Thanks to this most inspiring book, which has arrived in my life.
“Fashions of the Gilded Age” by Frances Grimble.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fashions-Gilded-Age-Volume-Undergarments/dp/0963651757
“The Dimity Bustle”
“Drafting”
The drafting for this book uses a special scale system, which I admit took a while to get my head around, but for this particular pattern its at a 1/4 scale. So using Abobe Illustrator I drafted this out by measuring the book and then x4, I printed out onto A3 and joined together. This would be easily drafted by hand by drawing the downward measurement at 1st: book=189mm x 4=759mm. Parallel at the top 2nd: Waist book=31.5mm x 4=126mm. Then parallel at the bottom 3rd: bottom Hem book= 67mm x 4=268mm. So by joining up these the slopping back angel is achieved. Measure down for the bone channels and mark horizontally. Then you just apply this technique to the side panel.
Looking closely at the drawing, inside there is another 2 panels with ties and buckles, these must help keep the shape of the bustle, laying onto your behind, helping with the elevation. With this in mind I decided to cut x4 of the Side Gore panels to make these Inside Gore panels.
The pattern in the book does not include the Frill or the Waist-band. My back waist corseted measurement is 380mm so take this add on 100mm (50mm each side) and then 30mm deep x2. The frill, I took the Back bottom hem measurement x3 then added 30mm to each section so to achieve a good ruffle, this will need a small band for the buttons, to attach to the Bustle. I decided to keep this Frill plain and not add Lace, I am thinking Pleats.
Now to the choice of fabric… I was very tempted to go down the route of some of the glorious examples I had found, brightly coloured or striped but the beauty of this choice of bustle, it has the removable frill which I can at a later date can change, make the same fabric to match the dress.
http://pinterest.com/pin/98516310569018660/
I already have some good sturdy crisp cotton but its very pure white and feel that the excuse is there to try Tea Dying, I really want a natural antique colour, just off white. Also its always good to use up fabric which you have already, AND I have already put this through a quick wash in the washing machine which saves me another job.
Materials which I need are:
- 1.5m Cotton – Bustle
- Boning channel = 2.1m
- Plastic Whale bone = 2.1m
- Tipping fluid
- Grosgrain ribbon
- D Rings = x12
- Cotton Tread (natural cotton)
- Buttons for the detachable frill x5
“Suppliers”
I have a couple of websites I use for supplies,
also a couple of shops here in London Town.
Vena Cava Design
Great website for Corset and Lingerie supplies but also a fantastic source for Historical Costume Patterns.
I love this website and I have to be very careful when shopping here, far too tempting. Great service and delivery.
http://www.venacavadesign.biz/VCD_shop/index.php
Sewing Chest
UK Mailorder of Sewing Supplies for Bra & Corset Making, Period Costume, Dance Leotards and general sewing.
I have been using this Company for a long time and they have never let me down.
http://www.bramaker.co.uk/catalog/
Cloth House
I love the Fabric from these two branches of this wonderful shop. The range and quality is absolutely fantastic.
The cotton fabric I used for this project was purchased from the No.47 shop and the buttons from the No.98.
http://www.clothhouse.com/home.php
MacCulloch & Wallis
A trusted and extremely amazing place for such a wide range of things, its so worth a very good look.
This is where a I found the D Rings.
http://www.macculloch-wallis.co.uk/
“Tea Dying”
There were plenty of good clear instructions to be found on-line, all which varied from the amount of water to tea bag ratio. One thing I did pick up was to use budget tea bags (my better half would not be happy if I used the good tea bags, I can imagine the look on his face), so this also ends up being very cheap.
The tea bag to water ratio obviously depends on the colour you want to achieve. I did some tests is a smaller saucepan with some swatches of my fabric. If colour is too dark, add in some more water one cup at a time, and reheat. If the colour too light, increase the amount of tea bags to water ratio. I started with 1x bag : 3x cups, then added more water, 1x bag : 4 cups. As i only want a very subtle colour, I kept going and ended up with 1x bag : 16x cups = 4 Litres. This volume will be made bigger once I get dying.
- Put your material into a large pot and fill with warm water, enough that the material is submerged.
