To all who mourn in Israel, He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory. Isaiah 61:3

Friday, October 2, 2015

Two 1840s Petticoats: 1 Quilted and 1 Corded

 Right then!  Last weekend was super busy.  My Mother-in-law was in town and on Sunday, I became the mother of an 18 year old!  That's right, my oldest son turned 18!!  I cannot believe I am the mother of an "adult".  I am not that old!!!

I returned to sewing after all was back in order.  I started and finished a quilted petticoat and starched and ironed the corded petticoat I had finished last week.

The Quilted

I have wanted to make a quilted petticoat for quite while.  I have made do with my "cheat" one, the one made out of a quilted curtain.  It's the one I use for my 1830s and my 1860s.  I have a Pinterest page dedicated to Quilted Petticoats and while perusing it one day, I found the one that I could totally do!!  It is a lovely ivory confection with a wave, "eye", swirly, diamond design going on!  I figured that I could easily make it.  I decided to make it using the sewing machine as I have no time at all whatsoever to do anything hand sewn.

I am super happy with how it turned out!!



The Inspiration

This petticoat is so luscious.  I truly love the color but badly wanted to use stuff from my stash, and all of my ivory silk is earmarked for other things!


Source:  The MET


 For some reason the silk did not photograph well.  It is super lovely...sort of a dark chocolate with a touch of cinnamon!





For the inside, I chose a fabric that I found at Walmart a while ago.  It is a cotton and reminds me of a quite a few of the cotton prints that I have seen dresses from the 1840s and 1850s made of!  Huzzah!!!



 The Construction

The circumference of the petticoat is 86".  I decided that the "eye" of the designs should be 6" apart and that's how I made the pattern.  I soooooo did not feel like tracing the pattern out with a chalk pencil, knowing that I would have to reapply it constantly, so I pulled a trick from my Great-Grandma Cornelia's book.  When she used to quilt, sometimes she would use catalog paper to use as patterns and then just sewed the paper, along with the fabric together, later removing the paper! Genius!!!  I made the final design by tracing the swirly eyes onto computer paper that was taped together in a long strip.  I had thought about using either tissue paper of newspaper print, but I am so glad I didn't.  The computer paper held up quite nicely to the moving and bending and folding that I needed to do to get the lines sewn. 


At the very bottom of the petti, I sewed in one line of the larger cording I had used in the corded petticoat.  Then I placed the pattern above that.


Let the pinning begin!!!  I actually added waaaaaay more pins that what is shown here.  I didn't want the pattern or the three layers slipping around.  For padding, I used 100% cotton flannel.  I also chose to sew from the back of the petti, as it caused the front to have the quilted look.  When I sewed from the front, it was "flat" looking and not quilted looking.


Ta Da!  First row of wavey eyes done!!  Grandma Cornelia sure knew what she was doing!
 

Nest step...just start tearing off paper!  It was actually quite easy, as the needle acted to perforate!


Border number 2 complete!!


I did have a bit of trouble here.  I decided to safety pin where the flannel ends met so they wouldn't shift and totally forgot to remove the pins before pinning the pattern paper to the petti!!!  Two safety pins destroyed.....


Another shot of the tearing off of the paper pattern!!  I used tweezers to remove any left over paper.


The Corded

I made a corded petticoat to go with all of my 1830s dresses using Sugar and Cream crochet thread, but I wanted a corded petti that would give my 1840s skirts the correct bell shape.  For this one I used a thicker string.  I can't remember the width as I am number challenged....


Petti before being starched.


The brand that is available at my local store.


I actually make up the starch in a non reactive metal pot!  Works perfectly!


After soaking the petti in the starch, I drape it over a large trash can covered with a large black trash bag.  For this one, because it has a draw string closure, I had to lift it off the ground on one of my patio tables.


After the petti has dried, it can quite literally stand by itself!  Crazy!!!


Sooooooo....here is the crazy petti after I ironed it.  
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I was sort of freaking out at the insane bell shape of the thing!  I tried it on and after laughing myself hoarse, I just didn't know what to think of it.  So, I put one of my 1830s plain pettis over it....



Ok, this is much better and doesn't look so ridiculous!!  I may or may not make a couple of new plain pettis...We'll have to see how much time I have left over!!!

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My sweet 18 year old son!!  I am so very blessed to have him in my life!

Be blessed my friends and I hope your weekend is tremendous!!

g



25 comments:

  1. Everything looks amazing!! Your work is just so beautiful and authentic looking. I love it all!

    For the quilt eye design, did you draw one repeat on computer paper and then copy and print many pages, or did you hand draw the whole thing all the way around the skirt?

