I love doing embroidery by hand! 😀 So I made a pink & white hand-embroidered eyelet lace belt to wear with my Edwardian pink & white striped cotton skirt and my Edwardian hand-embroidered mixed lace blouse.
Edwardian Embroidered Belts For Morning Wear
In the Edwardian era, cotton dresses – aka wash dresses or tub frocks – worn in the morning often had a separate fabric belt. This fabric belt was made of cotton, linen or the same material as the dress and could be embellished with hand embroidery.
Related: How To Dress In The Edwardian Era
‘Many wearers of tub frocks come to grief over their waist-belts. […] The tub frock for morning wear should never have a “dressy” belt […] The belt should be of the “simple life” order. […] made of the linen of the dress. This should be made upon stout webbing […] Beware, however, of thinking that the simple effect is easy. Care should be taken to mount the ribbon or webbing’ (Every Woman’s Encyclopaedia, 1910-2).
Often not only was the belt embroidered. But Edwardian women also made embroidered neckwear and cuffs to match the embroidery on the belt.
Related: Edwardian Neckwear: Collars, Jabots & Fichus
‘The province of hand embroidery in connection with the summer shirt waist has been widened. Formerly used only upon the front of the garment, the decoration is now carried over to stock, cuffs and, latest of all, to the belt. “Does my belt match my stock?” is a question that every well-dressed woman will ask herself this coming spring and summer’ (The Saint Paul Globe, 1904).
Related: How To Make An Edwardian Lace Yoke
Inspirations For My Edwardian Eyelet Lace Belt
My Edwardian eyelet lace belt is inspired by this antique Edwardian hand-embroidered cotton belt, these 1908 belts embroidered with colored mercerized cotton thread and this 1905 floral embroidery design.
Related: 50 Historical Types Of Whitework Embroidery & Needle Lace
Pink & White Embroidered Belt
In the Edwardian era, it was popular not only to do white-on-white embroidery. But also to embroidered with colored embroidery thread on white fabric or with white embroidery thread on colored fabric. For my Edwardian hand-embroidered belt, I used pink thread and white fabric to match the pink and white of my Edwardian pink gingham wash dress.
Related: Edwardian Pink Gingham Wash Dress
Edwardian Belt Materials
I used the following materials for my Edwardian eyelet lace belt:
- sturdy white cotton twill fabric
- pink mercerized cotton embroidery thread
- synthetic whalebone boning
- hooks & eyes
Related: How To Make An Edwardian Dip Waist Belt
The summer belts ‘are embroidered in washable floss, in light, cool tones or richer hues’ (The Saint Paul Globe, 1904). ‘White linen […] embroidered in pale rose, blue, or green, flourishing thread to match the green, rose, or blue linen frock, would be very charming, simple, and fresh.’ (Every Woman’s Encyclopaedia, 1910-2)
Boning & Closure
The cotton twill fabric I used for the belt is very sturdy. So the belt holds its shape and doesn’t wrinkle much. However, I reinforced the front with synthetic whalebone boning.
My Edwardian belt is made of a single layer of fabric and closes at the center front with hooks & eyes.
‘Adjust a serviceable hook and eye, so that the effect is trim’ (Every Woman’s Encyclopaedia, 1910-2).
Edwardian Belt With Broderie Anglaise
I embroidered my Edwardian belt with satin stitch leaves, stem stitch stems and broderie anglaise flowers. Broderie anglaise – aka eyelet lace – is a cutwork embroidery that has been popular since the Victorian era.
To make broderie anglaise, pierce the fabric with an awl or cut with scissors. Then stitch around the hole with closely-spaced overcast stitches. Broderie anglaise is easy to make by hand – it just takes time! 😉 Hand-embroidered broderie anglaise is strong and washes well.
Broderie anglaise is always embroidered before cutting: I embroidered the piece of fabric. Then I finished the raw edges with buttonhole stitches. And then I carefully cut along the edges of the belt.
‘All small pieces, such as collars, cuffs and belts should be tucked or embroidered before cutting.’ (Clothing For Women: Selection, Design, Construction, 1916)