When I started on the second Belle costume I realised I had an immediate problem. The fabric to be used for the skirt is actually upholstery fabric and very thick (but when you only pay £1 a metre you can’t refuse) which gives limitations on how to do the waistband. As you know, I like to make things adjustable and, with a skirt, that inevitably means using elastic as the waistband. This fabric is far too thick for that and would result in a lot of bunching around the waist.
After much contemplation, and a cup or two of coffee with my mum, the best solution appeared to be making a waistband that could be adjusted with buttons in two or three places that would be able to take it in (or our) by up to 6”.
The skirt needed to be worn on a 34” waist so I have tried to work it that this is the middle ‘setting’.
I cut the fabric into gores, three measure 10” at the waist and 3 measure 5”, the small gores were the ones I intended to use for the adjustment.
I sewed one of the large gores to one of the small gores along the same side so I ended up with 3 pieces that look like this;
All it will take now is to move the buttons to change the size of the skirt.
The bodice was made using the tried and trusted pattern and I made some binding in the co-ordinating fabric for the sleeve edges and eyelets in two other pieces at the front to add a design feature. I then added broderie anglaise lace to the neck and bottom edges.
This doesn’t sit very well on a dummy that is three sizes
too small, but I am sure you get the idea!
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