Make a Petticoat

Since the 1500s, women have worn petticoats, or pettiskirts, under dresses and skirts to create a fashionable shape. They were especially popular in the 1950s, when poodle-embellished circle skirts were all the rage. Today, fashionistas often wear them as a skirt, rather than underneath. It is a simple matter to stay in style when you know how to make a petticoat. Since tulle and other netting can be scratchy and uncomfortable, recycle an old half-slip as the lining and simplify the construction even more. However, this page will offer you methods for both!

Steps

Starting from Scratch

  1. Grab your measuring tape. You'll need to measure from your waist to the desired spot on your leg for length and around your waist. The first one will be how long your petticoat is (from waist to knee, say) and the second one gives you the proper length around (it'll bunch up significantly).
    • Once you have your waist measurement, multiply it by 2 1/2. That's how long your piece of material needs to be. Cut your fabric (tulle or crinoline) with these two measurements in mind.
      • For the purposes of this article, tulle will be referred to as the fabric.
  2. Join the two cut edges. This will form the base of your skirt shape. Since tulle is rough to the touch, you'll want to use your sewing machine to sew down both sides of the seam, keeping it from being itchy and irritating.
    • Start from the bottom and go to the top, leaving an opening to step into.
  3. Sew the top of the tulle at the waistline to prepare for gathering. There are a few ways to do this and if you know of another, by all means use it. Here is one method to get the job done:
    • Use a buttonhole thread and zig-zag across it, creating a channel to use for gathering later. You may need a special foot on your machine to do this. The thread should be able to be pulled out when you're finished.
    • Sew from the inside-out; the material will travel better as you sew along the loop if you do it from this side.
  4. Grab some petersham grosgrain. You'll want a length that's long enough for your waist, plus an inch or two (2.5 to 5 cm) for overlap. Place a pin at the mid-point and quarter-points. Do the same to your tulle (this is to make sure your fabric gets spread evenly along the waistband).
  5. Pull out the buttonhole thread. It will force the tulle to gather as you do so. Continue this action until the tulle is gathered to the desired width for your waist. When the pins match up, that's it!
    • Pin the grosgrain to the top of the tulle at different lengths. For the final pin, wrap the buttonhole thread around it to keep it from moving as you sew.
      • Pin the tulle evenly to the grosgrain as this will be how it lies when finished.
  6. Sew the grosgrain to the tulle with the zigzag stitch. Since tulle rips fairly easily, the zigzag is a good stitch to use. Once you've sewn all the way around, remove all the pins. Double-check to see if you've missed any!
    • If there's any excess tulle above your seam, trim it down with a pair of scissors. It'll be less itchy and less likely to tear.
  7. Add bias binding to the opposite side of your grosgrain. This fills out the waistband, reinforces it, and keeps the edge of the tulle from irritating your skin. Just eyeball it as you sew.
    • You can use a straight stitch for this part. Sew the bias binding at the top and bottom, with a negligible seam on either side.
  8. Add a hook and clasp to either of the open sides. Remember how you didn't sew it all the way up at the beginning? That's so you can hook it together as need be. Now's the time to add a hook and clasp and then you're finished!
    • Whatever style you have at your disposal should work. The grosgrain and bias binding are sturdy enough to support most clasps.
    • If you'd like ruffles, use the same method you did with the waistband and simply add a long, wide strip to the bottom.

With A Half-Slip

  1. Grab your slip and measuring tape. Measure the width of the slip at the widest point on the hips. Multiply that measurement by 2.5 and add 1 inch (2.54 cm). You will use this as the length of the tulle or crinoline strips. It needs to be considerably wider than your waist to allow for gather.
    • Once you have that, measure the desired length of your slip and divide it by 4. This will be the width of the first strip (the subsequent strips will be based off of this length (and referred to as the "width base.")). Pieced together, they will comprise the length of your petticoat. Allow an extra inch (2.5 cm) for seam overlap.
    • In case you haven't noticed yet, this tutorial uses a slip instead of making your own waistband -- it's a bit easier this way.
  2. Cut your fabric. Both crinoline and tulle work -- tulle is puffier but it's also itchy and rough to the touch. Either way, you'll end up with three pieces that are exorbitantly long and ranging for not very wide to marginally wide. The technical terms, if you will.
    • The first strip should be the strip width base by the strip length.
    • The second strip should be 2 times the strip width base by the strip length.
    • The third strip should be 3 times the strip width base by the strip length.
  3. Stitch each of the strips together across the short ends. Use a 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) seam allowance. Your result will be 3 loops of equal length and non-equal width.
    • Once you've completed this part, zigzag stitch one long edge of each strip to keep it from unraveling. The zigzag stitch is great for reinforcing and preventing tears.
  4. Set the stitch length on your sewing machine to its longest setting. Make a line of stitching 1/4 inch (.6 cm) from the unfinished long edge of each tulle strip. Using the straight stitch here is fine.
    • Make a second line of long basting stitches 1/4 inch (.635 cm) from the first. The two parallel lines are strengthening, pleasing to the eye, and aid in gathering.
  5. Pull the top threads in each stitch line to gather the top of the petticoat strips to the same size as the slip. What was once 2.5 times the width of your waist should now resemble a human-sized width. They should all be perky and ruffly now!
  6. Pin the widest strip to the slip. Align the top hem of the strip and the bottom hem of the slip to one another. Stitch the strip to the slip with a 1/2" seam allowance. Again, a straight stitch is appropriate here.
    • Make sure you pin it on and sew evenly! You don't want it bunched in certain areas and laying flat in others.
  7. Subtract 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the strip width base. Pin the middle strip that measurement above the top of the strip you attached to the slip. Basically, if your widest strip is 15" (38 cm), you would have 4" (10 cm) of it showing at the bottom of your petticoat. Stitch the second strip to your slip using the same method as you did with the first.
    • Pinning first is always easier and guarantees that your ruffles lay evenly.
  8. Pin the last strip the same distance above the top of the middle strip. Then, stitch it to the slip using the same method. Your petticoat is now ready to wear under your skirt! Your once boring slip is now frilly and adds volume to any dress!
    • If it's not ruffly enough for you, simply add another tier. Or three.

Tips

  • You could always combine these two methods to make a tiered-petticoat without a slip base.
  • You can also make the ruffles narrower and add more layers for a fluffier petticoat.
  • Generally, you should keep the top quarter of the slip free of tulle so that the waist of your skirt fits correctly. If you do not plan to wear it under another garment, add ruffles all the way to the waist. Add a fabric waistband or a wide leather belt.
  • If you want to wear your petticoat as an overskirt, you can alternate the tulle layers with cotton, polyester or knit ruffles. Any fabric appropriate for dress- or skirt-making works equally well.
  • Stitch some lace along the bottom hem to complete the look.
  • To lessen the scratchy feeling of the tulle, the bottom layer can be made of organza.

Things You'll Need

Starting from Scratch

  • Tulle or crinoline
  • Pins
  • Scissors
  • Sewing machine
  • Buttonhole thread
  • Bias binding
  • Petersham grosgrain
  • Measuring tape
  • Hook and clasp

With A Half-Slip

  • Half-slip
  • Tulle or crinoline
  • Scissors
  • Sewing machine
  • Thread
  • Measuring tape

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Sources and Citations

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