How to Make an 1830s - 1840s Victorian Corded Petticoat

We're back with another episode of #SewingIsHard! Today we're going over the easy yet incredibly time consuming Victorian Corded Petticoat with Abby. From fabric to buttonholes, we cover all the ins and outs (and all the cording) for making your own corded petticoat - including when things don't go to plan!
Corded petticoats were how skirts were kept full and fluffy in the Romantic Era and early Victorian periods, before the invention of the cage crinoline wire hoopskirt. Many lines of lightweight cording were sewn into a cotton petticoat, and all of it was then heavily starched and ironed until it could stand up on its own! This kept the petticoat out and away from the legs, and when paired with one or more additional cotton or silk petticoats on top, created the beautiful bell shape of Victorian and 1830s skirts.
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#AmericanDuchess #sewing #sewingprojects #1800s #victorian #1830s

[@LizzieDeanMakes]

“If you choose to cord a pikachu into your petticoat” 😂😂😂

[@raraavis7782]

Now imagine doing this BY HAND 😲

[@AmericanDuchess1]

I did, and that's why I did it on the machine. hahahahah

[@raraavis7782]

😆🙏🤪

[@craftchild_9151]

😱😂😅❤ yeah....nope.

[@emiliesmith9917]

In the period, people could buy fabric with the cording woven in so it would be less hard

[@ecologicaladam7262]

Ha ha... yeeesss...

[@jattenbatten]

I really appreciated the segment on the back slit. You're clearly a very down-to-earth woman and funny as can be. I think we all have gotten so deep in our projects that we do something stupid, so I couldn't help but share sisterhood with you during that part. The clean-up people do to their videos to seem "more professional" makes it seem like professionals don't do things that make them want to pull their hair out either. Skill doesn't prevent errors, breaks do!

[@AmericanDuchess1]

Thank you! That's why I left it in, it would be very easy to cut out that whole bit, but Lauren and I think it's important to share the mistakes as well as the easy bits.

[@vnixned2]

@@AmericanDuchess1 glad you kept it in, it makes sewing seem less scary somehow, now only I need to find the courage to actually go try and make something myself

[@hakirby]

you should see her actual channel, it's just as bonkers. Sometimes there's dogs and three-in-a-bed with the neighbours.

[@shespeex8413]

You are so wonderful Abby! I love how you show the reality of your projects: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Happy sewing, yay! 🤩🥰💜

[@BB-or8gi]

Yes!! I use the spiral method as well.

[@alaskacosplay]

I am so happy this video exists. Although I used boning but using the same format in the chord placement.

[@lauramailhot1416]

If you use knitting yarn you actually have to cover in Modge podge or PVA glue to stiffen it then you can

[@io1380]

yay abby!

[@makeda6530]

So when's the corded Pikachu petticoat coming? 👀👀 Fun but relatable rage sewing can be.

[@Aryamoony]

I do the tucked method usually but I did the bag method in the past. I do not mark, takes too much time. I usually use an industrial foot that has a sort of ruler that measure distances

[@AmericanDuchess1]

great idea!

[@fishingwithdog3726]

In the part were you were putting you petticoat on you reminded me of darla from the little rascals

[@caitcook]

#PikachuPetticoats should totally be a thing!

[@nicoledeloncrais5940]

seriously welcome to my dyslexic world and the way my mega mixed up brain goes woopsy. Then I watch NORMAL people with sheer awe. Wishing everything didn't involve sooooooo much thinking. Thank you Abby again

[@AmericanDuchess1]

[@RychaardRyder]

Im honestly waiting for new era costube to discover this video and take this as a challange to make a corded pikachu petticoat!

[@greergarlick4675]

I think youre so funny, i enjoy listening to you 😄

[@AmericanDuchess1]

thanks!

[@greergarlick4675]

@@AmericanDuchess1 you're so welcome, thanks for enlightening me to the world of historical fashion, i am a beginner, so all of these would be too hard 😔 sooo much eye candy 😍

[@idontwantachannel7542]

Thank you for this video. I will never EVER make one of these O.O

[@verypaige8263]

I've made corded petticoats using the pintuck method and cotton organdy. It seems a lot easier and less time consuming than the shoving and sew method, but probably takes just as much fabric in the end. Your petticoat turned out nice though!

[@AmericanDuchess1]

I think it depends on the person - the 2 people I know who did the pintuck method were really hating their lives by the end of it. hahahaha :)

[@verypaige8263]

American Duchess I mean never in 100 years would I consider doing a corded petticoat for fun. 😂

[@AmericanDuchess1]

@@verypaige8263 BAHAHAHHAHAHHAHA :D

[@teh0auky]

@@AmericanDuchess1 As the one person who did the tucked method - can concur. hated life. -MR

[@Marialla.]

