Silk 18th Century Petticoat in Blush

My holiday morning coffee

This is how I like to holiday. It's camping...of a sort.

Queen sized bed on it's own folding base, side table, duvet and pillows. Gosh, even my favourite linen bolster pillow! Coffee, a good lantern and some books. You can't see the shag-pile rug or the gold LED light hanging above the bed.

I admit, we do take rather a lot camping. It's my husband's fault. He insists we take our horse float. It means that nothing needs to be tied down or water-proofed. You just chuck it in and shut the ramp. I've built a shelf that fits at the mid-height, leaving us twice as much storage area. Bikes and surfboards under, suitcases and bedding on top. The rug went in to protect a surfboard, and the rest...well, there was room...so why not?

Well, camping is all fun and games for the kids, but sometimes it gets a little boring for me. I had brought along with me a couple of big hard-backs of garments from the Met. Museum - just your average holiday reading. I was reading up on 18th century clothing and underwear. But the natural outcome was the desire to start creating. So I went in search of a fabric store.

In fact, there was a fabric store and I was able to purchase a couple of fabrics, a sprigged cotton which I intended to use on a Regency dress at some time, and a blush silk. Sure, it was only dupioni silk, but for all that purists say it's sub-standard and barely fit for lining, I like it. I love it's slubbiness and it's lustre. I'll say it's an under-petticoat, and just enjoy the fact I'm wearing a silk petticoat, should that ever actually happen. Highly unlikely. For now, it's an 18th century silk petticoat that just sits in my cupboard and looks pretty. :-)

First, stitch up side selvage seams, then stitch (running) 10" pocket openings.

Pin up 1" knife pleats with large box pleat at centre front
and inverted box at centre back.

Cut waistband from self-fabric and pleat to match width, leaving SA at edge

Sew waistband to pleats using backstitch

Outside of waistband before whipped to inside

Finished waistband on petticoat

Bottom hemmed, tucks added by hand, and lace edging

Yep, the lace is probably terrible. I'll have to have a look further into that: lace is certainly something we 21st century women know nothing about! My daughter (16) doesn't even know what it is. For now, it's staying. When it has an actual costume to compliment, I will find out what kind of lace is appropriate and I think it will require a whole post.