I started a new Cranach-style 16th-century gown and discovered none of my existing linen smocks/shirts would work as an underlayer; I needed something with much longer and fuller arms to fill out the poofed sections of the sleeves. Coincidentally, Rowan of RowanTree Workshop, a friend and an inspiration, recently published two Frauenhemden projects on her sites. I felt inspired to make a new Frauenhemd for the underlayer of this dress. It had also been a while since I completed a project with counted thread shirring, and it was an excellent opportunity to try out a pattern I had been developing. In this article, I’ll review some of my planning and construction of my version of the Frauenhemd, but you can visit RowanTree Workshop for more explanation. This is an impression piece and not based on any one example in paintings or extant finds. I made a Pinterest board showing some examples.

The Pattern and Cut

I began by planning out the pattern. I went with the rectangle build, a front and back rectangle for the body, two rectangles for the sleeves, two square gussets, and a couple of strips of fabric to enclose the pleated edges. This pattern cut is consistent with images in paintings and woodcuts and upper-class extant examples (Patterns of Fashion 4). The below picture shows the cut fabric pieces (these are from the other hemd I made last year but close enough). I went with a 4.5 oz. cotton 45% with linen 55% prewashed fabric. I liked how the blend took the shirring when I made the prototype for the mannshemd, so I decided to use it again. However, because of the blend, I turned the fabric where the weft is horizontal in the finished hemd. Per usual, I did lightly starch it in bran to protect the fibers and stiffen it up a bit. This actually saved me, as I spilled a full glass of tea on one of the panels after I finished the embroidery. Thanks to the starch, I was able to wash it right out.

Before starting this project, I had decided instead of a simple pleat or top-stitching on pleats or darned embroidery along the front and back panels, I would go with counted thread shirring at the tops of the front and back panels and the cuffs. I have been developing a repeated rhombus pattern as part of another project. I decided to use this design for the front and back panels. Check out my blog article on “Counted Thread Shirring (Punu Vanu)” for more info.

For the width and length of the rectangles, I used several measurements. Since I was going with shirring, I knew I would have more than enough fabric in the garment for my size. The front and back panels and the cuffs will dictate the needed fullness of the fabric. I knew from working with the swatches that my front and back panels would need around 3.7 times the desired width to account for the shrinkage of the pleats. The fabric in the swatch was a slightly different weight; however, from experience, I knew I would be close enough. I wanted around 11-9 inches width of the finished shirring sections for the front and back panels. I went with a width of 36 inches, with seams, which would reduce the pattern to around 9.5 inches of shirring, leaving about 1/2″ for each seam. For the length of the front and back, I went with 40 inches long which I trimmed and hemmed to below the knee when the hemd was finished. For the sleeves, I went with 27 inches wide, which would reduce down to 6.75 inches at the wrist cuff with an allowance of 1 inch on each edge to allow the closures for the cuff and seam. I planned on using a simple pleat at the top of the sleeve that will be adjusted to the length of the binding linen to account for fit. The length of the sleeve rectangles was 34 inches; remember, I wanted these super long and puffy. I made the gussets 3×3 inches and the edging trim about 2 inches wide, double-folded to 1/2 inch wide. I also made some strips as tape to back the cuff shirring sections. I generally plan at a 1/2 inch seam allowance, but in practice, I end up using a 1 cm.

Counted Thread Shirring (Puntu vanu)

I went with the repeated rhombus counted thread shirring design I have been working on. I also did a chevron counted thread shirring design along the cuffs. Counted thread shirring shows up in a lot of paintings, and there are some extant 16th c. examples. It is often referred to as Italian Shirring in period, and is a technique still used in traditional dress in parts of Europe. There is a scrap at the Mühlberg-Ensemble that looks like a shirred rhombus pattern. (Rast-Eicher & Tidow, 2011) Tiramani documented a counted thread shirred chevron pattern on a boys shirt from Italy. ( Rublack, Hayward, & Tiramani, 2015) Check out my blog article on “Counted Thead Shirring (Punu Vanu)” for more info. It is extremely important to have swatches; it will tell you about the shrinkage and if the pattern will actually look proper.

