[Melody&Lime]

I have just bought 10m of white muslin(99p a metre,baaargain) in an attempt to make a floaty hippy victoriany skirt for the summer.
I have a picture in my scrapbook of a long edwardian muslin looking skirt.Flat fronted with a flare at the back with about a 10" tier at the bottom with a bit of lace.Its looovley and Id like to reproduce it with a bustle.
I dont want to add just a big tie up bow.Can anybody suggest how I make a simple but effective bustle?

Thanks

[blueprairie]

if the bustle is very full I recommend to check out one of the costume companies for a pattern (this link contains online reviews of just about every one out there and is pretty interesting). A friend & I once made bustle outfits to wear to a Napoleon III exhibit and although this was almost 30 years ago I remember they were very tricky, crinoline boning & all.

http://www.gbacg.org...erns/index.html

For a rather skimpy late 80's bustle consider making a floor length petticoat with a flat front and all the fullness at the back. Sew onto the back waistline three or four rows of very full ruffles.

[Melody&Lime]

Thanks for the link.
I have a pic of a skirt Id like to copy.It is flat frinted and fuller at the back but with no bustle.
Im not really into ruffle but maybe I could give it a flare at the back which is a bit long then consitina(cant spell that) it up near the waist til the skirt length is equal.

[Melody&Lime]

I even bought From Hell(jack the Ripper/Jonny Deppe movie) and thought Id get bustle ideas from that but no joy.

[blueprairie]

The ruffles are to make the skirt stand out in back; they don't show.

You could make them of netting or tulle to give it more body.

[Melody&Lime]

I see what you mean re the ruffles,its a fab idea, I shall get round to having a go soon.

[Pauline]

I know you know how to do this Melody, but others may not so...The simple no pattern way to make the ruffles is to cut circles of Vilene interfacing, horsehair interfacing, tarlatan or as Shay suggests net, then mount them to a small base or even layer them on each other.

Cut circles about 9-10 inches across. Cut a straight line to the centre of each circle and take out a small circle from the centre of each circle about the size of a 50p coin.

Join several circles together at the straight edges you first cut. Clip the new long straight edge of circles sewn togther. Neaten it if you wish.

Now stitch that to the base. The size of the ruffles will probably dicate how far it sticks out at the back. It will be a bit experimental. I'm not sure if this is exactly what Shay meant and I may have crossed wires, but hope it helps with the picture here too.

To get the idea see this

[Melody&Lime]

Well knock me sideways.
I didnt know any of that.I would have gone for straight cut gathered pieces sewn to a base.In fact thats what I did for a 50's petticoat,no wonder i needed a heck of alot of netting layers
But now Ive read that Ive seen what an absolute buffoon Ive been.

The fact that its made from a circle will make it stick out more.

Pauline your a genious and I hang my head in shame.

[Pauline]

Well knock me sideways.
I didnt know any of that.I would have gone for straight cut gathered pieces sewn to a base.In fact thats what I did for a 50's petticoat,no wonder i needed a heck of alot of netting layers
But now Ive read that Ive seen what an absolute buffoon Ive been.

The fact that its made from a circle will make it stick out more.

Pauline your a genious and I hang my head in shame.

Straight gathered pieces would work. Strictly speaking a flounce is cut on a circle and straight gathered pieces are frills. I think either would work. It's made me realise this picture is on the crinolines page where it should really be as it was the sort for soft bustles, but it might be worth a picture on the actual bustles page.

I used to have a simple bustle I made to show students. If you use circles of horsehair or tarlatan believe me they will stick out. But if you used horsehair and just frilled it that would stick out too as it's the horsehair that makes the support.

Old Vogue couture patterns also used to teach you a lot about construction. One of the best techniques is using 3to 5 cm wide crossway strips of horsehair in hemlines to make the hemline stand nicely away from the body. Think Jackie Kennedy in her little dresses.

You can get a modern version of this which I think may be some form of polyester or nylon mesh and it's used in wedding dresses in particular in hem finishes.
I was also taught to put interfacing (horsehair) in jacket and coat hems. Now I still do, but it's usually an iron on cloth/vilene product for ease of use.

The 50s petticoat would have been frills. In the 50's there were crinoline pettis made of several tiers with boning threaded through. Petticoats were often worn on top to smooth the rigilene boning which was removed for laundering. Under it were several net petticoats for prettiness as much as anything. The net pettis were only ever truly stiff when brand new. Once washed they softened and wearers piled more on top to get that bouncy look.

Someone recently wrote witha good 50's petticoat link I'll see if I can find it later. But re-eanctment companies also sell crinolines and bridal departments sell ugly vilene ones.

[Melody&Lime]

Cut out some circles last night and did as you said.They look great!!!!

[blueprairie]

The simple no pattern way to make the ruffles is to cut circles of Vilene interfacing, horsehair interfacing, tarlatan or as Shay suggests net, then mount them to a small base or even layer them on each other.

