A Super Simple 18th Century Underpetticoat Hand Sewing Tutorial 

My pleasure! Pleats 100% don’t need to be perfect 😊

Ah such lovely timing! I'm glad it will be helpful. Are you planning to make an under petticoat or an outer petticoat? If outer, I would recommend having two side slits, using two metres (one metre for the front panel and one metre for the back) and I also recommend then having two sets of ties (where they can be tied front to back and then back to front). I also recommend you make it longer (if historical accuracy is what you're going for). The shorter length demonstrated in this tutorial can also be used though for a cute history bounding outer petticoat, but it wouldn't be made as an outer garment historically at such a short length. If your plan is to make an undergarment or under petticoat, then follow this tutorial exactly as is :)

@@VBirchwood was planning to make an under petticoat and will definitely use this tutorial

@@loretta2539 Ah perfect then! This is exactly the right resource. Please Instagram or email me a photo once it's done, I would love to see!

I'm not quite comprehending the slit portion of skirt. I may have missed that part somehow...I thought at first it was merely a drawstring of sorts to make one size fits most. Where do you find this cotton tape? An can you make by hand? I make most by hand Where do you find 100% wool for this garment I haven't found any in my area very much would like a woolen one for winter. Sorry for so many questions an thank you for answering the others much appreciated. Thank tou

Thank you!! 😊

Thanks for sharing that about your experience with the hand crank machine! Hand cranks are a beautiful option, and they make you feel very close to your work. Plus so many of them can sew through things like leather, which electric machines can struggle with. It’s lovely that you’ve managed to find a compromise that can keep you sewing, regardless of what your disability might throw at you. That’s amazing 😊 Warm clothes are definitely a must, as you say, if you’re moving north. This petticoat would be a super excellent option for an extra layer of warmth, and just to trap in some of the heat closer to the body. I think your ideas of using a wind-proof fleece and a quilted one with wool batting are perfect for serving as a source of heat. Additionally, you might consider cotton moleskin. Though cotton isn’t always the warmest material, because moleskin is a fustian, I find it to be quite toasty, and can often be sourced for more affordable prices because of its prevalence.

My pleasure! Thanks for watching. I have never made one myself, but perhaps if I do I will film it for RU-vid 😊

@@VBirchwood I'm sure whatever you do would be fab.

@@skirtedgalleons thank you for your support 😊

Thank you so much!! I'm glad you found it so enjoyable 😊 What pieces are you planning to make first to build it up?

@@VBirchwood I think starting off with a shift is pertinent and then a petticoat, both easier and doable for my skill level. Because of my skill level right now I don't think I will be able to construct a corset any time in the near future but I want to make a basic walking skirt and some sort of white blouse. I don't want to get ahead of myself too much, but building some basics is where I want to start. I have such a yearning to strictly sew "historically accurate" but I don't think that is realistic at the moment, but maybe eventually! :)

That all sounds like a great plan! I highly recommend a Regency day dress as a simple starter project, as the silhouettes are super simple, etc. and it is all in one so it makes you feel proud and accomplished after you've made one 😊 To be fair, I completely understand the pressure for wanting to be historically accurate, but the reality is no one can be completely historically accurate ever because a lot of materials we have today aren't made the same as they used to be made, and all of us only have a small glimpse into what history was actually like for people, and portraits/extants are a limited view into what reality was. Therefore, we are all just interpreting history at the end of the day and trying to do as well as we can with the understanding we have. I always say just do your best with the knowledge you have in that moment, and that is more than enough! Hopefully, that can take some pressure off of you, as I know how that can feel.

@@VBirchwood oh that seems like a great idea 💡 Yes I totally agree with you about historical accuracy 👏.

Thank you so much for the helpful tip June! I greatly appreciate it. I actually mostly use a brass thimble these days as I finally found one that actually fits my small fingertips. But anytime I use a leather one again, I will be sure to use your wonderful tip! 😊

Thanks for your thoughtful comment Erica! It truly is amazing how there are so many different ways to construct the same garment, and no one way is correct or right.

Also, thanks for reading the entire description. Not sure how many people do that, but it is much appreciated!

Thank you so much Starlight Saffire for your very kind words 😊 In the beginning I'm wearing a sort of 1890s-inspired jacket, but it is historybounding and definitely not historically accurate, and then underneath I am wearing a chemisette and a silk blouse. You definitely aren't alone with that desire and intention, and I guarantee there are others out there like this as well! My plan is to film a wardrobe tour closer to the end of the year!

Enjoy!! Tag me on Instagram please :) I want to see the result!

Glad it’s helpful! 😊

Thanks so much for watching Mackenzie! I just had no other twill tape available, so I made due with this, and it is extremely comfortable. The top of the wool really pads out the band, especially with all the pleats, so I don't feel it one bit. Additionally, it isn't bulky at all, which I think adds to the comfort. You should use though whatever width of twill tape that you feel most comfortable with! The widths of waistband tapes (and materials used) varied so much in the 18th century.

Thank you! It’s great there are so many different ways to pleat 18th century style skirts. And when looking at extants, pleating style varies greatly as well. Seems to be a lot of creative liberty in that regards 😊

@@VBirchwood the funny thing is that I didn't know that was what I was doing: I made them for historical Bounding, but different centuries. 🙂

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Do you mean other 18th century petticoat tutorials or more 19th century? This tutorial would actually be almost the same as making a pleated 18th-century outer petticoat (or some people just call it a skirt), except the hem would be longer, the skirt would be made up of 2 panels and would be pleated with the entire width of the fabric on the front and back, and it would have two side seams with two slit openings and two sets of ties.

