path: root/source/historical_menswear/shirts/1880s_shirt/index.rst

1880s Shirt
===========

.. figure:: gri_33125012088023-773.svg
   :align: center

.. only:: html

   .. contents::

A gentleman's shirt based on the instructions on Beeton's housewife's
treasury of domestic information :cite:`1879:beeton` from around 1880.

This is a transtitional pattern between the shirts completely made from
rectangles of the first half of the 19th century (and earlier) and the
more structured shirts of the 20th century.

This pattern is probably good for a relatively wide range of dates: I've
seen on the internet grainy scans of ads from the 1860 that seem to use
a pattern like this one, and it should work up to the Edwardian era, but
you will have to do some research on the appropriate shapes of the front
opening and especially collar and cuffs for each era.

The same pattern can also be used for an early ladies' Garibaldi Shirt
:cite:`1840:godey` (pag 29).

While assembling the shirt is a relatively easy project, the pattern
instructions are from a vintage book (and not one of the best, either),
so it will require more adjustments to fit the target body than usual
for a modern pattern.

Before making this shirt in expensive fabric you will need to make a
mock-up, and even when using relatively cheap cotton shirting you may
want to make a mock up of the shoulder piece.

I believe that the original instructions assumed that this shirt would
be hand sewn, but by the 1880s sewing machines in the home were most
definitely a thing (and they are mentioned in a later chapter of the
book).

If you want to use a machine, your options are to sew by machine
everywhere the instructions say to backstitch and handsew everything
else (this option looks pretty close to a fully handsewn garment), or to
sew by machine the backstitched seams and topstitch every time the
instructions say to hemstitch or applique stitch something; for
historical accuracy buttonholes should still be done by hand, however,
unless that's not a concern.

The pictures in this page are of a shirt where the backstitching is done
by machine, and everything else by hand.

Materials
---------

Fabric
^^^^^^

* About 2 m of linen or cotton shirting fabric;
* 10 - 15 cm sew-in interfacing for collars and cuffs (optional).

Notions
^^^^^^^

* sewing thread to match the fabric;
* buttonhole thread to match the fabric;
* 5 or more small buttons.

Pattern
-------

Measurements
^^^^^^^^^^^^

You need to take the following measurements:

``height_neck_back_to_knee`` (A18)
   vertical distance from the back of the neck to the knee;
``neck_circ`` (G02)
   circumference of the neck;
``bust_circ`` (G04)
   circumference of the torso, just below the armholes;
``neck_front_to_waist_f`` (H01)
   vertical distance from the front of the neck to the waist;
``neck_side_to_waist_f`` (H05)
   vertical distance from the side of the neck to the waist in the
   front;
``neck_back_to_waist_b`` (H19)
   vertical distance from the back of the neck to the waist;
``shoulder_length`` (I01)
   distance from the side of the neck to the tip of the shoulder;
``shoulder_tip_to_shoulder_tip_b`` (I07)
   distance from one shoulder tip to the other one;
``arm_shoulder_tip_to_wrist_bent`` (L01)
   distance from the shoulder tip to the wrist, following a bent arm;
``arm_wrist_circ`` (L15)
   circumference of the wrist;

refer to the diagram in Valentina Tape for how to take them, and the
file :download:`shirt.vit` is used by default by the pattern file and
has the list of needed measurements.

Pattern
^^^^^^^

Get the valentina file for the pattern, :download:`1880_shirt.val`.

You also need to decide the following measurements and set them in the
table of variables in Valentina; most defaults in the file are sensible,
but you probably want to change the ``shirt_width`` so that it fits
nicely on your fabric with as little waste as possible:

