Yoked Petticoat update - L

Back from vacation, and I'm back to work on my yoked petticoat.  Being a 'robustly' shaped woman, I decided that I wanted the bulk of multiple petticoats, but not the volume around the waist.  After aggressive web search, I decided to try and make a two layer petticoat with the underlayer corded and the top layer ruffled and attach them to a yoke with a single waistband.  I made up a yoke from scratch (and scraps patched together see sally petticoat) and made a corded layer.  I plan to add some more cording at the bottom of this layer IF I have time.  I already have about 35 rows.  Next I made an A-line muslin layer and stitched 5 tiers of gathered tulle to it.   The plan is to attach muslin ruffles over the tulle ruffles to smooth them out.  I have enough room to add another layer over those two if I really need it.  But I don't think I do.

I used about 60 yards of tulle.  Pretty much a nightmare, but pretty!  I cut muslin ruffles about 3 inches longer than the tulle ruffles.  I want them to smooth the tulle tiers so I'm starting each one under the edge of the row above it and letting it hang down over the next row.  And I'm adding lace to the bottom tier.  In case I get dancing like a crazy woman and my petticoat shows!
(I don't really dance, but I do sometimes act silly)
This just sounds so simple and straightforward.  And it is.  Except for the volume.  For example, the center tier (pictured here) ... the base muslin is about 90 inches in circumference.  There is about 13 feet of tulle gathered for that layer, and about 10 feet of muslin I'm TRYING to gather over it.  I get it pinned.  I moved it to the machine.  I only hear about 2 pins drop.  I get the fabric in the machine and realize I've probably lost 4 or 5 more.  Then a random but of tulle pulls the thread out of the needle and I have to re-thread it.  The ruffle is shifting due to lost pins!  Sigh!

Here is what it looked like.  I felt like a marshmallow.
A very dainty, fluffy marshmallow.

Once I got 4 tiers of muslin sewn down, I tried it on to see how it was going.  I didn't bother with a corset, since my goal was to figure out if the length was OK and if the muslin layers smoothed the tulle enough to prevent a bumpy silhouette.

I got a couple of blurry phone pics.  Don't blame the phone, though, blame the dusty mirror.  I love the ruffled petticoat.  And the lightweight cotton plaid for my dress seems to hang pretty smoothly.  Hurray!  (I really did NOT want to make another layer)  You can just make out the canvas yoke in the picture.

After I finished I decided to add a piece of stiff interfacing to the bottom of the corded layer.  It gave me a better shape.  I also make a little 'pillow' for my backside.  Again, to help the shape
of the skirt.

Short Sewing Sunday

We've been quiet, but busy.  We each have multiple projects in motion at once, and at various stages of completion.  This last Sunday, we got together to do fittings.  We thought we might squeeze in some actual sewing, but fitting took precedence since that's one thing we can't do on our own.  It's a shame, really, since sewing underthings like petticoats is generally boring, and waaay more fun to do in company.

Lisa fit her renaissance corset for the final time, and Robin reset the back strap placement so the straps stay on.  All that's left is closing the boning channels and binding the top.  Lisa also fit her 1840's bodice (a couple of times) and determined the hem of her multi-layer petticoat (which means she also knows how long to make her skirt).

Robin fit her 1840's bodice and a ballgown bodice.  She also got to try out her new corset.  PRETTY!

But first, a quick science picture!

Did you get a chance to see the Venus Transit?  We did our best with a telescope lens and a magnifying glass (the image is projected on a blue shopping bag).  See the faint circle in the upper right quadrant of the picture?  We're pretty sure that was Venus (black dot inside the circle).  thanks Greg!

So we will try to take more pictures soon.  And really, how many pictures can you expect from an afternoon of corset and bodice fittings?  We were really busy and often fairly naked.

And if you haven't been following recently, here's what we've been up to:
Men's Frock Coat

Yoked Petticoat - 1840's
Elizabethan Corset
(scroll to the end of the post for the most recent updates)

We will start posting on our 1840's dresses soon.  They are still mostly just ideas.