As some of you may know I am working on my sister's wedding gown. She wants a mega-full ball gown type dress and wants a petticoat made completely out of netting, no hoops whatsoever. The thing is I've never made a petticoat that huge and I need some help. How many yards of fabric will I need for the underskirt? The petticoat is for a ball gown constructed out of 8 yards of fabric. Thank you!
By embroiderylover from New York, NY
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All I can say is it is going to take many layers of netting to get the fullness your sister apparently wants. Netting is usually 72 inches wide, so you could use the width to go around instead of up and down.
Take it from somebody who was a teenager in the era when girls wore can-cans (as we called them back then) you will need many, many layers of netting. We wore numerous layers of the can-cans under our skirts, depending on how full we wanted them.
Real full skirts aren't the most comfortable things to wear, it isn't that they are too heavy, but then again in your sister's case it will depend on the type of fabric the dress is made out of. It is just sometimes you have to get into an area that isn't quite wide enough for the width of the dress.
I just looked at the David's Bridal web site and they have ready made petticoats with a strapless bra type top attached for $59.00. They might not be as full as your sister wants, but it wouldn't hurt to look at them.
@ Redhatterb: yes, I've gone to David's bridal to see if I could possibly find a full petticoat and no luck. I went literally to every bridal shop but they do not carry netting petticoats as for they are too "expensive" to sell they only carry hoops. We do not want hoops because it makes the dress appear hollow and the crinoline gives it a more flattering shape.
I understand about the many many layers we're gonna have to use we so far ordered two hundred meter of petticoat netting (hopefully that'll be enough), enhanced with fishing wire at the hem of each tier.
A crinoline - which is usually worn under the wedding dress is usually made in 3 parts - part 1 - an aline skirt of any fabric - usually something similar to taffeta - it needs some stiffness. Then, layers of netting starting at the bottom and going up - then, a top layer of the same fabric underneath are used to cover it - giving the dress a smoother look.
If the entire crinoline is made of netting -with no 'lining' it's gonna be uncomfortable. i'd say you could probably make one without the top layer - based on just looking at the undergarments for ball gowns.
I agree with you on the hoops; unless the dresses are multi-layered as they wore in the 1800's - hoops just make the dresses look funny - this from a former medieval renactor/costumer.
linda
I think this may be what you're looking for - the pattern anyway!
www.blogforbettersewing.com/
Just a quick thought - have you checked with any square dance clubs. They have those very full skirts that are held out by very full petticoats that are light and often homemade. Once you have directions, all you'd have to do is lengthen it, or possibly just lengthen the top layers.
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