Look how proud the illustration girl is of herself, graduating from humble torn project apron to three-piece ensemble!
Unfortunately this garment consists of parts that we don’t wear anymore and I’m not sure I feel like being this retro. Not just the sleeveless reversible jacket. This project calls for ignoring what the pattern says and
- Putting a separating zipper down the back of the overblouse (for the contortionist in you) and hiding it in a box pleat.
- Adding bias piping loopdy-doos on the blouse front
- Notice how I said ‘overblouse’, not blouse? That’s because I’m supposed to take a bodice from a simple dress pattern and make an underwaist, which is a sort of ‘blouse slip’ which is sewn to the skirt.
See that? That is weird, right?
I’m using B5147
the dress from which I already used for my red dress project. This time I’m using the straight skirt, the blouse, and the jacket (I am allowed to make a jacket with sleeves, it just isn’t deemed as clever since it is not reversible. Ah, well.)
I will be making a lining for the skirt, but don’t tell Edna Bishop because she HATES that word. She throws the term ‘drum’ around a good half dozen times in the first paragraph of this chapter, then while you are scratching your head she fixes you with an icy stare, sniffs, and announces in a clipped tone:
“The drum is often called a lining. However, the name drum is preferred. Underlining skirts is discussed in Chapter 13. We feel that these two words, drum and underlining, best serve to describe their purposes.”
Take that, lining saying motherfuckers.
The Messy Method 
Not an underwaist, please, noooooo! Okay, back to drumming my coat. 😉
You forgot an option on the poll ;): What the hell is an underwaist??!?!
That drum thing is sooo weird. I have never, ever, ever run across that before.
You have my worship for even trying to stick to this method ;). Well, ok, anyone who sticks to any method has my worship. But still. 🙂
Why, it is a slip for your blouse sewn to the waistband of your skirt, of course! 😉
This is so educational, I’ve never heard “drum” or “underwaist” before.
I don’t understand how this underwaist thing works. Seems like you’re making a skirt into a sort-of dress with the top that is meant to be underwear, right? But then how would you tuck in the blouse? If you can’t tuck in the blouse, that seems to severely limits the utility of the skirt (never mind that personally, I’ve never tucked anything into anything, but I’m speaking in general here.) In which case, wouldn’t you be better off, like…just making a dress instead?
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Perhaps some helpful underwaist wearer will chime in with an explanation of these and other mysteries of the underwaist.
An underwaist has got to be some sort of modesty garment. I don’t understand the mechanics of such a thing. Edna is waaaaaay out there on this one. Don’t do it!
I say no to the underwaist, I mean, really. But you must do the bias piping loopdy-doos!
Never heard of either an underwaist or the word “drum” for lining. Very curious. Very unnecessary, in both cases, I’m sure. Please don’t feel a slave to Mrs. B; if this underwaist thingammy is going to make the garment useless or complicated or uncomfortable, then just say no! On the other hand, if you can see why it might be a good idea, then please go ahead. If so, then I’m looking forward to more explanations about the functioning of the thing.
I actually had a modern dress with an underwaist, a few years ago. I thought it was weird at first, but when I wore it, I found that I really liked it. It kept the skirt in place very comfortably and smoothly, and it provided a nice lining (drum? 😛 ) for under the top blouse/jacket.
P.S. It is not intended to be a versatile garment. My dress (RTW) was designed as a matching blouse/jacket (not to be removed) and skirt.
I remember them, and, as Betty notes, they did seem to keep everything properly lined up. But we are so informal today, I can’t imagine wearing an outfit where you would never take off the jacket. I don’t ever remember wearing a skirt with an underwaist and then a shell with loopyloos and a jacket. Remember, we would also have had on a slip and a big bra and a girdle and stockings, too!!
That sort of seems like braces for your skirt. You would not have to worry about fitting your skirt too closely, and it would never twist while walking. No way I’d make or wear one even though my blouse tucking in days are so over.
Dang I voted for the wrong thing. Had no idea what an underwaist was/is. On closer examination I say nix it unless your garments are going to be worn only as an outfit and involve temperamental fabric that must be held in check at every wearing. BTW loving the blog and that shirtwaist dress was fab.
i’ve never worn one either, but i like the idea that it would keep everything in place, as betty describes. though like mary says, i can’t imagine that an outfit whose jacket couldn’t be taken off would be useful in many situations. but still, the skirt would hang just so, and not need to be tugged out when you stand up… how would the shell + skirt look without the jacket? see why i picked “it’s complicated” in your survey?
While the underwaist was useful (?) at one time, I don’t think I’d ever do one now! I learned EBB techniques long ago and still use a lot of the ideas, but our life style has changed so much that I’m not sure it is something many of us would want to incorporate! As in any learning experience, one must use what is helpful and dismiss that part that is not used any longer! I have gleaned techniques from a lot of sewists, but don’t follow any one completely. I do use a drum (lining) on wool pants to help them keep their shape and I don’t really wear skirts any longer. I haven’t made a skirt in 5 years probably.
An underwaist is actually a wonderful thing, once you wrap your head around it. It makes for an extremely comfortable garment – no tight waistband! If you have a body-shape that lacks a definable waist (like me, I’m a rectangle), it’s lovely. When I wear a regular skirt, the waistline slides up, it slides down – there aren’t enough curves to keep it in place. A skirt attached to an underwaist stays in place and keeps the hemline level.
Who tucks their blouses in these days? Wearing an overblouse over this skirt is not the slightest bit dated. No one sees the underwaist – it’s like an attached camisole – so there is no reason to wear the jacket all the time. It really is 3 separate pieces. If you want more versatility, make 2 different overblouses for the outfit. Or ditch the jacket – you don’t need to wear it if you don’t want to.
I hadn’t heard about underwaists until an older sewing friend told me about them when I showed her my skirt problem. Now I love them!
I am old enough to have worn one, but don’t remember ever doing so. Lots of slips and girdles, on top of all the other assorted undergarments that were worn to keep us covered and immobile.
The cover model girl looks happy because she just popped a Milltown. C’mon now, no one EVER got that happy from the underwaist alone. It takes chemistry too!
I have no idea what a Milltown is but I like the cut of your jib.