Sontags, Pelerines, Habit-Shirts, and Bosom Friends, c.1840-1860

For the 10th Day of Christmas, some references for a particular variety of warm garment, generally called a sontag in reenacting circles.  As you can see, there's a lot of variation in the terminology, but all of these garments are sleeveless knit or crochet pieces which cover the chest, back, and shoulders (more or less). Some fasten close around the body with ties and buttons, while others have no fasteners at all. All of the, appear to be worn between the bodice and and a larger piece of outerwear such as a shawl, though some may also be used as an under-layer. I have omitted the more closely-fitted knitted waistcoats, as well as the various sleeved polka-jackets and paletotes, and garments such as a larger shawls which are obviously intended as an outer-most layer. 

Further note on terms: many of these garment names (canezou, pelerine, habit-shirt, handkerchief) are also applied to non-knitted items, which are in some cases rather different from these knitted versions.

Habit Shirt from The Workwoman's Guide (1838/40).

The Workwoman's Guide (1838/1840) includes instructions with illustrations for a "small knit habit shirt" to be worn "under the shawl." It follows the same lines as the later sontag: a flattened V-shape which crosses over the front of the chest, and even includes the cord to fasten the back of the garment around the waist. The most notable departure from later practice is a inclusion of a standing collar, and that the pieces are made separately and seamed rather than knit all-in-one.

The Practical Companion to the Work Table (1844) has instructions for a bosom friend, a warm layer for the chest. This offers less coverage for the back than the above habit shirt, instead consisting of a large block of knitting which covers the chest and much narrower straps over the shoulder. The Illuminated Book of Needlework (1847) goes into greater detail in their similarly-designed gentleman's bosom friend.

Riego's Knitting, Crochet, and Netting, with Twelve Illustrations (1846) gives instructions for a pelerine of the familiar flattened V shape, to be knit in scarlet or blue with a white-spotted-black border "in imitation of Minerva." Except for the lack of explicit ties and the use of "double knitting" (brioche) instead of basket weave, this is basically the 1860 Godey's sontag in both shape and color.

Mrs. Mee's Exercises in Knitting (1847) has a sontag-like "knitted bodice" made in three pieces (and back and two fronts, sewn together) which closes with ties. Made in double knitting with a plain knit border, it garment is explicitly a middle layer: "This is worn outside the dress; and under a shawl or cloak is very comfortable."

Miss Lambert's My Knitting Book (1847) has "a warm habit-shirt, for wearing either over, or under, the dress", which is again knit in that flattened V shape and has a contrasting color border.

Jane Gaugin's Lady's Knitting, Netting and Crochet Book (1847, 6th in her series) describes two different triangular fichus which seem to follow the shape of the slightly more cape-like sontag (smaller than a triangular shawl, and with some shaping around the neck).

The Winchester Fancy Needle-Work Instructor (1847) gives instructions for "a warm pelerine, to wear under a shawl" in the familiar flat-V shape, with no mention of fasteners.

The Knitters Friend (1847) has an intriguing "kamtschatka body" which is knit back-to-front over the shoulder like so many of these garments, but in a square rather than triangular shape and with the sides stitched together, into more of a sleeveless vest. It's unclear whether this is meant to be layered above or below the dress.

Riego's Winter Knitting Book for 1848 has a knit pelerine, again of the flattened-V shape, but without the waist tie. Another of her titles from the same year, Mlle Riego's Knitting Book focuses on lace knitting, but gives a round Shetland Shawl similar in shape to the 1859 Peterson's sontag (see below), and a canezou which covers the back and crosses in front not unlike the 1860 Godey's sontag.

Canezou in Shetland knitting, from Riego (1848).

The Ramsgate Knitting Book (1848) features a habit shirt, in the one-piece flat-V-construction of the later sontag, with a ribbon to secure the waist front and back.

The Comprehensive Knitting Book (1849) has a chemisette/stomacher pattern with instructions for making it into a canezou (by extending the side edges into the classic flat-V-shape), as well as a shaped "pelerine or under-handkerchief" meant to fit close around the neck and shoulders, and be layered under a shawl (I could be wrong here, but the description seems to follow the familiar sontag V-shape, but with a more pronounced point at the center back)

The Ladies' Companion (1850) has a knitted Under Habit-Shirt, which follows the same V-shape, open-piece construction as the earlier habit shirts and later sontag. [Terminology note here that non-knit habit shirts are chemisette-like garments used to fill in an open-front riding habit. While the earlier knot habit shirts I've mentioned here often specify being worn "under the shawl" rather than under the bodice, this example seems more nebulous. The same magazine also gives a tucked muslin habit shirt which is clearly more of the chemisette-style (and inspired by 18th century stomachers) but which specifically notes that it can be made up for wearing under or over the bodice, with fichu or canezou as interchangeable terms for the later.]

