18th Century Bum Pad

I have set out on an adventure in time!  I am working on creating 18th century clothing for my family to do historical tour and interpretations with our Daughters and Children of the American Revolution organizations.

I have purchased my stays (corset) as they are too complicated for a beginner.  I have also purchased a shift (cotton short gown worn under everything).  My first project was a bum pad.  This is designed to give the petticoats volume and increase the hip and bottom silhouette.


I gained inspiration and shape ideas from these sources:
Demode Couture
The Modern Mantua-Maker
American Dutchess




I prefered the shape most on this example:
Couture Mayah

I used the "getting started" directions from a blog on making a 16th century bum roll.  While I did not want that shape or silhouette I found the details on Elizabethan Costume to be the best at getting me started.
 The Elizabethan blog suggested using tin foil to make a mold of my waist.  I got dressed in my shift and stays for the most accurate measurements of my period shape.

I found a pool noodle in my storage closet and used thick painters tape to secure it.  This was a two person job.  My mother held the noodle tightly while I wiggled out of it.  We taped the two ends together and then put the noodle on again.  She then held it to my waist to form the right oval as the noodle naturally goes completely round when off.  By hold the oval shape as I slithered out again we taped it front to back to keep the final oval shape.

 Next came the design.  I used white craft paper to trace the interior shape of the pool noodle.

I then took the suggested 5" side and 8" center back suggestion on the Elizabethan blog.  I removed 4 inches on the front center for the opening.  We then free handed the arch from the 8" to 5" marks and around to the front.
I then added a generous 5/8" hem (dashed line) around the shape.

To be sure it was mirror accurate I only drew one side of the pattern.  I then folded the paper in half and cut out the shape.  You can see my shape corrections in pencil.

We then tried the paper pattern on my hips to see how the silhouette looked.  I found that the full 5" on the side was too much for my shape so we trimmed some off.

I then found that having a hard oval shape on the inside caused the pattern to "pop up" on my hips like a shelf rather than create a gentle support for more body to the petticoat.  This was all done with just looking at the paper pattern on my hips.

We decided to modify the opening shape so that the hips would lay more sloped rather than shelf like.  You can see the end shape in the next photograph.

 The finished pattern has more of a "c" shape.

I chose an off-white light-weight linen for my fabric.  I folded it in half and cut the pattern so that the grain of the fabric ran from front to back rather than across the piece.  This I hope will keep it from stretching.




As this piece will not be seen by people, unless I'm talking about getting dressed, I decided to machine stitch this piece.  I started by stitching around the outer hem and around the ends and around the inner hem on each side leaving a 6" gap in the center for stuffing.

I reopened the points and stitched in cotton twill tape.  I hand finished the ends by rolling twice and doing a running stitch with a whip stitch on each end to be sure it is encased will not fray.

Because of the curve I notched the fabric to be sure the hem would not bunch.  I then pressed the seams open and turned the piece right-side out.

Working from the tips with the ties I stuffed poly fill into the end. After stuffing and pinning a section I tied the bum pad onto myself to see if I was happy with the thickness of the fill.  I then machine stitched a channel.  I repeated for the next section.  I was thankful to only have to pull out one channel because I found the fill not what I wanted.  For the final three sections (center, left and right) I was very careful to flare the channel points to compliment the arch in the piece and to make them even on each side.

The final inner hem 6" that was left open for stuffing was hand stitched with a blind slip stitch.

I worked the poly fill into each corner of each section and the piece lays very nicely on my natural hips and bum. I'm excited to start making my petticoats now that I have all my undergarments completed!

Notes for next time:  If I make another bum pad I would make the opening gap larger.  They touch when I lace the bum pad on so there is not enough gap to lace tighter on my undergarments.  I may pick the seam and shorten this one if I need to.  I kept my paper pattern just in case I want to make another!