Finding the Look and Fit of the 1840s

When taking breaks from working on the corded petticoat this weekend, I did a bit of researching on the Poe era. The first inspiration I got was Edgar's Mother -in-Law & Aunt, Maria Clemm. ( More on Maria, fashion plates and fit concerns )

Yesterday, I threw my corded petticoat into the laundry and washed it in warm water with my sheets. To my surprise, when I pulled it out, the hemp I used leeched some kind of brown pigment onto the cotton, leaving it looking a bit like I'd been playing in a mud puddle! Fortunately, it was quickly resolved by a half hour soak in bleach. I mixed up some starch and soaked the petticoat in it in the fridge over night. Presently, it is drip drying on a rack in my bathtub. Hopefully, by the end of the afternoon it will be dry to the point where it is barely damp and ready for ironing. Good thing I work out of the home!

Thanks again for the lovely comments to my last post. I'm still undecided, but I'll know better when I iron it up.