This was very easy and turned out fine, though after gathering 8 yards of ruffle I’m ready to join Trystan L. Bass’s I Hate Gathering Club (read Trystan’s review of Past Patterns Late 1880’s Polonaise with Walking Skirt #904 for the ruffle story).
As others have found, this skirt runs a little bit short. I may add a trim at the bottom to give it a little more length, but it wasn’t a disaster. The pocket seems low, and others have commented, but I think that is so the pocket can be reached without having to reach up under your overskirt (at least that’s how it seemed to work out for me).
Rated 5 out of 5
Deborah –
This was the simplest of all parts of an ambitious project. The skirt went up very well, and even our beginning seamstresses made it up without any issues. The biggest challenge I had was finding velvet and matching brocade. We eventually worked it out, but some fabrics were not perfect matches.
About this project: I had seen a photo on the Truly Victorian website that captured my imagination. I knew I wanted to do a formation dance team in these dresses. We started making our dresses in August, but the biggest challenge was finding fabrics which matched. Find your fabrics first before purchasing for such ambitious projects. I made the red dress. I sewed parts of the other ladies’ bodices as time was running out and they needed help. This was an unbelievably ambitious project. If I ever suggest to do something like this again, I think I’ll have a dozen people beating me with a stick. One of the ladies still had pins on her bodice trim for the show; it was never finished!
Rated 5 out of 5
Kendra –
This is a great, simple pattern that I used for my Underskirt. I was going for the early 1870’s look, but didn’t want to make a Crinolette, so I used this skirt pattern to make a petticoat and added ruffles down the back and around the hem. I wore it over my standard back bustle. It created a nice silhouette and worked very well.
Rated 4 out of 5
Annette –
This is another very versatile and easy to sew pattern. I’ve used it twice: in this garnet gown (pictured on the right) and in the plaid gown (shown below with the Truly Victorian #TV301 1870’s Tie-Apron Overskirt and Truly Victorian #TV405 1872 Vest Basque reviews).
Rated 5 out of 5
Lorraine –
This is a super simple pattern. It goes together like a dream. There are no issues at all. The picture on the Truly Victorian website shows it over Truly Victorian’s Bustle pattern TV101; however, there is no reason you couldn’t wear it over a smaller bustle. I added a fringe at the bottom to match the polonaise I wore over it.
Rated 5 out of 5
Pamela –
This skirt was fantastically easy to put together in one sitting, with no confusion or questions. I whipped it out of a silver taffeta, and then decided to add the optional ruffle out of a plaid taffeta after wearing it once (a habit of mine – test drive then add more to the base!). The ruffle took twice as much fabric as the pattern suggested, but that may be because I like deep pleats in my ruffles. Other than that, it was simple, moves beautifully, and is perfect for a beginning sewer.
Frannie –
This was very easy and turned out fine, though after gathering 8 yards of ruffle I’m ready to join Trystan L. Bass’s I Hate Gathering Club (read Trystan’s review of Past Patterns Late 1880’s Polonaise with Walking Skirt #904 for the ruffle story).
As others have found, this skirt runs a little bit short. I may add a trim at the bottom to give it a little more length, but it wasn’t a disaster. The pocket seems low, and others have commented, but I think that is so the pocket can be reached without having to reach up under your overskirt (at least that’s how it seemed to work out for me).
Deborah –
This was the simplest of all parts of an ambitious project. The skirt went up very well, and even our beginning seamstresses made it up without any issues. The biggest challenge I had was finding velvet and matching brocade. We eventually worked it out, but some fabrics were not perfect matches.
About this project: I had seen a photo on the Truly Victorian website that captured my imagination. I knew I wanted to do a formation dance team in these dresses. We started making our dresses in August, but the biggest challenge was finding fabrics which matched. Find your fabrics first before purchasing for such ambitious projects. I made the red dress. I sewed parts of the other ladies’ bodices as time was running out and they needed help. This was an unbelievably ambitious project. If I ever suggest to do something like this again, I think I’ll have a dozen people beating me with a stick. One of the ladies still had pins on her bodice trim for the show; it was never finished!
Kendra –
This is a great, simple pattern that I used for my Underskirt. I was going for the early 1870’s look, but didn’t want to make a Crinolette, so I used this skirt pattern to make a petticoat and added ruffles down the back and around the hem. I wore it over my standard back bustle. It created a nice silhouette and worked very well.
Annette –
This is another very versatile and easy to sew pattern. I’ve used it twice: in this garnet gown (pictured on the right) and in the plaid gown (shown below with the Truly Victorian #TV301 1870’s Tie-Apron Overskirt and Truly Victorian #TV405 1872 Vest Basque reviews).
Lorraine –
This is a super simple pattern. It goes together like a dream. There are no issues at all. The picture on the Truly Victorian website shows it over Truly Victorian’s Bustle pattern TV101; however, there is no reason you couldn’t wear it over a smaller bustle. I added a fringe at the bottom to match the polonaise I wore over it.
Pamela –
This skirt was fantastically easy to put together in one sitting, with no confusion or questions. I whipped it out of a silver taffeta, and then decided to add the optional ruffle out of a plaid taffeta after wearing it once (a habit of mine – test drive then add more to the base!). The ruffle took twice as much fabric as the pattern suggested, but that may be because I like deep pleats in my ruffles. Other than that, it was simple, moves beautifully, and is perfect for a beginning sewer.