The Ultimate Underskirt

I've always made my underskirts with the forepart attached.  They worked great until I realized that I'm always searching for some type of extra fabric to make the skirt and then use the extra for lining for the forepart.  It's a lot of work cutting them out, piecing them together and pleating them into the waistband.  There simply had to be a better way and a more historical way to do this.

Now, I'm not a huge historically correct gal.  I try, I really do, but there are some things that are easier to modern way, like seams and hems.  So, I did some research and found they DIDN'T make an all in one underskirt/forepart.  They made one underskirt (or a few) and many foreparts that were pinned onto the underskirt. DUH!  Wish I would have done this research earlier!  I probably had, but didn't pay attention to it.  Now, with me making numerous gowns for myself (and others) I can see why they did it this way.  So, from now on, I'm following this history lesson!  LOL!

I started this underskit by searching for some type of fabric that was light enough to match the foreparts I plan on using yet sturdy enough to stand up to the abuse it's going to go through, not to mention sturdy enough to withstand the pleating and pulling, etc. etc.  I usually used a lighterweight upholstery material (think tote bags) and sewed the forepart right into the front section and then lined it.  Knowing what I do know, I opted to find something different, something that wasn't going to be too heavy and have a great drape.  Color wasn't real important, as it's not going to be seen, and I wanted something that wasn't going to break the bank.  I found exactly what I was looking for at our local Hancock Fabric.

It's a rather ugly color (for me).  It's like lavender with more pink than purple. It's also a linen look a like and a bit on the heavier weight side so it will work great.
If you've never made an underskirt, or an overskirt for that matter, there are a few things you need to know.  One, you want to make sure you measure your length of the skirt OVER your underpinnings, such as your hoop and bum roll.  You don't want to cut it without this or it's going to be too short.  If you don't have help to measure this distance or don't have a dress form, the easiest way to remember is to add a minimum of 5-6 inches to your waist to floor measurement, that is, unless your bum roll is 5" then you want to add a few more inches.  You'll need the length to go over your hoop and roll and extra for a hem.  Betty is a big help to me for this.  I always put my stuff on her and then measure.  It doesn't change each time, but I always play it safe.   And I always add an extra 2" to this measurement to have extra for the hem area.  What can I say, I really like playing it safe! 

Now that you have your length measurement, you can decide on the amount of fabric to get.  Usually 3 to 4 yards will work and will give you extra to play with for the waistband. 

Another tip I recently learned:  If you have shoes with any type of heel that you'll be wearing with this, measure yourself with them on and set your dress form to that height, or add that amount of inches in to waist to floor measurement.  Nothing like cutting it and then being those 2" or less short on the length.  There are ways to correct that, but we're not going to go into that now.

Next, measure where you want your forepart to lay.  Usually it's the side of the waist to the side of the waist around the front.  This will be the first measurement you'll write down.  Measure the bottom the same way.  You're measurements aren't going to be the same, so be sure to measure from the side waist to side waist on the bottom.  It's going to be 60+".  Measure from the front center waist to floor.  This is your length. The first piece you're going to cut is this center front piece.

Fold your fabric and lay it on your cutting area.  From the center fold, measure out half of the waist measurement plus 1/2" or so for a seam allowance.  Measure down the fabric to the front center waist to floor length.  Mark it.  Then measure from the fold at that mark to the side waist to side waist bottom section and add 1/2" or so (if you can).  Draw a line from the fold to that measurement.  Now, draw a diaginal line from the top to the bottom. This is now your center front. Take the remaining fabric and measure out the length you got from your measurements and cut your remaining panels. You can have two or more extra panels.  The number of panels will determine how full the skirt is.

Once you have all your panels, pin them together starting with the front center panel and working out.  When you get to one of the seams (usually in the back) leave the top portion open about 5-6".  This is to help you get into it where the wasitband will button/hook. The front center panel will not match up exact on the bottom with your other panels and that's ok.  Just make sure the top is even.  We're going to fix the bottom later.  It should look like this.

Once all your panels are sewn together, it's time to fix the bottom.  You're going to draw a slight curve to match the edges.  It's handy to have a frech curve for this.

Then you're going to cut this portion off and even the seams.

See how nice it is now??

