At Mists Investiture this last weekend I finished the last of the smocking. I think it’s beau-ti-ful (click to embiggen). I’ve removed the pleating threads and stretched it out a little. After all the smocking the neck came out a little bit bigger than 50% of the original width. I’ve decided to line the collar both for comfort and to hold the smocking at the right size.
The lining was cut out of the same linen at 4″ x 18″ I folded the top/bottom and sides so that I was working with finished edges(Folded, the lining piece is about 3″ by 17″). Then I pinned the snot out of it. Tonight I will hand-stitch this piece of fabric inside the collar. I think I’ll also attach the ties to this lining.
After that’s done I just need to add sleeves (cut at 26″ by 30″ where 30″ is the length of the arm) and gussets (I think I’ll make this 4″ square). Honestly I’m not sure I need the gussets.. but I plan to add them anyway.. along the lines that it’s easier to add them now then to have to go back and add them later. The sleeves are cut intentionally long. At this time I’m not planning to finish the cuff.. but I’m leaving enough fabric so that I could do something nice and fancy to them if the idea strikes me later on.
Lastly I need to wash the hemd to get out the blue marks from my fabric marking pen.
I’m hopeful I can finish all of that tonight.
