This is a project for my Drama 113 Intro to Costume Design class students at Diablo Valley College
The One-Hour-Dress-Diagrams-Sp-2021 for my students
The booklet that started it all: The One Hour Dress by Mary Brooks Picken, 1925, Free PDF at the Antique Pattern Library
The class how-to videos:
Free Printable Miniature Books for Dollhouses #11 : 18th Century Banyans, mini books by Tara Maginnis:
Pinterest Page : Boys and Banyans
Making an 18th Century Banyan (YouTube)
Custom Made Banyans sold on Etsy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banyan_(clothing)
Old post on Banyans at The Costumers Manifesto
Feel free to print and use or adapt for your own costume or sewing classes!
Detachable starched collars were also popular for women in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries. Typically they were more expensive than men’s models, had embroidered or lace decoration, were lighter weight, and were more varied in style. This one has hand fagoting insertion. The name of the collar seems to refer to the Sorosis Club of NYC, the first club in the US for professional women.
You need:
Instructions continued below
Click here for a printable 4 page PDF of these instructions for an “Easy Gathered Rehearsal Skirt with Pictures” as shown above
2.Press open the seam, then press it into a fold with the raw edge inside, and the seam stitching on the edge.
3. Sew the seam again, this time right side together with a line of stitching 5/8″ parallel to the first seam. You have just made a French Seam which is very strong, even if you sewed it by hand with 3/16″ stitches!
4. Press the little 2.5″ bit of fabric at top of the seam open, and tuck the seam allowance under itself and stitch the seam allowances so they will stay open.
5. Fold the top selvedge over by 1.5″ with wrong sides together, and press flat. Sew this flap into a 1″ waistband tube for elastic and ribbon.
6. Measure the distance from your natural waist to the floor and subtract the amount you want it raised from the floor (like 2” or 4″) this is your Waist to Hem
Waist to Floor – Distance off floor = Waist to Hem
7. Apply the Waist to Hem measure number to the skirt. Measure from the bottom of the waistband casing down towards the selvedge, mark with chalk or pencil every 6 inches or so. Fold the hem in on that line and press.
8. Sew this hem up by hand or machine with a large (and easy to remove) stitch that can be altered for future wearers
9. Cut the two yards of ribbon into two 1-yard sections. Depending on desired size, cut 24″ of the elastic for a small woman, 30″ for a medium woman, or 36 for a large woman, you can use larger amounts for XXL folks, and smaller ones for children, generally 3-5″ less than the waist measure is a good amount.
10. Sew the two pieces of ribbon to the two ends of the elastic.
11. Attach the two safety pins to the two far ends of ribbon. Fasten one pin to the French seam allowance at top, and push the other end through the waistband tube at the top of the skirt till you have ribbon coming out at both sides of the tube.
12. Get the center of the elastic to stick in the center of the waistband tube, and do a little bit of hand stitching to fix it there at the center. Pull more of the ribbon out at both ends and try it on.
13. Remove the safety pins and cut the ends of the ribbon at a sharp pointed angle to reduce unraveling. Tie the ribbons into a bow to adjust the snugness of the waist.
That’s it. It’s done!
Part 8: Chapter 7 “Butchery”
PDFs:
