Normally, I just cut two rectangles of fabric using the whole width of the fabric in my skirts. However, I attended the Tudor Tailor workshop on Saturday (!), and decided to take what I learned to my dress.

Period widths of linen could be around 45″, and silk was often 18″-22″! So narrow! I’m not insane enough to cut my 60″ fabric into thirds, just to approximate that. However, that did mean skirts were always pieced, since it just wasn’t possible to cut a panel wide enough. Also, fabric was expensive back then, much more so than labor – so the goal was to use fabric with absolute minimal waste.

Inspired by my learnings, you can see here I am trying to use up as much fabric as possible, which means that overhanging front pattern piece will be cut out separately and sewn on, leaving a slightly odd seam on the front of my skirt. But a slightly odd period seam, and that makes all the difference.

And an obligatory cat shot (seriously, how is sitting on that yardstick comfortable?)

Kaylee is the most helpful at scaling up patterns!