one bottom edge of the sleeve to one horizontal edge of the 10"
square and sew the other bottom edge (on the back) to the other
horizontal edge (in back). See fig 3.

_____(fold)___ ____(fold)___
| | | |
| | | |
|______________| _________________ |_____________|
\ || || /
\ || || /
\|| ||/
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|_________________|
fig 3

Sew the side seams from the bottom of the 10" square to the bottom.
Sew the sleeves from the end of the 10" square to the sleeve end.

If you didn't pleat the fabric, roll a casing along the sleeve and
neck edges and run a cord through it (fig 4).

______________ _____________
| || || |
| || || |
|_____________||_________________||____________|
\ ||_____(casing)____|| /
\ || || /
\|| ||/
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|_________________|
fig 4

Hem the sleeve ends and bottom hem and it's ready to wear!

Also check out Drea Leed's
page:http://www.dnaco.net/~aleed/corsets/chemise.html It's a great
resource.

If I can be of further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact
me.

Sincerely,
Kass McGann