What is this pintuck/organdy method of which you speak? Where can I see an example so I know what you're talking about?

[@Alex-px9im]

hii, i'm new in sewing and don't know what a zipper foot choose, which one are you using??

[@louiselill1528]

Looks beautiful but something I won't be making not good enough yet .

[@roadrunnercrazy]

Lol! Too much work for me to attempt but very entertaining to watch you. Love the stays you are wearing at the end. Did you make them or have them made for you? They look more comfortable than a bra.

[@AmericanDuchess1]

Stays are from Redthreaded - we did a review about them on the channel. Abby's are the standard 1830s/40s stock and Lauren's are the Slyvie stays from the Atelier collection. www.redthreaded.com :)

[@lisacastano1064]

I'm thinking about making a short version of this to use under 50's style skirts.

[@AmericanDuchess1]

that would be cool!

[@naomikatepp]

Are you willing to share the ratio of the bottom him to the waist line? Because if I use 2 45 inch panels, but my waist is 46 inches it’s only doubling my waist. But if somebody with a 26 inch waist uses 2 45 inch panels, huge difference. Should I use 3 panels?

[@camilaterrazas2321]

this is kinda late, but thank you for this i want to make an Eliza Hamilton dress and these videos help

[@AmericanDuchess1]

Glad I could help!

[@agypsycircle]

Would it be historically accurate to add a placket when you make a mistake like yours? Or is that not something that was done in that era?

[@talosheeg]

You could! I'm sure someone out there did!

[@meineversuche713]

Hello there, I have watched your Video 4 times now, for some reason I think I chose the wrong cottonrope, mine looks thicker. I hope it turns out right... 😄 Thank you for the Video, I will write how it turns out

[@craftchild_9151]

I love your vids! Greeting from a fan in Germany! ❤ Btw tipp for not so historically accurate petticoats, but easier, take a cheap tired skirt or one with horizontal pleats (like those summer skirts) second hand and youll already have lines to follow with cording or frills. 😅 I'm lazy and mostly just sew for renaissance fairs/goth conventions. 😅

[@AmericanDuchess1]

thank you!

[@Sophie-kn5fo]

Thank you so much for this video! It's decided : i do it! Maybe just a little question if it doesn't bother you. Is it possible to do this with only a large piece of fabric without cutting? (45"x2 wide and twice the waist / ankle length ) i'm not very clear 😅

[@AmericanDuchess1]

yup! you can! You can fold it.

[@Sophie-kn5fo]

@@AmericanDuchess1 thank you! Ongoing project. I couldn't wait and I started following your instructions 😄

[@TheSerialHobbyistGirl]

I wonder if there's a cording presser foot that would work for this.

[@AmericanDuchess1]

Zipper foot worked just fine, and I have one of those clunky zipper feet

[@shelleymonson8750]

So, ... what _should_ you have done for the back slit? And would it have been okay to open one of the side seams for this purpose? I’m also curious whether they put pocket slits in these petticoats. Thanks!

[@melindabaranyinekovacs5461]

Me too, same question :)

[@emm612]

There most likely weren’t pocket slits! Pockets (in the Georgian sense of pockets that sit on a tape around the waist and are tied on) fell out of favor in the 1790s. The back slit, I think, would have been better to just cut and not squared off-just whipped around the opening. I think I’ve seen side openings at the seam line on extant pieces, but I can’t think of an example off the top of my head.

[@AmericanDuchess1]

Not cut a little bit at each side that created the square. And yes you could have done a side seam too - I just made the choice to to it this way. Looking back, I probably would have done a side seam, because pockets were worn in the 1830s (Workwoman's guide talks about them) and while I had a pocket slit in my gown, the weight of all the junk in my pocket collapsed my petticoats. So hindsight being 20/20 - yes to side seams and pocket slits! :)

[@melindabaranyinekovacs5461]

@@AmericanDuchess1 isn't it easier (I don't know if period correct) to cut a straight slit, then finish with bias tape, instead of hemming?

[@AmericanDuchess1]

Eh, that sounds like more work to me, tbh. Hemming isn't the problem, my idiocy with cutting was the issue. ;)

[@Marialla.]

I've never heard of a corded petticoat before. Was this some kind of alternative to a crinoline? Like, maybe it's got more movement in it, so it's better for daily wear?

