Edwardian under-petticoats – the petticoat you put on directly over your corset – were usually shorter than top petticoats for easier walking. For my short Edwardian lace petticoat I used an old cotton bedsheet and lace from my stash. 🙂
Antique Short Edwardian Petticoats
Under-petticoats in the Edwardian era were usually only about knee length like these photographs and paintings show: Edwardian film still of a woman wearing a short lace under-petticoat, Edwardian photograph of a woman wearing a short petticoat and Edwardian painting of a woman wearing a calf-length petticoat under her skirt.
Related: Edwardian Unboned Sports Corset
Refashioned Bedsheet & Lace From My Stash
I used an old bedsheet as fabric for my short Edwardian lace petticoat. It’s a beautiful soft, thin cotton fabric that drapes well. And I used wide cotton bobbin lace from my stash to embellish my petticoat.
Pintucks
Apart from the lace, I embellished the ruffle of my short Edwardian lace petticoat with 6 rows of pintucks. Pintucks were used as decoration and also as hem stiffening in the Edwardian era: short Edwardian cotton petticoat with pintucks & bobbin lace at the ruffle and another antique Edwardian petticoat with pintucks.
I also added another 6 rows of pintucks above where the ruffle is joined similar to this short Edwardian lace petticoat or the petticoat that the woman in the Edwardian photograph is wearing.
Dust Ruffle
My short Edwardian petticoat has two fabric layers at the hem like most Edwardian petticoats had: the first (under) layer is the petticoat with a short dust ruffle attached at the hem, and the second (top) layer with the pintucks and lace is the actual ruffle.
‘Dust ruffles, gathered or plaited, are used on some petticoats, in addition to the outer flounce, which may be gathered, plaited or circular.’ (Clothing For Women: Selection, Design, Construction, 1916)
Related: 5 Ways To Attach Ruffles – Historical Sewing Tutorial
The dust ruffle of my petticoat is rather small because I hadn’t much fabric left. And I even had to join the already small dust ruffle together with a flat felled seam! But this also helps to stiffen the hem of the petticoat.
Hem Circumference
Early Edwardian skirts were usually very wide around the hem. But this is only a short petticoat so it’s less wide than longer Edwardian petticoats.
Related: Edwardian Pink Faux Silk Petticoat
The skirt is 240cm (95″) wide without the dust ruffle. The dust ruffle is 330cm (130″) long and the top ruffle with the pintucks and bobbin lace is 450cm (177″) long.
Waist
As usual, I finished the waist of the petticoat with a bias facing and an Edwardian drawstring closure.
‘An underskirt may be finished with a […] bias facing for a flat, smooth finish’ (A Manual Of Home-Making, 1919). ‘Cut bias strip of cloth about one inch wide; sew to right side. Turn over to wrong side even with top; turn so as to be 1/2 inch wide finished; stitch on edge, flat.’ (Clothing And Health. An Elementary Textbook Of Home Making, 1916)
‘Insert a draw string at the back from the seam next to the back one.’ (Educational Needlecraft, 1911)
