1907 #34 Envelope for a Nightgown -- Pochette a

1907 #34 Envelope for a Nightgown -- Pochette a Linge de Nuit
This is a very necessary object for the trousseau. It allows you, after having aired the
linen worn during the night, to fold it neatly and to put it, without crumpling it, in a pretty
small pocket [or envelope sachet] placed on the same bed.
By giving you this trinket for your doll, we have less of a goal of enriching the
trousseau than to give you a good idea for yourself. If you wish to make this object for
the nightgown of a child or grown up, all you have to do is to increase the sides
proportionally.
Notice the word that we have emphasized: it has its importance.
In this way, if you would like to give your envelope a width of 45cm, which would be
a good size for an ordinary nightgown, you would calculate as follows:
The small pocket for my doll, whose model is given to us here, has 15 centimeters of
width and is composed of a band having, returns included, 30 centimeters length.
Therefore, the length is double the width. If I wish to give to my envelope 45 centimeters
width, it will be necessary that my band is 90 centimeters long.
Let us return to the small pocket.
One will need first to trace all the motifs of decoration on the band of 30 centimeters
spread out flat. You will begin by tracing the scallops, then the frame in point de diable
[a form of cross stitch] which follows the scalloping everywhere at about 1 centimeter’s
distance. That made, at the end of the band where the scalloping outlines the part folding
down of the envelope, you will trace the two branches of bleuets [cornflowers]. At the
other end where the scalloping, ending at each side, does not border the width (see fig.1
small pocket open) you trace the two [single] cornflowers indicated. Since the envelope
must be made in white and washable fabric: pique, bazin [a cotton damask], toile grantiee
[ a pebble-weave cloth], you can, for the tracing, use blue carbon paper [dressmakers’
tracing paper] of which I have already quite often spoken to you. The blue line, first, will
be easily covered by stemstitch and the scallops with the buttonhole stitch and, if there
remained some trace of it, this disappears with the first soaping.
You will begin by embroidering the cornflowers and the inscription, while your
envelope is yet only one flat band. That will be easier for you. The work is shown to you
in figure 3. It is simply the stemstitch, very often described in our talks. But, for those
who do not remember, examine very closely this figure 3 and tell that the stemstitch is
made by passing the needle from underneath to the top; the needle then throws the silk
(or cotton) at a slight angle and, pricking the fabric, it passes underneath to emerge on top
a little below and to the left. It begins again like this as often as it is needed.
The inscription can be made with chainstitch – work easy and well-known, even more
small. But the larger envelopes will do well to employ here the cordonnet stitch
[overcasting stitch] – a sort of unpadded or padded straight satin stitch. It is lighter and
more tidy than the small chain.
Make the frame with point de diable. This is a kind of cross stitch which is done
twice: while going and while returning, exactly like a line of tapestry stitches.
Now, let us assemble the small pocket. Fold back one end about 10 centimeters and
make a fine stitching all the length of the traced line for the framing with point de diable.
See figure 2 (envelope closed) to understand completely. [Editor: I don’t see this fine line
of stitching, parallel to the cross stitch, which they speak of. My suggestion is that you
baste between the point de diable and the scalloping, through both layers, for the bottom
half of the envelope. Then, when you buttonhole stitch the two layers together, that will
assemble the envelope at the same time.]
Fold back the other end of the small pocket, -- that which carries the scalloping in a
round, -- in such a way as to leave 2 centimeters more with the back of the small pocket.
On the drawing of the open small pocket (fig.1) you see, on the open side, a small black
line going from one edge to the other: it is the place where it is necessary to fold down
the envelope and button it.
You buttonhole scallop it afterwards all the circumference of the envelope.
Translation copyright 2010 Deirdre Gawne. Not for sale. www.dressingbleuette.com