DIY Victorian-Inspired Nightgown: A Simple Circle Skirt Hack
In today’s project, we are diving into a dream I saw on Pinterest: a Victorian-inspired nightgown. This piece is the definition of romantic comfort—perfect for those hot summer nights or just lounging around feeling like a heroine in a period drama.
The best part? The construction is surprisingly simple. It’s essentially a circle skirt hack. We use the principles of a circle skirt to get that gorgeous flow, then add armholes. I’ll show you exactly how to draft the pattern, so don’t worry if you’re a beginner!
For my
Visual Learners
I am so incredibly excited to show you how I made my very first sweater! If you love seeing things in action as much as I do, you can watch the whole video and my full explanation right here. Just hit play and let’s get started!
Tools & Materials
1. Gathering Your Measurements
Before we draft, we need a few key numbers. Grab your measuring tape and a piece of paper:
Strap Placement: Measure from bra strap to bra strap to find where you want the gown to sit.
Bust Measurement: Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your chest (make sure it’s level!).
Armhole Depth: Here’s a little trick—sandwich a piece of paper under your arm and mark the sides.
2. Drafting the Pattern: Front vs. Back
We’re using a circle skirt calculator (I personally love the one by By Hand London) to find our radius. Use your half-bust measurement for this.
The Front: This piece needs a deeper, more “scooped” armhole curve.
The Back: The back curve should be shallower than the front.
Pro Tip: Always make sure your side seams align and your armholes are “squared off” where they meet the top.
3. The Experiment: Half Circle vs. Quarter Circle
I actually made two toiles (mock-ups) for this project as an experiment.
The Half Circle: Very voluminous, very dramatic, but uses a lot of fabric.
The Quarter Circle: This was my choice! It felt more comfortable, used less fabric, and I didn’t feel like I was “drowning” in the gown,
4. Sewing & Finishing Touches
The Seams
I used the flat-felled seam method here. I love making my life a little harder to get that beautiful, high-end finish! It’s much cleaner than a standard serged edge and feels lovely against the skin.
The Binding & Straps
I used a bias tape to finish the edges and create the straps. I gathered the front and back bodice pieces to match the width of my bra-strap-to-bra-strap measurement before binding them. This creates that soft, romantic ruffling.
The Secret Ingredient: Lace Appliqué
To elevate this from a “standard” nightgown to a “romantic” one, I added some lace appliqué I had left over from an upcycling project.
Fair warning: I spent about 8 hours hand-stitching these details onto the mannequin. My back wasn’t happy, but the result? Absolutely worth it.
And Voila!
A Victorian based nightgown!
After leveling the hem (always use a leveler for circle skirts!) and finishing the bottom, the gown was complete. It is extremely comfortable, and I’ve already worn it more times than I can count.
Sewing is like a puzzle—there isn’t just one way to do things. I’m giving you the blueprint, but I want you to be creative! Change the length, add more lace, or play with the volume.
If you enjoyed this experiment, make sure to check out my other blog posts and videos for more sewing inspiration. Happy making!
