Let’s go to Paris!
I’ve needed a small lobster tail bustle for a while. I made one years ago from Jean Hunnisett but didn’t size it up for my hips. A few years ago I made the imperial size bustle from the Truly Victorian pattern in a wonderful red paisley.
Although the red one works wonders under my late 1880s bustle dresses, I needed a smaller size for the mid-1870s dresses I make most often.
Plus… you can never have too many ready-to-go undergarments in the costume closet!
I did indeed use the same Truly Victorian TV163 pattern for this and cut the regular size. The size is terrific!
As with the red paisley bustle, I wanted something fun for this one too. At my local JoAnn Fabrics I found a cute cotton print in pinks and black with various Paris symbols, terms, and sketches. So cute!
Just to be different, I used black bias tape for the wire channels. They were sewn to the inside following the pattern diagram. I absolutely LOVE the boning layout on Heather’s pattern. It’s strong to support heavy skirts while keeping a pleasing aesthetic look.
Since the world lost its hoop wire manufacturer late in 2015, we’ve had to search out other sources. (If you find the two-wire encased in plastic or buckram hoop wire, snatch it up! We don’t know when it will be made again, if ever.)
For this bustle project I went with the suggested wire from Farthingales. It is 10 mm of light spring steel coated in plastic just like the metal bones we use for bodices and corsets. (Item number is 50-8405-10 as you can get bogged down on the Farthingales’ site.)
Because this wire comes by the yard, I had to cut and tip each piece for the bustle using the common U-tips. Take note – SOOOO much easier to set them on when using two pliers to pinch the tips around the wire ends!
As with all my bustle and hoop skirt projects, I use a Sharpie to mark the channel number and length of each cut piece. When I go to wash the bustle fabric this makes it much easier to reinsert the pieces instead of having to measure them again later.
Of course, inserting the wire is one of the last things to complete on this project. After sewing all the black bias casings on, I added the lower ruffle. I said – to heck with the pattern – and simply cut two full fabric widths to make a full ruffle. I also did a traditional gather instead of pleating it. Because, why not?
Then came time to attach the inside support piece – very important as it is what holds the curved shape of the wires in their channels. At the same time you attach the front/side panels.
Finally, the narrow waistband was added. I still don’t have hooks & eyes to close as I’m waiting until after my pregnancy to get back into my corset and verify the waistband overlap.
After the wires were inserted I hand stitched up the openings in each of the seven casings. (If you make this pattern it is VITAL to do this. I didn’t with the first bustle and my wires popped out horribly. Fortunately it was before I wore it to an event.)
It’s such a fun undergarment! Who says your bustles have to be white and/or plain?? Many examples exist of colored and printed bustles from the 1870s and 1880s. Use them for inspiration or go off on your own creativity! 🙂
Just a comment here. I’ve made ALL of Truly Victorian’s bustles. It’s a hobby/sickness/obsession. I just love making Victorian undies. The Lobster Tail is a wonderful bustle. It’s strong, light, and collapses perfectly If you’re traveling it’s a great go-to. I’ve made both sizes. My only caveat is that it’s easy to mix up your panels, but the tip here is if they look POINTY, you did it backwards. They should meet in a beautiful arch.
I also have made both TV 101, Petticoat bustle, and TV 108, Grand Bustle. I love them too. but for my purposes TV101 worked better when I took the boning out and used it over my smaller lobster tail. I highly vouch for using them together. You benefit from the lobster tail’s strength and collapsability and the beautiful ruffles on TV 101 covering and smoothing the “bones’.
Or is it a case of the photos never really get the 3-dimensional aspect right and that they’re a lot poofier in real life than they look?
I’m trying to decide which bustle I want to use for a project. I know I want it to be really poofy. On the one hand supposedly the TV108 Grand Bustle would do that, but all the photos I keep seeing have the back not really poofing out nearly as much as I’d like.
The Imperial Tournure looks in some photos like it’d work, but again, not sure if it’s poofy ‘enough’.
Suggestions?
Try adding a short “petticoat” or bustle pad with ruffles ON TOP of the wired bustle for more lift. I also believe the skirt fabric and its underlining affect the poufiness as well. Skirt fabrics can weigh down the wire frames. Although, this lobster tail is fairly sturdy. Add petticoats on top for more lift. Also, if you haven’t, take a look at my post on selecting bustle supports.
Thanks!
I’m still trying to decide weather I even _want_ to do a bustle gown. I mean, I love how they look on most women, but given I’d be crossplaying, and am …well…overweight to begin with, I’m not sure at all that it’d look good on me.
Unless of course, I enlarge the pattern so it’s more proportional to me. Which is what I did for my hoop skirts on my previous project. I’m just not sure that would have the effect I want though.
If it was a small undertaking I wouldn’t worry about it. But given that I’d need to do a bustle, probably a bustle pad, two petticoats and THEN the gown.
I wonder if I’d be happier just going with an elliptical hoop instead.
An elliptical hoop is a different silhouette than a bustle. But a bustle silhouette can definitely be had with proportion adjustments. I’d encourage you to try it. Use petticoats and a pad to help build it too. Keep the hoops to the 1860s costumes.
Definitely going to try to make it work. I like the bustle gowns too much not to. 🙂
This is an initial sketch what I’m thinking of. Just the silhouette though.
What a fun looking bustle!
Thanks! Who says undergarments have to be boring?! 🙂