Sunday, January 12, 2014

A Dormeuse Cap, Part 3: Finishing the Cap

About an hour ago, I finished the cap. Then I tried it on, without being in costume and with hair put up in the quickest manner. You know, the cap functions pretty well. Perhaps the back is a little high, and needs to come lower down towards the neck, but otherwise the sizing is right, and the cap sits up and away from the brow as it was so often worn. It weighs nothing and therefore would be appropriate for summer wear.

It's just as airy and transparent as I had hoped, too, and with a ribbon set with a shaped bow to the front, should be pretty to look at. It's apparent why women made gauze caps: they hide, and they don't, simultaneously.

Oh, if you like, you can read about the initial research and the first part of design and construction

Our back yard, seen through the gauze of the cap. It should be clear (urp) how transparent
the silk gauze can be.
My goodness, what a process it was to complete it. Will I ever use lapped seams again to attach the wings to the rest of the cap? Never, never, never. What a royal pain, plus nearly impossible to keep the individual stroked gathers in place. If I ever make another cap, it will be with rolled and whipped seams, without a iota's doubt.

The cap closes in back with narrow cotton tape from William Booth, Draper. 
Quick edit, on Tuesday: Oh, for Pete's sake. Look at that back, will you? In the grand hurry to be finished, I forgot to create the ties in back as originally planned: there should be an eyelet in the middle of the caul's tape channel. The two ends of the tapes should be sewn to the far ends of the caul, the other ends pulled through the eyelet, then pulled to tighten the caul, and tied together. So I am not really done. Bother.

Well, enough at looking at pictures and enough complaints. Let's cover how I actually did the work. Watch out: long post ahead...


The Process of Finishing the Cap

Note: this section was written along back when I made the cap, but for some reason languished in unposted form, probably because I wanted to add more research. Now it's many years later, January 2021. I found the text, edited it as well as I could, and have republished the post. In the intervening years, Larkin and Smith published several highly researched cap patterns and American Duchess published its Guide to 18th century Dressmaking book, including cap patterns with detailed instructions. Both are highly useful, although Larkin and Smith (At the Sign of the Golden Scissors) patterns are hard to find. As of last week, their site seemed to be taken down, and how sad I was to see that.

Therefore, what's below is clearly experimental, and like any experiment, I critiqued my work and found it wanting.)

Let's look at the construction of the gathered double "wings" or ears that make a cap pretty to look at and pretty to wear. Let me repeat that the construction here uses 18th century seams and stitches and concepts. However, since I don't own or have access to either an 18th century cap and only limited photos that are in high enough resolution to make out what's going on, here I am going on a combination of photos and secondary research. That means that what I did was speculative. Photos are nice, but oh, they do not replace actually seeing an extant garment.
Remember our inspiration cap.
Now to discuss why I did what I did, and why it's not the popular way to go now, and rightly so.

The Band

At the time I made the cap, it was still popular to make caps with a band two layers thick. The caul would be fitted in between the band pieces and sewn down. The wings would be treated the same way. It's simple but results in a rather thick and opaque effect.

As I was using silk gauze, having a two-layer band would show very obviously and make the cap look less airy.

Sue Felshin, an experienced 18th century reenactor, who wrote "How To Make a Cap", last updated 2001 and available on the 18thcNewEnglandLife site at http://people.csail.mit.edu/sfelshin/BRY2K/making-caps.html#lined-band. She wrote: "I don't know of any 18th century cap artifacts where the band is doubled (i.e., lined), although I have to say that I know of very few cap artifacts of any kind." 

Well, that settled it. My band was a single layer thick. and it would retain its airy look.

It was lap-seamed to the caul, with hem stitches on each side.

Constructing Doubled Wings: Needlessly Fiddly

First I had to figure out how I was going to make those pretty rounded "ears", another term for the pair of wings that sit on each side of the front of the cap, without having to hem the outer edge. As a rule, I rather like hemming, but hemming silk gauze? Eeeeooouuu! No fun. It's like hemming flyaway hairs on a cat running headlong.