The waistband is next.  Measure your waist measurement WITH YOUR CORSET ON!  This is very important because that measurement can differ 1-3 inches depending on how your corset is designed/made.  When you have this measurement, add 3-4" to it.  Take a piece of your remaining fabric and measure out that length.  The width is up to you, if you like a nice wide waistband or a thin one.  I prefer them a bit wide as it feels more secure on my body.  You're going to need some interfacing the same size as the waistband you just cut.  Put it on the way the manufacturer suggests (iron, sew, etc.)

If your open seam is in the direct back, mark your center front on the wasitband.  This will match up to the center front of the skirt.  Take one side of it and fold up a minimum of 1/2" and iron.

Fold it in half, right sides together, leaving the same amount on the other side.  In other words, if you measured up 5/8" you'll leave 5/8" on the other side, but if you unfolded the one raw edge, they would be even.  Get it?  Ok, now that it's folded, pin the side edges.  We're going to sew these closed.  I use my presser foot as a guage.  You can use what works for you, but remember, you've made it 3-4" longer, so keep your seams smaller and always reinforce them.

When your edges are sewn, snip the corner carefully so when you fold it over, you have a nice crisp corner.  Fold over and re-press it flat.  Now for the fun!  We need to pleat the skirt into the waistband!

If you have a pleater, use it!  They are a godsend!  Starting at the one of the side seams that attach to the center front section, pleat to the back.  The reason you're starting at this seam is you want the front to lay flat, no pleating! I like to have my pleats fall towards the back, so both sides are pleated that way.  One in one direction and the other side in the other direction so they match up in the back. You can decide what types of pleats you want, knife, box, rolled, etc.  If you click on the Elizabethan Costume Page link, there is a section in there that talks about the types of pleats and how to do them. Remember, you want the final measurement to be the size of your waist.  I know there is a mathmatical equation you can use to size your pleats, but I'm not very math friendly, so I use the 'trial and error' method of putting them in.  This is the easiest way I know to explain how I got my measurements right.  I measured the center front from seam to seam and divided it by two.  I added two other panels so I knew I needed each panel to be pleated to a certain size.  If you have more than two other panels, take your waist measurement, divide by two and minus half of the center front measurement.  Make sense?  One more thing...when you get to the opening you left, fold it even with the seam allowance.

Be sure to use pins, lots of them, and be prepared to poke your fingers.  It's not a true Ren gown unless you spill a little blood on it!  LOL

 Once you've made sure that it's the size of your waist measurement, CAREFULLY sew a seam across the top portion of your pleats.  This will hold them more secure than just the pins when you put it into the waistband.   If you have plenty of space, you can even put in two rows of stitches.  The pleats I have here are double knife pleats.  It pleats up fast and gives it plenty of body and 'poof' with taking up lots of fabric to get the size I needed.

Attach the waistband matching the right side of the fabric with the side of the waistband that isn't folded up.  I start at the center front and work my way around, thus the reason I marked it on the waistband.  Sew it down.  Fold over the waistband, fold up the sections that are not on the skirt and finish it.  You can either sew it down from the back around, hand stitch it (period way) or if you're real talented, you can 'stitch in the ditch' on the front of the waistband.  Remember, this skirt isn't likely to be seen by anyone but you.

More fun stuff!  Remember the center front section?  Well, the waist area on this needs to be cut into a curve before it goes into the waistband, but I've never been good at figuring the angle so I improvise with this skirt.  I put it on Betty and take a few little tucks here and there to where it lays flat.  That is the key.  Getting it to lay flat.

Once I'm satisfied with how the front lays, I whipstitch it to the waistband with tiny stitches.  As I said, no one is going to see it but me and I'm not showing it off to the fashion police.

Either put on the skirt with your underpinnings and have someone mark where the hem should be or put it on your dress form over your underpinnings and mark it yourself.  You'll want it to be up off the floor by about 1/2-3/4" so you're not tripping on extra fabric.  You can stitch it by hand or by machine, but make sure that you have the hem marked as it should be.  Most likely you'll have more fabric in the front to hem than in the back, due to the roll.  This is normal and the reason to do all the measurements first.  I highly recommend 'padding' the hem with another stiff fabric.  To do this, measure a strip of that stiff fabric to the size of your hem and add it on.  Done.

You can either add a button hole and button on the waistband or a hook and eye.  I have used both and depending on if I'm in my 'fluxuation' period (weight up and down) I'll add a dress hook and eye, the kind that has multiple eyes on the eye part.  Keeps the frustration down when I put it on.  This is period, well a regular hook and eye.  

One more step down!  On to the forepart!