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mmymoonOne more for tonight! As I'm feeling reasonably coherent!
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twotone asked for advice about making bloomers.
Although lolita and steampunk have certainly advanced the cause of bloomers in the modern era, let me tell you, weirdoes making bloomers is a fine tradition that is decades of years old, at least. Goths and weird SCA/renfaire people have been around for a long time, and have enjoyed making ridiculous vaguely historical garments.
Bloomers are incredibly easy to make: they're basically two rectangles of fabric with curves cut into them that is then sewn together and hemmed into casings. Boom. Once you get the basic shape down (assuming you've sewn in your life before) you could easily make them in ten minutes -- I've whipped some up right before going out to events.
Look at these tutorials first and pay attention to the pretty diagrams:
Dawn Pages bloomers/breeches - A little tricky-looking to a beginner, but the best tutorial, in my humble opinion. (My absolute favorite costuming site, although it probably appeals to the "measure this and cut" sort of sewer I am moreso than pattern-lovers.)
EGL tutorial - Really good description of sewing the tubes together inside each other.
Batty-chan's tutorials - Not my favorite, but widely linked.
MY NOTES:
- You cut two doubled rectangles of fabric. The length will depend on the length you want bloomers, anywhere from short and somewhat panty-like to ankle-length and leg-warming.
- Following the patterns below for fitted rise (with different shape curves) will make a more fitted seat. I am lazy and make all the curves exactly the same, which makes a saggy butt but you know, I don't really care.
- Sew the curves together and then the legs, or the legs together and then put the tubes inside each other and sew. I've tried both ways and I think the latter is marginally easier... but really, neither one is all that difficult.
- Casings can be sewn-on bias tape/ribbon, or doubled over fabric. (If you sew two rows of stitching like | elastic | edge of fabric, it will make a ruffle at the top!)
- Casings can be drawstring or elastic. (The bottoms can be left free for gaucho-esque pants.) You can get all fancy and do button-holes for the drawstrings, or just punch holes. I usually leave a small section of the casing stitching open to put the elastic in, and then don't bother sewing it closed in case I need to adjust the elastic later. You could also stitch the elastic on the fabric, but why bother, since covered elastic is so much nicer?
- Fabrics can be anything from thin cottons for summer sweaty-thigh protection to cute novelty print flannels for winter warmth. (Some goths like satin and stretch velvet, but I really dislike synthetics since they breathe less. Personal thing.)
- You can add crap like ribbons and pleats and bows and crap! Or, say, that glow-in-the-dark ric-rac you bought one halloween and couldn't think of a use for! Woohoo!
... and yes, bloomers can be worn without underwear. They ARE underwear. I know a lot of lolitas wear their panties underneath their bloomers, but that's kind of... um... the modern underpants obsession. (The historical re-enactment people can tell you about the miracle of OPEN CROTCH bloomers, which allow one to pee while wearing umpteen layers of underskirts. SHOCKINGLY EASY ACCESS!) I have not had a problem with loose threads in my ladyparts, and I never bother finishing my edges or hemming fastidiously. If one is particularly worried, flannel is very good about not shedding on cut edges, and looking generally snazzy!
I love bloomers and wear them all the time; I only wish I were not horrid at sewing with jersey knit, so I could make jersey knit bloomers.
And if you are over the age of eighteen, you can Google the love letters of James Joyce, who had a lot of very interesting things to say on the subject.
twotone asked for advice about making bloomers.Although lolita and steampunk have certainly advanced the cause of bloomers in the modern era, let me tell you, weirdoes making bloomers is a fine tradition that is decades of years old, at least. Goths and weird SCA/renfaire people have been around for a long time, and have enjoyed making ridiculous vaguely historical garments.
Bloomers are incredibly easy to make: they're basically two rectangles of fabric with curves cut into them that is then sewn together and hemmed into casings. Boom. Once you get the basic shape down (assuming you've sewn in your life before) you could easily make them in ten minutes -- I've whipped some up right before going out to events.
Look at these tutorials first and pay attention to the pretty diagrams:
Dawn Pages bloomers/breeches - A little tricky-looking to a beginner, but the best tutorial, in my humble opinion. (My absolute favorite costuming site, although it probably appeals to the "measure this and cut" sort of sewer I am moreso than pattern-lovers.)
EGL tutorial - Really good description of sewing the tubes together inside each other.
Batty-chan's tutorials - Not my favorite, but widely linked.
MY NOTES:
- You cut two doubled rectangles of fabric. The length will depend on the length you want bloomers, anywhere from short and somewhat panty-like to ankle-length and leg-warming.
- Following the patterns below for fitted rise (with different shape curves) will make a more fitted seat. I am lazy and make all the curves exactly the same, which makes a saggy butt but you know, I don't really care.
- Sew the curves together and then the legs, or the legs together and then put the tubes inside each other and sew. I've tried both ways and I think the latter is marginally easier... but really, neither one is all that difficult.
- Casings can be sewn-on bias tape/ribbon, or doubled over fabric. (If you sew two rows of stitching like | elastic | edge of fabric, it will make a ruffle at the top!)
- Casings can be drawstring or elastic. (The bottoms can be left free for gaucho-esque pants.) You can get all fancy and do button-holes for the drawstrings, or just punch holes. I usually leave a small section of the casing stitching open to put the elastic in, and then don't bother sewing it closed in case I need to adjust the elastic later. You could also stitch the elastic on the fabric, but why bother, since covered elastic is so much nicer?
- Fabrics can be anything from thin cottons for summer sweaty-thigh protection to cute novelty print flannels for winter warmth. (Some goths like satin and stretch velvet, but I really dislike synthetics since they breathe less. Personal thing.)
- You can add crap like ribbons and pleats and bows and crap! Or, say, that glow-in-the-dark ric-rac you bought one halloween and couldn't think of a use for! Woohoo!
... and yes, bloomers can be worn without underwear. They ARE underwear. I know a lot of lolitas wear their panties underneath their bloomers, but that's kind of... um... the modern underpants obsession. (The historical re-enactment people can tell you about the miracle of OPEN CROTCH bloomers, which allow one to pee while wearing umpteen layers of underskirts. SHOCKINGLY EASY ACCESS!) I have not had a problem with loose threads in my ladyparts, and I never bother finishing my edges or hemming fastidiously. If one is particularly worried, flannel is very good about not shedding on cut edges, and looking generally snazzy!
I love bloomers and wear them all the time; I only wish I were not horrid at sewing with jersey knit, so I could make jersey knit bloomers.
And if you are over the age of eighteen, you can Google the love letters of James Joyce, who had a lot of very interesting things to say on the subject.
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