Making Pantalets from the 1820's

I hope you are liking the 1820's right now, because I am. :)  I've just finished up a pair of pantalets from that era, and yup, that's what this blog post is about :).  I love them, even if I did have to restrain from making tucks.  (random facts about me, I love making tucks and flat felled seams.)

I used a CW drawers pattern (Simplicity 2890), but adjusted it so that the legs were not as full, and took out the tucks.  They legs are attached to a waistband, like the ones below, instead of tying on separate.  I am not sure yet, but I think I will wear these as CW drawers as well.

My original plan for these pantalets was to put some Broderie Anglaise around the bottom like the two pairs feature below.  I did a lot of reading but I wasn't feeling very confident about doing the Broderie Anglaise...so I didn't.  I'm still not exactly sure how it's done...but I did learn a little bit.  At first I thought you just punched holes in the fabric and sealed it off with like nail polish or fray-check, or I'm not sure what.  *wince*.  I now know that it's similar to eyelet...but different.  And that's the part where I was getting confused.  And so we move along.

When I saw this picture of some 1820's pantalets that had lace insertion I thought I'd try that.  I do understand how that is done and had been wanting to try it for several months.  

original pantalets

After that I'm not really sure what happened...I think I just wanted a little bit of colour at the waistband.  I had some early 19th century embroidery patterns printed out from a previous project, and so I just did a little embroidery there.  And then I think I wanted the colour at the hem too so I just went ahead and did embroidery there as well.  At first I thought I wouldn't like it, since I prefer a more simplistic look, but it's just enough to add detail without being over the top.  

french knots!! :)

china buttons

yes...the do split.  It's slightly disturbing to me still...

forgive the skinnies and the sweater :P I didn't feel like getting all garbed up for a picture.  :O I'm currently sick. blah.

I would have done more of a tutorial for you, but it was literally just attaching two legs to a waistband.  And my embroidery skills are not even close to being good enough for a tutorial on that.  I will do a lace insertion tutorial one day, but until then, here is a good site to check out. :) 

I'm happy with my new pantalets. A very time consuming project, but rewarding :). 

~Theresa