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    1. Thank you so very much my friend! The "authentic" compliments are the best ones of all and it is what I try to achieve when I make these clothing...like they look "real"!

      For the quilt eye design, I hand sketched it keeping the center of the "eyes" at 6" apart. I then used a sharpie to make the lines visible through the printer paper. After taping a bunch of printer papers together, I took the original eye and traced that one over and over (14 times to be exact), joining them as I went to get the design. Does that make any sense whatsoever? I hope so! hahahahahaha!!! If not, let me know!
      Blessings my dear friend!
      g

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  2. the two petticoats look awesome!! you are so talended ;)

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  3. Congratulations on your son's birthday!! You two look so sweet together! :)
    I love your petticoats! Goodness gracious, your corded petti makes mine look SO limp. Even though I starched it. I think a restarching is definitely in order! I made my own starch, but clearly didn't make it strong enough!
    Your quilted petticoat is to die for! Those gorgeous diamond lines are something to be proud of! And I love the fabrics you chose. I thought that inner one was some sort of amazing reproduction quilting fabric because it really does look authentic!!
    I can't wait to see your whole outfit!! Eeeek!! :)

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    1. Thank you Esther! He is pretty awesome and seriously fun!
      When did you make a corded petticoat!? That's so cool! I thought you only did vintage stuff! Whoot!!
      The diamond lines left my legs hurting from doing all of the marking of the lines on the floor! ACK!!! The inside cotton is pretty awesome. I love that I got it at Walmart and it looks authentic! Perfect!!! Oh and the brown silk is a curtain panel I got at a thrift store!!
      Blessings!
      g

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  4. amazing!!!!!!!!!! and isn't starch a fabulous thing? ;)

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    1. Thank you so much Samantha! Yes, starch is so incredible!! And a pain to iron.....
      Blessings!
      g

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  5. Oh, Gina - the petticoat looks like the authentic one from the museum :) Well done!

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    1. Huzzah!! I love compliments like this so much!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!
      Blessings!
      g

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  6. Lovely in all ways, Gina! Your petticoats are fabulous.

    Best,
    Quinn

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    1. Thank you so much Quinn! I want to wear the brown one on the outside! hahahaha!
      Blessings!
      g

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  7. Oh I've always wanted a quilted petticoat, and if I used your method maybe I wouldn't go bonkers making one! Yours turned out beautifully.

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    1. Thank you so much Christina! Oh, I hope you do make one. They are truly easy to make. It is just a bit time consuming with all the stitching of all the lines....but it went together quite smoothly!!
      Blessings!
      g

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  8. Fantastic quilting job! I'm so impressed.

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    1. Thank you so very much Cassidy! I just hope that this little venture in sewing machine quilting doesn't take me down a rabbit hole to regular quilting!! hahahaha!
      Blessings!
      g

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  9. Your petticoats are awesome! Very inspiring. The quilted one is beautiful.

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    1. Thank you so very much B!! I'm just happy all the stitching is done!
      Blessings!
      g

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  10. First, happy (belated) birthday to your son! 18 is a lot of fun!

    And second, whoa, I need a moment to just stare at your petticoats! That corded petti starched gives just about the same loft as a cage crinoline = mind blown. Oh, and that quilted one is AWESOME!!! I am just in awe of your ability to see something and then make it...your methods are incredibly creative and the results are always just as amazing, if not more, than the originals!
    Keep inspiring us, Anneliese :)

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    1. Thank you Anneliese!! My Cody is quite a fabulous kid! He is very much enjoying being 18! The starched petti is crazy! And really does act like a hoop! My quilted petticoat reminds me of your colorful outfits that you make...they need to get together I think!!
      Blessings!
      g

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  11. Wow I love these petticoats! There's so much beautiful work in them. The paper idea is brilliant and I may have to steal it.

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    1. Thank you V! And please, steal away! I stole it from Great Grandma, and I know she would be pleased that her idea helped someone!!
      Blessings!
      g

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  12. Cousin, I LOVE LOVE LOVE these petticoats!!! I am going to have to make a quilted one now for our reenacting! Great Grandma Walters was a genius! Any more gems you'd like to share?��

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  13. Hey Gina ! Your reproduction is really impressive
    I was wondering where do you find your patterns? Or if you maybe have a link where I can find them? I'm also working on a dress from the romantique era and I can't succeed to find patterns..
    In hope that you can help me. Here is my email:
    ceheivi@gmail.com

    xx

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    1. Thank you Lea! I didn't use a pattern for this petticoat, just sort of decided how wide I wanted the hem and how long I wanted it. I will be emailing you with the places I get patterns for my other projects!
      Blessings!
      g

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