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Maria Reynolds Cosplay Pattern Diagram and Instructions

Please read instructions thoroughly before starting this project.
Although it is not intended to be a tutorial, feel free to use our "Making a Maria Reynolds Cosplay" video as a
reference if you are having problems understanding a particular step.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiitpKs1Svg

About this Garment:

This bodice pattern will fit a bust of 36"-38" and a waist of 28"-31". The back waist fits a person with a 16" to
16.5" back waist measurement (waistline sits at the natural waist). The bodice is a combination of a stays and
bodice pattern, therefore you should not need to wear a pair of stays or a bra with it. I do suggest using a
bum pad to accentuate the 18th century sillouhette. This costume is meant to be a one piece dress with a
back closure, but feel free to make it a seperate bodice and skirt if that is easier for you.

This costume used 5 yards of 60" wide imitation silk dupioni for the red portion of the dress, and 1 yard of
60" imitation silk for the orange/rust colored long undersleeves. For the lining, 1 yard of black cotton/poly
blend fabric at 60" wide was used. I always suggest buying extra fabric in case of cutting mistakes, or if you
plan on grading this pattern up to a larger size. The skirt pattern is not provided with this pattern diagram
because it is made up of two rectangular cuts the entire width of the fabric. The height of your skirt will be
determined by your waist to floor measurement, plus an extra 4". The extra 4" compensates for the hem and
the ease for wearing the bum pad underneath the skirt. I reccomend cutting the skirt pieces first and then
fitting the rest of the pieces onto the fabric you have left.

Cutting:

Red Fashion Fabric: Deep red Imitation silk dupioni or silk dupioni is reccomended.

⦁ Cut 2 of Red Fashion Fabric: Bodice Back, Bodice Side-Back, Upper Short Sleeve, Under Short Sleeve

⦁ Cut 4 of Red Fashion Fabric: Side-Front Bodice

⦁ Cut 1 of Red Fashion Fabric: Bodice Front (on fold)

⦁ Cut 2 of Orange Fashion Fabric: Upper Long Sleeve, Under Long Sleeve

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Lining: Cotton or cotton/poly blend with little stretch is recommended; preferably in a dark or matching color.

⦁ Cut 2 of Lining: Bodice Back, Bodice Side Back

⦁ Cut 1 of Lining: Bodice Front (on fold)

Bias: (All lengths are slightly over estimated to ensure you have enough trimmings to make the dress. Feel free
to cut them down if necessary)

⦁ For binding the neckline: make 3/4 yard of self fabric piping with a 1/8" rope and 1/2" of seam
allowance.

⦁ For binding the waistline: make 1 yard of self fabric piping with 1/8" rope and 5/8" seam allowance.

⦁ For binding the back of neck and side front pieces: Cut 1.5 yards of 2" wide bias strip of self fabric.

⦁ For lacing: Cut 2 yards of 1.5" wide self bias strips of fabric for the front bodice lacing. Cut 4 yards of
1.5" bias strips for lacing the backs of the sleeves. Cut 2 yards of 1.5" bias strips for making the sleeve
gather ties.

Notions:

⦁ 1/8" width rope for making piping

⦁ 1/4" wide boning or zip ties for boning.

⦁ 1yd twill tape for a waist tape.

⦁ 2 skirt hooks.

⦁ 1 heavy duty zipper (22"-26"long) or additional bias lacing if you decide to do a laced back closure
instead.

⦁ Matching all purpose thread, and matching heavy duty or buttonhole thread for eyelets.

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Putting Together the Bodice

1. Size up the pattern by using a 1" x 1" grid. You may make your grid own by drawing gridlines on a large
poster board using a yard stick and marker. Or you can find a premarked poster board in the store, or
even the back of some wrapping papers have grids. The important thing is to make sure it is 1" x 1". I
like to tape wax paper over my posterboard to draw out my patterns so that I can use my grid over and
over again. I highly suggest you make a mock up of the bodice portion, especially if you are altering the
size of the pattern.

2. Prepare your fabric by washing, drying, and ironing. You will not need to wash genuine silk, but i will
suggest you still wash your lining fabric. Cut all pieces according to the instructions above.

3. Mark all boning channels with a fabric pencil or chalk on the bodice front fashion fabric. You can mark
the boning channels on the lining fabric if using a non washable fabric. Just be aware that feed dogs can
marr some fashion fabrics. Flatline the bodice front with the lining, basting along the edges with a
running stitch and large pad stitches in between the boning channels.

4. Sew in all boning channels. If you choose to sew them continuously, make sure you can get the boning
in from either the top or bottom edge of the bodice. I chose the bottom on the original costume, with
the exception of the two slanted channels at the edges of the neckline, they had to have the boning
inserted through the neckline before binding it with the piping. Remove all pad sitiching, but you may
leave all the edge running stitches in.