Front and Back Panels – The Rhombus Design

For this design, I went with 4 vertical threads by 4 horizontal threads equal to 1×1 square in the diagram. I started at the top row on the right side of the panel, which was 1/2 inch from the edge. I used some natural color 2/30 silk thread cut slightly longer than the panel. I used Tulip long needles with easy threading eyes. As I stitched, I counted the threads of the fabric to match the thread map diagram. I had to account for the fabric and drift variation; one or two tread corrections were needed vertically and horizontally. No embroidery hoop frame or flat surface is required; I just fold it up and work in my lap, putting it down and picking it up as needed to finish it. The biggest concern is thread management, keeping them all organized on thread holders, wrapping, and unwrapping. I did it in 3 parts, going 1/3 across with all 54 horizontal rows. Once I finished all 54 stitch rows in a section, I pulled the excess thread through the completed pattern section and wrapped the thread length on the paper thread holders, queuing it for the next section. I completed the whole pattern in three sections, seam to seam. Working in sections made mistakes less catastrophic when thre is an error. When I finished a row at the end of the 3rd section, I finished the row out with several tiny straight stitches and removed the needles. At each end, I tied the row thread off two by two to ensure I did not accidentally pull any thread. I end with the shirring threads on the right side.

I then collapsed the panel down and tied off each row 2 by 2 at the desired width. I braided the excess strings into 3 bundles and then braided and tied them off.

The Sleeve Cuffs – Chevron Design

I started the sleeves by finishing the cuff hem; I rolled it and whip-stitched it down. Then, I started the chevron pattern about 2 inches above the hem. This time I did not have a diagram that; I just went by memory. Again, I went with four vertical threads by four horizontal threads equal to 1×1 square; the pattern went eight rows forward, a 9th center row, then eight back. Each long space/stitch had approximately 12 vertical threads, and the shorts had 4 vertical threads.

Once I finished the pattern. I then rolled the cuff opening slit and whip-stitching it down using waxed linen thread. I lined the back of the shirred section of the cuffs with 1.25 inch linen strip folded over to stabilize and protect it. At the top of the sleeve, I created 3 rows of 4 threads with threads to pleat the top.

Putting the Frauenhemd Together

I started construction by finishing out the sleeves. I sewed the gussets into each sleeve and finished the seams using waxed linen thread. I used alternating straight stitches with some backstitches and flat-felled the seams. I bone tool pressed the seams as I went. I added buttons and finger loop closures to each sleeve. To create the button, I wrapped glass beads with silk embroidery thread. 

Next, I attached the linen binding tape to the top of the front and back using a whip-stitch. I also added the linen binding tape to the top of the gathered sleeves; I didn’t finish attaching the binding all the way, leaving several inches on each end for adjustment. I then basted the sleeves and panels together and adjusted the fit, tightening the gathering threads at the top of the sleeve panels until I was happy with the fit. I finished the sleeve binding trim and finalized the seam with the body. I then felled the seams. I then tested the fit and adjusted the hem around the knee, finishing it with a rolled hem stitch.

Conclusion

I’m very pleased with the way this Frauenhemd came out. Despite a couple issues with the rhombus counted thread shirring design, it came out really nice. The impromptu chevron pattern came out excellent, and the sleeves are a lot of fun. Also, it will fit perfectly under the Cranach gown I’m working on. I don’t think the front and back panels needed to have the shirred section that wide, next time I would stop at 2.5 inches or less. However, at the time I wanted to really test that pattern and the fit is awesome. I will provide some more photos as that project progresses.

References

Arnold, J., Tiramani, J., & Levey, S. (2023 new edition). Patterns of fashion 4 : the cut and construction of linen shirts, smocks, neckwear, headwear and accessories for men and women c.1540-1660. New York: MacMillan. Print.

Nutz, B., & Stadler, H. (2012). How to pleat a shirt in the 15th century. Archaeological Textiles Review, 54, 79-91. Print.

Rast-Eicher, A., & Tidow, K. (2011). Mühlberg-Ensemble: Die Textilien. In B. R. Habelt, R.
Atzbach, & I. Ericsson (Eds.), Die Ausgrabungen im Mühlberg-Ensemble Kempten (Allgäu) Metall, Holz und Textil. Germany: Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg & Aarhus University. Print.

Rublack, U., Hayward, M., & Tiramani, J. (Eds.). (2015). The First Book of Fashion: The Book of Clothes of Matthäus and Veit Konrad Schwarz of Augsburg. Bloomsbury Academic. Print.

Zander-Seidel, J. (1990). Textiler Hausrat: Kleidung und Haustextilien in Nürnberg von 1500 – 1650. München: Dr. Kuntsvel. Print.