I connected the shoulder seams with tiny French seams and then ran the remaining length of edge lace around the back of the neckline and a length around each arm hole as well, with the small zig zag stitch I discussed in my notes and trimmed the fabric close to the seam. It was fast and easy and most importantly, authentic!
I then used a French seam to close the sides of the chemise as well, as can be seen in the next three photos.
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| French Seam Step 1 on Right Side of Fabric |
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| French Seam Turned And Pressed |
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| French Seam Step 2 on Wrong Side of Fabric |
Next I prepared the placements for the snaps by reinforcing the fabric as the silk is very delicate. I folded the bottom of the crotch under twice, the correct width of the snaps, and stitched it into place.
Then I attached a small fold of fabric the width of the crotch to the center front for the receiving side of the snaps like so:
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| Same Width as Crotch |
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| Press Edges Under |
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| Pin in Place |
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| Stitch |
Dont worry about finishing of the bottom edge as that is where the lace trim will soon be attached.
Finally I used the same zig zag stitch to attach the trim lace around the entire bottom of the chemise and trimmed the fabric as close to the seam as possible.
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| Roll Lace Edge and Pin Down to Start |
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| Trim Carefully As Close As Possible |
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| See how nice and clean the finish is? The zig zag stitch prevents the silk from freying. |
I hand sewed the snaps in place and she is done!! I am very pleased with how it turned out and believe it to be as close of a representation of a period chemise as possible. It is lovely and feminine and yet sturdy enough to tolerate frequent wash and wear. The end result can be seen here: Completed Projects
Next I will be posting notes and pictures of my extant corset that is, after my research, not exactly what I thought it was...
