Centuries-Sewing

Tag: Bodies

  • Petticoat Bodies Done!

    Petticoat Bodies Done!

    I’ve had the petticoat bodies done for a few weeks now and completely forgot to post the finished photos here.

    Opps.

    In my defense I haven’t been able to get photos of me in them yet, part of me wants to go out and rent a chicken (can one rent a sweet-tempered chicken for photos?) and get a semi-period looking backdrop going on, but right now that doesn’t look like it is going to happen.

    Where we last left off I had things to fix in the bodice, and after pinning sections, unpinning them, and squinting in the mirror I realized the shoulder straps had stretched out despite my efforts at steaming the bias stretch out of them. I took them up at the back shoulder seam and everything fell into place.

    Petticoat bodies and green apron Petticoat bodies front with no apron close up Petticoat bodies front with no apron full shot Petticoat bodies front with apron full shot Petticoat bodies back

  • Finishing up the Petticoat Bodies

    Finishing up the Petticoat Bodies

    The holidays are over, I’ve eaten my own weight in cookies and it is time to finish up the petticoat bodies.

    Last time I posted I finished the bodice and put in the lining. Over the holidays I cut out the skirt, hand sewed it together, and bound the hem.

    Red wool fabric for the petticoat bodies skirt

    My camera did not like this shade of red most of the time.

    Petticoat skirt pattern laid out on the red wool fabric

    Still not the correct shade of red.

    The skirt only took 2 yards and 7 inches of fabric and I was able to use the off cuts and scraps for hem binding.

    Scraps used to bind the petticoat skirt hem

    My handful of scraps before making the binding.

    Running stitch used on the petticoat skirt hem with linen thread

    I used the running stitch for skirt construction with the occasional backstitching where gores met for extra strength. The fabric is a lightweight flannel and doesn’t fray so I don’t need to worry about finishing the edges.

    Flattening the petticoat skirt seams with a wooden clapper

    Clapping the seams!

     

    Whipstitching the petticoat skirt edges down with linen thread

    I left the skirt side seams open at the top so I’d have access to pockets. To finish the edge I just whip stitched the fabric down.

    Petticoat bodies and sleeve on the dress form

    How it currently looks with at least one sleeve pinned on and the basting threads still in.

    Up next, troubleshooting the armscye problem area! My experiment in using wool binding has made that area stiff + the seam allowances from where I pieced the strap. Pinning the sleeve on also caused some pulling. I may need to adjust the angle of the strap by unpicking the binding and adjusting where the strap and bodice meet. What do you guys think?