A simple gathered Hemd (smock/shirt) with a round neckline, commonly worn by German men and women in the late 15th and first half of the 16th century. The shorter male version of this same Hemd (Mannshemd) was also worn by noble men in England and across Europe until the 1520s.
This simple style of Hemd is made from four rectangles sewn together along the sides of the panels, with an underarm gusset and gathered neck. This construction technique gives a round neckline, with several options for finishing: bound, braid/embroidery, frilled, or a combination.
I’ve already posted a more elaborate pleated and embroidered version of this style (Holbein Hemd) but I thought it was worth documenting the process for pattering and making a simpler version! The Halshemd (high necked smock) is also made the same way, with longer panels and a more elaborate neck treatment.
The woman’s square-necked Hemd is also made from rectangles, but uses different patterning and construction method to give the square neckline.
The construction approach is for these styles is very different to the English smock, which is not gathered into the neck. German, Italian and Spanish women wore gathered styles, while women in the Netherlands and France wore both styles at different times. You can see the comparison here:
Note: This article is quite long, with detailed steps on patterning and construction, including including how to make a custom pattern, and sew neat run-and-fell gussets.
Research and Design
Zander-Seidel (1990) states the Frauenhemd was in use by 1500, but was then replaced the high-necked Halshemd from the 1520s.
While this was true for the nobility, the style was clearly still in use into the later 16th century, even if no longer fashionable. There are many examples of low-necked Hemden in art through to mid century (as you can see here) and Zander-Seidel cites reference to an ‘old-Franconian cut-out Frauenhemd’ from a probate inventory of 1577.
In my experience, this is the most comfortable style to wear, works well under a Leinengoller, or if you don’t want the Hemd visible under the round neckline of your Rock (gown).
Source: Imreal
Source: WGA
Sleeve width varies with class and purpose. Lower class sleeves are typically slim fitting, so they can be easily rolled up for messy tasks, and also work best under the slim sleeves of the typical Rock (as in the Penz image below). More elaborate Röcke (gowns) need full Hemd sleeves to show through the slashes.
Although the necklines are all round, they vary from high (just enough room to get your head through) to low-cut. The decoration varies too. Many examples are simply bound, but others have more elaborate embroidery or braid, or a narrow frill. The examples above and below show all these variations.
This same open, round style was also worn by men in Germany and Italy in the late 15th and early 16th century – and even the English and French nobility. This changed in the 1520s, when a higher collar (a version of the Halshemd) became more common, eventually superseded by the plain cut shirt.
The elite examples of shirts and smocks in Patterns of Fashion 4 (Arnold, 2008) show several methods for finishing seams for body linens: run and fell; fine hemmed and whipped together; or held with decorative insertion stitches. While the insertion stitches are an elite technique, both run and fell and whipped sections are suitable for all classes.
This project describes the construction of a middle class Hemd with a bound neckline and narrow sleeves with no cuffs, sewn with run and fell seams, plus details on a whipped seam alternative and variations on neck treatment.
Note: This process will also work for a man’s version – simply shorten the body panels to mid thigh.
Patterning
This style of Hemd is made of simple rectangles with square gussets under the arms. The dimensions will depend on your size, the status of the garment (lower class garments tend to use less fabric), and the width of your linen.
My basic pattern (see under Layout below) would be a good starting point for a range of women’s sizes, but if want to make a custom version, with the neckline sitting exactly where you want it, then here are the steps….
Neckline
To ensure the neckline sits where I want it, I put on my Rock (gown) and drape a ribbon around my neck to get the right size for a specific look. Or I might do this on my dressform, as here. I pin the top of each shoulder, then measure the front and back neckline lengths, from pin to pin – here, 50cm front and 45cm back.
I also need to measure the length of the armscye, from the front to back neckline – this is critical to making a comfortable sleeve! To do this, I measure under the arm and up to the ribbon on each side, at an angle – here, 48cm. I don’t need this to size the panels, but it will determine the length of the upper seam during construction.
