Tudor Chemise

I officially declare this project finished. I ordered blackwork trim to sew around the edges (and I will sew it on), but I'm not making any more alterations.

This was by far the most infuriating project ever. If you don't recall from the previous post, none of the pieces were fitting together nicely, and then I discovered I'd cut the neck hole too big. Mind you, everything else about the chemise fits. But the square neckline in my size is so big it fell half way down my chest. What gives?I made a mock-up of the neck hole, and starting with a size 4, worked my way up. The size I finally chose was a whole five sizes smaller than the chemise I made. I took off the too-big-neck facing and then cut the smaller-size neck facing. Here's the mock-up: I ran two gathering stitches around the square neck and made it smaller to fit the facing. I had to repeat this process one more time (even though my mock-up was the right size, the pattern piece I cut was larger...I cut it from the same pattern size...again, WHAT GIVES??). Here's mock-up #2:The finished product fits, but the gathers pretty much ruin that nice square neckline. Harrumph. All the seams are finished so I might decide to wear it inside out with the neck facing visible. Inside out the facing lies flat and makes the chemise look more like it was meant to be.

Such a horrible experience. I had been contemplating making a Renaissance corset from this pattern, but after the problems with the chemise there is no way I'm going to dive into that mess. I have most of the fabric to start the Tudor dress (that the chemise is meant to go with), but again...I'm having a fitting issue, and I'm not sure I can solve it without a fitting double.

Tudor Chemise

Sigh. This pattern has not been going together as smoothly as it should.

Before I start to rant and rave, let me first say that the pattern pieces fit together very nicely, the pattern itself is very nice. Everything that I have finished looks very beautiful and historically accurate.

My problem with the pattern is the instructions. They have caused several moments of extreme sewing frustration. Examples: pattern pieces in the instructions that don't actually exist; instructions to cut the incorrect number of pattern pieces; interfacing that pops up in the instructions, but which I have not been instructed to cut out; complete lack of cuff assembly directions/illustrations. All this meant that the cuffs that should have taken an hour to assemble took me about 8 hours to complete. After FINALLY finishing the cuffs, I tried to insert the sleeves into the garment. The instructions said "match dots and then gather the sleeve to fit." So, I match the dots...and the dots lined up exactly...there was nothing to gather, because there was no extra fabric. What the **%@? AAARRGHH! I set it aside. I've had enough for today.

I'm concerned that the neck square may be too big. That's not the pattern's fault...it's mine for being too impatient to make a mock-up. The pattern even suggests it so you get the square sized correctly. I just didn't read that part until AFTER I'd cut out the pattern. Oops. Hopefully once I'm corseted it should fit with everything pushed up.

I have enough linen left to make a partlet, so that may be my next project. I'm still very tempted to make the corset...but these instructions have put me off. Maybe I should sign up for the pattern designer's yahoo account and see if others have had the same problems I have.