Late Elizabethan flounced skirt

So this is the next look that I'm going for, from The Tudor Tailor:

I was hesitant about doing a flounced skirt, which would require a bumroll - it seems odd to modern eyes - but it turned out ok:

 

 

That's the doublet bodice that I made earlier; drafted that pattern from scratch, but it's very close to the one in the book, and I did use the pattern from the book for the medium bumroll.

However, I totally guessed on how to do the skirt. I measured down from the waist, over the bumroll, about 8 inches, made a tuck about 1 inch wide, and ran two rows of loose stitching to gather it. The fabric is a teal-colored wool gabardine that was left over from another project from a long time ago.

Since it's an open front skirt, I might make some sort of forepart to go under it, to hide my corded petticoat. I wish I had the time and fortitude to do something in blackwork, but that's definitely not my strong suit.

My answer to Spring/Summer 2011 - Cheap Ways To Update That Wardrobe

Spring/Summer 2011 - Cheap Ways To Update That Wardrobe from PrelovedReloved, One girl’s challenge to wear only second-hand for a whole year!

Some good ideas here, and apparently for a good cause.

Since my budget for new clothes has been really tight lately, I've made it a habit to "shop in my closet" before running out to the department store. For example,

Consider re-purposing some long pants/trousers into shorts and capris, rather than putting them away for the summer. It's quite easy to simply cut and hem to a shorter length. I do this with my yoga pants all the time because they fade and wear out eventually anyway, and I have to replace them. Might as well get multiple seasons out of them.

How to hem pants, from About.com.

A bit more challenging to do, but also worth it - turn some of those old jeans into skirts:


How to turn old jeans into a skirt, from Threadbanger.

Turn almost anything into a skirt - a simple a-line skirt is one of the quickest and easiest sewing projects you can do. Consider using any light, drapey fabric - an old sheet or pillow case, and experiment with all manner of embellishment techniques - tie-dying, batik, block printing, fabric painting, embroidery, applique, &etc.

Sew What! Skirts: 16 Simple Styles You Can Make with Fabulous Fabrics [Spiral-bound] on Amazon.com

How-to Make a Tee Skirt, Threadbanger [Video]



5-Minute Skirt [pattern] on AngryChicken.



Off-The-Shelf Fabric Painting: 30 Simple Recipes for Gourmet Results [Paperback] on Amazon.com

Create Your Own Hand-Printed Cloth: Stamp, Screen & Stencil with Everyday Objects [Paperback] on Amazon.com