I hate linen.

[PrincessSara]

Could I potentially construct the smock like this?  By cutting off the point of the body gores and attaching the sleeve directly to the gore, then omitting the gussets - as the gore will add the underarm fullness I need?

[Kate XXXXXX]

Lorraine, it's fabric.

It's made out of plants.

Unless someone has been SERIOUSLY playing with genetic modification, it does not and never had any brain cells.

Are you really going to let it win?

[Kate XXXXXX]

Could I potentially construct the smock like this?  By cutting off the point of the body gores and attaching the sleeve directly to the gore, then omitting the gussets - as the gore will add the underarm fullness I need?

No...  It'll end yp too wide round the chest, with all the excess fabric under the arms, and with none of the flexibility of the high arm/sleeve fitting.  The point of the gusset in the armpit is not to give you more inches round the chest, but to allow you to lift your arms above your head without excess bulk.

[Artemisia]

I wrote a blog on this chemise with step by step instructions:
http://dressdiary.blogspot.com/2009/06/smock-muslin.html

The only thing is that I need to change Step 3. Where I said to lay the arm gussets straight down the seamline they should really curve and match up with the side gore. Maybe that's the problem you're having. I'm going to rewrite it.

The arm gussets should end up sewn to the side gores. The entire side gore runs the length from the underarm to the hem. There should be no gap.

[NicoleBridget]

Strange how this popped up.  I am myself sitting on a pile of white linen to make into a chemise and bloomers...this is to be my first project this year (if I ever stop procrastinating)  It will be my first dance with linen and I didn't expect it to be a problem 'til I saw this post!   

I'm making a mental note to consult this thread once I start encountering these problems. Thanks to everyone contributing!

[mollymishap]

Lorraine, it's fabric.

It's made out of plants.

Unless someone has been SERIOUSLY playing with genetic modification, it does not and never had any brain cells.

Are you really going to let it win?

ROFLMAO!!!

Well said, Kate.  I've had my share of "possessed" fabric, but in the end with perseverance anything is possible...

[PrincessSara]

Gack, why is a simple smock being such a trial.....Kate, do you think you could show me what you mean by attaching the gores to the gussets?  I'm not very good at written directions.

Lorraine and Nicole, I don't think you should worry too much about it - I have a feeling I kinda just fail at linen.  Also, the stuff I'm working with is very light and not particularly well-woven, so that might be part of the trouble.

[Sorcha]

I'll take linen over silk organza anyday. 
Call me crazy but I sort a like linen.

[gem]

Sara, maybe this will help.  This is the smock pattern I use:

 
For some reason, it's looking a little blurry.  See the image here.
This is actually the cutting diagram, but do you see how you flip the gore down and piece it onto the skirts?  You then get a long (diagonal) side seam *between* the gores and the armscye.

(Whoops! I forgot to draw in the underarm gusset! But you get the idea!)

[sealion]

Try this link: http://www.elizabethancostume.net/smockpat/sewsmock.html
This is how I do my square neck Elizabethan smocks and I've not had any issues.