Making Hand Sewn Pantalettes

   

The sewing machine (I love all

three of mine, one is a treadle)

has convinced us that every stitch & every

seam should be perfectly straight............

Before it's invention everything was

sewn by hand.  It gave women the ability to

make clothing faster and the time to create

fancier garments, but even into the 20th

century much hand sewing was still done.

Here in the Ozark mountains not many

 pioneers owned a machine and the treadle

was used well into the 1950's. Hand sewing

skills were a source of pride for Ozark women. 

 I used to take great pride in my tiny even

hand stitches but, I am approaching 60 years

 of age, my eyesight isn't what it used to be

and I have arthritis. So these days, I am grateful

 I am still able to hand sew and I'm proud of my

uneven seams & stitching.

It doesn't have to be perfect

to be pretty!!

   So, I thought I'd show you how I made a pair

of pantalettes for this little doll.  Lots &
lots of white on white photos.  You might
want to get a cup of coffee!

First of all, I often just draw my body
parts without a definite pattern so each
doll varies in size. Each doll stuffs
 differently. Clothing is made to fit each doll so
I don't have specific patterns,  just general
shapes. The pioneer woman didn't have
patterns, clothing was cut and sewn
to fit the individual wearer or the
little dolly!

I have an earlier post with some

hand sewing tips.

http://littlecabincreations.blogspot.com/2012/05/hand-sewing-tips.html

I made some measurements and
drew on a piece of cotton a general
pantalette shape.  You can faintly
see it below on the left.  I wanted
to make some pin tucks so I added
1/2 in for each tuck to the length
of the leg plus a hem amount.  I cut that
out and laid it on the piece on the right
& cut another one just like it.

I then cut a strip of cotton about an

inch longer than the waist measurement

for the waistband.  It was about 1 1/2 inches
 wide.   I also chose some lace but, I didn't
use it in the end.

I folded the waistband in half.

I folded both edges toward the center.

I ironed this flat. These folds will be a

folding & stitching guide a bit later.

You can see I laid the 2 pieces side by

side and marked lines 1/2 inch apart for

pintuck guide lines.  I left enough
fabric below the lines for the hem.

I folded the top line down to the 2nd line &

the 3rd line down to the 4th line.

You can see the 2 folds below.

I laid this on the doll and I could see I had

extra length in the leg so I added a third tuck
on top of the other 2.  Pintucks generally were
 sewn in sets of three or in singles. 

These pieces of fabric are small, I eyeball

my tucks. The pioneer didn't have a water

soluable marking pen or see through plastic

ruler!

On the back side I folded up about 1/4
 inch at the bottom.

I then folded up about 1/2 inch. This is

going to be my hem line later.

The front.

I sewed the tucks close to the top edge with
a back stitch but, you can use a running
stitch here too.

Sewn tucks close up.  These are wide

tucks, they can be closer together.

To make the front of the pantalettes,

I pinned the WRONG sides together & using a

back stitch I sewed a seam.  This seam
is sewn on the OUTSIDE of the pantalettes,
the opposite of a regularly sewn seam.

I turned it over to the other side and

trimmed the back side of the seam.

On the front side I turned under the

 top side edge OVER the trimmed
 back and finger pressed

it down.

Using a back stitch I stitched a

seam on the top right side.

This is called a flat felled seam. It is
seen on the outside of the pantalettes.
Close up below.

To make the back opening,

with the RIGHT sides together I

pinned the bottom half together.

Using a back stitch I sewed a seam about half

way up.

I opened up this seam.

I folded the edges under and finger pressed.

I turned it to the Right side.

Starting on the left using a back stitch I sewed

down the left side stopping at the seam stitching.

I crossed over to the right side (I made three or

four stitches for added strength at the cross

over point) and continued up the right side.

This is what it looked like inside.

On the lover half of this seam I whip stitched

the edges.  1800's garment had finished

seams on the inside to prevent fraying.

With RIGHT sides together

I pinned the lower legs together.

I took great care to make sure the

tucks matched when I pinned

them together.

To prevent getting the pins entangled

with my thread....................

I turned it over & using a back stitch

I sewed a seam, wide enough to

fold over the edges..............

so I could finish the sides with
a whip stitch.

 I put the pantalettes on the doll and felt they were

 a bit too long so I moved the hem up & whip
stitched it to the top of the lowest tuck.

See how perfect these match!!

At this point I ground some Dunkin Donuts

beans, made a cup of coffee and enjoyed it

on the back porch while I listed to the sounds of

the creek and cheerful birds.    

THEN

I made 2 rows of running stitches at the

top of the pantalettes & put them on the doll.
I gathered them to fit her. (I don't

do much measuring)

With the waistband on the OUTSIDE  I pinned it

to the top, evenly spreading out the gathers.  I

left about 1/2 inch hanging over the edge of

both sides.

My pins are on the inside so that they do not

get tangled up in my thread as I sew.

On the OUTSIDE using a back stitch I

sewed them together using the top fold

line as my guide.

This is what it looked like on the outside.

On the back starting on the LEFT side....

I folded toward the INSIDE matching

with the finished edge.

I then folded down the top along the

first press.

I then folded down along the center press

all the way to the RIGHT side pinning down

as I went along.

When I got all the way to the end, I added

an eye, stitched down with 3 buttonhole stitches,
(double thread for sewing hook and eyes )

before I folded the end toward the INSIDE. 

I then slip stitched it all down including the
end pieces, starting on the left side (removing the
 pins as I sewed preventing any tangles as
I stitched) ending on the right side.
This is what it looked like on the inside
after it was all stitched.

You can see the little whip stitches here.

On the INSIDE LEFT side, I added the hook,
stitched down with 3 buttonhole stitches.
 (double thread for sewing hook and eyes)
 You can also see where I stitched under the top
of the hook to secure it down.  You can also
see the whip stitches on the end.

This is how it looked on the outside.

These will be mildly aged, hand washed

& ironed before I call them done.

As you can see these are not the proper

Butterick or Simplicity sewing

instructions.  I hand sew my dolls

the old fashioned way.  I don't always

measure things, I finger press a lot, &

sometimes I cut away fabric to make

things fit.  I have even been know to make

big changes in the middle of something, but

this is how I work & I enjoy every stitch.

Give hand sewing a try, slow the process down. 

Happy Sewing!!