So I ran an experiment. I cut a wing as a long straight piece. Then I sewed a curved line of gathering stitches in an approximation of the elongated oval of the ear shape, then gathered the wing, watching as the wing curved by itself into the pretty ear shape.

Aha! If I cut the inner edge in a curve, where the gathering is done, rather than the outer edge, then the outer edge wouldn't need hemming.

So I removed the gathering stitches, stretched out the fabric, and made a paper pattern from it. That problem solved. That's how the wing pieces got their curved shape.

Each set of doubled wings (ears) was of course treated separately. I cut four wings, all matching, from the paper pattern. On each piece, the straight edge is the selvage; the curved edge is the one that was to be gathered. On the curved edge, the wider part is lower on the face, near the cheek, the narrower part is at the top of head.

I layered two wings and dealt with them as a single unit. That meant that I had two long raw edges sitting one atop the other. Raw edges are anathema, so I turned a very narrow hem on each, and sandwiched them together so that the raw edges were inside.

Then the resulting pair of edges were stroke-gathered as one. Talk about fiddly! It was not enjoyable work, especially with silk gauze.

Double-layer wing with two rows of gathers, in the process
of being stroked and gathered to fit the band. 

Then I turned under the front edge of the band. You can see that in the photo above -- it's the piece of fabric in the top left-hand portion of the photo. The completed gathered edge of the wing layers was laid underneath the band and back-stitched in place. Back in 2013 as I was constructing the cap someone -- oh, who was it? Gah! I no longer know -- published a blog post about their new 18th century extant cap find, and I was chuffed to find that their cap used a lapped seam between band and wings. That's what made me decide to use a similar effect on my cap.

Double-layer wing one gathered and pinned to the band.
Note excess bulk at seamline. Not what we want. Bah, humbug.

The result is functional, but definitely not optimal for a transparent fabric. If you examine the cap you can see the inside raw edges of the wings through the gauze, and added up, the work is about 1/4" wide. That's fine if you put a ribbon over it, but it's too messy to be a viable solution for a garment that might be cleaned. It was not the right way to go.

What I Should Have Done

It's likely that seams could be handled in a number of ways, but the way that's most popular now is based on research such as that from the researchers/mantua makers at the Margaret Hunter Shop in Colonial Williamsburg, Larkin and Smith of At the Sign of the Golden Scissors, Sue Felshin, and others.

The lovely Samantha, the Couture Courtesan, wrote sometime before I constructed the cap a Livejournal post that no longer appears to be live, titled "A Correct Cap". In it, she wrote "This cap is made of single layers of silk gauze, with all the edges finished (rolled hems in this case) and whipped together. This is the way that the vast majority of caps I've seen were made--not using two layers for the brim and then sandwiching the ruffles or pleats and caul in between the two layers. The single layer method is a bit more difficult, because hemming anything curved is the biggest pain in the neck, but it's what's correct and I think it looks lovely." She should know, since she interned at the Margaret Hunter shop. As you know, this is the way most people construct caps now.

Why didn't I choose to do so, too? Well, I liked lapped seams, and I was used to stroke-gathering, although I was used to whip-gathering, too... 

Just to confuse things, I own an early 19th century cap, the band and the frill of which appear to have but one seam. The band edge appears to have been whipped at the same time as the frill. Huh, years later I can't figure out where my head was at the time. Suspect that many of you have had similar experiences.

Look carefully at the seam between the band and the frill. I see one seam, not two.

Well, the cap's long done and remains function and pretty. However, I never wore it. Not long after, Larkin and Smith published their cap patterns and I bought one of their kits, and never looked back. Perhaps someday the poor neglected thing will get a handsome blue silk ribbon to cover its seam sins, the back tie will be corrected, and I can wear it.

15 comments:

AuntieNan said...

This is so beautiful! I am in awe of your hand sewing skills. The last time I hand rolled a hem in silk I wanted to poke my eye out with the needle before I was done!!!!!
Can't wait for your tutorial!
Nancy N

Isis said...

It turned out very pretty!

Kleidung um 1800 said...

It's beautiful!!!
It's sheer, delicate and perfectly sewn...pretty pretty white cap with such amazing seams!
And it truly suits you very well - I can't wait to see it with proper clothes and hair :)

Sabine

Aubry said...

