Instructions to make a corded petticoat.

(Based on instructions from http://www.7thtexascav.com/ladies_getting_started.htm)

Compiled and illustrated by Dana Gagnon

Materials: 2 lengths of white muslin that are (x + 20 in.) each

(Note: 36 in. wide muslin is okay for those

slim teens.) Estimate: 2 to 3 yards

3 10-yard-packages of corded upholstery cable (Buy -inch or 8/32-inch in diameter cord or

thinnernothing bigger.)

Wide twill tape (for the drawstring at the waist)

Directions:

Sew the two lengths of muslin together at the

selvedges (to be between 75" and 90" in

circumference) to make a tube, with a placket

in one seam.

Mark lines around the tube about every 2" up from the bottom to the height of your knees,

leaving room for a hem.

Starting at the hem, sew the cable into a

casing made by the hem. (The cording gets

folded in against your pencil mark on the

wrong side of the fabric. The stitching is done

with your zipper foot on the right side of the

fabric.) Use your zipper foot so that you can

sew in tight. Cut the cable so that it overlaps

slightly at the beginning/end.

Now go up to the next line. Tuck the cable

from the back into the line drawn on the inside

of the petticoat. Sew around on the outside.

Do this again and again. Note that the cords

stick out on the outside of the petticoat. The

underside is smooth. It takes about 10-12 rounds. (Up to 15 rounds with 36" wide fabric)

Now, put it on and measure the length, leaving room for a casing at your waist. Cut the excess length off the top. Make a casing and put in a drawstring (that wide twill tape

again). Now you have a corded petticoat.

(Remember to starch and iron it after each washing so that it will stick out better and not

hang in limp folds.)

Some notes on starching your corded petticoat from a re-enactors forum:

When I still had a corded petticoat I would starch it by soaking it (or mostly just the

bottom part with the cords) in liquid starch that was undiluted, I think it was Stay-Flow

(came in a blue bottle). I did it once by mixing cornstarch and water and came up with

similar results.

After a few minuets I'd take it out ring it well. Then I'd place it over a large 50 gallon

trash can that I'd covered in a large trash bag to protect the petticoat from the nasty things

on the trashcan. (Oh, ya, and to keep the trashcan from getting covered in starch).

Some folks have found that stretching it over an exercise ball works well, too.

Let it sit out in the sun until dry. This also bleached out the petticoat nicely if there were

any stains. Now that the starching was done, this was a petticoat that could stand up by

itself and unless really humid the starching would last several events.