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1900's Ruffle Butt (Or, a bustle) - Unmentionables Through The Decades

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The next step in my continuing quest to become a Gibson Girl was to make a bum pad. I knew I needed a little more oomph in the back then nature has provided me for a fashionable Edwardian silhouette. This period is all about curves and flowing, smooth lines. Padding strategic areas was a common period trick to create curves. It is lovingly referred to as my Ruffle Butt. Because who doesn't want ruffle butt?

The fabric is scraps from a green polyester brocade tablecloth. It's a pretty design, although the fabric was a bit of a hassle to sew. It's prone to fraying. If I recall correctly, it was from Joann Fabrics, in one of their seasonal spring collections. I've had it for years, and this is the year of “Reduce the Stash”. And it looked beautiful with the other pieces I've already made, so it was a win all around.


I wasn't sure how I wanted to make this at first. I didn't really want to pay for a pattern, and I didn't find any that worked for this purpose anyway. Looking on Pinterest for some inspiration for this piece, I found an image of a patent from 1907. This “Bustle or distender” was patented by Theodore J Wall. He specifies that it is “constructed to permit of free ventilation, thereby rendering the same more comfortable to the wearer...” Sounds good to me. Why not give it a go?


I couldn't find any measurements listed on the patent, so I had to make it up as I went along. I just made a “U” with my fabric and fiddled around until it seemed to be the right shape. Then I measured the final length each ruffle should be and multiplied that by 3 to get the cut length. For super full ruffles, that is a good ratio. For less full ruffles,length x 2 or even 1.5 would be better. Each of the ruffles were made of a strip of the fabric 3 inches wide. One long edge and both short edges were hemmed. The other long edge was gathered with long machine stitches. I took a 1.5 inch width strip of fabric and ironed the raw edges inward twice. So it ends up making a bias tape, but on the straight grain. Then, the ruffle was attached to that, just to cover the raw edges of the ruffle.

The long ruffle that makes the outer “U” shape was a 70 inch strip, gathered down to 21 inches. The other three ruffles were 45 inches long, gathered down to about 13 inches. All of the ruffles were gathered down quite tightly, for maximum volume and poof.


I am quite pleased with the overall effect. It adds just a gentle touch of oomph in just the right place. I don't know why I decided to go with this design, since I usually dislike sewing ruffles. But it wasn't so frustrating after all. It took a total of maybe 6 hours over several days.


Yours in hard work, creativity, and a dash of pixie dust,

Sarah

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