Girl of a different Era

Making a what? Before you get weirded out, this is actually part of the project. (If I had called it a cloth bustle it would probably have gone unnoticed,) but this is what it’s called in the pattern so…

This would have been something women of the revolution wore (I really want the project to have the correct historical look.) The bum pad is tied around your waist and it gives loft to the back and sides of your skirt…. Well now since we have clarified the normalcy of this garment and reassured any concerns lets get to making it!

I also want to clarify that this post isn’t here to replace or in any means give all the instruction necessary for the pattern ~https://www.american-duchess.com/simplicity-pattern-8162-18th-century-underpinnings~ (that would be pirating) but rather to be a help and answer some questions that might arise during the process.

Step 1. Cut out your pattern.

Step 2. Pin it to your fabric, for this project their is 2 pieces; Pay attention to the arrow and what way they want you to lay it corresponding with the grain and or fold of the fabric.

For pattern piece 8 you have to cut it out twice on the fold of your folded piece of cloth .

For the long pattern piece 6 * you need to cut it out 3 times* the pattern doesn’t make that obvious so it took a little trial but it worked out well!

Mark you dots and sewing lines unto your pieces

Step 3. Now its time to hem! Only make a 5/8 hem on the bottom and the two short sides of the ruffle piece. (I made a mistake and hemmed both long sides which took me about an hour to do and undo😥)

Step 4. Use a basting stitch to stitch two different lines for gathering. Then pull gently to gather it. (remember to pull very gently or your thread might break)

Step 5; Its time to pin and sew on the twill tape to the corners of our pad. (I accidentally used 1/8 inch twill tape ~ that’s why it looks so skinny~ instead of 1/2 inch so I have to fix that later.)

Step 6: Here it gets a little tricky, we need to pin and sew on our gathered ruffle to the one side of the bum pad. Make sure you lay the trim on the wrong side of your fabric with the bulk of it facing inward.

Step 6. Now laying out your project wrong side up (that means the ruffle will still lay inward) pin the other pad layer on top, matching dots. Make sure it doesn’t bunch up (I had that trouble because of a weird spot in the gather and had to do a lot of repining and trim down the ruffle) The picture is how the layers should look.

Step 8. Fold down an 5/8 inch hem around the stuffing opening. Now lets pin and stitch down out previous marked stitching lines. (they act like the pouches in down-vests and keep the stuffing from shifting too much.)

Step 9. Its time to stuff it! Although the pattern calls for polyester fiberfill I decided to save myself some money and add some historical accuracy by using wool! (don’t worry it’s clean) So I fluffed it up and got to stuffing! ‘Remember not over stuff, after all you will have to sew it closed.’

Step 10. pin the opening closed and sew it shut!

Well that’s it! I hope you found this post helpful! If you did give it a like and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

As I said before this is be no means meant to replace the real pattern. just a little more instruction for those who feel they need it.

P.S. Here is a funny; I took this photo with the ruffle before I gathered it.

The new Disney Princess….

Hope you are all feeling w.ell! And stay tuned for the next post where I delve into making my first pair of stays! (1800th century corset.)