The Royal Victoria knitting book (1851) gives a knitted wool "Victorine" pattern, which differs from a sontag only in that back is shorter than waist-level and the front pieces meet at the center rather than crossing (and thus gives no coverages to the sides of the torso or the back-waist).

Victorine from The Royal Victoria Knitting Book (1851)

The Ladies' Work-Table Book (1852) has a habit shirt of identical construction to that in the earlier Workwoman's Guide, constructed as four knit pieces (two fronts, back, collar) sewn together, with ties at waist and neck. Like the earlier work, this book also confirms that a "habit shirt" in this instance is an outer layer worn under the shawl (not under the bodice as a chemisette would be).

Mlle Riego's 1857 Winter Crochet Book has a "Eugenie Collarette" which follow similar (though more dramatic) lines to the Victorine. It has less coverage than some of the earlier habit shirts and later sontags.

In February 1859, Peterson's published a knit sontag pattern with a button front. This version fits over the upper body and arms like a waist-length cloak.

Peterson's 1859 sontag.

January 1860 sees Godey's publish their basketweave knit "bosom friend or sontag" which has become so popular in reenacting circles thanks to Colleen Formby's modern sizing instructions (also on Ravelry, in case the original link ever goes down).

American Agriculturalist, in December 1860, published Martha Pullan's instructions for a knit sontag: it has the familiar cross-over front and distinct belt.

Sontag from American Agriculturalist (1860).

Fun fact: while the name "sontag" (after opera sensation Henrietta Sontag) doesn't seem to come into use for these almost-outer-layer knit garments until 1859, the term shows up much earlier applied to a light knit headcovering. Otherwise known as a cephaline, it appears in Miss Lampert's 1843 Hand-book of Needlework and in her 1845 My Knitting Book, First Series. There's also a sontag cloak in Godey's in 1852.

2026 Costuming Resolutions

Looking ahead to my sewing goals for 2026, it's time to start on a few 'someday' projects in eras I haven't often done. I'll start with the ones which I expect to have opportunities to use this year:

• Evening dress for a c.1926 event (October)

• New nightgown for mid- Victorian camping events (February)

• 16th century wool gown and kirtle, ideally in time for the Two Rivers, which can get cold.

• A 1776 ensemble (gown or short gown & petticoat) by the summertime America 250 events. I've been accumulating undergarments and accessories, so it's time to finish the main garments.

• 14th century ensemble (probably cotte and surcotte) for some possible events in that era

• Sheer 1850s dress for fancier summer wear (July)

• New early 1800s chemise, as the old is starting to wear out

• Start on some 19th century tailoring lessons (overshirt and jean trousers).

• Linen divided skirt. (Summer)

• 1918 ensemble (November) 

That's a pretty solid to-do list, but just to keep track of them, here's a few more project ideas that I have material for or been hoping to get to.

• 1912 wrap cape

• 18th century peignoir

• 1850s tucked petticoat

• Red paisley 1850s wrapper 

• 1848 Oregon Trail dress

• Victorian dancing slippers

• Update my 1810s ballgown

• Re-fit 1810s day dress

• New 1810s petticoat

As usual, I'd also like to keep trimming the un-posted blog drafts list (aiming for 80 or fewer by the year's end), and not working on projects the night before they're needed. I mostly didn't make the 'completed a week before the event' goal this year, but it helped me avoid staying up late the night before an event sewing (either because I finished the projects a few days ahead of time, or else acknowledged that I couldn't complete the new item and used a back-up).

Happy New Year: 1826 and 1926 Dress Designs

 I do enjoy the difference that a century can make in clothing styles. Here's where we were 100 years ago:

Summer 1926 day dress, House of Paquin. From VAM.

And to the folks of 1926, this style was just as old as their clothing is to us:

Promenade Dress from Ackerman's Repository, January 1826. From LACMA.

It's interesting to reflect on these styles side-by-side. Both eras are playing around with waist-placement: the 1920s have dropped it to an all-time low near the hip, while the 1820s are also moving low(er) from decades of all-time-high waistlines under the bust. They're also at different stages of a major silhouette shift: Empire style of the late 1790s-1810s, like the "flapper" style of the late 1910s-1920s, are remembered as looser, shorter, and simpler styles which directly respond to (and reject) the more elaborate, structured, and formal designs of, respectively, the Ancien Regime and the pre-War/Edwardian period. But our 1926 dress is barely a ten years into its fashion revolution and shows that style in its full development, the 1826 one is nearly three decades into its silhouette, and the metaphorical pendulum is starting to swing back the other way. While the fur muff obscures the lowering waistline (which is creeping back towards the natural waist, allowing for structured bodices to make their return), we're also seeing more visual weight through the shoulders created by the double row of vandykes, as well as a wider, more bell-like skirt, stiffened by its wide fur hem. The trajectory is clear: Empress Josephine is out, and Empress Eugenie's on the (distant) horizon. 

