how do I?

[mamaculby]

Hey costumers!  I'm looking for a tutorial or something on how to make one of those victorian overskirts that are a semicircular gathered bib with a bustle in back.

Kind like the front of the first one on this page but i want it to hang lower in front and a different bustle:  http://www.demifashions.com/catalog/demipatterns.html

the only thing I can figure is to basically make a whole top skirt and then just tuck it up and gather it in the back for the bustle?

basically, what I'm doing is retooling the alice dress i made for my daughter into a victorian little girls dress for "Christmas Carol."  I got a darker calico and then a solid darker blue to do a ruffle and I thought that shape would work well with the alice dress and tone down the light blue.  I'm also changing the sleeves and adding lace and buttons etc to the top of the dress but that's another matter entirely.

Any help would be appreciated.

[CptnDenim]

This is a link to a burlesque skirt tutorial that would be pretty good as an overskirt. Warning, there is quite a bit of leg showing 

[url]http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/burlesque_bustle_skirt/url]

Also, the patterns on truly victorian have come highly recommended. I have not personally used them, but have seen the finished results and they are exquisite.

also, bustle skirts look better if you have the support under the skirt - either the little cage, or a tiny pillow on a ribbon. This affects the way the hem of your underskirt lies. I always notice when someone is using a skirt that hasn't been hemmed for a bustle with one. I could just be a costume snob, but that sort of attention to detail adds some extra oomph to a project.

This site is good for inspiration, and the patterns are also free
[url]http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/freepatterns/index.html/url]

There are several good articles about how costumes developed during that time period, and accessories,  if you care to go into that level of detail.
 
Good Luck to you and Break a Leg to your daughter!

[Alexus1325]

I've made the Autumn Overskirt from Truly Victorian. It was so darn easy, like all the TV patterns! Everything is so well explained, and I had myself a lined overskirt in about 2 hours.

Here's kinda-sorta what it looked like, but the front part was attached underneath the "tail" in a certain place, and it was probably pleated differently, but this is kinda the right idea.



Aside from the TudorLinks free patterns, there's also La Couturiere Parisienne. There are 3 "skirt draperies" in the Patterns & Making section for 1880-1899, but there are no photos of the completed overskirts, meaning you'll have a nice surprise when you make a mockup

I'd also suggest looking at old fashion plates and playing around with crap-fabric. Hope that helps

[mamaculby]

Thanks to the both of you for replying.  I ended up just figuring it out on my own yesterday.  I'm sure it's not perfect but I'm happy with it and so is she so it'll be ok.  I'll post a pic of the finished dress when i'm done.