"Cap for a Young Member of the Society of Friends” The Workwoman’s Guide, Plate 15, Fig 14 & 16 (Tutorial with Videos)

In November 2023, I taught a daycap workshop at the 1820 Col. Benjamin Stephenson House. I chose three caps to focus on that are not the typical 'reenactor' caps most ladies wear. All three were originally published in "The Workwomans Guide" in1838. This is the third tutorial from the workshop. Here are the other two, "Cap for a Young Lady" and "Another Cap".

This cap is called "Cap for a Young Member of the Society of Friends". It is definitely not limited to young women as this style is often seen in paintings being worn by a wide range of ages. Its shape is very typical of the first half of the 19th century.

The size of this cap easily covers the entire head. Having a bad hair day is not a problem, this cap has you covered...literally. It's adjustable to a certain extent and can easily be dressed up or dressed down, depending on your interpretation.   I highly recommend doing a mockup of this cap before cutting into your good fabric since the original size is rather large and comes down the neck quite far. 

As for fabric, use either a light-weight linen or cotton. The cap in the photo (above right) is made of linen and when starched (it is not starched in the photo), holds its shape very well. Organdy or cotton batiste would be excellent choices too.

Of the three caps I presented, this one is the most time-consuming. It is not hard to put together but it is a little more fussy than the other two. The extra time is worth it though. The original pattern is measured out in 'nails' not inches. The book offers detailed information on how to measure using nails on page 14. To make drafting these patterns easier, I made a ruler with the nails already marked out. For reference, a Nail is 2 1/4".

Below are the original instructions and images provided in the book. 

Original illustration and instructions from "The Workwoman's Guide".

1. Cut out the caul (front) and crown (circle). Mark points B, D, and C, and the halfway point between D and E (blue line on curve) on both sides with a fabric marker for future reference. The halfway mark between D and E indicates two quarter sections on the back of the caul (D and E are the other two). This mark was not on the original pattern but is useful once you get to steps 7 and 8.

Mark the crown at the quarter points with a fabric maker.

Crown pattern piece showing the quarter marks.

2. Sew a narrow flat-felled seam between points E and F. Start by offsetting the cut edges 1/8” – ¼”.

Use a small running or spaced back-stitch to sew the two pieces together.

Press the seams so the wider edge covers the narrower one. In the photo below, both cut edges are pressed to the left. If you look closely, the narrow edge (underneath) is visible through the fabric.

Fold the wider edge under the narrow one to enclose the cut edges. Pin in place and whipstitch down.

3. On the curved edge between D & E, mark a 3/16” seam allowance from the cut edge around the caul's top opening. 

The light purple dots mark 3/16" from the cut edge.

Press the fabric over at the 3/16" mark (pictured above) then press it over again (next photo), enclosing the cut edge inside the seam. Do Not Sew The Seam Down Yet!

The seam turned and pressed but not sewn down yet.

4. Make a small eyelet at point D before whipstitching the caul seam in place. This should be on the outside of the cap. The finished seam will create a drawstring channel.

Point D is marked with a purple dot.

Using a bodkin, create a hole at D on the outside of the cap.

Finished eyelet on the outside of the cap. Now the seam around the caul can be whipstitched into place.

5. Repeat the above process around the front and neck edges of the caul creating a small eyelet on the outside of the caul at point B before whipstitching the seam in place.

Whipstitching the front and neck edges of the caul.

Whipstitching around the front and neck edges of caul

6. Sew a small rolled hem around the crown piece. Here is a short video of how I do a rolled hem.

7. You should have marked the quarter points on the caul in Step 1. If not, then mark them now. There will be one mark at point D, one at E, and one halfway between these two points on each of the curved sides.

Quarter points being marked on the caul.

The quarter mark located halfway between D and E on one side of the cual. 

8. Using a thicker thread, sew a whip-gather over the rolled hem between each quarter mark on the crown. Do not cut the thread short after sewing each quarter; leave the ends long. This is how you will gather the crown to fit the caul. It's easier to gather each quarter section of the crown separately before attaching it to the caul. That way if your thread breaks while you're pulling the gathers, you only have to redo a small section.  

