Sewing project: Gertie's layer cake crinoline, mark 1

Last night I really needed a change of pace from my homework routine this week, so I decided to get in a little sewing practice. I remembered that ages ago, I decided I wanted to make another one of Gertie's tutorial projects, specifically the Layer Cake Crinoline. It was cute and looked easy enough, so I picked up some netting from the sale bin at Jo-Ann Fabrics, a semi-stiff white with great embroidery in a sort of bamboo motif with scallops on the edges. I couldn't exactly remember, but I think I got some white rayon as well for the top part. But I decided to wait until my sewing machine arrived before I started, and once I got it I started working on other projects and never got around to it. So yesterday I dug the materials back out and gave it a try.

I found the netting and pressed it smooth because it had been folded up in my basket for quite some time, but the only silky white material I could find I'm pretty sure was leftover material from when my mom made the Hamlet banners. That meant it probably isn't a garment fabric, and the drape likely isn't ideal. Still, it would probably serve, so I pressed it as well.

Then I went on the Blog for Better Sewing and found the instructions. The Layer Cake Crinoline basically consists of a slip with some elastic at the waist made of a typical lingerie fabric, with two gathered tiers beneath it made of a fabric with more body. Gertie's tutorials are good, but sometimes I think they take for granted that you already have the process of garment making down in your head, which I would not say I do yet. So I cut out two squares of my silky material to make the slip part, sewed the side seams, and pressed them open. Then I needed to put the elastic on the top edge. I cut it to fit my waist (hips actually, because I prefer my skirts to ride lower), sewed the ends together, then marked off the quarters of both the elastic band and the top edge of the slip.

I had gotten the fancy picot edge lingerie elastic like Gertie recommends, and as far as I can tell she says to sew it to the right side of the slip with the scalloped edge facing down, then fold it down into the inside so that the scalloped edge is facing up, and sew it again so that it stays in place that way. She didn't specify whether to start on the right or wrong side of the slip, however, and I sewed it on the wrong. I could have gleaned this information from looking more closely at the pictures, which it is possible to tell from, but that didn't occur to me. So when I turned the skirt right side out, the picot scallops were right side up, but had a little frill of fraying, folded over material sticking out from under the bottom edge of the elastic. Attempts to trim this off were either not complete enough or resulted in cutting little holes in the slip under the band. So I dug around in my stash and pulled out some of the lace I used to make the garter that Caitlin wore in Margaret. Cutting off one of the two frilly sides, I attached it under the waistband to cover the holes.

Next I cut the second tier of the crinoline of the embroidered netting. Gertie says it should be only five and a half inches plus seam allowances, but I wanted to preserve the bamboo embroidery pattern, so I just cut to the top of the tallest stalk. I sewed the edges of that piece together to make a tube, then put two long basting stitches in on each side so I could gather it. I folded up the hem of the slip, pinned the gathered netting underneath it, and then sewed it all together. I didn't like the look of the stitching around the bottom of the slip, however, so I took the other half of the lace and sewed it on over the hem to hide it.

That is how it currently looks. I did cut out material for the third tier, but I feel like at knee length it's already long enough. I also love the pretty embroidered scalloped edge, and I don't want to mess it up by trying to attach anything to it. Here are the details from another angle.

I'm not sure I love the look of the lace at the waist, but it sure does look nicer than it did before I put it on. I think I do like it inverted at the slip's hem, though. It's not terribly voluminous, which is the primary point of a crinoline, to add volume to the skirt you're wearing over it. Thought the way it is, I don't think it would be terribly inappropriate to wear it as just a skirt, if the weather and situation allowed.

I'm got it on today beneath my other handmade skirt project, my full gathered red silk dupioni. I'm not sure it makes any difference; the dupioni may have more body and fullness than the crinoline. I kind of like the idea of the neat edge of the crinoline peeking out beneath whatever skirt I'm wearing, but I don't know if I like the look of it here. This is my unsure face...

I think I'm going to make a second version of this project. I have plenty of the netting, and if I don't have enough of the silky stuff I'm sure I can substitute something else in that wasn't originally intended to hang from the fly system in a theater. I really want to see if I can get the elastic band technique right, so I don't have to cover up my mistakes with lace. I'm out of that stuff now anyway.  But, whether I wear it or not, my construction here isn't too shabby. Every bit of practice leads to improvement!