How to Make an Easy Spanish Farthingale
- 1). Take your measurements with the measuring tape. You'll need to know the circumference of your waist, hips, and the distance from your waist to the floor. These will help you to make a pattern for your farthingale.
To account for the flaring of the farthingale, you'll need to add to each of these measurements. You should add at least 2 inches to your waist measurement, at least 3 inches to your hip measurement, and at least 2 inches to your waist-to-floor measurement.
Record these measurements as well as the bottom circumference of the farthingale, which should be between 117 and 120 inches. - 2). Take a sheet of paper that is as long as your adjusted waist-to-floor measurement plus 12 inches, and draw a line 12 inches from the top. This is the center front line of your pattern.
- 3). Draw a line at the top of the center front line across the paper, equal to 1/8 of your adjusted waist measurement. Mark this as Point A. Measure 8 inches down and measure across 1/8 of the adjusted hip measurement. Mark this as Point B.
Measure across 1/8 of the bottom circumference of the farthingale, starting from the bottom of your center front line. Mark this as Point C.
Connect Points A, B, and C with a straight line. This forms Point D. - 4). Extend the center front line up from the waist, and extend the line from Point D up to intersect the center front line.
Place the end of the tape measure at this intersection, pivot the tape, and trace the curve of the waistline. Then use the same pivot point to trace the curve at the hip line and the bottom line of the farthingale. - 5). Measure 4 inches from the bottom front line to the center front line. Mark this as Point E. Pivot the tape measure again and trace the curve at Point E.
Do the same at the point 2 inches from the bottom front line to the center front line. Mark this as Point F. Points E and F will become the double hoop lines at the bottom of the farthingale. - 6). Measure the distance between the hip line and Point F along the center front line. Divide that result by 5 and mark the distance along the center front line at evenly spaced intervals. These intervals mark where you will place each hoop. Use the tape measure to trace the curves of each hoop line.
- 7). Cut out your pattern. Place the pattern pieces on your fabric along a center fold line and cut them out. Trace the hoop lines onto the fabric with a fabric pencil before you remove the patterns from the fabric.
- 8). Sew sides together, but leave the back seam open from 2 inches above the hip ring to the top of the waist. Finish the edges with hemming so no raw edges show.
Use a basting stitch (a wide running stitch) to sew around the waistline, 1/2 inch from the top edge of the fabric. Pull the thread to gather the fabric and create a drawstring for the waistband. Stitch a ribbon to either side of the opening at the back to tie the waist closed. - 9). Measure each hoop ring from the curves you traced on the fabric. Cut each piece of boning to the length you measured plus 6 inches. Cut additional pieces of fabric, 2 inches wide, to match the length of each piece of boning. These will be the casings that hold the boning.
- 10
Lay each fabric strip so the right side of the strip faces the wrong side of the farthingale, starting at the center back hem. Fold the 2-inch wide edge of the strip in by 1/2 inch at the beginning of the seam. Sew the fabric together, half an inch from the edge. When you come back to the place you started, cut the strip, fold it 1/2 inch under, and sew so that the beginning and end of the strip are abutting.
Turn the strip so that the right side lies against the outside of the farthingale. Press and fold the raw top edge of the strip in by 1/2 inch. Press down firmly, and topstitch the strip to the farthingale.
Follow the same method for the remaining hoops. - 11
Insert each piece of boning into the hoop casing. Feed the boning into the casing until it goes all the way through, with a 6" overlap at the back. This overlap prevents the farthingale from buckling. Stitch each opening shut on the hoop casings.
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