Your finished cap is so lovely! I look forward to hearing more about how you constructed it.

Anonymous said...

Quite pretty! I'm looking forward to your insights. :)

Best,
Quinn

ZipZip said...

Thank you all very kindly! Am looking forward to having an outfit to wear with it, because right now, I have a pair of panniers and that is it. Um, not very well dressed yet, hey?

Auntie Nan, some folks take to handsewing, and some would rather have a tooth pulled. I love handsewing but to be honest, it's only pretty frequent practice that keeps me in hand. If I quit a few months, the next project is apt to start with sloppy, honking big stitches, until the muscles remember their duty :}

Very best to all,

Natalie

Laura Morrigan said...

It looks fantastic! Great work!

ZipZip said...

Thank you, Laura!

Very best,

Natalie

Unknown said...

I would love to know what kind of fabric you used and where you purchased it. I would like to make some of the things I see but lack the confidence in selecting fabrics.

I am an intermediate sewer but a beginner at costuming. I have sewn the S&S Regency gown once it came out ok and yesterday I ordered the S&S underpinnings pattern.
~ Carol
(though my google account says Caitlin because it's my daughters and I cannot remember how to change the log in. LOL )

ZipZip said...

Dear Carol (Caitlin),

Sure thing! I used silk gauze from Dharma Trading at http://www.dharmatrading.com/fabric/silk/gauze.html. I buy a good deal of fabric from them. It's good quality, has no extra treatments added, and is a good price. If you use silk gauze, you will need to starch it heavily with good quality starch. I use Niagara (Hancock Fabrics has it).

Or you could use silk organdy, same source. It's already treated.

For thread, I use Gutermann all-cotton thread, although silk sewing thread would be better, as it would blend better. Dharma has silk sewing thread, as does Hedehog Handworks.

Very best and welcome to costuming! I love S&S patterns.

Natalie

Unknown said...

Thank you I really appreciate your kindness in taking the time to answer my question and all the information you gave me!! :) It is very helpful.

I think I have seen Gutermann silk thread at Joann's Fabrics (only fabric store in my area) . Do you know if it is the same thing?

I think I have seen Niagra before. Thank you so much for including the brand names of your favorite products that is very helpful.


I have purchased silk from Dharma many years ago to make a silk/flannel blanket for my kids when they were little. Having never seen any historical clothing or good costumes in person it is hard for me to guess what kind of fabric to buy.

Thank you so much!
Carol

ZipZip said...

Dear Carol,
Glad to offer some useful help! Others did for me years ago, so happy to pass on the blessing.

Gutermann does sell silk thread as well as cotton thread and synthetic thread. They're a major brand and among the better ones out there. The main thing is to purchase durable thread that sews easily. Over time many costumers and quilters have found that discount threads and those from old brands that were bought out, such as Coats and Clark, are too fuzzy and tend to break. That's why so many go for brands like Gutermann, Mettler, Isofil, and so on.

If you get deep into making historic costumes, who knows, you might end up using linen thread, even handspun threads -- yes, you can get them, and quite reasonably, actually.

You'll find many costumers who keep blogs will explain where they found their fabrics and supplies, which is such a help.

The silk and flannel blanket sounds yummy. I made my twin boys each a lightly quilted one, but they're too small for their twin beds now. Sigh.

Very best,

Natalie

Time Traveling in Costume said...

I love handsewing too and this little cap turned out to be a work of art.
Don't you just love when you take photos, suddenly you see some oops?
Val

ZipZip said...

Thank you, Val!

If there's one thing that's a constant in my costuming efforts, it's that I have oopses all the time :}
It feels good to know others do, too!

Very best,

Natalie

ZipZip said...

A follow-up note until I have time to write a post. Have learned a great deal about cap sewing since the last writing. The Sign of the Golden Scissors has several cap patterns and they are deeply, deeply researched. Their method, well documented from extant articles, features a very different, much easier to create seam. Nothing lapped, nothing rolled. I've made a "Phyllis Wheatley" cap, and am so happy with it. Someday hope to have time to show it!
Very best,
Natalie (Zip Zip)