Nice and Plump, a Quilted Rump

Well, I've come to the conclusion that skirt supports are beneficial, very beneficial actually. Not only do they help prevent un-needed strain on the waistbands of heavy skirts, but they prevent discomfort on your waist as well. Plus, they give a nice poof, and help achieve a more period skirt shape.

For a year and a half now, I've been planning on make a "hip roll" or some other type of tie on "bum roll" to wear with Rev War outfits. This was my plan until a few months ago, when I saw Lauren's rump for under her wedding dress, and Merja's quilted bum pad. I should also mention this excellent post on 18th century skirt supports. After that I decided on more of a pad instead of a roll.

I had some linen scraps in the stash, so I put those to good use. For the batting I used cotton fluff. I apologize, but I did not take pictures of the beginning process. But to make one, you basically cut two pieces of fabric , the width of the back half of your body. or a little more. Then you quilt it in some manner, with fluff between the two layers, pleat the waist, and attach it to a tie. It's very basic, and overall does not take much time to complete.

Here is mine :)

the false rump quilted, but not pleated

quilting :)

close up of the waist pleats. My bum pad was substantially thicker than Merja's, so I was not able to do as many pleats as she did. I have a total of 4 pleats. 2 knife pleats and 1 inverted box pleat.

showing about where it came after I pleated it.

finished :) Madame is modeling it for me

If you've got a few hours on your hands, I suggest you make a quilted rump as well. I can see this being one of my new favorite items in my historical wardrobe.

~Theresa

Another Quilted Sunbonnet

Last night I finished up another sunbonnet, this one being for Caroline.  It too is made following the instructions from Sarah Jane, except that I did not quilt it in diamonds, but it squares this time instead.  I'll probably do diamonds on the next one though.

Total cost of this bonnet: $1.50.

it's some-what hard to see the quilting because of the fabric pattern, but that's the quilting.  It's harder to see the piping as well, but I still put that in there too :).

 

She wore this bonnet to the Civil War girls camp she is helping with today, and didn't get any un-lady-like red marks on her nose or cheeks :).  Hurrah for the sunbonnets! 

 

~Theresa

A Quilted Sunbonnet





I must admit I thought slat/corded/quilted bonnets were some of the ugliest things I'd ever seen.  I thought they just looked so odd...and not pretty at all!  (I used to think Toms shoes were ugly too, until I got a few pairs :P).  But this was only until I got the sewing urge to make one...and then they just seemed lovely.  :)

 

At first I had planned on making a bonnet from this fabric for my little sister's bff, but the bff thinks that these bonnets are ugly still, and after I'd made it I just had to keep it for myself. :P I'm horrible about things like that!  I'm currently in the midst of making another bonnet like this out of a blue and white gingham curtain for Caroline. 

 

This fabric is a $2 curtain I bought at the VV, the function ties are 1/4 inch cotton twill tape, and the batting was from my cousin's deceased grandmother.  I'm not sure if the batting is cotton or not :?.  As for a pattern, I followed Ms. Sarah's instructions in her tutorial she's put on her blog.  It did take a whole day just about though. 

side view

neckline piping

quilting

more quilting :)

ties

Caroline being sweet and modeling for me.  She'll be wearing this bonnet tomorrow and Thursday
during a Civil War girls camp she's working at, unless I hurry up and finish hers :).

Overall I'm very happy with this bonnet and the pattern.  It was very easy to understand and construct, and I think the finished result is quite nice.  So what I'm really saying is I love this bonnet! :D  And it will be good to have when doing a more working class impression, especially if I'm outside most of the time.   So yay!  Now back to the sewing area to sew up another one!



 

~Theresa