I'm working on a linen dress with a corded bodice, sort of Italian working-class-style with the curved front opening (http://pic50.picturetrail.com/VOL417/1033223/4707019/391056042.jpg). For the skirt, I'll be cartridge pleating just shy of 4 yards of uncut fabric (so one long panel). I know it's ok/period for a little bit of the front opening of the skirt to be visible (I think Anea once posted several links of visible skirt gaps!)... my question is, how long does that front opening "slit" need to be? In a mundane dress, this would be the portion of the zipper that extends below the waist, so you can get it over your hips. According to the Margo Anderson pattern instructions, the opening there is 10", which is what I did for my purple kirtle. But that seems really, really long to me. Can I go a little shorter? Is there a guideline or some way to judge? Or is the best way to figure that out to just baste in the front seam and unpick stitches until I can pull it on?
Thanks!
Quote from: gem on August 27, 2011, 10:59:49 AM
I'm working on a linen dress with a corded bodice, sort of Italian working-class-style with the curved front opening (http://pic50.picturetrail.com/VOL417/1033223/4707019/391056042.jpg). For the skirt, I'll be cartridge pleating just shy of 4 yards of uncut fabric (so one long panel). I know it's ok/period for a little bit of the front opening of the skirt to be visible (I think Anea once posted several links of visible skirt gaps!)... my question is, how long does that front opening "slit" need to be?
You're right, the skirt split do tend to be visible now and then. I'm guessing it was intentional (or maybe a not too uncommon common sight, as women went up and down in weight/size due to pregnancy) because when they're not visible they are completely hidden. Not even a hint of an opening. But when visible, they are easy to spot. Though not a lot, here's some examples of visible split:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/ferrara/schifanoia1470ferrara8.jpg (my fav!)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/ferrara/schifanoia1470ferrara3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/firenze1/ghirlandaio1486e.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/cremona/campocremona1580s3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/venezia2/bordonefuggerlady.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/bergamo/pietronzelli1580scarminebergamo2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/details/saccocchia/pocket.jpg
And this one, hahaha:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/urbino/carnevale1467met2.jpg
I find that the split needs to be deeper for front or back splits than for side/back splits. Reason is that there's two of the latter, and only one of the former. I usually don't make the splits so deep, but alas I have no exact measurements to give you.
I tend to make the split about one hand length long in the front of the dress. It only needs to be big enough to get it up and over your hips. :) So, if you have a 28" waist, but 36" hips; that's a difference of 8", so, technically, the opening only needs be 5" ( 4" on each side of the opening plus and extra inch on each side so you aren't wiggling into it). ....Does that make sense?