Fire in Cairo -- Part Four - the pleating

Yesterday, we cut and sewed the skirt and mocked up the bodice. Today I experimented with the overskirt drape.

You will remember that the outfit at left is my inspiration picture.

The Bustle Cuirass Bodice from Truly Victorian is pretty much spot on the bodice in the picture. So all I have to do is make it fit me.

The skirt I spoke about in my last post. I used TV221 -- The Tie-Back Underskirt but cut the pieces larger and pleated it all the way around instead of just in the back. That looks pretty good.

TV doesn't have a drape with quite the same proportions as the drape shown at left. So I'm using TV 368 -- 1887 Waterfall Overskirt pattern and modifying it.

The gathered effect of this drape is created by a series of upside-down pleats at the back of the drape on either side. In TV368, these pleats are about 3" wide. I'm making my pleats 1/2" wide to make the drapery it creates more compact.

As you can see, the pleats aren't quite as compact when pinned onto the dress form. But I think once the bustle pad is added underneath, the drape will be more manageable.

Tomorrow:   The bodice.