Making Victorian Underwear Essentials: *All the Lace* Corset Covers & Petticoat

Hello everyone and welcome to a new video!
I was feeling a little overwhelmed with all my options for projects, and so I asked my friends over on Patreon and making some new Victorian underwear won the poll! I'm so grateful to have been steered towards this project because it was a real joy to work on it. The goal was to make frilly, lace-y items that would be passable for historical underclothing for more historically adequate costumes, but also that I could rotate into my wardrobe if I wanted some Victorian undress, ephemeral vibes for the summer (though tragically I only finished these items towards the end of summer, as always my timing is... questionable).
For these, I used plain lightweight linen from my stash - around 1 meter or so for each corset cover, and then two or so meters for the petticoat, since it's more calf-length than full length. For the patterns, I drafted two patterns from the 1880s for the corset covers from Fashions of the Gilded Age by Francis Grimble, which is based on original historical drafting instructions. I will be scanning these patterns and putting them up on my Patreon, if you're interested comment below so I know to prioritise them! For the petticoat, I used my Keystone skirt draft (more about that in my walking skirt video, I'll link it below), which I shortened and added two ruffles too, one as a long rectangle of linen, and one of lace. I then added some decorations such as lace insertion and applique, threaded ribbon, and tucks. I'm so pleased with the overall look and the petticoat has such as wonderful shape, I'm sure it'll be incredibly useful for all my skirts!
-- OTHER VIDEOS --
The Keystone Walking Skirt • Making a late Victoria...
Edwardian corset cover • Making a Corset Cover ... (I prefer these two new ones to be honest!)
Late Victorian corset • Making a late Victoria...
Corset content playlist • The Corset Content No ...
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[@DUNG30NDUCK]

It's a very odd mental discipline thing to forgive yourself into just making something on a whim that's more freeform than firm calculation when one is so hard on oneself. The two-tone lace is another example of forgiving *yourself*, no-one else is going to be as hard on yourself as you are and it looks great. What you've made is gorgeous, practical and breezy and I hope it's empirically useful for letting yourself forgive yourself in the future 💜

[@CatsCostumery]

This is a great message, thank you! ❤

[@moonbasket]

I love the look of the green ribbon with the two colors of lace. It makes it look intentional. My favorite piece is also for sure the petticoat. It looks so nice! Layering two types of lace is so ingenious.

[@inkwingart]

I love making corset cover-style tops in colorful fabrics. I have one in a seafoam green, and it's one of my favorite tops ever. They're so delicate and breezy and fun for warm weather.

[@CatsCostumery]

What a great idea, I'll try this too!

[@makeda6530]

As someone who finally started a real corset last week, you just reminded me I don’t have any type of historical chemise. Oops. Yours are so cute as always.

[@kikidevine694]

How did it go?

[@mermaidstears4897]

The trouble with most modern “white” fabrics is that they are actually “optic white” instead of the softer bleached white of antiquity. I’ve reached the point where I also tone down optic white linen and cotton.

[@tenaoconnor7510]

I never thought about modern white being so bright as a posed to antique white. I’ll have to remember that in the future and tea dye my shifts and things. I can’t afford linen at the moment so I have bought a nice muslin to make a shift, in white of corse lol. Have to do a test sample😊

[@makadoodledoo]

@@tenaoconnor7510 *opposed

[@MichelleSMV]

The “wisdom” of not making a mock up that truly plagues us all 😅🥲 ( or maybe I’m the one always plagued because I rarely do them). The lace in the petticoat and on the corset covers are so pretty ❤ ! Love it!

[@charlarp]

They are so lovely, my favourite is the petticoat as well. FYI, that corset is gorgeous! I even loved the look of just the chemise with the corset and petticoat together, such a beautiful combination on you!💕🇨🇦

[@bunhelsingslegacy3549]

I agree, that petticoat is GORGEOUS, and now if I ever find lace I'm willing to use, I'm tempted to make one like that since I've drafted and mocked up the keystone skirt pattern for myself already.

[@MsHedgehog]

The whiter lace one the first one looks like an intentional design choice to me 😄

[@karlaverbeck9413]

What a lovely petticoat! Everything goes together so well.

[@aprildriesslein5034]

I've definitely looked at corset covers and thought they'd make lovely blouses. Now I really want to make one!

[@ChayatsujiKimono]

I've definitely worn my corsetcovers underneath a waistcoat as part of my late-victorian/early edwardian historybounding looks. Mine (antiques but mint condition) are slightly too short to be able to be worn on their own. 100% recommend doing this!

[@Sew_Learning]

Always impressed with your talent, Cat! This has inspired me to make one, as I have this book (somewhere). Sending best wishes from Down Under 🥰🌺🌻🌸🌼💐🇦🇺😎

[@jenniferstocker5462]

After watching how much fun you had and how pretty these all are, I kind of want to spend a while this autumn just updating/making some underpinnings from different eras...thanks for the inspiration!