5. Pin your 1/2" seam allowance piping to the neckline of the front bodice piece. Stitch as close to the the
piping as you can using your zipper foot. Carefully clip the neckline seam allowance without cutting the
piping allowance. Press the piping and seam allowances down to the wrong side of the bodice and whip
stitch them down, only catching the lining fabric with your stitches. You may also use a serger to finish
your seams if you have one, but you should still whip them to the lining irregardless of your finishing
technique.

6. Insert all boning pieces into the front bodice. Make sure you make them short enough to allow for a
5/8" seam at the bottom of the bodice and a 3/8" seam at the armscye. You can stitch the ends of the
channels closed after you get the boning in, but the running stitches will likely hold them in place while
you put the rest of the bodice together.

7. Sew back and side-back pieces together at the curved seam with the double triangle notches. Use a
5/8" seam allowance. Clip and press open seam allowances. Repeat this process with the back and side-
back lining pieces.

8. Cut strips of lining fabric cabbage to use as boning channels. Mark all boning channels on the right side
of the back and side-back lining pieces only. Pin the strips of fabric under the boning channel markings

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 on the wrong side of the pieces. Sew the channels in place with the openings at the bottom. You will
not put boning channels into the fashion fabric of the back and side-back pieces.

9. Flatline the back pieces of the fashion fabric of the bodice with the lining pieces. Make sure you do this
with the wrong sides together so that all raw edges are hidden. Use a running stitch along all edges.

10. Take the 2 of the side-front pieces and lay them out opposing each other, right sides down. Then lay the
other two side-front pieces over them, right sides up, and flatline them together using large running
stitches on all of the edges. There is no need to pad stitch them together. Then mount the side-front
pieces over the fashion fabric side of front bodice piece, match up the pieces at the side and shoulder
seams. Use a basting stitch to secure the edges from each shoulder seam, along the armscye, and down
the side seam allowance. Leave the bottom edge of the side front piece loose from the front bodice. If
you are using a serger, it is a good idea to serge all side and shoulder seams of the bodice individually at
this time (including the back pieces).

11. Using a 5/8" seam allowance, sew together the front bodice and back bodice pieces at the the shoulder
and side seams. Press the seams open, and whip stitch them down to the lining only. Insert the boning
into the channels for the back and side-back pieces at this time. Use one of the side seam allowances as
a boning channel at the side of the bodice. Remember to cut all boning to a size that will allow for a
5/8" seam allowance at the bottom of the bodice and 3/8" at the armscye.

12. Using a 2" wide bias strip, make a 1/2" double fold bias tape to bind off the front line of the side-front
bodice up to the shoulder and back of the neckline. Leave about 1.5" of the neck unbound to insert a
zipper or finish the back seam if you are choosing to have it lace up. Make sure you leave enough bias
tape to finish by hand once you do have the zipper in place.

13. Make thread eyelets at the indicated places on the side-front bodice according to the pattern diagram.
The circles indicate eyelet placement, and the triangles indicate where the ties need to be tacked down
at the beginning and end of the lacing. This should be done on the inside of the bodice as invisibly as
possible. All eyelets should be butted up next to the edge binding, but not on it. Tack down the bottom
edge of the side-front pieces to the front bodice piece with a running stitch once you finish your eyelets.
Make a lacing tube about 3/8" to 1/2" wide, no larger, or else you will have a hard time getting the
lacing through the eyelets. The bodice is spiral laced; I would highly reccomend looking at a reference
photo when you lace up your bodice.

14. Make the piping for the bottom of the bodice. Pin it into place and sew down. Clip the seam allowances
of the bodice pieces only (not the piping allowance). Take special care to notch the seam allowance of
the point of the bodice so that it will lay down nice and flat. Serge the seam allowance and piping
allowance if using a serger. Press down allowances to the inside of the bodice and whip stitch them to
the lining of the bodice.

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Sleeves

1. Matching up the double notched edges of the upper and under long sleeves, sew a 5/8" seam. (This
seam can be viewed from onlookers. A french seam may be preferred.) Serge the individual edges of
the single notch seam if desired, then sew together with a 5/8" seam allowance. Press seam open.

2. Serge the individual edges of the single notch seams on the upper and under short sleeves if using a
serger. Sew the seam with a 5/8" seam allowance. Press open. Double fold a small hem along the
entire edge of the short sleeves, with the exception of the armscye allowances. Use a whip stitch for a
more invisible finish.

3. Make thread eyelets down the back of the short sleeves where indicated on the pattern diagram.

4. Baste the short sleeves over the long sleeves at the armscye. Match up the double and single notches
and ensure that the right sides are facing outward. Line up the top seam of the short sleeves with the
top seam of the long sleeves. Prepare 2 yards (each sleeve) of 1/2" to 3/8" wide bias tubing for lacing
the back of each sleeve. They are laced down from the shoulder like a pair of shoes and tied in a bow at
the elbow.

