High Waisted Skirt Inspired by Late Victorian Corselet/Princess Skirt and Great Coat PART1

Hello! You may remember my 1899 Great Coat mock-up. I decided to use the pattern to make something like this from 1893. I have a long upper body so I need to raise my waistline. I knew I wouldn't be able to make such a high-pointed waist because I didn't intend to burn it. I marked how high up I wanted the waist. I matched the pattern pieces to the respective gauze of the mock-up and folded them to mark the new tops. I traced the new lines of the patterns. I struggled with the front quite a bit. I had to make two new front panels. I widened the bottom of the side front panel. The original coat pattern had a wide front overlap. I didn't need that. I widened the side seam of the front panel as well. The straight edge was the center front. I'm not quite sure how I ended up with that shape. I had five new gauze to make a nine-gauze skirt. At first I wanted a seven-gauze skirt but it would have been a nightmare to alter the pattern that much. I had some thick and strong cotton canvas. It's the kind that is used for feather pillows. I cut the pattern pieces from the canvas to make a mock-up that would also serve as the interfacing. I only made it 48 centimeters long because the fabric was heavy and I only had one meter of it. The front was funny but I'd expected that as I had to make extreme adjustments to the original pattern. The back was perfect. I was incredibly lucky to find a pattern that fitted my long suede back. I made another wider front gauze. The front was still funny but there was a lot of fabric in it to work with. I cut two pairs of each panel except the front panel which I cut on the fold. My main fabric was a striped linen. I had already used it for a walking skirt. The lining was a pure cotton fabric. I had nine gauze with 18 sides. In order to avoid mixing them up I used sets of different colors to mark which sides to match. As you see I cut the front panel more narrow than the second mock-up but wider than my first attempt. At first I carefully pinned the interfacing onto the main fabric. I forgot to mention that I'd cut the top of the panels half an inch longer than the interfacing. Then I basted the layers together. I know it doesn't look like it but I'd ironed everything before I started working. By the way I had pre-washed my fabrics twice. I usually pre-wash fabrics twice because I do wash all of my historically inspired garments and I want to minimize the risk of shrinking. Skirts have lots of seams cut on different grains that tend to shrink in different proportions. I cut the excess. Then I basted the lining as well, sandwiching the canvas. My lining needed trimming too. I had some super strong black cotton thread from my late grandparents shop. They don't make them like this anymore. Then I cheated. If you are new here I always hand stitch everything. However seven walls is my mental and bodily limit so I used my antique sewing machine. I love the sound of it but I feel miserable about having used it. I turned the allowances and basted them. I didn't trim anything shorter as you would do when falling. I wanted to I will stitch the edges. I didn't do this in this order and I haven't finished yet. I didn't stitch down the edges on the waist in case I needed to adjust the seams later. I tried the skirt on without the front panel. As you can see I fully sewed the back. I intended front closure because I wouldn't be able to get out of the skirt otherwise when in pain from my bad back. I only pinned the front panel and at first only on one side. I put on my bum pad which is now too small. I had a bit more natural padding when I made it. The bum pad helps to stop the skirt from pulling down. I needed to take some from the slope of the front side gore. I thought I might make two shorter front plackets. Then I realized the skirt in the picture had a side closure. I think I will try to make a side placket too. I took quite a lot from the width of the side gores. I will need to make more adjustments to the front before I can sew the two last seams. This is how far I've got in a week.