Let's get started making the costume. We start with the base underlayer of the whole thing: the smock.
So I used the instructions from the Tudor Costume page for my smock. It is based on rectangular construction, which I am very familiar with as I normally dress in Norse or Anglo Saxon clothing. This was pretty comfortable ground here. The only differences were the length and the neckhole. Instead of making the smock to the floor like I would a Nordic undertunic, it was cut at the knees or shin. With the neckhole, it calls for a square neckline or a collar. The Nordic undertunic usually has a keyhole or plain neckhole.
Taking the measurements called for and marking the measurements onto the white cotton material, I ended up with these pieces. (picture here)
The instructions called for finishing out each piece separately and then sewing them together. I actually enjoyed doing the construction this way, because I don't always get to finish a garment out properly so that it can be laundered later.
The next step is to sew each piece together, edges touching, to form the smock. This made it easier to sew the gores in.
I had to cheat in regards to sewing the pieces together though, since I was short on time. I held the pieces together, edges touching, and used a zig-zag stitch on my sewing machine to sew them together.
When it came time to put the neckhole in, the instructions tell you to put it on and mark the square neckline on the smock and then to take it off, clean up your markings and cut the square out. I tried this and then had to make some small tucks in my neckhole to take it in a little. I finished the square by just folding down a small amount and tacking this down.
So, here is my finished smock. I am trying to figure out whether I want to add some kind of embellishment to it or not. Might just leave it plain. (picture here)
Next time, the Petticoat.