[@AmericanDuchess1]

Marialla it came before the crinoline, but it was replaced when the hoopskirt became the fashion. 😊

[@barbmac75]

@@AmericanDuchess1I am doing reenactment. I was told I can’t wear a hoop with my dress because it is a work dress. So, I have a corded petticoat while the other ladies wear hoops.

[@spoekscosplay1360]

Is the type of cord you use important for this? Should it be cotton? Or could other materials work too?

[@AmericanDuchess1]

Cotton is the best choice, indeed

[@calypsotilda3306]

Hey do you have a link to the historical garments that you looked at to make this pattern? Thanks :)

[@calypsotilda3306]

Also can which simplicity pattern you used for reference for the waistband?

[@xTapirmaedchen]

Thank you for sharing your experiences with your corded petticoat with us! This was super helpfull and a pleasure to watch even though I'm not a fan of the memes. You're such a funny woman! Personally I think you don't need them... And will you ever do live casts again? I miss them so much! They always made my day a 100% better! :D

[@Goldkehlchen20]

I completely agree with you on all points!

[@aurorad3522]

So is it actually 4 pieces 45" wide? Fashion and lining? I got a little confused.

[@CrownMooseCostumes]

Yes, i think so. Because she sewed 4 pieces together. I'm assuming she means 2 panels for the lining and 2 panels for the outside fabric.

[@Hpalindromeprojects]

I Just did this bag Lining method for a Satin Lined Laptop sleeve, and I made it so over complicated. I wish I had seen this video sooner!

[@AmericanDuchess1]

eek! I'm glad this was helpful though, at least

[@kellyross4801]

For Americans stuck with Joann's, that cording measures 1/8" and 5/16". Or, 0.125" and 0.625". A generous half inch or scant 5/8".

[@ElyzaTheOne]

would these measurements also work for a non corded petticoat or an 1830s skirt ?

[@AmericanDuchess1]

great question! typically outer skirts are much fuller. You don't want the corded petticoat to be too much in the hem circumference because it will collapse in on itself instead of creating the round silhouette. This is actually one of the reasons why there was a transition from starched corded petticoats to boned cage crinolines as the fashion for bigger and bigger skirts came in.

[@ElyzaTheOne]

@@AmericanDuchess1 Thank you for your reply! What width/measurements would the outer skirt tipically have?

[@beagleissleeping5359]

Would this work for the Civil War era petticoat worn under a workdress?

[@nono-fo5ls]

I didn't know Björk was a youtuber

[@sarahcobau6167]

Has your patreon been deleted? If so is there somewhere else to find this pattern?

[@AmericanDuchess1]

indeed, we shut out Patreon down about a year ago. The cape pattern and Isabella pattern are still available but the rest are no longer online.

[@bellesmith1582]

Ma'am are you wearing the Issa dress made famous by Kate Middleton except in a beautiful deep purple? 😮

[@powerpuffableX]

How did you treat it with starch?

[@AmericanDuchess1]

you can buy liquid starch in big bottles - dilute it with water in a large tub and then soak the petticoat. Hang it to dry - over a trashcan is a good idea, so it doesn't stick together - then iron it. If you can't find liquid starch, copious amounts of spray starch while ironing will work, though with a less stiff effect.

[@powerpuffableX]

@@AmericanDuchess1 Thank you so much!

[@ceciemcclelland2647]

Am I missing where the Patreon patterns are? I used the link below, but there didn't seem to be anywhere to get the patterns. I am ready to make a corded petticoat for my future Dickens dress I have lovingly name "Charlotte." Thanks!

[@AmericanDuchess1]

hi! We closed our Patreon some time ago and I'm afraid the patterns are no longer available publicly. I will update the video - thank you .

[@jessedohrman8061]

Yeah, I'm interested in historic dress because, the way we dress now is stupid. What is a corded petticoat for? Why might I use these concepts to dress myself more practically and femininely in the now?

[@AmericanDuchess1]

The corded petticoat created volume for the skirt. They pre-date hoop skirts and were replaced by them as skirt silhouettes got bigger and bigger in the mid-19th century. To be honest, corded petticoats are quite impractical. They're heavy, can be cumbersome around the legs, and require heavy starching to keep their shape, which is why they were replaced with the hoop wired petticoats as soon as technology allowed.

[@jessedohrman8061]

@@AmericanDuchess1 Thank you

[@allim.5941]

That petticoat is now a slew of face masks, lol.

[@AmericanDuchess1]

lolol you'd have to fight Abby for that petticoat😂

[@iamthelightoftheworld5028]

You talk too loud women

[@AmericanDuchess1]

there's this thing called a volume button.....