2025 Costuming Year in Review

It's time to see how I did this year.

• Projects finished one week before the event. Helpful with triaging projects, and mostly adhered to.
• Finish the chemises and drawers in my WIP basket. Yes. Didn't post them though. And I found a few more cut-out pieces that weren't in the to-sew basket.
• Green plaid 1850s dress. Was able to wear it this summer as planned, though late in posting it. 
• Red wool 1850s basque ensemble. Got it done by Christmas Regale, though not Candlelight.
• Shoes for 1850s wear. And some red plaid side-lacing gaiters. And remade the green/purple plaid gaiters.
• Dotted swiss undersleeves.
• 1850s Nightgown. 
• Wrap Cape. 
•  Linen divided skirt.

Draft Folder: 100. Mission accomplished!

Stretch Goals

• A bloomer costume for Nelly. Turned out to be very quick once I got all the pieces into my workbag.
• 18th century peignoir
• 1850s tucked petticoat 
• 16th century wool gown and kirtle; 14th century wool cotte and surcotte

I also finished some presents this year: warm undersleeves, several different styles of muffatees. 

In the not-planned-before-January projects list, there's also two doll dresses (Harriet's early Victorian dress and Nelly's late Victorian one); storage for my period flatware; a shoe-making tool roll and a hand-bound copy of Every Lady Her Own Shoemaker; an 1850s collar and matching cuffs; and new pair of knit undersleeves.

From the In-Progress basket, I bound the c.1901 corset which I'd originally made for an event in 2023. I also finally finished the tablet-woven girdle that's been on my box loom for a few years. 

Corset, c.1901

Another old project which never got posted; I made this corset for wearing with my linen traveling suit for an event in June 2023. I ended up wearing it with the edges raw, and then it spent another two years in my to-do basket before the binding got added.

Nothing like a photo to reveal the last few threads that need snipping.

 

I used the same material and hardware as for the 1870s and 1890s corsets: busk and 1/4" spring steels from Wawak, second-favorite coutil from I-forget-which supplier (might have been from Renaissance Fabrics). The pattern is one that was custom-drafted for me by Marie of The Fitting Room, right before everything shut down back in 2020. It's based on the corset design of c.1901 on page 84 of Nora Wraugh's Corsets and Crinolines. 

I was looking for a corset that I could use for as much of the 1890s-1910s as possible (since I don't do enough events from that time to get multiple specific corsets), and while it's not really a substitute for the longer-lined corsets c.1910, it is much easier for me to put on than one of those would be, while also being closer to the desired shape than any of my earlier corsets. 

Dotted Swiss Puffed Undersleeves, c.1858

Puffed undersleeves.

One of the last items out of the "to do" basket for this year: the puffed undersleeves I started for a long-cancelled workshop back in January 2020. At the time, I recall working from one of those small magazine illustrations, excited to find one made from Swiss dot, which I had on hand. 

Possible inspiration, Peterson's Feb 1858.

Unfortunately, I didn't seem to save illustration I'd used back then. I think it was the one above, from Peterson's Feb 1858, though I don't recall that second ruffle between the two lower puffs (nor do I can for it). Another similar Swiss dot sleeve, but with only two puffs and an extra bow appears in Godey's April 1859, though the one I used definitely had three.  

Working from an illustration only, I made up my own pattern. I decided to try using three rectangles: a base piece (width desired for upper arm by length of finished sleeve), a ruffle (2" by 1.5 times finished wrist measure), and a piece for the three puffs (about 6" wider than the base piece and 3/4 it's length). I started by closing each rectangle into a tube (running and felling the seam), then hemmed the upper edge of the base sleeve and the lower edge of the ruffle. I folded down the upper seam allowance of the puff, and then did rows of running stitches for gathering along the raw edges of the base and ruffle, as well as the upper and lower edges of the puff piece and two rows dividing it into thirds. From there, I pinned the puff to the base, then stitched all three pieces together at the wrist. Working up from the wrist, I gathered the puffs to the desired size and tacked them to the base along each of the three lines of gathers. 

I like the final effect, but am at a loss for how to iron the sleeve. More experiments are clearly in the future. 

December Mending

December was pretty busy with Christmas living history events and making presents, but I found time for some mending tasks which came up.

My long-suffering apron.

I pulled a few inches of gathering out of my print apron late in November, but re-stitched it all while waiting for a car repair appointment. Timely, now that I'm back in the Nisqually kitchen about once a month.

I also managed to tear a seam on my gray mantle, but it was a quick repair when I got home from carolling.

Small, easy to stitch, and no damage done to the fabric!

 Last item added to the pile are my red stockings, but those will have to wait until January.