I have made a few camicie with gathered necklines for both men and women, usually using the raglan sleeve pattern that has been running around the web for ages. Invariably these fit poorly when I make them, especially in the armpits. This time around I took a look in Patterns of Fashion 4 and found two boys’ shirts with gathered low necklines and these were made in a way that I was unfamiliar with. They are basically T-tunic shaped, with a large rectangular neck opening bounded by a front and back panel and two small strips on the shoulders. While the earliest date mentioned for either of these shirts is 1550, the pattern seemed simple enough that it was entirely plausible for a similar shirt in 1515.
This camicia is made entirely of 3.2 oz white linen. The main seam for attaching the shoulders to the body panels and the initial attachment of the cuffs and neckline binding are done by machine with polyester thread. All other construction and finishing is done by hand with waxed linen thread. The seams between the shoulders and front and back panels are flat felled. All other seams for attaching the body, sleeves, and gussets are done by hemming the edges of the pieces and whip stitching the finished edges together. The side seams are left open from the hips down, and the total length is about mid-thigh.
The cuffs are gathered with a 1/4″ inch double running stitch into plain cuffs with a cloth bag button and buttonhole. The neckline is similarly gathered and bound with a strip of straight cut linen.
Neck opening
Flat felled seam between shoulder and body panel
Gussets
Sleeve attachment
Gathering cuff
Attaching cuff
Gathering neckline