- Soak the material in the pot for a few minutes, then remove from the water and set aside.
- Measure the water as to your tea bag to water ratio and bring to the boil on the stove, then turn off the heat.
- Steep black tea bags in the hot water for about 15 minutes. I used ‘1x’ tea bags to ’16x’ cups of water, my tried and tested formula.
- Remove the tea bags and stir your dye with a wooden spoon to make sure the water in the pot is a consistent colour. I would double check and test the colour & darkness of your tea dye again, with a small piece of your material (pre-soaked) and immerse it in the dye for about 10 minutes. Remove the test piece, dry off and then iron it so that it’s completely dry and you can see its true colour, as it will look darker when wet.
- If the dye makes the fabric your desired colour, place the soaked material back in the pot. Make sure that the fabric is immersed, and allow it to dye for about 10 Mins (stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for a more consistent colour and to prevent the tea from settling in the folds of the fabric). Also from my experience with any sort of dying its better to dye each part on a small scale rather then trying to fit the meters of fabric in a pot. Yes I have a big pot but you can gently fold the fabric in rather the squashing it and so to avoid getting patchy, uneven cover and crease marks. I also discovered that the water should be put through a water filter. As a cup of tea the hard water film on the top collects a stronger colour which as you pull the fabric out makes a stronger patch.
- Rinse out the fabric with cold water.
- Put on a spin cycle in the washing machine.
- Iron all pieces to dry, believe me its so much easier to iron when damp.
The tea dying took most evenings of my week as i am also making a Victorian Chemise using a Simplicity pattern#9769, and a set of open drawers using Simplicity pattern#2890, which I want the same colour, but hey all good practice.
What I also found, was to put the water through a drinking water filter. The same happened as when you make a cup of tea, you get a residue which floats on the surface. This then, when you pull the fabric out, makes darker patches, which you don’t want.
“Construction”
The instructions in the book are very good, but I thought all the help I can get is always invaluable. I have a couple of fail safe resources which I trust two which I look at daily and another which I knew had a bustle on-line lesson.
“Daily visited”
http://www.foundationsrevealed.com/
http://yourwardrobeunlockd.com/
Both of these websites have the most wonderful wealth of information that I know of.
worth every penny!!!!
A self paced, subscribed lesson, again there are things which other people can teach you which you can never teach your self…
“I believe there is no one way of doing all things, and sometimes another way could be better suited to you, there is always more to learn”
With the use of all of the direction above…… I compiled these instructions:
- Join together Back Panels with a French seam, Press.
- Sew on Boning Tape Channels.
Make sure not to sew to the edge on one side, within seam allowance for the boning insertion. Back stitch and reinforce. - Hem edges: Top, Long edge and bottom on Inside Gore panels (I used my roll hemming foot.. am in love)
- Hem edges: Long Edge of Side Gore Panels.
- Join together and french seam Outside & Inside Gores to Back (french seam), making sure to keep the boning channel open at one end.
- Hem bottom edge.
- Gather top into waist band.
- Finish Waist band and add ties set of D rings.
- Add internal ties with D rings.
- Make up detachable frill with pleats and button loops (my preference), then add buttons to Bustle.“Note to Self” To make life easier next time…. http://www.beaufrog.co.uk/dressmaking/make-a-pleating-board/487
A couple of pictures to help the above….
Ta-daaaah!!! This bustle has turned out rather on the petite side but I am extremely happy with the finished result and I feel is very close to the illustration. It would be very easy to make the shape more extreme using the same techniques. The Chemise (Simplicity Pattern#9769) has turned out extremely full, involves a lot of volume of fabric, so being rather small build and frame it feels rather on the large size. It very flattering around the shoulders. The Drawers (Simplicity Pattern#2890) definitely are a winner.
Most of all…. Yippee!!! Victorian Underwear is complete!!!!! 😀
akamissupton 
We’re a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our
community. Your websie offered us with valuable info to work on. You’ve done an impressive job and
our entore community will be thankfful to you.
Hi, the whole thing is going sound hee and ofcourse every
one is sharing facts, that’s truly good, keep uup writing.
Amazing! Its actually reemarkable article, I havbe got much clear idxea oon the topic of from this article.
