1490’s Camica, Round 1
This was the first attempt at multiple things for Zanetta. First, it was the first attempt at a rectangular constructed camica pattern based solely on my measurements. Second, it was her first completely hand sewn garment using multiple techniques she had never tried before when hand sewing, including flat felled seams and inserting gussets. In addition, the couched gold cord along the neckline was also a first for her.
This camica was made from 3.78 oz linen sold by Tied to History. The gold and faux pearl trim was an Etsy find from the shop theartfulbutton. The gold cord couched to the very edge of the neckline was also an Etsy find from the shop lallehandmade.
Step one of this project was carefully cutting my linen rectangles to size, staying as close as possible to the straight of grain by pulling a single thread and cutting along where it had been.
Step two of this project was to sew the sleeves with the gussets in each. This process of setting gussets and flat-felling the seams by hand was all new to Zanetta. The cuffs and body edges were blind hem stitched.
Step three of this project was to hem the top and both sides of the body panels, also with a blind hem stitch.
Step four was to whip stitch the body panels to the sleeves/gussets.
Step five was to even the bottom edge nad blind hem stitch it.
Step six involved using the smallest hors d’oeuvres fork I could find to box pleat the neckline.
Step seven was stitching down my pinned pleats with a folded band of linen.
Step eight was stitching down my gold and faux pearl trim over the linen band.
Step nine was couching down the gold cord at the edge of the neckline. At this juncture, I realized steps eight and nine should have been reversed. As I couched my cord down, my couching thread kept catching on the faux pearls and I would not have had this issue if I reversed the order of these steps.