1912 #44 Nightgown -- Chemise de Nuit
This gown is cut from only one piece. It is simply put in the form wanted by the side
seams and the indentation of the neckline.
Let us start by copying the pattern and cut out this one.
It will be necessary for us to have a piece of percale or madapolam 52 centimeters
long by 26 wide.
Fold first this piece in width, in order to have in hand a rectangle being 26 centimeters
high by 26 centimeters wide. Fold then in the direction of the height, we will have, the
one on the other, four layers having 26 in height and 13 in width.
Let us place the pattern on these four layers, by putting its two dotted lines – those
which carry the instructions “pli de le etoffe droit fil dos et devant” [fold of the fabric on
the straight thread front and back] and “pli de l’epaule droit fil” [fold of the shoulder on
the straight thread] – edge to edge with the folds of the fabric. Let us maintain the pattern
well in place, with the aid of a few pins, and cut only along the black lines, that-is-to-say
along the neckline of the back (let us not touch yet the neckline of the front), along the
hem of the sleeve, the seam of the underside of the sleeve, the side seam, and finally the
hem of the bottom.
The scissors should cut nothing along the dotted lines.
Open your fabric by unfolding it in the direction of the height, you have the chemise.
Begin shaping it by making the two side seams.
Then, returning to our drawing, trace the part of the top laying between the line of the
neckline of the back, the line of the neckline of the front and the dotted line. You get a
sort of small curved strip. Place this pattern on the front of the gown, its point turned
towards the shoulder; its lower part must arrive just at the middle of the front of the
gown. Pass a pencil along the lower line, then reverse your pattern from right to left, and
proceed similarly. You will remove then, with the scissors, the fabric included between
the edge of the gown and this lower line, but only on the fabric of the front.
You get thus the neckline indentation because, in a nightgown, or day chemise, the
neckline is always more low-cut in front than in back.
Then you will cut through the gown front, from the edge of the neckline until at the
point marked with a small arrow and a B on the drawing.
Hem the bottom of the gown and the edge of the sleeves. This work, if it is not made
by the machine, demands hemstitches finely made with thread C B a la Croix, CartierBresson #100 or 120, following the thickness of the percale or madapolam.
We need, now, to prepare the placket fastening. There are two pieces: the one which
is sewn to the left edge of the slit and which will pass under the other. The second is
sewn at the edge of the slit on the right; it is this which carries the buttonholes. That of
the under part carries the buttons.
The first, that of the under part, is sewn right side against right side, is folded back in
two and one hems its edge at the level of the first seam. Then, the buttons are placed.
The second leg of the placket, that of the top, is hemmed on two sides under a backstitch
and is surrounded with lace. The buttonholes are made, and, after having finely hemmed
the edge of the slit of the gown, one places the placket on top, quite flat, by sewing it only
on the right side and by stopping it at the bottom by a backstitch.
Three rows of gathers at the top, around the neck, bring back this one to the desired
measurement. One simply puts the sleeves in form by the same process: a group of
gathers on the right side where the seam of the armhole would pass if it existed, and a
group of gathers at the bottom forming the cuff.
If one prefers the embroidery to the lace, one will scallop small bands of percale that
will be mounted afterwards at the edge of the sleeves and around the neck. One can also
scallop the gown the same before sewing together this one.
Translation copyright 2011 Deirdre Gawne. Not for sale. www.dressingbleuette.com