To get the idea see this

thanks for providing the pic, Pauline, that's exactly what I was trying (badly) to explain.

[Pauline]

thanks for providing the pic, Pauline, that's exactly what I was trying (badly) to explain.

No problem. I think we knew what we meant, but there seem to be lots of different types. Go to Karen Augusta's vintage site and in underwear she has several bustle pads quite different again. http://www.antique-fashion.com/
you'll need to navigate.

[Melody&Lime]

I washed all material Im gona use, just so there are no shrinking surprises.
I also ironed it all.I bought lining too so overall I bought 15metres(just so I had extra).Took me a while to do:o/

[Pauline]

Sounds very hard work Melody. What is the outfit for?

[Melody&Lime]

Ive been meaning to start making clothes for myself for summer for years but never ger round to it.
I saw a pic of a skirt I love and it looks quite simple to make so I thought Id give it a go, especially as floaty hippy/gypsy skirts are still popular.
Cant wait to wear it on a lovely summers day.If it ever stops snowing!

[Melody&Lime]

Skirt update-Started to cut the skirt out,giving it a bit of a flare at the back.Tried it on but didnt seem flary enough so I added panels.It looks alot better.
I will make the top layer out of muslin(i think I mean muslin, a thin cotton loose weave??)But not add panals, just use a whole width of muslin which will encoporete the whole pattern.
Hmm, Im wondering wear to add the ruffles.

[chloe]

Hi Pauline & Melodie&Lime and everyone,

Please could you/anyone help me.

Re"Pauline's?"-"Someone recently wrote witha good 50's petticoat link I'll see if I can find it later."
I am just finishing making a late fifties style evening dress (dress about 3/4 to floor length).

But I really need a petticoat/crinoline to spread out the dress.

I have some nylon netting but don't have the foggiest how to make an underskirt/crinoline/petticoat with it. (I am still only a novice dressmaker)

Can you help/advise me please. I really want to make a quick one to wear in a week or so.

Thanks Chloe
p.s. I've attached a picture of a pattern similar in shape to the dress I'm making/have made.

Attached File(s)

•  mccpt9828.jpg (25.31K)
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[Pauline]

Scroll the 1950s glamour page for 2 pics on this.

http://fashion-era.c...50s_glamour.htm

http://fashion-era.c...vintapparel.jpg for a vintage pic of one.

Do remember that originally any petticoat that used net would be much puffier as the net is stiff when new and softens with washing. A new net petti is very fulsome. You can also make one of 3 layers and add a casing at each seamline using bias tape if you are unable to work out another method. Through that tape you thread rings of nylon 'boning' which is called Rigilene. But almost always over these rigilene petticoats we wore another net petticoot on top of it like the vintage picture - it softens the boning lines which would create show through ridges.

Here is a quick simple way to make a petti for full skirt 50s style support.

If you are short on time - do you already own a short half slip which is already made up. Cut it down to about 12 inches in length or buy a mini one or leave as is and just apply a ruff on the top.

If you cut it down just add a frill which is 3 times the existing circumference of the lower part of the cut off slip. So if the cut off slip measures 40 inches you will need about 3 widths of fabric about 12 inches deep and about 42-44 inches wide to make the frill.

Join up the pieces, and gather it onto the lower part of the half slip. This is fast and ok for a one off event. You can of course make it from scratch, but it's a good way to use up an old item hanging around in the drawer. You could also buy a real cheap petti from a low cost store like Peacocks and titivate it as described. If you use 36 inche wide fabric then use 4 widths of it.

One of the materials often used for this under bridal crinoline meringue style wedding dresses is actually bonded vilene interfacing as it can be roughly pleated onto a basic slip and create fulness that really puffs out a hem. Make sure you get a stiff Vilene - some even use pelmet weight although I think firm would be enough for you. If it is not enough puff then just add another layer of the same until it does puff out enough.

Let us know how you get on.

[Pauline]

Another point is that the net can be rough on the edges if you choose net and so you might be best binding it with satin bias or ribbon to cover the raw edges of the hem although it is pretty and ballet like left raw. Many 50s pettis were bound this way. This will stop it scratching your legs and also stop any tights snagging.

Obviously adjust those measurments above to make the petti length suit your dress length. In fact if I were to use net I think I'd opt to keep an all base petticoat for comfort whether shop bought or partial lining fabric.

I only wore them myself for a year or so as they were at the tail end of the fashion by the time I was old enough for the style.

[chloe]

Dear Pauline,

Thanks for your help.
I shall tootle down to Stockport Market this afternoon to get some nylon (or mercerised?) thread for sewing the nylon net.

I'll let you know how I get on during this next week.

Chloe x

p.s. Very glad to hear about you wearing this style even if it was only for a shortish time. So pretty!