[@CatsCostumery]

They were high rewards for sure! ☺

[@bohemiansusan2897]

Was a lot of fun to see how you made stuff. I use Dylon to dye things rather than Rit. Both are what is widely available in the states. I also soak yellowed fabric or lace in boron powder and a small amount of bleach for a day or two to restore whiteness. I often don't do antique lace I tend to like cream colored fabrics and lace. Somewhere in my future are Victorian underthings sans corset in black. As I wear mostly black, it makes sense for me. I don't look forward to dying trims black as I often have to do it thrice. I might get lucky and find black lace that is perfect for what I have in mind. It happens from time to time. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with in the future.

[@tenaoconnor7510]

How beautiful 😻 😻😻 you could wear those as awesome summertime outfits. Could make the corset covers In lots of different materials 🤔 💡 💡💡 brain is buzzing lol. Beautiful corset ❤I love the gold flossing 😻 I wonder what it would look like in silver thread or a copper color. Too many wonderings and not enough time or corsets lol. Need to make a flossing sampler to try the different ones 😊

[@tricia2701]

That insertion lace! OMG, beautiful!

[@Meredith36]

These are very pretty and it was so cool watching you crear them 💚🪡💚

[@lucyannethrope7569]

OMG 🤩😍. It looks absolutly wonderful!!! Really, really good looking. And don't be sorry you didn't do it before the summer is over. It's soon winter here and I don't think my winter coat will be finished in time for the cold this year...

[@BethAge95]

All the pieces turned out lovely!

[@kaitlynroberts5027]

Lace insert petticoats are just so charming and pretty. I just love all the little details.

[@laniinla2354]

Absolutely lovely!

[@robintheparttimesewer6798]

Oh everything is looks stunning! It's a shame that summer is definitely over. Please write a note so we can see you wearing them next summer!

[@pippaseaspirit4415]

They are so pretty and the petticoat is wonderfully floofy!

[@LovedSarita]

I love it!!!! I really need to make me an outfit for modern were!!! I just love that Edwardian look! 😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@ladyjo581]

Absolutely stunning work! 💙

[@InThisEssayIWill...]

OMG Cat! These are SO. FREAKING. CUTE.

[@aeolia80]

My mom is a costumer and made a corset cover not that long ago, for a colleague, yes she was paid for it, lol, and recently it was featured in Time magazine (was it Life, I don'tremember), lol, because what my mom didn't tell me was that it was for the new musical Parade on Broadway 😂😂😂

[@CatsCostumery]

That's so cool!

[@TheVadsten]

Turned out sooo pretty!

[@lucyj8204]

You've really tempted me to try some insertion lace because you make it look so easy, and it's so pretty. Lace and frills that only you see is such a wonderful indulgence. Another great video, thanks!

[@tricia2701]

I think the first corset cover is lovely. I’m thinking it would look adorable in a light, printed cotton. I’d wear it as a top.

[@KenZchameleon]

That petticoat is so pretty! Well done on everything! 😍

[@AnniCarlsson]

Oh. So lovely look. Me need to make this to for have on as tops

[@milliealger3539]

It's beautiful

[@m.maclellan7147]

Everything turned out SO well ! Lovely 😍

[@Ameia108]

Гениально!❤

[@trishblakely3476]

These are so sweet and perfect! Thank you for sharing the process.

[@darkred83]

They all turned out great! Beautiful work 😍

[@vernieplummer5148]

You said coffee staining and tea staining interchangeably over the course of the whole video. Which did you do? LOL i’m just teasing you, but I would like to know.

[@vernieplummer5148]

I do think that those little camisole tops would be very cute to wear with jeans or shorts in the summer. They would even take a skirt up a notch to be less casual.

[@CatsCostumery]

I noticed this as I was editing! I was intending to coffee stain in, and when I got to my kitchen I didn't want to waste any coffee and I just wanted it done quickly, so I used tea instead in the end 😂

[@kateatschool]

You're sewing skills are so good! You can just make these from pattern diagrams! I especially like the one with the green ribbon

[@isabellaferretti7279]

So pretty!

[@glittermytimbers]

Do you know where you got that lightweight linen? I had a terrible time finding anything light enough that was still a fairly tight weave.

[@kerriemckinstry-jett8625]

I can't find any for a reasonable price, but I did find a 33% cotton, 67% linen (or close to those percentages) fabric from Joann's. It's lightweight, soft, & lovely.

[@CatsCostumery]

I got this one from fabrics-store.com! They often run promotions and sales on it, so I'd keep an eye on the website, I was super happy with it but I have heard from some people that the lighter weight isn't as hardy wearing as it might seem, especially if machine washing, so I'd just be wary of that ☺

[@WhiteOwl1958]

Those are so locely.

[@milliealger3539]

I am clueless on how to make them from a picture in a book to a patern that will fit me.

[@elizharber3564]

✨🧵

[@apriljodoin9643]

So pretty🎉

[@bluestar.8938]

Thank you : )

[@mandylavida]

Adorable!

[@twinnish]

Very prett, so dreamy and romantic

[@m.maclellan7147]

P.s. what kind of sewing machine is that ?! (Recently got "into" antique sewing machines !)

[@CatsCostumery]

Mine is a Singer 185K from the 50s that was a friend's grandma's, I absolutely love it ☺

[@lydzphens]

❤❤❤

[@magikdust2095]

This was a good video, but I'd prefer it without the music.

[@milliealger3539]

It's beautiful