Costume Designs/Maids

"Someone had posted a rather simplistic 'maid' costume pattern to Wikimedia Commons, later deleted", of a slightly diffferent design (namely the neck line is a gathered one) and I was wondering if there was interest from Valentina users in producing variants. The pattern had rather simplistic seam/hemm allowances indicated."

"On my maid patten (which has an open neck line) I would then have dropped the bodddice front neck line so it sat just above the high bust front center (about 25mm (1 inch ) above if you needed a precise figure (X1), at bust points the neck line point should be roughly in line with the bust point horizontally, and the arm pit (?) vertically (X2) . Curve through these points until you hit the shoulder line (X3). Depending on taste the beck neck line would be dropped in like manner. (X4)

The sleeve as far I could tell was a basic sleeve block, drawn in length to the widest part of the upper arm. (S1). At S1 extend lines half the bicep widest point+ a small amount of ease to S2, S3, and construct the rest of sleeve as normal.

This is where I can't recall what next. because as I understand it you then tweak/remove the arm scye, such that a curve is formed when the sleeve is stitched into the side at X4/ X3.

The skirt is a modified (2 part) circular skirt at an appropriate depth (L1) from the waist line of the bodice.. I wasn't sure here how to work what angles should be set up so as to draft the skirt. Depending on taste L1 is either : Waist to Crotch+decency_factor.

On L1 to L1 mark the hip line, and extend half of hip_arc(front) to L2, and now draw a diagonal L,L2 extending it to the base line perpendicular L,L1 making L3.

Mark length of L, L2 verticaly from L, extending to L3. This is the bottom point of the front skirt.

The next step is I think is determine from the waist arc back to a point L4 which is the pivot for the parallel arcs which are then drawn as the top and base of the skirt. .... The same is done for the back skirt with the exception that it's a curve not an arc to accomodate the need for a slightly longer back length compared with the side seams.."

"Thanks, i thought it might be useful..

The 'Downton Abbey' design, is rather different... closer in bodice/sleeve terms to the 'English' design, but the skirt is a lot tighter to the legs, and obviously considerably longer.

The apron designs here are also stylised ones. I hadn't drawn a bib-style one with shoulder straps yet."

(which is Creative Commons, if you want to adapt and upload new items for it.)"

"Had another look at some drafting books.

The archetype french maid costume pattern would be on for a bodice, with a raglan style sleeve and considerably dropped neck line which extends over the “cap” ? of sleeve, which is removed in the pattern. (I’ve seen quite a few variations)

The skirt is a gathered circular skit of rather short length. ( I think in mine I added a “modesty factor”. (Aside: The back of this skirt might need to assymetrical, and I hadn’t necessarily found how to draft an assymetric circular skirt in my researches yet.)

Naturally this means that the neck/shoulder line might need to be closely fitted/gathered or given elastic.

The English maid design is a standard bodice with the neck line raised into a full-collar. ( I’d have to check against various drafting terms to give a more precise) term with a full sleeve.

Note: If making up this design for a “plus size” or male cross-dresser, you’ll need to ‘grade’ the back/front lengths and the shoulder considerably compared to a standard female bodice design.

Conversely if wearing this over a corset, you may need to add a wast-line dart to fit the bodice to the smaller waist line.

These designs aren’t necessarily period appropriate for an “historical period” maid, and for those you’d proably be best looking at a pattern drafting/garment books from those periods. ( I’ve found some for the late 1890’s on archive.org4 that would give a general dress design, but not necessarily the relevant apron/cap styles.). None of the costumes I found commercially available would be a good basis for reconstructing a historical pattern as they have a lot more ease in them (or use stretch knits.)"

"If you were wanting a more traditional “English” maid/waitress style, then you effectively have to make 3 items.

Item 1: One being a suitably eased dress bodice and skirt design ( I’ve been looking at a number in Rohr 1961).

Item 2: Draft a pinafore pattern. ( I’ve used Rhor, 1961. pp64. Style I), and my notes below use the piece refs on that page )

The pinafore apron pattern I had in mind utilises the back bodice part in drafting but does not “cut” it directly (unless desired)

Using the pattern parts obtained, add the distances of the back waistband portions to the front waistband+ allowance for ties.

Then rotate the back center portion (E (Rhor ,1961) such that the shoulder line aligns with the shoulder line of the front center portion (AB (Rhor 1961). The arm-scye should be on the right.

Square to halfway along the shoulder line created, come back about 1 inch, and measure square across to the modified waist line on the rotated back center portion, and make an allowance for ‘ties’, or buttoning. This measure is the length of the shoulder ‘strap’.

