What makes the skirt so poofy? A petti of course! This is the diy petticoat I've made for myself, roughly based off The Stitchess' tutorial on Youtube (linked below) It has a really nice shape when made out of the tulle material that I used, right in between A-line and bell. Perfect for any lolita that can't find affordable or size inclusive petticoats
My metamorphose jsk with petticoat underneath, and my petti on its own (blue shorts underneath)
Materials
✮ A sewing machine or hand sewing kit (with lots of patience!)
✮ Basic knowledge of sewing terms and lolita fashion terms
✮ A drawstring, piece of elastic the length of your waist, or ribbon
✮ Optionally ribbon or lace trim
✮ Fabric
Okay so a little more goes into the fabric choice. For the "fluffy" part of the petti, you want tulle, organza, or chiffon. Organza and tulle are more stiff, and chiffon is a little more flowy. Tulle is the most crunchy and structured, though I'm planning on remaking this petti with a nicer organza eventually because its scratchy and deflates throughout the day before I fluff it up at home again. For the lining that may be against your skin, I recommend a soft non stretch cotton or suitable lining fabric. And for the waistband, any medium weight cotton will do. I encourage you to do your own research ^^
With that in mind:
✮5-8 yards organza, chiffon, or petticoat tulle
✮ 1/2 yard lining fabric
✮ 1/2 yard cotton for waistband
Constructing the Petticoat!
So my petticoat has 3 layers, plus a lining. I will not go into depth on how to hem, serge, gather, or pin pieces together, so please do your own research if you aren't familiar with sewing.
We'll start with the simplest layer. For the rest of this tutorial "A" will be your hip measurement (plus a couple inches for wiggle room) For this length take the hip measurement and multiply by two (2 x A) Then hem the bottom to your liking. Keep in mind its not really necessary for petticoat tulle and this layer wont really show. After any hem or trim is added, evenly gather the top of the fabric to your hip measurement. Secure the ends with simple double knots once gathering is finished and set aside.
We'll start with the simplest layer. For the rest of this tutorial "A" will be your hip measurement (plus a couple inches for wiggle room) For this length take the hip measurement and multiply by two (2 x A) Then hem the bottom to your liking. Keep in mind its not really necessary for petticoat tulle and this layer wont really show. After any hem or trim is added, evenly gather the top of the fabric to your hip measurement. Secure the ends with simple double knots once gathering is finished and set aside.
For layer two, you first want to finish/hem/add trim to tier #2 to your preference. Then gather the top of tier #2 to the length of tier #1. Sew them together with a secure stitch, right sides together. The aesthetics don't really matter on this layer yet, so if you mess up it likely wont be visible. After the pieces are attached, gather tier #1 to your hip measurement. Secure the ends with simple double knots once gathering is finished and set aside layer two.
At this point, you should know the pattern, but keep in mind if you plan to wear this petticoat without a skirt or dress over it, this is the visible layer. Finish tier #3's hem to your liking, this is a good time to add lace if you didn't want to on the other layers. Gather the top and sew with a secure stitch to tier #2, right sides together. Repeat the process (other than the hem) for tier #2. Then, gather tier #1 (which should have the whole layer attached) to your hip measurement. Set layer one aside.
Don't worry about the waistband part yet! Hem the lining and gather to hip measurement.
Now its time to sew all the layers together. Stack them like this for maximum poof. If you want the petticoat to have less poof, remove layer 3. Stitch along the top with a zigzag stitch back and forth a few times to make sure its secure. Then one layer by one layer, form the side seam by sewing the skirt sides together. Make sure the layers are separated for this step. After this the skirt portion is finished!
Next the waistband needs to be added. There's no not awkward way to secure the waistband. All the advice I can offer is take it slow, use pins and a flat iron, and you should end up with a tube along the top. Then you can make holes for a drawstring using buttonholes or eyelets, and use a ribbon or drawstring to tie it. If you want you can use a elastic waistband, but I don't really suggest it. If you're wearing bloomers or shorts, they probably already have an elastic waistband and too much can be uncomfortable.
Once everything is assembled, trim up any loose threads and give it a big shake. Be sure to seperate the layers before any outing :)
And you're done!
I hope this tutorial was helpful for anyone! Petticoat patterns and tutorials can be confusing, and I feel this is a good place to start. I'm planning on making myself an organza petti in the next year, and if i get around to it I'll be sure to record the process :)
The Stitchess' petticoat tutorial on which this is based on: https://youtu.be/oOdHi0Bg6HM
