I love this thing....
I have a favorite blog that I like reading, because the lady seems to have the same kind of thought processes as I do - Jennifer at Historical Sewing. And she called it like it was - the Victorian aesthetic is all about big backsides. And this wonderful object gives you that perfect big backside silhouette, while being easy to make and nice looking, all at once!
As I've said before, I'm not a reenactor, so I don't usually worry too much about complete historical accuracy. In this case, I decided that since this was a piece that is worn underneath everything else, I wanted it to be pretty and a little whimsically fun at the same time. So I chose these fabrics to make it out of.
The fabric to the left, that looks like plain muslin in this picture, is actually this really pretty pale yellow cotton (this cotton has a story behind it), which I used to create the boning channels that you can see in the pattern pic above, which is another Truly Victorian pattern, TV163 1887 Imperial Tournure. I feel like maybe an "advanced" beginner can probably make this without too much trouble, though there were a few steps that might be tricky to a first-timer. But when finished, the bustle wears well and is cute to boot!
I used the pale yellow cotton to make the channels for the bones, and instead of sewing them to the inside, I sewed them on the outside. Because the pale yellow is almost the same color as the background of the paisley flower fabric, it made for a neat look. I briefly considered pleating the ruffle at the bottom, but in the end decided that it looked better gathered.
This one is actually finished (even the buttons!) but I have not taken a picture of it yet, so look for the finished pic soon. I wore this underneath a supremely heavy dress and it was perfect for the job, and held the bustle shape really well!
