Lemon Sorbet Skirt

As I'm preparing for the GBACG's Tissot Picnic, I needed to make at least one underskirt.  I will be making two, but I wanted to share the "How" of skirt making (for me).  I usually employ the 18th century technique of altering the already hemmed skirt at the waist.  For this skirt I used two 60" panels that are 36 inches in length.  After building the "tube" of the skirt by sewing the selvages together, I created an opening in the CB which will allow me to put it on.  For the ruffles, I cut out 6-60 inch long 6 inch tall strips and hemmed top and bottom to 5 inches.  Then I pleated the fabric and tacked it on the machine.  I then steamed the pleats down (using a vinegar water spray and let it sit overnight.  While this was cooling, I wrapped the "hem" end of the linen in the bias tape.  This will give me a fun little touch on the inside.  I then pinned the ruffle to the hem of the skirt and draped it on Prof. Sprout to get the waist sorted out.

As you can see above, I raise the fabric at the front so it sits the same distance from the floor (about 3" for this skirt).  For me this means employing a helper to slide a ruler around telling me where to raise and lower the waist. Then I pin the waistband to the skirt and take it off my form to sew.  For me this works well as my dress form is withing an inch of my height so this hem should sit about 3 inches off the floor when I wear it.  Also, I know it looks weird, but I designed this to sit just below my corseted waist as I don't want to add a lot of bulk there.

Below is the finished skirt!  I like it enough that I may wear it to work or a party some day.

      

Fabric: Yellow Linen (or linen blend)
Pattern: none
Year: Bustle Era
Notions: hook and bar for closure and calico bias tape to enclose hem where the pleated ruffle is attached.
How historically accurate is it? I used stash fabric so content in unreliable (most is from the 1980's and 90's).  The pattern is draped on Prof. Sprout (my dress form).
Hours to complete:4 hours (I had trouble setting the ruffles the way I liked)
First worn: not yet, for Tissot Picnic
Total cost: <$3 for thread (go figure, I didn't have a lot of yellow) Everything else is from my stash.

Silhouettes

This is a photo heavy post.

After completing my Bustle Pad, I took the time to take some photos of the silhouettes I can make with different combinations of padding.

First, I currently have three different pads.

In our area we call this a kicker.
Mine is VERY flat from being squished  and packed flat.

Bustle Pad (large)

This is a small pad.

Here are the shapes I can make by combining them.  I deliberately used my regency apron to show the fall of lightweight fabric and the difference that padding can make to a hemline.

Prof. Sprout with just the apron.  

Prof. Sprout with Bustle Pad.

Prof. Sprout with Kicker

Prof. Sprout with Bustle Pad and Kicker..

Prof. Sprout with Bustle Pad, Kicker and Small Pad. 

By combining them I can approximate the padding of several eras - from Georgian to Bustle.  For example, the small pad can be used with my hoops for 1860's  and I can use either the kicker or the bustle pad for Georgian, (depending on how big I need/want that bump to be...).  I also took the time to have a friend come by and measure my waist to floor length in several of the combinations.  The new Bustle Pad makes my center back measurement 4 inches longer than center front.

A Bustle Pad - and a rump or HSF #15 White.

After much thought and planning of how I was going to complete as many Historical Sew Fortnightly challenges, I decided that I needed to make a Bustle Pad, before I could make other items on my list.  See skirt length is important and I want to make a quilted petticoat for Flora and Fauna.  Just in time, the White Challenge was posted!  I don't wear white often, so making a Bustle Pad would be perfect. So I researched a lot of images and came to the idea that a pillow that is about the size of my rump would work.  I did some careful measuring of my attached rump and came up with the dimensions of approximately 11 inches long and 20 inches wide.  I of course cut out a semi oval approximately 22 inches wide and 14 inches tall.  For ease of drawing the pattern, I looked around for a large gently curving oval and lo! there was the turkey platter!  I drew my pattern onto the fabric directly and folded it in half (again) and proceeded to cut it out.  I added some eyelet lace and proceeded to stitch it together.  I machine-stitched it all (except the tufting.)  Stuffing it was fun ad I got to play with density and loft.  After sewing if all together, I added some tufts to control loft and keep the padding from moving around.  All in all from patterning to trying it on was only a couple of hours.

My William and Mary Turkey Platter as pattern!

I don't always press, but I do about 95% of the  time.

The Finished Product - A Bustle Pad and a Rump!

The Challenge: HSF # 15 - White (Due July 28, 2013)

Fabric: White sprigged cotton from my stash, polyfill

Pattern: does my turkey platter count?

Year: 1870-ish

Notions: d-ring, eyelet lace

How historically accurate is it?  depends - the look is definitely period, but modern techniques and fabrics.   

Hours to complete: 2?  from patterning to finish

First worn: not yet, for the Tissot Picnic.

Total cost: $.78 for a package of D Rings (of which I only used half.) The rest was from my stash.