Sewing a whip-gather stitch over the crown's rolled hem.

For additional detailed descriptions of how to do whip-gathers, refer to “The Lady’s Guide to Plain Sewing” by a Lady (Kannik’s Korner). 

Attach the crown to the caul by matching the quarter points then evenly distributing the crown gathers between the marks. Attach the gathers using the same technique for attaching ruffles in my previous cap posts;  “Another Cap” and "Cap for a Young Lady" Below is a quick video of how I attached the ruffle

The crown gathers pinned to the caul and evenly distributed between quarter points.

9. Run a narrow drawstring through the casing created in Step 3 and tie the strings together. (Not pictured) This allows the crown's fit to be adjusted. 

10. Cut a piece of fabric (either the same used for the cap body or something lighter weight) to make a ruffle. I recommend using a lightweight fabric for the ruffle as it makes it easier to gather and attach. The length should be double the front and neck edge measurements and at least 1.5” wide. If you are unable to cut it as one long piece, you may need to sew shorter pieces together. Join the two short ends of the ruffle piece together using a flat-felled seam. Sew a rolled hem along both long edges of the ruffle. This will finish all the cut edges and keep the ruffle from fraying. 

Sew a whip-gather over the rolled hem using a thicker thread along one long edge of the ruffle. As in step 8, it's easier to do this process in quarter sections. Carefully, but firmly, pull the thread to create gathers. Evenly distribute the gathers along the outside edges (front and neck) of the cap.

*I've covered ruffles in my previous cap tutorials so I won't go into a lot of detail here. Read “Another Cap” and "Cap for a Young Lady" for additional details.

11. Attach the ruffle to the front and neck edges using the same technique shown in the video from step 8.

Detail of attaching the ruffle to the front of the cap.

How to open your finished ruffle once it's completely attached.

 

12. Using an embroidery needle, run a narrow drawstring through the eyelet at point B down the cap's front channel to point C. Bring the needle through the wrong side of the fabric at point C. Make a couple small back-stitches at C to secure the cord in place. 

Repeat for the other side. 

This front drawstring can be tied to fit your face and untied for laundering and ironing the cap.

13. Attach chin ties. Cut two ¾” x 14” strips (of the same fabric used for the cap or something lighter weight) to create chin straps. Roll hem both of the long edges and one short edge on each tie. Gather the unfinished short edge and sew it to the inside corner of each front side.

*Also detailed in my previous cap tutorials; “Another Cap” and "Cap for a Young Lady" 

Happy Sewing!!

Cap for a Young Lady “The Workwoman’s Guide”, Plate 15, Fig. 1 & 2 (Tutorial)

 

Cap for a Young Lady

     This daycap is one of my absolute favorites. It has a unique shape and frames the face beautifully. And, it is one of the easiest caps I've ever sewn. The original instructions were published in "The Workwoman's Guide", c. 1838. If you've been following my blog for long, you'll know this is my go-to book for historical sewing patterns. It's full of just about anything you can think of, and then some. This cap was one of three that I taught during a workshop at the 1820 Col. Benjamin Stephenson House in November 2023. 

     To read a tutorial on one of the other caps presented during the workshop, check out my previous post “Another Cap” The Workwoman’s Guide, Plate 9, Fig 27 & 28 (Tutorial). In that post, I cover the period measurement of "nails" used to draft patterns from the book which I will not reiterate here.

The finished cap (minus the chin straps) modeled by my daughter.

"The Workwoman's Guide" refers to this cap as one appropriate for a young lady but I'm not sure why it wouldn't have been worn by older women as well. I will say the original pattern runs very small so if you have a larger head and a lot of hair (like me), you'll need to make a mockup first then enlarge it to fit.  The final cap's shape is slightly different than the one shown in the illustration; the back seam and gathers are actually placed higher up on the finished cap's center back than what is depicted in the original drawing.

The original instructions from the book.