This website was… how do you say it? Relevant!!
Finally I have found something which helped me.
Thanks!
Hola! I’ve been following ylur weblog for a lng time now and finally got the courage to go aead and give you a shout out from Houson Tx!
Just wanted to say keep up the good job!
Hello colleagues, how is everything, and what you wiush for to
say concerning this article, inn my view its genuinely amazing iin support of
me.
Hi there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it’s truly informative.
I’m gonna watch out for brussels. I’ll be grateful
if you continue this in future.Numeous people will be benefited from
your writing. Cheers!
Αfter going over a few of the blog aгticles on your
ԝebb site, Ӏ honestly appreciate your technique of blogging.
I book marked it to my bookmaгk weЬpage lіst and will be checking
back in the near future. Please visit my web ѕite too and tell me how yoս feel.
certainly like your weeb site but you have to take
a look at the spelling on quite a few of
your posts. Maany of them aare rife with spelling
issues and I find iit very troublesome to inform
the reality nevertheless I will definitely come again again.
Magnificent site. Plenty of helpful info here.
I’m sending it to a few buddies ans also sharing in delicious.
And of course, thanks in your sweat!
wonderful put up, very informative. I’m wondering why
the other specialists of this sector don’t realize this.
You should continue your writing. I am confident, you have a great readers’ base already!
Appreciate this post. Let me try it out.
I was curious if you evеr considered changging the stгucturе оf youг site?
Itss veгy ѡell written; I love what yoսve got to say.
But msybe you coluld a litle morе in thhe way of
content so people could ϲonnect with it better. Youve got
an ɑwful lot of text foor only having one
or two images. Maybe you could space it oսt Ьetter?
Thank you for every other informative web site. The place else may I am getting that
type of information written in such an ideal way? I have a undertaking that I’m simply
now running on, and I have been at the look out for such info.
Its like you learn my thoughts! You appear to understand a lot approximately this,
like you wrote the guide in it or something. I think that you just
can do with some % to pressure the message house a little bit, but instead of that, this is
excellent blog. A great read. I will definitely be back.
It’s difficult to find educated people on this topic,
but you seem like you know what you’re talking about!
Thanks
It’s hard to come by educated people in this particular subject, but you sound
like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
When someone writes an piece of writing he/she keeps the thought of a user in his/her brzin that how a user ccan know it.
Thus that’s why this article is perfect. Thanks!
I’ll immediately clutch your rss feed as I can’t to find your e-mail subscription link or e-newsletter
service. Do you’ve any? Please permit me recognize in order that I may
subscribe. Thanks.
Yoou Һave madе some rеally ցood points theгe.
I cnecked on the internet to find ߋut moгe about the
issue ɑnd found most individuals ѡill go аlong with your views οn thiѕ site.
Мy brother suggestteɗ I might like this bloց. He uѕed to be еntirely right.
This suуbmit actually made my day. You can not consiider juѕt how
muchh time I had spent for this іnformation! Thank you!
I go to see every day some web pages and bogs to read posts, except this webpage presents
feature bzsed writing.
Itѕ like yyou reaɗ my thօughts! Yoou seem to know
a lot about this, such аs yyou ѡrote tɦе
guide in іt or something. I feel that you could do
ԝith some pwrcent to pressure the message home a bit, however other than that, that is excellent blog.A fantastic read.
І will definitely be back.
Good rеspond in return of this questyion with solid arguments and describіng everything concerning that.
Thanks a loot for shharing this with all of us you really know whqt you’re speaking approximately!
Bookmarked. Please also visit mmy site =). We could have a link
exchange contract between us
I enjoy looking through a post that will make people think.
Also, many thanks for allowing for me to comment!
I think this is among the most vital info for me.
And i am glad reawding your article. But want to
remark on some general things, The site style
is wonderful, the articles is really nice : D. Good job, cheers
Thanks for another grat article. Where else could anyone get
that kind of information in sudh a perfect means of writing?
I’ve a presenntation next week, and I am at the
look for such info.
wonderful issues altogether, you simply won a emhlem new reader.
What may you suggest about your post that you made a few days ago?
Any certain?
Terreific work! This is the type of info that are supposed to bbe shared across the web.
