A WAIST PETTICOAT

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 81, Issue 1, 15 July 1950, Page 89

A WAIST PETTICOAT

By

NELL MACPHERSON,

Rural Sociologist, Department of Agriculture, Auckland.

A USEFUL and easy-to-make addition to one’s lingerie is a waist petticoat. It fits very smoothly, gives a good line over the hips, and is most useful to wear under a winter suit or under a skirt with a twin set or heavy jumper. Waist petticoats may be made in a variety of ways according to the purpose, and a pattern for a short waist petticoat can be lengthened easily to make a ballerina-length or full-length underskirt. They are also very useful for wearing under a frock which, has a low or wide neckline or an off-the-shoulder decolletage.

SOME of the materials which may be used are lawn, madapollam, cambric, fuji silk, lingerie silks, poplin, and taffeta. Satin, crepe de Chine, bemberg, and other rayons are also used. The trimmings may be of broderie anglaise, lace, pleated net, ribbon, or lace beading or insertion. The materials needed for the pattern shown are lfyds. of lingerie silk, 3yds. of lace, and matching silk substitute or cotton.

Making the Pattern Before the pattern is cut the following measurements must be known: The natural waistline, front and back; the front and back hipline at 7in. below the waist; the front and back hipline

at lOin. below the waist; and centre front and centre back lengthwise measurements. The measurements for the pattern given are: Waist 27in., 7in. hipline 37in., lOin. hipline 39in., and length 28in.

On a piece of brown paper or newspaper draw a straight line the length of the centre front line. Measure off the hip measurements at the 7in. line and the Win. line. Halve the front waist and front hip measurements and mark them on the paper at the appropriate places. Join the 7in. hipline mark and the waist mark with a curve. Join the lOin. and 7in. hipline marks with a ruler and continue the line until the measurement from the waist to the hem is equal to the centre front line. Join the side line with the centre front line at the waist, but make it jin. lower on the centre front line. Add jin. to the bottom of the centre front line and join the side line to it with a slight curve. Make the back skirt pattern in the same way as the front skirt but do not lower the centre back. Allow jin. for seams on the side line, waistline, and . hemline and cut out the paper pattern. , Cutting out and Joining Fold the material on the straight lengthwise grain and place the centre front and centre back on the fold. Cut out the two pieces and tack them together with the right sides facing. At the left side of the garment leave a sin. opening at the top of the seam; for larger figures this opening may need to be up to 7in. Try the garment on and adjust it to fit if necessary. Join the pieces with french seams. Continuous Placket The placket is made next, and in fine material a continuous placket is best. . Cut a straight strip, preferably with one edge on the selvedge, 2in. wide and 2in. longer than twice the length of the opening; in the slip illustrated this was 12in. Tack it on to the opening with the right sides together. Ease it slightly at the seam in basting. Starting at the top, stitch by machine. Trim and turn in the free edge. Hem on to the line of machine stitching. Trim the top edge even with the waist.

The Waist Band A straight strip 2in. wide and 2in. longer than the waist measurement is needed for the waist band. •With the right sides of the material together, tack the strip to the waist of the petticoat, beginning at the back edge of the left side seam. Allow jin. for turning in at the end. Stitch the band on by machine. Turn in the raw edges and hem on to the line of stitching. The ends of the band should be

turned in and hemmed or slipstitched, or they may be buttonholed. There should be lin. overlap on the front of the waist band. Fastenings and Finishings Sew on hooks and eyes and snap fasteners. Level the petticoat and finish the bottom edge with lace, which may be either rolled and whipped on of appliqued with satin stitch. If it is preferred, the bottom

may be finished with a shell edge or with a short gathered or pleated frill or flounce. To make a flounce cut a straight strip one and a half times as long as the bottom edge and the desired depth. Run two gathering threads along one side of the frill and adjust it to the lower edge of the petticoat. It may be joined with a flat fell or french .seam. The bottom edge may be finished : with lace. Frilling may be bought by the yard at some stores, or the self material may be accordian pleated. If a picot edge is desired, a piece of material twice the required width and half the length can be hemstitched down the centre by machine and the line of hemstitching cut through the centre. Variations of the Pattern To make a ballerina or full-length underskirt the pattern should be cut

and spread and lengthened as in the illustration above. The short petticoat may also be made more attractive in several ways. The pattern may be cut about 12in. below the waistline to form a hip yoke and then have a straight piece gathered on for a skirt. This skirt

may also be finished with a frill or with lace edging. Another way of altering the pattern is to cut it lOin. and 20in. below the waistline and join the pieces with insertion; ribbon . may be threaded through' the insertion. ■ Beading may be used with ribbon threaded through it. This also makes a good finish for the joining of a frill. By using broderie anglaise, cambric or Swiss embroidered organdie, and lawn a delightful garment may be made. The hip yoke is made of the cambric or lawn and the skirt is made of the broderie anglaise .or Swiss organdie. The skirt may be pleated, tucked, or gathered on to the yoke, or be joined by insertion. Taffeta underskirts require slightly different treatment, as the short ones are used most often under tweed skirts. They are best cut fairly fitting to within 4in. of the knee and finished with a knife- or accordian-pleated flounce. The heavier • and closerwoven material prevents the prickling and tickling of tweed. ' " A variation of the underskirt which does not require a pattern is made by cutting a straight piece of the desired ■ length and gathering it at the waist with elastic thread. This gathering can be up to 7in. deep. This style is best made in fine materialfor example, triple ninon. It does not give as smooth and fitting a line at the waist and hip as do the other styles, but if it is made in heavier material, it can pad out a too-thin figure.