Maid Of All Work

Over the next few weeks, all our local villages seem to be having Galas and Fun Days. My friend Debbie is taking part in one in her village, on the 'Farmer's Market' Stand [she sells her cross stitch crafts at the FM each week] She needed to be dressed 'in Victorian Costume' - so on the trip up the M1 last Wednesday, she and I discussed the easiest way to do this. We concluded a maid's outfit would be simplest - plain blouse and long skirt [already had these] plus apron and mob cap.

I did these Saturday afternoon from the lining of an old red velvet curtain from the Stash plus some spare bits of lace.

To make the cap, I drew a 24" diameter circle, and inside that, a 17" circle. I pinned lace round the edge and zigzagged it in place. You need about 2 yards. I folded a channel along the inner circle, and pinned it on the wrong side,[ about ½" wide]  and sewed this round [ it puckered a bit because obviously the inner line was shorter than the outer, but it does not matter!] Then I snipped a tiny hole through the channel and threaded 22" of elastic, and knotted the ends. Voila!

If you want to make your own, you may find it useful to know that the bib piece was 12" square, the skirt piece 36" square before hems etc. And I stiffened the waistband with a leftover length of Wide Ruffle Tape! I added pockets because my friend Irene says aprons should always have pockets, and I think she is probably right!

Debbie's tried the outfit on, and it fits! If it is cold, she can drape a shawl round her shoulders. Victorians did not wear anoraks.