Quilted petticoat aka HSF #9

A couple of years ago I started purchasing fabric for a Georgian/Colonial American dress.  Then while at Walmart (I know, but they have very inexpensive mirrors in the fall) I saw this quilt in the store.  I picked up a King size and put it away to be sewn another day.  I thought it would be perfect for the flora and fauna challenge.  I love the colors and it seemed an easy project.

After doing some internet research, I found that most quilted petticoats are between 90" and 100" if worn without supports and can get up to 120" if worn over hoops.  Since most of my opportunities to wear costumes are in the Bay Area (a 45 minute drive at a minimum), I decided to make a 100" petticoat so that I could wear it under several eras worth of skirts and STILL fit in a car.

I made it in the 18th century skirt method where you build from the hem up and have two halves that tie around your waist.  This allowed me to keep the scallops as the skirt hem.  Taking my handy waist to floor measurement chart, I measured the quilt 45 inches up from the scallops to mark my cutting line.  Then was the more trying/time consuming part - although not NEARLY as time consuming as quilting it myself.  I took out the batting where I would be putting the seam (one - Center Back) and the waist tape (two inches all the way around)  I took out stitches and batting in sections and ended up varying the depth so that around the waist I didn't pull out partial designs.

I apologize, but I don't have a corset for this era yet.

With bustle/bum pad

Without bustle/bum pad

Front

The Challenge: Flora & Fauna

Fabric: Quilted bedspread

Pattern: none

Year: 18th century

Notions:thread, patience and 1" twill tape

How historically accurate is it? Its a modern quilt with a machined quilting design, but its 95% natural fibers and hand stitched.

Hours to complete:4 hours or so.  Most of which was pulling out batting around the seams.

First worn: For photo

Total cost: $20-$40

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.