Diary: handmade linen Camicia
An exercise in authenticity.
Recreated by La Signora Onorata Katerina da Brescia.

September, 2004:
This camicia is made from linen using hand-sewn techniques in linen thread. The inspiration for this camicia was my first attempt at needlelace (right) , following a Lacemaking class I attended by Mistress Rowan at this year's Guild Ascension Day. I decided to make a later 1500's camicia with narrower sleeves.
Linen is most commonly used for camicias in our period ( and is what was used for this camicia). The lace itself is made from cotton thread (as a substitute for linen which was more commonly used for underwear, in our period). It was in my stash and available very cheaply. It is a simple pattern in needlelace.
I used linen thread to sew the camicia itself, as was most likely in period. I also used period hand-sewing methods, with back-stitch in the gussets and armhole areas which are more likely to have more wear and tear. Running stitch was used in the sleeves and body. The edges were turned over and stitched down, with running stitch to prevent fraying, in keeping with the research I had done. As modern day materials are less fulled than period materials, they fray more easily, I double folded the seams with 2 raw edges to form flat-felled seams. Seams with selvedges were flattened and overstitched with running stitch, as per Textiles and Clothing. The hem was sewn with a double fold with running stitches along the edge (see Documentation as per Textiles and Clothing).
Right is the gusset with flat-felled seams.

I also used shears, instead of scissors to cut, linen thread to sew. I used brass pins, as would be more appropriate for late 1500's. The large sections of material were 'ripped' instead of being cut with scissors. (R)

Below are examples of the hand-sewing.
L: the hem stitch (on a 25mm turnover).

Centre L: the running overstitch on the neckbinding.

Below R: Inside of the gussets showing the flat-felled seams with overstitch in running stitch.


 

Sewing & Stitches/ Hem:

I was unable to find documentation on sewing stitches specifically used in Italy during the second half of the 16thC.
However, I did find two sources on sewing techniques in the medieval or Renaissance period: Textiles and Clothing and a website: Archeological Sewing.
Linen thread was commonly used for sewing linen clothing and domestic items. This is backed up by evidence in archeological findings and in Great Wardrobe accounts of 14thC. There is little evidence for cotton threads. However, there is some evidence that it was used for clothing for Richard II. (Textiles and Clothing p157)
Sewing techniques documented in Textiles and Clothing are running stitch, whipping stitch and back stitch. Running stitch was parallel to the material edge and was more common and has been found in examples of 16th C extant clothing (Textiles and Clothing p 156). Back stitch appears to have been used where the seams were under more stress such as armholes. Stitch lengths of 2-4 mm are documented. Seams could be opened out and overstitched with running stitch.
There is some evidence of double folded hems (Textiles and Clothing p 157) in a late 14thC find, being on the edge of a woollen cloak. Hems appear to be often 5 - 9mm in depth. There was one example of a folded edge to 25mm depth.
Archeological sewing is a website (from a West Kingdom Collegium class) which summarises sewing styles and techniques used in archeological finds. Seams used on linen included running stitch in medieval and egyptian finds. There are examples of medieval seams with running stitch, with the 2 edges being uneven, with one edge folded over and under the other with topstitching (p9 on a French St Louis shirt).

Materials:
Camicias were made from cambric, lawne, holland, a fine linen called 'rensa' (from Rheims and used for the best quality linens) and occasionally silk. In Italy, some were possibly made from 'cotten'. (How to make an Elizabethan Chemise) The 'unfashionable' wore camicias of lockeram. It appears that heavier weight fabrics were used for winter - called 'camicia da verno'. (see Glossary for terms).

Style and Decoration:
As most of the fashion, in Europe and England, the style of camicia seemed to vary geographically.
Italian camicias, of the later 1500's could have narrower sleeves. This appeared to depend on the fashion of the locale. Eg. Venetian camicias appear to often have no cuff but be loose. Such sleeves were perfect for the narrower dress sleeves that were fashionable. They could be blackworked or have a lace trim on the cuff . A good way to show off your wealth and disposable income. Examples of this on the narrower sleeves can be seen in (The first 3 show varioius examples of lace trim on the sleeve, the middle two being on loose cuffed sleeves).

Needlelace Decoration:
Contemporary portraits show lace edging on a cuffless sleeve (above). The first is a portrait by Sofonisba Anguissola (1531-1626). The second is a Titian Portrait of of lady 1555 (venice), and the third is from a portrait by Bassano.

My lace as it was being made, from buttonhole stitching over a guiding thread. This was done freehand, without any drawn pattern, as shown in the 3 figures below.

Left: Inside sewing to attatch lace - running overstitch and hem stitch. I found it difficult to find examples of how the lace was attatched in period.

Below: the final visible attatchment on the cuff's lace edging.

Colours :
Camicia were generally white or natural, with very few coloured examples being found in my searching... An example of this is the dark (possibly black) camicia of the well-known Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci. I have also seen a written reference to a
'Camis lighte of purple silke, Woven uppon with silver subtly wrought"
(The History of Underclothes p 47 - quoting Spenser, 1577).
Colour appeared to added mainly by the application of embroidery as in many contemporary portraits, extant examples as in Cut my Cote, as well as in the Metropolitan Museum of Art which has an extant example of an Italian camicia with lavender and gold embroidery. (see Research)

The finished product

Glossary:

  1. cotten - cotton
  2. Ell - 1 1/4 yds or metres.
  3. Camicia - chemise (Italian)
  4. Lockeram - linen cloth of various weights used for under sleeves and household linen (QEWU)
  5. Cambric - fine white linen originally made at Cambray, Flanders.
  6. Lawne - fine delicate linen for making smocks, sleeves and ruffs.
  7. Holland - linen fabric originally made in Holland. Later used as a generic term for linen cloth ranging from fine quality used for shirts for medium weight (linings) to coarser weight used for bed linen and sheets.
  8. Buckram - fine woven material of linen, hemp possibly cotton for inexpensive garments , linings, toiles. Can be starched/gummed to stiffen collars and sleeves.
  9. Rensa - fine linen used for the best Italian linens


Bibliography:
Books:

camicia of the well-known Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci. I have also seen a written reference to a
'Camis lighte of purple silke, Woven uppon with silver subtly wrought"
(The History of Underclothes p 47 - quoting Spenser, 1577).
Colour appeared to added mainly by the application of embroidery as in many contemporary portraits, extant examples as in Cut my Cote, as well as in the Metropolitan Museum of Art which has an extant example of an Italian camicia with lavender and gold embroidery. (see Research)

The finished product

Glossary:

  1. cotten - cotton
  2. Ell - 1 1/4 yds or metres.
  3. Camicia - chemise (Italian)
  4. Lockeram - linen cloth of various weights used for under sleeves and household linen (QEWU)
  5. Cambric - fine white linen originally made at Cambray, Flanders.
  6. Lawne - fine delicate linen for making smocks, sleeves and ruffs.
  7. Holland - linen fabric originally made in Holland. Later used as a generic term for linen cloth ranging from fine quality used for shirts for medium weight (linings) to coarser weight used for bed linen and sheets.
  8. Buckram - fine woven material of linen, hemp possibly cotton for inexpensive garments , linings, toiles. Can be starched/gummed to stiffen collars and sleeves.
  9. Rensa - fine linen used for the best Italian linens


Bibliography:
Books: