Dating of flannel petticoat, trim question

G

Grover Street Girl

Registered Guest
I have a question about the age of this flannel petticoat, are there clues that would narrow it down?
Also, what exactly is the style of embellishment called? It is flat brains, hand stitched down, similar to the way that rouleaux is applied.
And lastly, it is an 18” waist, with a very wide waist panel with toilet pin holes. 35.5” long w/o the waistband, so not a child’s. Was this worn by a young woman?
It is cream colored wool flannel with two side seams and appears to be totally hand sewn. Hand crocheted linen lace trim.
Thanks for the help!




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Some of these puzzling garments with impossibly narrow wide waistbands are not women's petticoats, but are "display" petticoats for infants. In antique photos, infants often wore extremely long petticoats, displayed draped across the end of a pram or carriage, or sitting on the lap of an adult. These petticoats were not made with straps, but were wrapped around the baby's chest under the arms and fastened with safety pins - thus the "...lots of toilet pin holes." In a quick search, I found an example in Etsy:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/873046374/antique-victorian-baby-slip-1800s-long?
A variety of braids were available to seamstresses with patterns for application. Yours is a nice example.
What are "toilet pins"?
Marian
 
anothertimevintageapparel said:
Is the waistband original? I have never any with "satin" fabric for a band.
Click to expand...

Actually, I have a couple of long flannel skirts/slips/petticoats like that, with the same waistband, but they are both part of infant baptismal sets. When I saw these photos, my first thought was that that was what this is. This one is very long, but so are mine. If I can find any of them quickly I will measure the skirt, so we can compare it.
 
Vinclothes said:
Some of these puzzling garments with impossibly narrow wide waistbands are not women's petticoats, but are "display" petticoats for infants. In antique photos, infants often wore extremely long petticoats, displayed draped across the end of a pram or carriage, or sitting on the lap of an adult. These petticoats were not made with straps, but were wrapped around the baby's chest under the arms and fastened with safety pins - thus the "...lots of toilet pin holes." In a quick search, I found an example in Etsy:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/873046374/antique-victorian-baby-slip-1800s-long?
A variety of braids were available to seamstresses with patterns for application. Yours is a nice example.
What are "toilet pins"?
Marian
Click to expand...
Vinclothes said:
Some of these puzzling garments with impossibly narrow wide waistbands are not women's petticoats, but are "display" petticoats for infants. In antique photos, infants often wore extremely long petticoats, displayed draped across the end of a pram or carriage, or sitting on the lap of an adult. These petticoats were not made with straps, but were wrapped around the baby's chest under the arms and fastened with safety pins - thus the "...lots of toilet pin holes." In a quick search, I found an example in Etsy:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/873046374/antique-victorian-baby-slip-1800s-long?
A variety of braids were available to seamstresses with patterns for application. Yours is a nice example.
What are "toilet pins"?
Marian
Click to expand...

Hi Marian, Thanks for that information, I never would have guessed! Lucky babies.

Toilet pins are dressing table pins, glass headed pins, like these in the photo.
Ronda
 

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anothertimevintageapparel said:
Now that you say muslin, I see that it is original. and I agree and infants petticoat.
I too, dont know what toilet pins are. Do you mean the tiny beauty pins?
Click to expand...

Hi, thanks, I appreciate all the help on this, I would never have known!

Toilet pins are glass headed pins, like the ones found in the cubes. Used for fastening garments, etc. I posted a photo of two examples that I have. Ronda
 
I agree that it's a christening petticoat for an infant. The white christening gown, (potentially over yet another white petticoat) would go over this and all you might see would be the hem as the baby was carried or held.
As it's flannel, I'd guess a cool weather christening. You also see these in lighter cotton with lace and white work embellishment.

The "brains" looks like a decorative cord that has been hand caught down from the back.
 
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