@@VBirchwood Oh I meant more 19th century-ish

@@xill5119 Ah yes. Those are a bit more complex. I definitely will consider doing a tutorial on that construction in the future. Thanks for the request :)

@@VBirchwood Thank you too, have a nice day

@@xill5119 You too 😊

Thank you for watching and for your compliments! You can absolutely do any of those things, as there are really no rules to something as creative as historical hand sewing, there are just guidelines. Because we are all just interpreting history, there is really no one answer to any of this. As for it being longer than calf length, you can absolutely tailor the length to anything that works for you. Since this petticoat however was an "under petticoat" it wasn't the outer most petticoat or skirt, and therefore extants tend to show that it was on the shorter side in order to lessen the weight lower down at the legs. Some were cut though lower towards the ankles as well. The outer petticoat would have been cut longer, depending on the use, and would have been seen on the wearer, while the under petticoat demonstrated in this video would have been an undergarment. I actually do recommend using at least 2cm+ width twill tape, as the twill tape I had was on the thinner side, but it was all I had available. Outer petticoats often were made with a band made from matching fabric, and under petticoats sometimes were too, so it's completely possible to use either tape or a strip of fabric made into a bias tape and then with twill tape ties attached to both ends for tying. The only thing is that because this shorter under petticoat was worn under stays, I hypothesise that a thinner waistband was preferred in order to increase comfort and reduce bulk (it had a very practical design). I only used 1 metre of fabric for my own under petticoat because that's all I had available, but typically it was made with two metres (or even sometimes more but that's an entirely different discussion), one for each side of the petticoat, which would mean more pleating, a thicker petticoat, and more warmth in turn. It can be done either way and is completely up to you. Outer petticoats were usually made with two slits, one on each side where the panel seams meet. Since this is an under petticoat, however, one side (from what I can tell through extants) was usually preferred, and I believe this again was done to reduce bulk under the stays and to increase comfort. The great thing about a simple garment like this is there is no one "right" way to do it, and it is completely customisable and can be personal to you. As is the case with most historical sewing! It's a very creative, solution-oriented practice. Hope this helps and happy historical sewing! 😊 Oh! I thought I'd also add that if you do have two slits, one down each side, the way it would historically be tied is with two pairs of tape ties, so one on each side for each panel, and then the back panel ties would be tied towards the front and then the front panel ties would be brought to the back and tied towards the back. Then you can just tuck the ties in. Forgot to mention this :)

@@VBirchwood thank you so much for the time you took replying to my questions. I am so new to all of this but have always had this insane draw to it. I'd love to blame Outlander, but I know the obsession began when I was a girl with the Salem Witch trials, Practical Magic and learning about my family's heritage.

@@daughterofthewildwood7468 My pleasure! I completely understand the obsession, as I have had the same inkling since I was a very young child due to many museum trips which made me obsessed with Georgian and Victorian art and architecture, which certainly also propelled me into this entire journey. My best advice is, just go for it and follow the direction that draws you in! 😊

I believe they’re just different cuff types. The fold over cuff is something you see a lot more in menswear historically or in ladieswear inspired by menswear to my knowledge.

This is just how I sew it personally. It's impossible for us to say in what order people used to sew garments, as everyone likely had their own methods, and clothing practices weren't written down and documented much in the 18th century. So this is just the way that works best for me, but different people will have different methods 😊

I’m so sorry 😞 my condolences for your losses

@@VBirchwood thank you ,Iam heart broken and in shock😔💔

Blessings

Absolutely! The length of the skirt is completely customisable to whatever you need. I just chose half calf because that’s what I wanted, but you can definitely make this one whatever length

Thank you for watching! I have never had that happen before, and have actually never heard of that happening either. I've actually heard the opposite, that waxing silk thread benefits it in many ways including making it stronger, making it get less tangled, and also making it stiffer, and therefore easier to work with. This is, of course, for hand sewing thread. I hardly ever use a machine (and don't even own anything but a hand crank vintage machine) so I wouldn't know the first thing about machine thread! But this is what I've learned and understand about hand sewing with silk thread.

Logically speaking, I would imagine that waxing the thread would actually prevent thread dye from running, because it would almost create a protective film or barrier that would lock in the dye. If that makes sense. Do you remember where you heard this information? I'm curious 😊

Hmm interesting. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard that in Nicole Rudolph’s video, and she also advised not to use waxy tailor’s chalk, but I’m going to check again

Ok, I checked. It’s in her Tailoring 101 video, time stamp 24:53. But she says to not wax thread when working with silk because it can stain the fabric permanently once you apply heat. So I guess when you wax your threads when working with other fabrics it should be fine

@@justyna1263 Just actually found this info too with a little digging!! That makes a lot of sense, as I haven't used the waxed silk on silk, but do you it for wool, cotton, etc. So many nuances in historical sewing woohoo.

Спасибо)) тебе понравилось?

@@VBirchwood да) хочу тоже что-нибудь из шерстяной фланели теперь себе сшить!