Sometime last summer, having finished my 1890s corset, but not started planning the corresponding wardrobe, I bought a pattern for Edwardian combinations, dug some slightly-discolored white cotton from my stash, and cut out the pieces.
(Now, I want to say that, yes, I understand that these combinations are a few years too late for the 1890s. I prefer the Edwardian shape of combinations over the chronologically-correct 1890s shape. They're underwear, so when I'm dressed no one will be able to tell that they're not accurate. And frankly, everyone's doing it.)
Part of the reason I had put them aside for so long was the fact that I cut out the front bodice pieces as-is, when I had originally wanted to add pintucks. When I got the fabric and pattern back out in mid-March I decided I didn't care enough to do that, so I just started sewing.
Well, actually, I started ironing. There were seven (7) facing pieces that needed to have certain edges ironed down before starting to sew. Then I could actually start sewing - attaching the facings to the front and back bodice pieces, sewing the legs, attaching the leg facings, and making the leg ruffles into a closed loop. More pressing, then more sewing, then more pressing. I skipped the bodice ruffles, though, because they would have been uselessly bulky under a corset.
And then I had an idea.
I didn't intend to add much (if any) lace or decoration to these, but all that white was getting boring. So I decided to spice things up with colored top-stitching. I still have thread left over from my corset, so I top-stitched the bodice facings and the ruffle's hem in light blue! The effect is subtle, but super cute.
I did add a tiny bit of lace, though. I had two lengths of quarter-inch wide lace that I salvaged from... something I can't remember. They were the perfect lengths to add to the bodice just under the facings!
Then it was ruffling time. I didn't want to hand sew the gathering stitches for the leg ruffles, but I was worried that the thread would break if I used machine stitches to gather them. I ended up using the "zigzag stitch over a piece of string" method. I also ended up resorting to an old Pinterest trick where you do two lines of gathering stitches - one above and one below the stitching line - in order to help control the gathers and make them neater.
I'm so glad I did! It was a tedious process but the results couldn't be prettier!
To cover the raw edge of the ruffle, I made bias tape of the same white cotton I used for the rest of the project and used blue topstitching along the top and bottom to hold it in place around the leg.
With the bodice and legs completed, it was time to attach them to the waistband and make it one single garment!
The bodice went first, with a bit of gathering at the center front. I put in two lines of gathering stitches by hand. The result was not as neat as the two lines of zigzagging over string, but oh well. That gets sandwiched between the inner and outer waistbands, sewn, and ironed.
Then the legs get some gathering at the center back. Having learned my lesson on the bodice, I did the gathering with string again. The legs get sewn to the outer waistband first, then ironed. The legs are just barely supposed to meet at the center back (because these are split drawers), but I opted to overlap the facings for a bit more modesty.
I added some more decorative top stitching along the edges of the waistband, which served to attach the bottom edge of the inner waistband as well.
Finally, it was just buttonholes (in blue thread) and buttons (also blue)! The pattern calls for six down the front - one on the neckline facing, one on the waistband, and four in-between. I ended up adding two on the leg facings below the waistband for some more coverage.
And, with that, my combinations were done!
These are easily one of the weirdest garments to put on. I can't explain it, but the way the legs are disconnected just makes it so odd to get into!
I'm mostly pleased with how these turned out, even if my top-stitching doesn't hold up well to close inspection.
There is one thing I want to point out, though. Becuase this pattern (the TV one) is technically for a corset cover and drawers, and the combinations are just a 'pattern hack', the bodice is a bit oddly shaped for wearing under a corset.
As an Edwardian corset cover, the bodice is meant to encourage the pigeon-breasted look of the era, so there's a lot of extra fabric at the bottom front of the bodice. Because I was making a garment to wear under a corset, I could have shortened the center front by an inch or even an inch and a half and the garment would have been a bit more suited to my purposes. It will work fine as is, but it could have been better.
Next up in 1890s sewing is a bust improver and bum pad. I'm hoping to order a bodice and skirt pattern later this month, too, so I can finalize my plans for clothing. I will need a petticoat eventually, but I'm not sure I have the budget to buy fabric for that right now.
My next few sewing projects will not be 1890s, though! I've got a secret project brewing in a new era that needs to be done before the end of the month and then a quick modern project that is already cut out and waiting for me. Then maybe back into the Regency for a bit, but who knows.
Until then,
Stay warm. Stay safe. Stay healty.
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