Intro to Bum Rolls

I know it sounds totally silly, but bum rolls are the best. I do not profess to know the whole history and such of them, but they are basically used to give your skirt some oomph.

For example, here is my behind without a bum roll.

And here it is with a bum roll.

It's like an old-school booty-pop.

For any sort of costume or skirt that requires a bit of scaffolding around the mid-section, they are the way to go. No need to make a complicated bustle skirt when you can tuck a bum roll under a pleated or gathered skirt for much the same effect, and much less hassle.

Even if you have the skill, time, and energy to make a full bustle skirt, a bum roll will still give it that extra pop that the style demands.

Best part is, they are crazy easy to make.

You will need:

• a few yards or scrap fabric (or 2-3 old t-shirts)
• scissors
• a needle and thread
• ribbon or string

You can make these a few different sizes and such, but the method remains the same. The one I am wearing wraps from the front of my hips around, with only a small section missing in the front, across my stomach. I wear it under Renaissance-style costumes. You can also make these so they just sit directly above your bottom, to go for a more Victorian look. They can be as large or small as you want.

Step one: Measure how long you want your bum roll to be.

Step two: Fold 2/3 (or 2 of your t-shirts) to this length.

Step three: Fold the remaining 1/3 so it is about 4 inches shorter. Place it on top of the longer fabric, in the center.

Step four: Roll all of your fabric together, as tight as you can, and pin in place.

Step five: Hand sew along this line, with doubled thread for strength. **It does not matter if your stitches are pretty, no one will see them.**

Step six: Sew a length of ribbon onto each end, long enough that you can tie the roll just below your waist.

Step seven: Wear and enjoy!

EASY Renaissance Overskirt

This lovely skirt is actually far more odd then it may look.  For one, it's one of the few sewing projects I have done entirely by hand.  Conveniently, it was so very easy that none was needed.  It also is made out of some unconventional materials.

The skirt fabric itself is actually a pair of cheap round tablecloths that I bought a few years ago on clearance after Christmas.  I think they cost me all of fifty cents a piece.  They are also a good part of why this project was so quick and simple.  Most of the work was already done.  I folded each of the tablecloths into quarters, and cut the pointed end.  I didn't have to worry to much about the waistband circumference, as the skirt isn't meant to come all the way together in front.  Instead, I cut the tablecloths so that they were the length I wanted, with one a few inches shorter than the other.  Once the waist was cut, I also cut a slit from the edge to the enter, to create the center front of the skirt where it opens.

The next step is the part that took the longest.  I sewed a quick basting stitch to the bottom layer and gathered the fabric to give the skirt some body.  The top layer was trickier, as I wanted it to be neat and pleated.  The pleats took a bit of time and a lot of pinning, but once they were set, the rest was a breeze.  For the less experienced or less patient seamstress, both layers could be basted together and gathered for a similar but slightly less polished look.

Confession time: I have a very bad habit of cutting corners when sewing is involved.  Sometimes it is okay, but other times it is very, very not.

Luckily for me, this was one of the good times.  I laid the top layer over the bottom layer, and pinned the waistband over them both.  To save time from cutting and ironing, I used blanket edging as the waistband.  It worked fantastically, and I highly recommend it.  A bit of careful sewing through the many layers of bunched fabric, and the waist was done.

For a finishing touch, I turned the front edges of the bottom layer and stitched them, then did the same with the top.  On the top layer I also pinned and stitched the lace trim on at the same time, again, to cut some corners and just do the one line of stitches.

I didn't have to hem anything, because the tablecloths were already finished around the bottom edges.

Start to finish, this skirt took about five hours, or one long afternoon.  Not bad, really.  Plus, with the cost of the trim and all, it was under fifteen dollars to make.  Given the extreme cost of some Renaissance garb, I got off really cheap on that account.  It pays to be able to whip up a few stitches!