Omit the rear skirt, bodice and ruffles when cutting. The front ruffle pattern is adapted by making an additional hem allowance at the shoulder. In addition cut a ‘width’ of fabric to the shoulder strap length you recorded.

Alternately, you can retain a modified rear ruffle, and “taper” of formed from the back side portion (D). To create this cut part D from the top of the arm scye, diagonally to a point roughly equivalent to the top of the dart used to create it.

The rear ruffle portion is also tapered to this point.

Rather than attaching to the back side (omitted), The modified rear ruffle peices are sewn onto the “taper” peices which is in turn sewn on to the relevant edge of the shoulder strap.

Some manual adjustment of where to attach the shoulder straps to the waist band is needed (but any pattern should allow the seamstress some discretion in this.)

The shoulder/rear straps should be reasonably firm, but not rigid.

Different designs can be made by reshaping the front center and front side portions, and amending the measure for the length of shoulder strap at the front.

Item 3. The third item is the maid ‘cap’. I’ve seen various versions of these. a. ‘lace comb’ Type 1 is a starched peice of lace, sewn to a comb which is placed in the hair just above the temple.

b. ‘mob-cap’ Type 2 is a a gathered mob cap. This may or may not have additional tapers to the rear. These tapers are easily created, by measuring over the top of the head from roughly the centre down to the nape of the neck at the rear. (In one I made recently the taper was essentially a simple gathering forming a trapezoid 3/4 inch to an inch at the top, and about 1 to 1 1/4 inch at the bottom. This could be simple or if desired could be a pleat/gather, assuming suitable allowances where made. Ribbon could also be used for these. In some non period costume designs, the mob cap is shrunk to be a single 'edged’ rigid circle of fabric, (or sometimes dark colored thick felt), with a ribbon bow, and a comb on the underside.

c.. ‘Lyons Waitress’ type, This is a typically a head-band ( in non period fancy dress costumes it’s typically an elasticated band) on which is sewn a rectangle tapered or curved at its top edge. A pattern for this is simple to draw… The base line being the distance between the temples (A B). Come up from these points about 2 to 2 1/2 inches, and draw another line (C D. Then at the center point(E) come up another 1.2 inches… A C E D B, is the pattern piece (no allowance for hems or seams). The line CED can be modified into all manner or curves depending on taste or requirement. ( I’ve seen both ‘humpbridge’ and ‘half-moon’ types in photos.). In some versions a ‘lace’ edgeing is added along CED, but as this tends to be machined lace, All that will be needed is a note of the appropriate length of the curve.

Ideally 2 pieces for the cap pattern should be cut, any top edging (such as lace) being inserted into the seam made at the top line of the peice. (NB There’s a tutorial here: Inserting Lace into Seams | Sewaholic1 about how to insert lace into seams more generally…)

I hope this helps."

A simple method for making a long "work apron" for an early 20th century maid. This was how I drafted a very simple maids apron from a yard square (actually 150cm by 100cm) of simple white cotton, physically, but should be straightforward to draft in Valentina.

"Required 1 Yard square, ( I actually had 150m by 100m but had a lot of spare material. so it should be possible do this with a 1m square fabric piece.)

"Fold Fabric halfway, and on fold draft as follows....

From top center on fold A  makr B bust  (Example: 8 inches),   C Waist line and D base ( typically the length of fabric, but may be made shorter if needed.


 * From A square out to A1 ( 1/2 Shoulder to shoulder front  Example: 8 inches).
 * And B square out to B1 (1/4 Bust circle Example 12 in. )
 * And C square out to C1 (1.4 Waist circle Example 9 in)
 * D-> D1 same as B -> B1

Curve through A1, B1 ,C1, and then a smooth diagonal to D1. Pattern piece for apron front is (clockwise) A, A1, B1,C1, via the curve drawn, D1, D, A., which is cut on the fold to create the apron front.

On the other side of the fabric place 2 rectangles approx 4 in (width) each to 1yd (ie length of material)  This will produce a waistband and 2 shoulder straps. when cut. (The spare length can either be sewn into the waist-band for stiffening).

The waist band is folded over and sewn centered on the waist line vetrically, I.e there is a hem./seam approx 1 inch above and below the wasitband, and on the center line of the front peice when cut. The shoulder straps are swen folded over to 2 in width, and sewn to the top left/top right of the front."

To put the apron on, place wiastband at waist, and taking the ends of the waistband pull to rear, and tie in bow. Then place shoulder straps over shoulders crossing at mid back, loop straps over waist band and tie ends in bow.

This design should ideally be cut in stiff cotton or starchable fabric"

This is a very simple pattern/design I drafted quickly, I've omitted a neck line, others here probably have more complex designs or improvements."

Another method: http://www.tudorlinks.com/treasury/freepatterns/w1909maidapron.html