Drafting and Making a Bed Gown - An Afternoon Affair

I'm writing this post for a friend, who wants some information on how to make a bed gown. There are a few patterns out there on making bed gowns, but why use them when you can use the source material from 1761. This tutorial is how to make a bed gown based on Garsault's 1761 instructions that were included in Art of the Tailor.

Drafting the Pattern

Before drafting the pattern make sure that you are wearing your stays. You should do this every time you check fit of an 18th century garment, but it's always good to have a reminder.

You will need to take the following measurements: 

• Sternum to where you want the Sleeve to End
• Sternum to Bottom point of the garment
• Arm circumference
• Armpit to Waist
• Bust

Once you have these measurements, you are going to draft the pattern. Although my image depicts the full front of the bedgown, your pattern will only be on side of it. You patterns should look like the basic pattern shape in the first image. 

Use the measurement instructions in the second image to draft your bedgown pattern. Note, this pattern does not include seam allowances to add them as you go if you want them.

Basic Bed Gown pattern shape. 

1. Draw the vertical line from the sternum to the bottom of the garment. This is the Center Front Line.
2. Draw the horizontal line from the sternum to the end of sleeve, if you a want a cuff add the size of the cuff to the length of the this line. This is the Sleeve Length line.
3. Take the Arm Circumference measurement, add two inches, then divide by two. This is the Sleeve Width. Starting at the top point of the Center Front Line, measure down the Sleeve Width length and make a mark. Draw a horizontal line at this point parallel the Sleeve Length Line to fully form the sleeve.
4. Starting at the point your marked for the Sleeve Width on the Center Front line, measure down the measurement from Armpit to Waist. Make a mark.
5. Take the Bust measurement, add 12 inches, then divide that measurement by 4. This is the Torso Measurement. 
6. From the mark that you just made for the Armpit to Waist measurement, draw a horizontal line the length of the Torso measurement. At the end point of the Torso, draw a perpendicular line up, to connect the bottom of the torso to the sleeve.
7. From the bottom point of the Torso, extend that line by 4 inches. Then draw a vertical line down so that the line ends parrallel with the Center Front line. This forms the Skirting.
8. Connect the bottom of the Skirting to the Center Front line, and you're done. 

You will also need to cut 2 underarm gussets that are squares. I make mine about 2.5 inches, but you can make them whatever size you want.

Cutting the Pattern

Make sure that you make a muslin of your bed gown to check for fit. You will want to make sure that they sleeves are long enough, the body is long enough, and the tightness of the sleeve. It only takes 30 minutes or less to do with a sewing machine so there is no excuse. 

When you cut your pattern you are going to be folding your fabric in quarto. When you trace your pattern make sure that the Sleeve Line and Center Front lines are on the fold. You more than likely are going to have to piece the sleeve. 

Cutting the Pattern Continued: The Infamous Angle Cut

After you've cut out your pattern you are going to make cut up the Center Front line of the garment and then make the infamous Angle Cut for the collar that Garsault talks about. To make the Angle Cut and make the collar, do the following:

How to make the Angle Cut

• Cut up the Center Front Line to the top of the shoulder. 
• Continue that cut up another 2 inches
• Make a 4 3/4 inch perpendicular cut at the top of the center line (or 2 3/8 inch on either side of the center cut)
• From the ends of the Perpendicular cut, cut back down 2 inches to meet the shoulder line.

Alright, so now you should have a long cut with two weird flappy guys at the top. It may look weird but its right.

Sewing the Pattern

This is the easy part. Mostly straight stitches with even seam allowances, with the exception of the top of the collar, which is not has hard as you would think. Here is how I sew together the bedgown.

1. On the garment center back, sew a 2.5-2.75 inch box pleat (1 1/4 to 1 3/8 inches from the center back line) from the top of the back down to the waist line (where the slender portion of the body ends) Press that pleat out.
2. Next you are going to finish the collar shawl collar. To make the collar.



Creating the Shawl Collar from the Angle Cut

1. Sew together to tops of the tabs created by the Angle Cut. If you are lining the garment, use a 1/4 inch seam allowance, if you are not lining it use a 1/2 inch seam allowance and fell the seam. Now the sides of the Angle cut are the only thing free.
2. Gather the fabric from the shoulder and back of the bed gown around the angle cut. This will include the box pleat that you just sewed.
3. Pin the right sides of the Angle Cut sides to the gathered shoulder and neck and sew together using the 1/4 inch seam allowance if you are lining, and a 1/2 inch seam allowance if you are not (then fell the seam). The collar is now complete
3. Attach the sleeves (if pieced), then sew the sleeves together, remembering to include the gusset at the armpit.
4. Remembering to include the gusset, sew the side seams of the body.
5. Sew only the sides of the skirting. If you would like to have easy access to your pockets, leave an 10 inch opening 1 inch down from the top of the skirting on each side. Finish the edges of the pocket openings.
6. At the top of the skirts, make a box pleat so that the skirt seam joins the waist seam. Sew the tops of the skirting, then whip stitch the pleat to the body so that it stays in place. This box pleat allows the bottom of the skirting to flare out.
7. Next, do the same for the lining, if you are lining it, or finish all raw seams if it is unlined.

You're done. That's it. You have a a bed gown.