Victorian Petticoat-Discovering the beauty of under layer

I made a Victorian Petticoat because the previous skirt is too sheer…

A little recap...

Previously on the last making, I made a skirt and turns out too thin to dress it itself, so I decided to jump into making a "petticoat".

Using the same cotton, however doing the lace in entirely different way than the skirt.

No more insertion lace technique. Just start with plain pattern on top part, then add the strips of lace to lengthen and decor the skirt hem.

Hand Sewing Finish on lace

The design of the petticoat are more focus on the volume at the bottom as I referenced from the historical garments (shown below), collections from the V&A and Metropolitan Museum of Arts.

Petticoat, 1895 / Petticoat, 1906(made) / Underskirt, 1890s

Front pattern was cut with no darts in a trapezoid shape, to give a clean flat stomach, yet a bit of flare. The bottom ruffles on the petticoat will flare out by multiplying the hem measurement.

Arranging Lace strips

Gathering stripes were measure double and triple the measurement of the pattern.

Gathering stitch by machine and hand sewn to attach each strips.

The Gather

The Waistband

The waistband button and strings design was referenced, as most of the petticoat has only two strings to secure at the back, which it doesn’t make me feel comfortable and it will shuffle all the neat gathering at the back when it tighten.

Waistband reference (Petticoat, early 19th century)

To make the skirt more flexible in waist, yet still not gonna slip off. The channel was extra piece of fabric that hand sewn on later, secure the strips at one end.

To make the skirt more flexible in waist, yet still not gonna slip off.The channel was extra piece of fabric that hand sewn on later, secure the strips at one end.

To Finishing Up...

Left: Lacing ribbon Right: Felling stitch on seam

Love this little ribbon and bows details at the very last part of my making, just adding a bit cuteness to the skirt.

FINAL LOOK

Photoshoot by the window side

in order to get sunshine

Blue colour sky to shimmering through the garment

My thoughts

I am really satisfy with this outcome, it gives me a little bit of the mermaid feel as the volume at the bottom just pops out. I can imagine when I spin and dance with it, the beautiful lace will be peaking out and sunshine radiating through, every hand sewing hours literally paid off.

What will be my next adventure? I still can’t get enough with white cotton because summer is coming…

SUET xx

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