``shirt_length_back``
   usually equals ``height_neck_back_to_knee``;
``shirt_length_front``
   a bit shorter (8-10 cm) than the back;
``shirt_width``
   the flat width of the shirt: historically this would have been the
   width of the fabric (something like 90 - 100 cm would be typical),
   and today using half the width of the fabric (70-80 cm) can work fine;
``front_slit_length``
   the length of the slit (and pleated part) in front: this can easily
   be as long as the ``neck_front_to_waist_f`` measurement
``button_placket_width``
   the finished width of the button placket; 2.5 cm or to taste;
``ease``
   the total ease around the chest, used to calculate the following two
   variables;
``front_slit_width``
   the width that is cut in the front for the slit: this should be at
   least 15 cm wide for a 2.5 cm button placket and the rest will be
   pleated;
``front_gathers_width``
   the final width to which the material in the front slit is pleated /
   gathered: at least the width of the button placket;
``front_band_height``
   the band that covers the pleats and gathers in the front: 4 cm, or to
   taste;
``yoke_depth``
   from the nape of the neck to where the yoke ends in the back, to taste;
``cuff_length``
   length of the cuff: 9 cm or to taste, or 2 cm for a cuff band used
   with detached cuffs;
``sleeve_length``
   length of the sleeve: ``arm_shoulder_tip_to_wrist_bent`` minus half
   the cuff, or to taste according to how puffed you want the sleeve to
   be;
``sleeve_width``
   the basic width of the sleeve, before dealing with the gussets: this
   is often half the ``shirt_width``;
``sleeve_wrist_circumference``
   the desired circumference of the sleeve at the wrist, before
   gathering it into the cuff;
``sleeve_slit``
   the length of the slit at the wrist: 6 cm or to taste;
``collar_band_height``
   the height of the collar band, to be used with a detachable collar: 2
   cm is usually fine;
``sewing_allowance``
   the default sewing allowance, as small as you can manage, remembering
   that many seams are sewn and felled, so the fabric will have to be
   cut with double this allowance on one side: for hand sewing on thin
   fabric 4-6 mm, machine sewing and thicker fabric will require a bit
   more.

The valentina file also has a few more intermediate variables that are
used to calculate the ``front_slit_width`` and ``front_gathers_width``
from the given ``bust_circ``, ``shirt_width`` and ``ease``: you can
ignore them.

The file is set up not to print the front, back and sleeves details, as
those are mostly big rectangles: you can get their measurements in Draw
mode as follows:

back:
   a rectangle as wide as ``shirt_width`` (A – A2) and as high as
   ``shirt_length_back`` (A – A1);
front:
   a rectangle as wide as ``shirt_width`` (A – A9) and as high as
   ``shirt_lenght_front`` (A — A8);
sleeves:
   the final sleeve shape is an isosceles trapezium with and height of
   ``sleeve_length`` (A – A25), a short base of
   ``sleeve_wrist_circumference`` (A28 – A29) and a long base that adds
   to ``sleeve_width`` the same amount that has been taken away by the
   other base (A30 – A31): the most efficient way however is to cut a
   rectangle that is as high as ``sleeve_length`` and twice as wide as
   ``sleeve_width``, and adjust the sides with gussets as explained
   below.

This pattern also includes just a collar band, which is used with
detached collars; you can of course add a full collar from any other
source. There is however a choice between a straight collar band (as
used in the book) and a more fitted curved collar band.

Instructions
------------

Pattern adjustments
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Print the shoulder piece pattern and try it on; make any adjustments to
it so that it lies nicely, the neck curve follows the base of the neck
and arrives almost, but not quite, to the neck base in front, leaving
the space for the button placket.

You probably need to make a fabric mockup for these checks, and then
bring the changes back to the pattern to cut the final pieces.

Cutting
^^^^^^^

.. tip::

   While cutting, you want to be really sure that the rectangular
   pieces are cut on the grain: if the fabric allows it you can rip
   them, otherwise try to cut it by following a thread.

Cut the full rectangles for the front and back.

.. figure:: 0101-marking_armholes.jpg
   :align: center

If you already have done a shirt in this size, and have the :ref:`paper
pattern for the armscyes <1880s_shirt_marking_armscyes>`, mark the seam
lines on the front and back, and if you want cut them with a double
seaming allowance.

.. figure:: gri_33125012088023-770.svg
   :align: center

If the fabric is non-directional and has no right and wrong side, the
best way to cut the sleeves is as described on the book: fold the
rectangle in such a way that the sides will meet precisely in the center
and baste them together, then fold them in such a way that the distance
a – g and h – c is the desired width at the cuff, and cut all layers of
fabric along the fold.

.. figure:: sleeve_cutting_pattern.svg
   :align: center

After re-opening the fabric, you will get the shape in figure, and you
will have to attach the small gusset to one side of the sleeve to
complete the trapezium. Note that because of the sewing allowances this
won't be a precise match, but the tolerance in this pattern is enough
for it not to be a problem.

.. figure:: sleeve_cutting_pattern-directional.svg
   :align: center

If the fabric is directional or simply has a defined right and wrong
side, you probably need to cut gussets from the wrist side of both sides
of the sleeves and sew them to the shoulder sides, as in the above
schematic.

.. figure:: 0102-cutting_tongue.jpg
   :align: center

   The tongue can be cut from one of the small scraps that remain when
   cutting the shoulder piece.

Cut four of the shoulder pieces, two of the front bands, two of each
collar piece, four of each cuff piece and two of the tongue.