Body panels
For a woman measure from the Hemd neckline to mid calf (or mid-thigh for a man). Both panels are the same length, even if you want a lower front neckline.
The body needs to be wide enough to walk in easily, or wider for a full, gathered Hemd. 90cm wide panels are my minimum, with very full examples (like the Italian camisa above) up to 120cm wide. Consider the weight of your linen – heavier fabric can get very bulky!
- My body panels here are 90cm wide x 110cm long.
Sleeves
For a narrow sleeve, the width needs to fit your upper arm and bent elbow without strain, and be easy to roll up. If you have very large upper arms and want a narrow sleeve, you may need to taper the sleeve a little to reduce the cuff size. Make a toile to check!
For a fuller sleeve, the width will depend on how much linen you want to show under your gown sleeve or through the slits. My sleeve widths vary from 40-80cm, with extant Italian examples up to 1m wide, in fine linen.
The sleeve length is from the neckline to wrist, plus 5-10cm for a simple sleeve (you lose some length with the gusset) or 20-30cm for a full sleeve which puffs out, and extra for cuffs if required. My sleeve lengths vary from 65-80cm.
- These narrow sleeves are 45cm x 70cm.
I also need:
- 2 x 20cm gussets (based on historic examples, but 16-18cm would also work).
- A 2.5cm strip to bind the neckline: 50 (front) + 45 (back) + 2 (seam) = 97cm).
Layout
With this information I can plan the layout to best fit on the fabric.
My fabric is 145cm wide, but has fluffy modern selvedges. Once I cut these off, it’s 143cm, so the sleeves and gussets fit beside the body panels, with a bit left over for some future project. To make use of the full width of fabric, the front and back panels are actually a bit over 90cm wide.
Here’s an alternate layout for 90cm wide fabric – and this time, for a man’s Hemd. Basically, you want to make the best use of the fabric you have!
Construction
I start by pulling a thread to get a clean line and trim the fabric square. Then I use a combination of pulled threads and measuring to cut accurate pieces.
This style of Hemd looks tricky to assemble, but is actually simple. The tops of the sleeves are sewn to the tops of the front and back panels, then gussets inserted under the arms. The side and arm seams are sewn, then the neckline and hems completed.
I’m making a basic example, with the top edge gathered and bound, but you can also make a frilled neckline (details at the end).
There are two basic approaches to sewing the seams – run and fell, or hem and fell.
Run and Fell method
I’m sewing run and fell seams by machine, with hand finishing on the bits that might be visible: the upper seams and the arm seams. I usually work in metric, but I find 1/2″ seams ideal for body linens, so that’s what I’m using.
First, I need to calculate the length of the upper seams. My armscye measurement was 48cm, but the gusset will provide some of that (I assume 60%, or 12cm for a 20cm gusset). So, allowing for ease my seams will be (48-12)/2 = 16cm seam length.
Getting the underarm gusset in neatly can be tricky, but if you follow a logical sequence, it all works out! The easiest approach is to sew all the seams first, without trimming or felling. Here is a summary version:
Sew the top of the sleeve panels to the top of the front and back body panels (my seam length is 16cm, as calculated above), backstitching both ends.
- Mark all the corners on the gusset, then match one corner to the base of the short seam. Sew the gusset to one panel, from the corner, stopping 1/2″ from the free end (where I marked the corner) and backstitch.
- Sew the gusset to the other panel, starting from the corner as before.
- Now fold the sleeve in half (wrong sides together) and line up the body panels.
- Take the free corner of the gusset, bring it up and match it to the other seam point, then sew the gusset to the other two panels, stopping at the marked corners every time.
- Now sew from the gusset along the sleeve seam to the cuff, then down the body to the hem.
Next, felling the gusset and associated seams.
- Trim the gusset seam allowance to 1/4″, leaving the others as they are. Spread the gusset out flat so you can see it clearly – I usually put a small cutting board in to make this easier.
