Smocking a Shepherd's Shirt- Part 2

 Here I am embarking on a journey to make a shepherd's smock... And I can't help but think...

Doesn't matter! Gotta try!! 

First thing is I decided to use this never-used-old sheet that my former sister-in-law gave me a million years ago. It's a nice dark grey and since the initial dimensions were, "The length required from neck to hem was taken and three times this length of material was required," I thought it would be good to have a lot of fabric. Additionally, later on in the document, Alice Armes writes, "For a man's smock 4 yds. of material not less than 36" wide will be required if a fairly heavy quality is used, if a light weight or thin material is used a wider width is better as it naturally gathers up into smaller compass." That's a lot of fabric!

Note: For anyone not familiar with the notation ", it means inches and I use it myself... 

Side Note: I was so pleased when she finally got to the bit about the width of the fabric, which wasn't until page 9! I kept thinking how wide was fabric in the 1700s? Even today there's a big difference between 45" and 54" widths and if the instructions are "The length required from neck to hem was taken and three times this length of material was required," you better know what width the instructions are assuming!! So what were looms in the English countryside like in the 1700s? No idea!

Digression over! 

Even though I'm using a light weight fabric and that will naturally gather up into "smaller compass", I'm willing to risk since I'm not a dude and I'm not planning on using this as an overall, which is basically what smock frocks were. Look, I want to call my garment a smock frock because that rhyme is delightful! I know it's not a smock frock! I KNOW!

Side note: For most of us in America, a frock is a dress but that is not what it meant long ago...

Here's Merriam Webster's relevant definition:

1: an outer garment worn by monks and friars : habit

2: an outer garment worn chiefly by men:

a: a long loose mantle

b: a workman's outer shirt especially : smock frock

 

Okay, back to my garment construction....

I've read and reread the instructions and this is what I'm currently planning based on the following:

This is the relevant passage from Alice Armes:

 

"The length required from neck to hem was taken and three times this length of material was required. It was then folded into three equal lengths, two of which formed the back and front of the smock; the third piece was again folded into three, two pieces for the sleeves and the third piece made the collar, gussets and shoulder straps. In diagram No. 1 the squares and oblongs for the smock are shown when cut out."

 

Shirt front: 21" (desired neck to hem length) by 36" (width of fabric she mentions)

Shirt back: 21" by 36" (cuz it's the same as the front!)

Sleeves: 2 pieces of 21" by 18"

Shoulders: 2 pieces of 8" by 6"

Collars: 2 pieces of 9" by 6"

Armpit gussets: 2 pieces of 7" by 7"

I can't make out her dimensions for the cuffs so that's a fun mystery for later!!