If your fabric requires it, cut two or four cuff pieces also in
interfacing, and one or two collar pieces if not using a simple collar
band.

Keep all scraps, as you will need them later to cut some small
reinforcement patches.

Collar and Cuffs
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

.. figure:: 0201-sew_collar.jpg
   :align: center

Put the collar band pieces right sides together, backstitch the sides
and top, leaving the bottom free to attach it to the shirt.

.. figure:: 0202-pressed_collar.jpg
   :align: center

Press the seam, clip the corners, turn inside out and press.

.. note::

   If making a full collar rather than a collar band refer to its
   construction instructions, and you will probably need to add one or
   two layers of interfacing.

.. figure:: 0203-sew_cuffs.jpg
   :align: center

Put two cuff pieces right sides together (with the optional interfacing
on top), backstitch the sides and front (the shorter base of the
trapezium), leaving the other base free to attach it to the sleeve.

.. figure:: 0204-press_cuffs.jpg
   :align: center

Press the seam, clip the corners, turn inside out and press.

.. figure:: 0205-tongue.jpg
   :align: center

Prepare also the tongue for the front: with right sides facing
backstitch all around the tongue except for the top, press, trim the
corners and clip the curves, turn inside out and press again.
Make a buttonhole in the tongue.

Front
^^^^^

Cut the vertical and horizontal lines of the slit in the front.

.. figure:: 0301-folded_pleats.jpg
   :align: center

On both sides, fold the width of the button placket (e.g. 2.5 cm) twice
towards the front.

.. note::

   This will show the wrong side of the fabric as the button placket,
   and looks just fine with most shirting fabric that has no distinct
   right or wrong side.

   If your fabric has a difference and the result doesn't look good, you
   can fold the button placket towards the back and hemstitch it in
   place instead of applique stitching it.

Fold the rest of each half of the front in two or three pleats, pointing
outside from the center of the shirt, so that each side measures half
the ``front_gathers_width`` measured from the *center* of the placket
(as the two plackets will be sewn on top of each other).  Overlap the
pleats a tiny bit to hide their seams.

Press everything.

.. figure:: 0302-sewn_pleats.jpg
   :align: center

Backstitch the pleats by following the crease line.


.. figure:: 0303-sewn_plackets.jpg
   :align: center

Hemstitch the *right* placket over the seam of the first pleat, hidden
below the placket itself. Press back the placket flat.

On just the *left* placket sew two neat lines of backstitches, 4 mm from
each edge.

Run two lines in strong contrasting thread 18 mm and 22 mm from the bottom
horizontal edge of the slit for the gathers.

.. figure:: 0304-tongue_and_bands.jpg
   :align: center

Put the tongue at the center bottom of one of the two bands, right sides
together, and backstitch it.

Press all the sewing allowances of the front bands towards the wrong side.

.. figure:: 0305-placket_and_gathers.jpg
   :align: center

Put the left placket on top of the right placket and baste it in place.
Pull the gathering threads to the same length, pinning the excess thread
from the wrong side, strike the gathers to make them neater.

.. figure:: 0306-front_band_applique.jpg
   :align: center

.. figure:: 0307-front_band_gathers.jpg
   :align: center

Pin the band with the tongue on top of the right side so that it covers
the slit, applique stitch it on the sides and top edge and hem stitch
the bottom edge over the gathers, catching each gather in a stitch and
sewing to the underside of the tongue when you reach it.

.. figure:: 0308-back_band_gathers.jpg
   :align: center

Pin the other band to the wrong side of the front and hem stitch it to
the shirt on all four sides, again catching each gather in a stitch, so
that the raw edges of the slit are fully encased.

.. figure:: 0309-shoulder_pieces.jpg
   :align: center

Place two shoulder piece on top of each other, backstitch the center
seam and press open. Repeat with the two other shoulder pieces.

.. figure:: 0310-shoulder_piece_position.jpg
   :align: center

Pin half of the collar to one shoulder piece, starting from the back,
then pin them to the front in such a way that the collar ends right on
the placket. Mark the position of the shoulder piece on the front and
remove the collar from the assembly.

.. figure:: 0311-sewn_shoulder_pieces.jpg
   :align: center

Sandwitch the front between the two shoulder pieces, right sides
together, in the position measured above, and backstitch the two
shoulders. Press up.

.. note::

   This isn't the way the shirt was assembled in the original
   instructions, where the shoulder piece was attached to the back
   first.

   This way you save one seam, and I believe that it also makes it
   easier to adjust the armscyes holes to fit.

Back
^^^^

Run two lines in strong contrasting thread 4 mm and 8 mm from the top
edge of the back, starting and ending about 18 cm from the sides.

.. figure:: 0401-pinned_back.jpg
   :align: center

Pin the center of the back to the center of the shoulder piece, put the
shirt on the intended recipient, pin the front and back sides together
at the sides and adjust the back to find how wide the gathered part
should become and how much material should be cut from the shoulder side
for the armhole.  Write this number (``#armhole_width_back``) in case
you want to use this pattern again.

.. figure:: 0402-sewing_gathered_back.jpg
   :align: center

Place the back on top of the outer layer of the shoulder piece,
backstitch the ungathered sides, press all allowances towards the
shoulder piece.
Pull the gathering thread and hemstitch or applique stitch the shoulder
piece to the back, catching each gather in a stitch.

.. figure:: 0403-sewing_inner_shoulder_piece.jpg
   :align: center

Press the allowance of the lining shoulder piece, hemstitch it to the
back of the shirt. From now on treat the shoulder pieces as one.

.. figure:: 0404-pinned_collar.jpg
   :align: center

Pin the collar band to the shoulder pieces, right sides
together, backstitch one side of the collar band.

.. tip:

   While sewing the collar, take special care to cover all raw edges
   where the shoulder piece attaches to the front: after pinning the
   collar band in place it's probably better to either baste it by hand
   and then machine sew it, or sew it directly by hand.

Press the allowances towards the collar band, fold down and press the
remaining edge of the collar and hemstitch it into place to cover all
raw edges.

Sleeves
^^^^^^^

.. figure:: 0501-allowances_alignment.jpg
   :align: center

Right sides together, put the gussets on top of their sleeve, aligning
the edge of the gusset one seam allowance from the edge of the sleeve.

.. figure:: 0502-gusset_sewn.jpg
   :align: center

Backstitch the gusset to the sleeve, press the allowance towards the
gusset, fold the sleeve allowance down to cover the raw edges and
hemstitch it to the sleeve.

.. figure:: 0503-sleeve_seam.jpg
   :align: center

Fold the sleeve in half, right sides together, aligning one side at one
seam allowance from the edge of the other side, backstitch

.. figure:: 0504-sleeve_trimmed.jpg
   :align: center

Trim a bit around the middle of the arm to smoothen the curve between
the gusset and the sleeve, fold the double allowance down to cover the
raw edge and hemstitch it to the sleeve. Repeat the same with the other
sleeve, taking care do make it symmetrical (i.e. to fell the seam in the
opposite direction).

.. figure:: 0505-cut_sleeve_slit.jpg
   :align: center

Cut the slit one fourth of the way in, towards the back of the sleeve
(i.e. closest to the hemstitched side), fold down the edges twice and
hem stitch them down.

.. figure:: 0506-finishing_sleeve_slit.jpg
   :align: center

From the scraps of fabric cut two squares 3 cm wide, cut them on the
diagonal into two triangles each, fold down their edges and sew them to
the top of the slit on both sides, pleating the top so that the slit
edges are adiacent and using an applique stitch on the outside and a
hemstitch on the inside.


.. figure:: 0507-hemstitching_cuff.jpg
   :align: center


Run two lines of gathering thread close to the end of the sleeve, gather
it to the length of the cuff. Press down the seaming allowance at the
edge of the cuff and hemstitch it to the right side of sleeve, catching
each gather with a stitch.

.. figure:: 0507-hemstitching_cuff_wrong_side.jpg
   :align: center

Hemstitch the cuff to the sleeve also on the wrong side, again catching
each gather.

.. figure:: 0508-button_buttonhole.jpg
   :align: center

Add a button to the smaller side of the cuff and a corresponding
buttonhole to the larger part.

Assembly of the body
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

.. figure:: 0601-aligning_hem.jpg
   :align: center

Right sides together, align the back and front so that the back is 8–10
cm longer than the front at the hem (as decided when cutting) and the
back is one sewing allowance from the front and mark a point 8–10 cm
from the edge of the front: this is where the side seam will end.

.. figure:: 0602-sleeve_measurement.jpg
   :align: center

.. figure:: 0603-armscye_measurement.jpg
   :align: center

Measure the top of the sleeve, measure an armscye hole that is about 2-4
cm smaller than the sleeve (total circumference) and mark the other end
of the side seam.

Backstitch the side seams between the points just marked.  Fold the
double allowance down to cover the raw edge and hemstitch.

.. figure:: 0605-hem.jpg
   :align: center

Hem the shirt: fold down the bottom of the front and back twice,
mitering the corners and continuing up to the lower end of the side
seam, and hemstitch.