Disgrace on the seek engines for now not positioning thhis post upper!
Come on over and visit my web sitge . Thank you =)
You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to
be really something that I think I would never understand.
It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me.
I’m looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of
it!
Very few internet websites that take place to be comprehensive below, from our point of view are undoubtedly well really worth checking out.
Hello I amm ѕoo grateful I found your site, I really found yoou Ƅy mistake, whіle I was researching
on Aol for something else, Anyhoѡ I am here now and would just like
to say cheеrs for a mɑrvelou post ɑnd a all round entertaining blog (I also ove tthe theme/design), І don’t have time to read
througɦ it aall at the moment but I have saved it and also added your RSS feeds, so when I ɦаve tіme I will be
back to read a lot more, Please do keep up tɦe great աork.
Hmm it seems like your blog ate my first comment (it was extremely
long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog.
I as well am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to the whole thing.
Do you have any points for newbie blog writers? I’d
definitely appreciate it.
Ahaa, its nice dialogue regarding this piece of writing at
this place at this web site, I have read all that, so at this time me also commenting at this place.
It’s a рity you don’t hɑve a donate Ьսtton! I’d cеrtainly donate to this excellent
blog! I suppose for now i’ll settle for book-marking
and ɑdding your RSS feed to my Google ɑccount. I look forԝard to
fresh updates and woll shɑre this website with my Facebook
group. Talk sօon!
Hello there, I dixcovered your website via Google while
looking for a similar matter, your siye came up, it appears good.
I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hello there, siimply became aware off your weblog via
Google, and located that it’s truly informative. I am goinjg to be careful for
brussels. I’ll be grateful forr those who continue this in future.
Numerous people will probably be benefited out of your writing.
Cheers!
Hey there! I know this is sort of off-topic but I needed to ask.
Does operating a well-established blog like youurs take a massive amount work?
I’m completely new to operating a blog but I do write in myy diary on a
daily basis. I’d like to start a blog so I will
be abe to share my experience and views online. Please let me know if you have any ideas or tips for brand new aspiring bloggers.
Appreciate it!
Hello everyone, it’s my first visit at this site,
and paragraph is truly fruitful for me, keep up posting these types of articles
or reviews.
Great delivery. Solid arguments. Keep up the great spirit.
I’m so glad I found this weblog; I do not want to study anything elxe att this time!
Hello there, just became aware of your blog through
Google, and found that it is really informative. I
am going to watch out for brussels. I’ll appreciate if you
continue this in future. A lot of people will be benefited from your writing.
Cheers!
I am extremely inspired with your writing skills
and also with thee strucure for ypur blog. Is that this a paid subject matter or did you customizee it yourself?
Either waay keep up the excellent quality writing, it iss rare tto look a
nice weblog like this onee today..
I think this is one of the most ijportant information for me.
And i’m glad reading your article. Butt shojld
remark on few general things, The web sote style is great, the articles
is really excelldnt : D. Goodd job, cheers
Withh havin so much content do you ever rrun into
any problems of plaorism or copyright infringement? My site has a lot of completely unique content I’ve either authored myself or otsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up alll over the
web without my permission. Do you know aany methods to
help stop content from being ripped off?
I’d certainly appreciate it.
Hi there this is a subject which raises its ugly head a lot in my mind. The problem with the internet is I dont think people realise they are because its so easy to do… Or they just dont care. I am very careful on the content I publish and credit people always and plug any books that I am using. I would like to discuss this further 😀
Keep this going please, great job!
Youu actually make it seem so eaxy with your presentation but I find this topic to be actually somthing wbich I think I would never understand.
It seem too complex and extremely broad for me.
I’m looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to
get the hang of it!
Have you ever thoought about adding a little bit more than just your articles?
I mean, what you saay is valuable and all. However imagine if
you added some great graphics or videos to give
your posts more, “pop”! Youur content is excellent but
with images and clips, thijs blog could definitely be one of the greatest in its niche.
Good blog!
Everything is very open with a very clear description of the challenges.
It was definitely informative. Your website is very helpful.Many thanks for sharing!
I really like studying blogs! I know how hard it’s to
write down a text that is not only right, but additionally which means some thing to readers!