The pattern is cut as one piece of fabric with a fold at the top of the daycap between points A & B (see pattern piece below). I disregarded the last three sentences of the instructions since they were not necessary for fit. The cap runs small anyway so the addition of a "coloured ribbon" between E and F to draw it up seemed redundant.  However, the addition of a "broad runner" and "bow" would be nice details to dress up this simple cap and could be tacked on for easy removal when laundering or wanting a change.

Drafted pattern.

Before beginning, make a mockup out of cheap fabric. This will ensure a proper fit and help work out any issues before cutting your good fabric. I recommend using white or off-white, lighter-weight linen, cotton organdy, or cotton batiste. The ruffle can be made out of the same fabric as the body or from a lighter-weight fabric in the same color. If you don't want to take the time to sew a ruffle by hand (probably the most time-consuming part of this pattern) then a premade lace could also be used.

Step 1. Sew a narrow flat-felled seam from point F to H at the lower center back of the crown. 

Offset the cut edges about 1/8”-1/4”. Use a small running or spaced backstitch to sew the two pieces together. 

Open the seam up and press the longer edge over the short one. 

Fold the long edge under the short one to enclose the cut edges. Pin in place and hemstitch down.

2. Run a gathering stitch from points B & C on the back of the crown. Gather to fit the small section between points H & C and backstitch in place with a ¼” seam allowance. Finish the seam edge by overcasting the cut edges.

The finished seams of the gathered crown and center back.

3. Mark the hem along the front and bottom 3/16” from the cut edge. Press the fabric over at the mark then press it over again, enclosing the cut edge inside the seam. Whipstitch the seam in place.

The dotted line is the 3/16" mark.

Pressing the 3/16" seam over on the first turn. It should be turned again to enclose the cut edge before whipstitching it down.

At this point, the body of the cap should be complete. Now on to the ruffle. If you're using a premade lace ruffle, attach it along the front and lower edges, otherwise proceed to Step 4.

4. Cut a piece of fabric (either the same used for the body of the cap or something lighter weight) to make a ruffle. It should be double the front and neck edges measurement and at least 1.5” wide. 

Join the two short edges with a narrow flat felled seam.

   

5. Sew a narrow rolled hem along both long edges of the ruffle.

Creating a rolled hem along one long side. Repeat on other long side.

Creating a rolled hem along one long side.

6. Using a thicker thread, sew a whip-gather over the rolled hem (created in Step 5) only along one long edge of the ruffle. Carefully, but firmly, pull the thread to create gathers. Evenly distribute the gathers along the outside edges (front and neck) of the cap.

The whip-gather before it has been pulled to create the gathers.

7. Attach the gathered ruffle to the cap.  Put your needle through the loop of the gather (aka 'hill') from back to front (as seen below) then pick up the top threads along the edge of the cap (only catch the very edge).  Your thread should naturally lay in the 'valley' between the 'hills' on the ruffle. Pull the thread snugly but not tight. 

*For a detailed description of how to do a rolled hem and a whip-gather, refer to “The Lady’s Guide to Plain Sewing” by a Lady (Kannik’s Korner). If you don't already own this book, I highly recommend it.

Attaching the ruffle to the cap.

 8. Once the ruffle is sewn to the cap, turn the ruffle out so the hems are butted together.

9. Attach chin ties. Cut two ¾” x 14” strips (of the same fabric used for the cap or something lighter-weight) to create chin straps. Roll hem both long edges and one short edge. Gather the unfinished edge and sew to the corner of each side.

Chin strap attached to one side.

Your cap should now be complete. 

I love seeing others' creations. If you made this cap, please share photos in the comments below. 

“Another Cap” The Workwoman’s Guide, Plate 9, Fig 27 & 28 (Tutorial)

 

One of my favorite 'go-to' books for period sewing is "The Workwoman's Guide" published in 1838. It's chock full of wonderful things used and worn in daily life during the first quarter of the 19th century. I jokingly refer to it as "The Bible of Federal sewing". Every time I peruse it, I find something new that I didn't see before. If you don't already own a copy, it's well worth the investment. It's also available for free through Google Books.