.. _1880s_shirt_marking_armscyes:

.. figure:: 0606-marking_armscye.jpg
   :align: center

Try on the shirt, close the front with pins and mark with chalk a
reasonable line for the armscye on both the front and back of the shirt.

.. figure:: 0607-basted_sleeve.jpg
   :align: center

Pin and baste one sleeve to the shirt, right sides facing and with the
sleeve one seam allowance out from the marked edge of the armscye,
starting from the bottom of the armscye and roughtly gathering the
excess of fabric of the sleeve in the shoulder piece.

Try the shirt on, check the fit, if needed unpick and baste again.

.. figure:: 0608-tracing_seam_on_paper.jpg
   :align: center

When the result looks good, place the shirt on top of a piece of paper,
aligning the corner and sides, and use a pin or another pointed
implement to prick the paper following the seam line where you basted
for both the front and the back of the shirt. Clean the pin lines and
cut the pattern.

Mark the points on the sleeve where the shoulder piece starts and end,
save also this measurement on paper, in case you want to make another
shirt in this size.

.. figure:: 0101-marking_armholes.jpg
   :align: center

Unpick the basted seam, use the paper pattern to mark the sew line on
both sides of the shirt.

.. figure:: 0609-sleeve_gathering_thread.jpg
   :align: center

Run two lines of gathering thread on the top of the sleeves, between the
points just marked.

.. tip::

   Even when doing straight seams by machine, it is probably easier and
   quicker to sew the sleeve in by hand, rather than having to baste and
   sew it, especially when working with a small sewing allowance.

.. figure:: 0610-sewing_sleeve.jpg
   :align: center

Pin the sleeve to the shirt, again right sides facing and with the
edge of the sleeve at two seam allowances from the seam line marked on
the body.

.. figure:: 0611-sewing_gathered_sleeve.jpg
   :align: center

Starting just below the shoulder piece backstitch the ungathered part of
the shirt, then turn it outside, fold the seam allowance and applique
stitch the top of the sleeve to the shoulder piece, catching each
gather.

.. figure:: 0612-felling_sleeve_seam.jpg
   :align: center

Trim the raw edge of the front and back, leaving one sewing allowance of
fabric, fold the double seam allowance to cover the raw edge, hemstitch it
towards the body.

.. note::

   Rather than sewing and felling the sleeve as the original
   instructions suggested, you may get a neater result by french-seaming
   it. Cut the shoulder piece with a double seaming allowance (if you
   want to change it in the valentian pattern it's after point A and
   before point A67) put the sleeve in with wrong sides facing,
   backstitch at a bit less than the sewing allowance from the edge,
   press; turn the sleeve inside out, right sides facing, backstitch the
   straight part at a bit more than the sewing allowance from the
   previous seam, turn it right side out and hemstitch the gathered part
   catching each gather with a stitch.

.. figure:: 0613-triangle_patch.jpg
   :align: center

From the scraps of fabric cut two squares 5 cm wide, cut them in half on
the diagonal, fold down their edges and sew them as small gussets to the
bottom of the side seams on both sides, using an applique stitch on the
outside and a hemstitch on the inside.

Finishing
^^^^^^^^^

.. figure:: 0701-buttons_buttonholes.jpg
   :align: center

Put a button and buttonhole on the collar band, and at least two more
button and buttonholes on the front placket.

Done! you can now wear your new shirt, and start making the rest of the
half dozen :)

Variants
--------

Flat front
^^^^^^^^^^

To cut a front with no pleats, cut out a rectangle from the center front
that is as wide as the calculated ``#gathers_eccess`` in the pattern and
as deep as the ``#front_slit_length``.

Continue cutting the slit on each side for ``#button_placket_width * 3``
plus an additional ``(#front_gathers_width - #button_placket_width) / 2``:
this will be wider than the front slit that would have been cut for a
front with pleats, and is required to have space for the gathers below.

Fold down the button placket twice either to the right or the wrong
side, as described above, hemstitch the right placket and topstitch the
left.

Continue working the rest of the shirt.

Gallery
-------

.. figure:: shirt_front.jpg
   :align: center

.. figure:: shirt_back.jpg
   :align: center

.. figure:: full_shirt_front.jpg
   :align: center

.. figure:: full_shirt_back.jpg
   :align: center

.. figure:: ../../../historical_womenswear/skirts/1892_foundation_skirt/full_skirt_front.jpg
   :align: center

   The first version of the shirt, in powder blue cotton (with too small
   cuffs and misplaced buttons).