- Start with one seam and snip the untrimmed seam allowance at each side to half the depth, in line with the gusset seamline. Then fold the seam allowance over into the gusset and baste in place (red).
- Move to the right side, clip the seam allowance away from the felled edge, fold and baste (blue).
At the corner, trim the seam allowance of the long seam, then keep on felling.
- Move to the right side and repeat the process (green).
- Trim the remaining long seam allowances, then fell the last two long seams and gusset all in one (black).
Then repeat all this on the other side… Now I fell these by hand (top seams and and arm seams) and machine (gussets and side seams) and remove the basting. Ta-dah!
On to the neckline…
Since this is a lower class Hemd, I’m gathering the neckline by sewing two rows of longest machine stitches around the top edge. (For a perfect result, you could put the tops of the panels through a pleater – before sewing the seams.)
Before I gather, I mark the two shoulder points and the centre front and back, then quarters between these. I’ve found thread tacks are more reliable than pins, which can fall out during the gathering. Here, I’ve used black tacks for the main points and red for the others. Then I gather it roughly to size.
I sew the neck binding into a loop. I measure the front and back lengths (from my original measurements) and mark the shoulder points with thread, then divide each part into 1/8 using pins.
Then I match the thread points to the shoulder points of the Hemd, right sides together. I match the other points and bast the gathers to the binding.
I sew this by machine, then trim, turn and bind the edge, felling by hand.
Then I try on the Hemd with my Unterrock to check sleeve length. I trim if needed and then make a fine hem. I hem the body and it’s done!
As noted above, the front and back are cut the same, but because the front binding is longer, the neckline will sit lower in use.
As you can see, the finished Hemd matches the ribbon line from my original measurements!
Hem and fell method
This is a good approach if you like hand sewing – or find felling the gussets confusing!
You start by finishing the edges to be joined – Fold, baste and sew a fine hem on the sides only of the body and sleeve panels, and on all sides of the two gussets.
Right sides together, baste and then whip the top of the front panel to the top of a sleeve panel, for the length of the upper seam. Repeat for the sleeve panel on the other side, then add the back panel between the sleeve panels to complete the first stage.
Now insert the gusset, matching one corner to the front panel and sleeve at the point your seam finishes and basting in place. Whip along the two edges of the gusset. Then bring the free corner to the back/sleeve seam point, baste and whip. Repeat for the other side.
Starting from the gusset, baste the sleeve seam and sew it. Then do the same for the side seam. Repeat for the other side. Then continue with the neck binding and hemming, as above.
Variations
The same basic construction method can be used to make other styles of round-necked Hemden, such as the examples in the Research section above – frill all around, or braid edged.
Braid edge
Remember to pre-shrink your braid!
The easiest approach is to bind the whole edge as described above, then sew the braid around on top of the binding, or just underneath it for a white edge. This approach ensures a neat finish and also means that you can remove and replace the braid if it needed – or transfer it to a new shirt if the linen wears out!
Frill
The frill needs to be held in place with a ribbon, tape, braid – or even a fine strip of the same linen, turned under on both long ends.
- With a pleater (for perfect pleats): Pleat the top of the front, back and sleeve panels, then construct the main garment. Fine hem the neckline edge.
- Simple version: Construct the Hemd, fine hem the top edge, then run a pair of gather threads around the neckline.
- For very fine fabric: Construct the Hemd, turn over the top of the neckline (allow extra)
Sew your ribbon into a loop, mark the shoulders as above. Divide and gather as described above. Baste the ribbon in place, leaving a small frill, then sew the ribbon down, along both edges.
Gallery
These Hemden are also made using the same basic construction method.
The first example has with a ruffle held with a white ribbon; the second is made of very fine linen, with a fine turned ruffle neckline, braid and very long sleeves (to pull out of slashed sleeves).
And some more elaborate variations…
The Holbein Hemd has deep fine pleating and braid (and longer upper seams), and the Halshemd has embroidery over pleats (and very long upper seams!).
I hope this helps de-mystify this style of Hemd!