5. Pin the hem of the short sleeve to the long sleeve at the top seam, but do not catch the long sleeve's
seam allowances. Make an eyelet on either side of the seam, indicated by the black squares on the
pattern. These eyelets go through all layers except the long sleeve's seam allowance. You may want to
hold the seam allowances of the long sleeves out of the way with your fingers as you work on the
eyelets to ensure you don't accidentally catch them.

6. When you finish the eyelets on both sleeves, pin the the seam allowances flat under the eyelets.
Continue pinning down the seam allowances flat to the long sleeve, up to the unfinished hem.
Topstitch at 1/2", starting from the hem, on the left side of each seam and working down to the eyelets.
Once you pass the eyelets, put your needle down through the sleeve and pivot your work 90 degrees.
Sew across the seam over to the other allowance, pivot again, and stitch 1/2" down the right side of the
seam. You have just created two channels using the long sleeve's seam allowance.

7. Prepare four, 18"-20", bias tubes for lacing ties. These tubes need to be about 3/8" wide when finished.
Lace these tubes from the hem of the long sleeve up through the channel and out each eyelet. Baste
the end of the lacing to the unfinished hem of the sleeve, then make a small double fold hem on the
long sleeve and whip stitch into place. You can then pull the lacings in each sleeve to gather the sleeves
ends and tie in a bow.

8. Pin your sleeves to the armscye of the bodice with right sides together. Start by matching the single and

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 double notches at the bottom of the armscye and work your way up. Make three small pleats at the
head of the sleeve to take up the excess fabric. These pleats face towards the back of the sleeve. They
are arranged about 3/4" apart, and 1/4"-1/2" deep. Line the middle pleat opening with the shoulder
seam. Sew in the sleeve with a 3/8" seam allowance. Serge the armscye seam allowance if using a
serger, or bind them with a bias strip.

Skirt and Back Closure

1. Use the two rectangular sections of fabric you cut out as the front and back of the skirt. Take one
rectangle and cut it down the middle vertically to act as a center back seam. Serge all edges if desired.
Sew up the side seams using 5/8" seam allowances. You may add side seam pockets if desired. Leave
the back seam open.

2. Put your bodice inside out on on dress form or yourself. Wrap a piece of elastic or a string around the
bodice and arrange it so that it is level all the way around the waistline. This will ideally be right above
the sewed down piping allowances at the sides of the bodice. Mark this waistline with chalk or a fabric
pencil. This must be done on a form or body because the waistline will be curved when the bodice lies
flat.

3. Use the marked line to carefully pin your skirt onto the waistline. Line up the back, center front, and
side seams of the skirt with the the bodice's back, center front, and side seams. Use a reference photo
to form the many inverted box pleats of the skirt. There is no magical formula for these, they just take a
lot of trial and error to get them looking correct.

4. Once you are happy with your pleat arrangment, use a whip stitch to secure your skirt onto your bodice.
Be sure to only catch the lining layer. Try on the dress once you finish this step to ensure you like the
pleat placement. Then, place your twill tape over your the waistline of your skirt and whip stitch both
top and bottom edges down to the lining only. Leave about 3" of this tape free from each side of the
center back seam. Trim tape to length (a little bigger than your waist measurement) and finish with a
skirt hook and eye. If you wish, you can finish the waist tape after the bodice is completed to attain
better accuracy. This waist tape will help anchor your skirt to the bodice, finish the seam edge, and keep
your dress held to you if you are having to zip it up on your own.

5. Add a zipper in your preffered method. I suggest a heavy duty zipper because this bodice will take the
strain that stays usually endure. I like to put in the zipper and finish sewing the back skirt seam in the
same step, but you do whichever procedure makes you feel comfortable. If you plan on dressing
yourself, make sure you make the zipper flap open on the side of the hand you normally use to pull up
back zippers. If you decide to change this dress over to a lacing closure up the back, I suggest adding a
placket to the skirt and finishing the back edges of the bodice with boning before adding eyelets. The
boning will keep the bodice from scrunching up when laced. It may be a good idea to make a modesty
panel if you do not plan to wear this dress with a shift. This panel can be whip stitched just the the
outside of one line of eyelets (on the inside of the bodice) so that it does not impede your lacing. Once

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 you finish your back seam, use a whip stitch to finish off the neckline bias binding and add a skirt hook
to the inside of the neckline.

6. Try on your dress and mark your desired hem length. I hemmed this dress at a good walking length,
about 2"-3" above the ground depending on shoes worn etc. Hem length may also depend on if you
plan on wearing a bum pad or bum roll. Double fold your hem and finish it with a whip stich, give it a
good press, then enjoy!

We would love to see your finished work! Tag us on Instagram using @thewiltedtulipcostumes or share to our
Facebook page (The Wilted Tulip Costumes). Feel free to send us a message if a step is really holding you up.
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-Savannah & Summer-