How to make a

Corded Petticoat.

You'll need: 

* A piece of sturdy white! off-white cotton, pre washed. 44-45" wide, about 70-90" long (2 to 2 1/2 yards)

* A corresponding length of twill type for drawstring waist.

* A hank of cotton clothesline or hemp rope. ( My original has cotton cording about 1/8 inch thick - you'll probably substitute something a little thicker.) The amount you'll need depends on the width of your petticoat and how many rows of cording you insert.

* Sewing machine with zipper foot or cording foot.

* Starch ( I use liquid Stay-Puf with good success.)

    I have an original petticoat that has 8 rows of cording at the hem, and then 12 rows of cording in 1" increments up to the hip area. Other originals have fewer. The number of rows you will want to add depends on how stiff or heavy you want the petticoat to be, how long you want it to be. ( each row of cording will decrease the length as the fabric is sewn around the cording.) and how much patience you have !

Sewing Instructions:

1.    Lay the fabric flat, with one selvedge at the bottom and one at the top in front of you.

2.    Turn up the bottom several inches, evenly. Lay a length of cord along the bottom.

3.    Using your zipper foot or cording foot, sew close to the cord, through both layers of fabric.

4.    Lay another length of cord between the fabric layers next to your stitching, and stitch again. Repeat until you run out of turned-up fabric. You now have a nice corded hem.

5.    Now you are ready to start adding rows of cording. It is generally easiest to do this one cord at a time. Lay the fabric down, wrong side up, and lay a piece of cord where you want the next row to be. Fold the fabric over, and stitch close to the cord, the cording should end up on the outside of the garment.

        a. I found it easiest to get started by drawing lines where I wanted the cording to be, laying out one cord at a time along the line, folding the fabric over, and pinning to hold the cording in before stitching. Later on, I found I could lay the cord roughly where I wanted it, fold the fabric over, and measure and adjust while I stitched it in.

        b. If your cording is thick, you may want to offset the edges a little bit, so that when you sew the edges together, the cords will lay next to each other, if they meet, you will have to sew through both thick nesses at the same time. You can avoid this by moving the cord 1/4" up on the edge, and 1/4" down on the other edge.

6.    When you have the desired number of rows, check for length - you want the petticoat to come somewhere around mid-calf. Turn down the extra fabric at the top and make a casting for a drawstring. ( Or, if you prefer, put it on a waistband, I enjoy the adjustability of a drawstring and find it makes it easier to starch.)

7.    Sew the edges together, from the bottom to about 9-10" from waist. Insert drawstring.

Starching Instructions:

    The Way I Use To DO It:  Spray with massive quantities of spray starch. Iron on cotton setting, trying hard to get tip of iron between cords. Curse repeatedly when iron sticks and scorches... Go back to store for three more cans of spray starch. Repeat...

    The Way I Finally Figured Out How To Do IT:   Get a container of Stay-Puf or other soluble starch. Mix a heavy starch solution in spray bottle. Hang petticoat upsides down on clothesline, spreading width over lines front to back so that it forms a rough square. Spray with starch solution until saturated. Let dry. Repeat till petticoat will stand up by itself !!!

        2000                 Enjoy !              Kay Krewer                    Clinton Ia.

"Last Updated... 05-28-2002"

Copyright © 2000 by Kay Krewer

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