An 18th-century Style Petticoat!

I made an 18th-century style petticoat out of a lightweight ecru/beige muslin. I basically followed A Fashionable Frolick's tutorial, which I recommend. It was thorough and explained not only what to do well, but why in addition to different methods one could use.
I am extremely happy with this petticoat! It was also very straightforward to make.

I cut my fabric out - 120" by around 40" - then pinned the sides together, leaving the pocket slits open. I used the mantua maker's stitch which I really like the finish of - it is essentially a rolled hem but both edges are rolled together. It is similar to a felled seam, but you don't have to stitch the seam twice and you don't see your stitching on the outside/right side.

Next I leveled the hem and then hemmed it using a small rolled hem, which took a little while.

I finished the pocket slits using a rolled hem
.
I then pleated the front and the back. I had never pleated before so that was exciting. Following the tutorial, I made a 4" box pleat at the center of both front and back (back is an inverted box pleat) then 1" knife pleats pointing towards the center back - so on either side of the front box pleat the knife pleats point towards the pocket slits while on the back the knife pleats point towards the center box pleat. I sewed everything down about 1/2" from the top of the petticoat.

I sewed the waistband on next. I just used some of the muslin I cut off the hem when I leveled it as I had enough that was about the same width (or close enough it would work out when it was sewn on). I sewed the waistband onto the front, a little bit below the 1/2" seam from the previous step.

I actually stitched the side ties/tapes on next. I used a 'natural' color, cotton, herringbone, 1/2" wide twill tape for the ties. Each of the 4 ties is 30" long, with about a 1/2" of one end sewed firmly to the petticoat and the other end with a rolled hem to finish it.

Finishing the waistband, I stitched it to the back layer of fabric, taking care to not go all the way through to the front of the petticoat.

I am so very happy with how this turned out! I love the shape it has.

What I learned: how to pleat: box pleat and knife pleat, how to level a hem

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