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Re: Northwestern European




Poster: "Erica Stark" <ejstark@hotmail.com>



> "Joyce A. Baldwin" <jocetta@ibm.net>wrote:
>At 12:34 AM 8/27/97 -0400, Cambok@aol.com wrote:
><SNIP>

>>Would it be cut like a t-tunic with the sleeves attached at mid-arm, 
>>or would the sleeves be set in?
>>Would there be gussets under the arms?  (How does one put the *&#$! 
>>things in, anyway - why not just curve the seam, for that matter?) 

>Regarding this I can answer you:
>Curving the seam wastes more cloth - with gussets and gores 
>(triangular skirt inserts) I can make a full length long sleeve 
>T-tunic from 4 to 4 1/2 yards of fabric; the same style with curved 
>seams would run me a good 6 to 7 yards.  Later on in the Middle Ages 
>cloth was cheaper or people were richer - they seemed to be willing >to 
waste cloth. When I put in gussets, I put them in after attaching >the 
sleeve to the body but before sewing either the sleeves or body >side 
seam closed. Starting where the sleeve and body join, I sew the >gusset 
to each side of the sleeve, then to each side of the body, >then sew the 
sleeves and body side seams closed beginning from the >gusset.  The 
trick is to sew only to where the seams will meet, NOT >to the edge of 
the fabric.  It's very much like piecing a quilt.
>Or you can cheat a bit and instead of 2 square gussets, cut 4 right
>triangles and sew them between the body and sleeve, then sew both
>side/sleeve seams together.  You can email me with more question if 
this is unclear.  It's a lot easier to show than describe!
>
>Jocetta
>
>Lady Jocetta Thrushleigh of Rowansgarth

I remember the first 'geometric' style dress I made- an underdress from 
some scraps of linen too small for a tunic.  Another reason for using 
gussets is that the stress from the weight of the fabric is distributed 
throughout the gusset rather than concentrated at the point where the 
underarm and side seams meet.  I find it easier to use 2 triangular 
gussets on each sleeve rather than a single diamond shaped one.  You can 
sew the gussets to the main sleeve piece, sew the sleeve to the body, 
then sew the underarm & side seam as one.  

Erica Poitevins


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