HSM 2020 challenge: no buy - my Edwardian underwear

For my visit at Hildasholm I needed some underwear. I had the Rilla corset from Scroop patterns, but I should have something to go under it and over it. When looking at my stash I realized that I am actually starting to run out of regular white cotton. I also didn't really have the time to do a full set of underwear. I decided to use a modern shaping slipdress under the corset, it would give enough support for my bust as well, and then concentrate on a petticoat and corset cover.

I've already written about the petticoat, and afterwards I realized that since everything was from stash I can include it in this challenge.

This was the challenge

No-Buy: Make something without buying anything. Whether it’s finishing off a UFO, using up scraps of fabric from earlier challenges in the year, sewing entirely from stash, or finding the perfect project for those small balls of yarn, this is your opportunity to get creative without acquiring more stuff.

From my small amount of white cotton I just managed to squeeze out one back piece and two front pieces for a corset cover. I have made a corset cover before, but I just can't find it which is a shame since it had some antique lace on it. It probably wouldn't have worked though since it was quite a cream colour that would probably have been visible under the bright white viscose that I used for my Elsie blouse.

Even if I didn't find the corset cover, I did find the pattern and I used it again. I wanted to add some extra seam allowance, but I didn't have enough fabric, and in the end it worked out well without the extra margins.

This was done the evening before I went to Hildasholm, so I cheated on the inside. The raw edges have just been zigzagged, and the hems are zigzagge and then just folded over. There is a tape at the waist level, to be honest I think I put it in a bit too high, to make a channel for a drawstring and on the neckline there is a drawstring as well.

It is closed with two sets of snaps. I had planned to make button holes and use mother of pearl buttons, but snaps were faster. I was happy when I found a piece of lace in my "miscellanous lacy stuff" box. That was also where I found the ostrich plume that I used for the hat. The lace is shiny and probably polyester, but it was a nice way of adding something to the plain corset cover.

Here I am wearing the petticoat and the corset cover. I also realized how dirty my mirror was after having seen the photo. As mentioned I'm wearing a Rilla corset under it all. The Rilla was quite comfy, but I didn't manage to tight it quite enough. It's laced with interlocking laces, like shoe laces, and that makes it harder to tighten it. Even if my shoulder is a lot more mobile than it was just a year ago I still have a problem reaching stuff on the back. On the one hand it was a lot easier to sit down and drive to Leksand in a quite loose corset, on the other hand I could feel it sliding arond a bit when I was just walking around at Hildasholm.

A new experience for me was that I felt that a longline corset with attached garters was more complicated when you wanted to use the bathroom, compared to when I've worn 18th century or 19th century corsets. It's probably just necessary to find the right way of doing it.

Anyway here are the facts for the challenge

The Challenge: No buy

Material: 1 m of cotton fabric, one 1980s romantic lace skirt

Pattern: The petticoat was a reuse, the cotton cover is from the 1911 Textbook of Domestic Art

Year: 1910s

Notions: Snaps, cotton tape ( a wide for the waist tape, narrow for drawstring). 1 m of polyester lace

How historically accurate is it? 30% It gets the look, but is made from a mix of modern and historical materials, and the inside is not finished in a period correct way.

Hours to complete: 1 evening

First worn: On a visit to Hildasholm on the 8th of July

Total cost: This was all from stash, but probably around $20 if it would have been bought new.