Making Edwardian Costumes for Women by Suzanne Rowland

Author:Suzanne Rowland
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Crowood

Detail of the original hem showing the facing with wool braid sewn along the bottom edge. (Worthing Museum and Art Gallery)

BODICE

Cutting and mounting

Press the fabric and if using wool shrink by hovering the steam iron close to the surface to shrink; then allow to dry. Fold the fabric in half lengthways with the selvedges matching and place all pattern pieces on the fabric with the grain lines following the straight grain of the fabric. Pin in place and add seam allowance. Pattern markings need to be transferred onto the wrong side of the centre back panels and the wrong side of the centre front panels so that the pleats and tucks can be sewn in place before mounting.

Before mounting the bodice with the striped lining, the tucks at the centre back need to be formed. There are three tucks at either side: each one is 0.5cm deep and they are machined in place and pressed away from the centre back. The original garment has a line of machining at waist level over the tucks, as indicated on the pattern. This is an additional process to help keep the tucks lying flat and facing in the same direction. The process was not done on the reproduction bodice.

The front panels have three pleats at either side of the centre front opening. The pleats are machined from the lower edge to the waist on the reverse side of the bodice and then working from the right side the pleats pressed towards the centre front and tacked in place to make mounting easier. A dart on each side of the bodice is also closed before mounting. To close the darts, working on the wrong side of the fabric, fold the dart down the centre, pin in place and machine from the wide end to the point and press towards the centre front. At this stage close the corresponding dart in the front bodice mounting fabric.

To mount the bodice sections place the right side of each outer section face down on a flat surface and place the corresponding mounting pieces on top. When all pieces are flat and smooth, pin in place following the seam lines marked on the mounting pieces using a single thread to sew a row of tacking along each line. Mark balance points such as the shoulder point at the tip of the sleeve head and the sleeve front and back balance points.

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