In November, I taught a daycap workshop at the 1820 Col. Benjamin Stephenson House where I offered instruction and patterns for three daycaps from this book. All three can be found in historical illustrations and paintings throughout the early 1800s. Their shapes are not typically seen among reenactors and that's partly why I chose them...plus they are pretty darn cute too. 

The three caps from "The Workwoman's Guide" offered at my workshop in November 2023.

The first of the three caps I drafted for the workshop is referred to in the book as simply "Another Cap". It turned out absolutely darling. Of the three caps, it was a bit more frilly and fussy looking than the others, earning it the nickname during the workshop of 'Aunt Pittypat'. Those who've seen "Gone with the Wind" will recognize the name and hopefully understand why after seeing the finished cap. It may look more detailed than the other two caps but it was by no means difficult to put together. 

Can't you just see Aunt Pittypat wearing this scrumptious cap?

The original illustrations and instructions provided all the information a seamstress needed to put this cap together. Both may seem rather vague to us but it was accepted at that time that most ladies had general sewing skills already without the need to spell everything out in exacting detail. This was a guideline for someone to use to either create the cap as illustrated or change it to suit their particular tastes, style, and size. Measurements are in 'Nails' rather than inches but the book offers detailed information on how to measure using Nails on page 14. To make drafting these patterns easier, I made a ruler with the Nails already marked out. For reference, a Nail is 2 1/4".

So, without further ado, what follows is a simple tutorial to recreate "Another Cap". 

Original illustration and instructions from "The Workwoman's Guide"

I would suggest making a mock-up in a cheap fabric to get the fit worked out for your head. You may need longer or wider sides or a fuller crown. Put your hair up as it will be while wearing the cap to ensure the final draft fits properly. 

It's best to use a white or off-white, lighter-weight fabric (linen or cotton) for this cap (or any daycap, for that matter). It will make construction easier and be historically correct.  If you follow the drafting measurements/instructions in the book correctly, the final pattern should look very similar to the one below. For reference, I included the number of Nails for each section except the curve on the crown which didn't have a specific measurement.

The pattern needs to be cut on the fold which is located on the long side of the crown back (see photo below). 

1. Once your pattern is cut out on the fold, the first seam is on the top of the caul between points A & B. Offset the cut edges A-B by 1/8"-1/4". Sew a flat-felled seam as narrow as you are comfortable sewing (mine was 1/8").

Step 1. Offset cut edges of the caul.

Step 1. Beginning the flat-felled seam.

Step 1. Sewing the flat-felled seam.

2. Open the fold section on the crown and run a small gathering stitch around the curve from C to E to C. Mark center point E.

Step 2. The gathering stitch runs along the curved edge of the crown from point C to E to C.

3. Match center point B (on caul) to center point E (on crown), pull the gathering stitch made in Step 2, and distribute the gathers evenly. Pin caul to crown between points C. Sew a ¼” seam through all layers, securing the gathers to caul with a small backstitch. Overcast the cut seam edge. Press the finished seam toward the caul.

Step 3. Caul and crown pinned together matching center points B & E and points C.

Step 3. Small seam allowance between point C, with cut edges finished with a whip-stitch to keep them from fraying.

Step 3. Seam pressed toward caul.

4. Sew a narrow hem along the front edge of the caul. This can be done either by turning the cut edge in 1/4" then folding that turn in half to enclose the cut edge (as in the photo below) OR by folding the cut edge 1/8" then another 1/8" to enclose the seam. Use a small whip-stitch to finish the seam.

Step 4. Preparing the front edge of the caul for hemming.

 5. Mark the center of the lower crown neck edge. 

         Using a whip-stitch, sew a narrow casing along the entire length of the crown's neck edge for a small ribbon or cord to draw the neck edge up. Leave about 1/4”-1/2” open at the center back for the ribbon to come through and tie inside the cap.

        ALTERNATE EDGE FINISH: Another very period-appropriate neck edge finish is to run a small gathering stitch along the bottom edge, draw it up to fit your head then stitch the gathers in place with a narrow hem. This eliminates the need for a channel or drawstring at the back. Many extant day caps have this type of finish.

 

Step 5. Sew a narrow casing along the neck edge of the crown for a drawstring. Be sure to leave 1/4"-1/2" open at the center back edge for the string to pull through.

6. Run a thin cord or ribbon through the neck casing, leaving about 1" handing out of each side of the casing. Be sure to pull some of the cord through the center back opening to use to tie it up while wearing (not pictured). If using a cord, tie a knot at each end on the cheek side. Gently tug the cord to set the knot in the seam. Secure the knot with a few small stitches.

Step 6. Tie a knot into the 1" piece left on each side. There should be one on the left and one on the right of the neck edge casing.

Step 6. Pull the knot gently to set it in the corner of the casing and front edge.

Step 6. Tack the knot in place to keep the cord from pulling out when tied at the center back.

7. Cut a strip of fabric 1"- 2" wide by 72" long to make a ruffle that will be sewn to the front and neck edges. You can make it narrower or wider. Depending on the width of your fabric, you may need to piece the ruffle to get 72" length.  

Sew a narrow-rolled hem on both long edges. 

Step 7. Sew a narrow rolled hem along both long sides of the ruffle piece. 

 If you need to piece the ruffle to make it long enough there are two ways to do it:

A. Join two of the short ends together using a narrow flat-felled seam (like that sewn between points A & B in Step 1).

B. DEMONSTRATED BELOW. Finish each short end with a narrow hem. With right-side together, line up the hemmed edges and catching the very edge of the fold, whip stitch the two pieces together. Do not pull the stitches too tight because they will be opened up so the two edges are butted together.

Hemmed edges of two ruffle pieces with right sides together.

Whip-stitch the tops together only catching a few threads on each edge. Pull the thread snugly but not tight.

Whip-stitching complete.

Open the seam so the two pieces are butted together.

    8. Fold the ruffle into quarters and mark each quarter either with a pin or disappearing fabric marker. 

Step 8. The completed 72" ruffle folded into quarters.

9. Gather and attach the ruffle to the cap. I find it easier to do the ruffle attachment one-quarter section at a time (hence marking the ruffle into quarters in Step 8). Be sure to use a sturdy thread for this step. 

Sew a whipped gathering stitch over one long edge of a quarter section of ruffle. You will be sewing this over the already completely rolled hem. Keep your whipped-gathering stitches spaced 1/8"-1/4" apart.  Gather to fit one-quarter section of the cap. Pin in place. Sew the ruffle to the cap. Repeat until all quarters are attached to the cap. Be careful when attaching to the neck edge not to catch the drawstring.

Note: for detailed instructions on the stitches used here, please reference “The Lady’s Guide to Plain Sewing” and “The Lady’s Guide to Plain Sewing II” by A Lady (Kannik’s Korner). Both booklets are available for purchase in the 1820 Col. Benjamin Stephenson House's online museum shop.

Step 9. Whip-gathering stitches are being sewn over the completed roll hem edge of the ruffle. When these stitches are pulled tight, they create the ruffle.

Step 9. Whip-stiches gathered tight.

Step 9. One-quarter section of the ruffle has been gathered to fit one-quarter of the cap, then pin in place.

Step 9. Sewing the ruffle to the cap.  You will be running your needle under the loop of the gather (aka 'hill') from back to front (as seen above) then picking up the top edge of the hem on the cap. Your thread should naturally lay in the 'valley' between the 'hills' on the ruffle. Pull the thread snugly but not tight. 

For an excellent description of how to sew a whipped gather (ruffle) to a hemmed piece (cap), refer to “The Lady’s Guide to Plain Sewing” by A Lady (Kannik’s Korner), page 22.

10. Once the ruffle is secured to the cap, fold it out away from the body.

11.  Attach chin ties. Cut two ¾” x 14” strips (of the same fabric used for the cap) to create chin straps. Roll hem both long edges and one short edge. Gather the unfinished edge and sew to the corner of each side.

Chin straps are sewn to each cheek corner of the cap.

The cap is complete. The original instructions suggest adding either a colorful ribbon or one made from the same fabric at point B. I chose to use leftover fabric to create a simple ribbon (see the last photo) and it was an absolutely charming detail.

 Thanks for reading. Happy Sewing!