Victoria & Albert Lace Boots
BY SIVJE PARISH
THESE ADORABLE LACE BOOTS were part of an elaborate collection gifted to Her Royal Highness Princes Mary of York, great granddaughter of Queen Victoria, while expecting her first child. The baby, however was a boy, born on February 7, 1923, so the gift was returned with a gracious thank-you note and the set now resides in the Victoria & Albert Museum of Childhood in pristine condition.
Based on the photograph, Sivje Parish drafted a pattern and instructions so your little princess can have her own pair of royal lace boots.
What You’ll Need…
PATTERN
(included in the downloadable pattern files, available here)
“Lace Boot” (sizes 0 to 2)
Sole
Boot upper
Tongue
FABRIC
3⁄8 yd (34.5 cm) of China silk
1⁄4 yd (23 cm) of lace fabric
1⁄4 yd (23 cm) of Swiss flannel
TRIM
2 yd (183 cm) of silk ribbon
3⁄4 yd (69 cm) of 1⁄2" wide (1.3 cm) gathered lace edging
SUPPLIES
Thread
1⁄4 yd (23 cm) of fusible interfacing (Dream Weave)
Wash-away marking pen
What to Cut…
FROM SILK
Four bootie uppers on the fold
Four tongues
Two 6" (15 cm) squares for the bootie soles
FROM LACE FABRIC
Two bootie uppers on the fold
FROM FLANNEL
Two bootie uppers on the fold
Two tongues
One 6" (15 cm) square for the bootie soles
FROM INTERFACING
One 6" (15 cm) square for bootie soles
FROM RIBBON
Eight 9" (23 cm) long ties
How to Make It…
Seam allowances are a scant 1⁄4" (6 mm).
Transfer any pattern markings to pieces with wash-away marking pen.
- After cutting bootie lining uppers on fold, open and lay out flat. To create the quilted lining, take two silk bootie lining uppers and two flannel lining uppers. Lay one silk upper on top of one flannel upper, matching the edges exactly. Pin the two layers together. Starting at the center, where it was folded, machine stitch from the top edge to the bottom edge. Repeat this every 1⁄2" (1.3 cm) on either side of the first row of stitches until you have the entire piece stitched with straight rows 1⁄2" (1.3 cm) apart (FIG. 1).
- Starting at the top left corner, stitch diagonally to the bottom edge of the boot upper. Repeat at 1⁄2" (1.3 cm) intervals until the whole upper is stitched with diagonal rows. Repeat this with the second bootie upper and flannel (FIG. 2).
- Fold your quilted bootie upper lining pieces so that the silk is to the inside. Stitch the front top of the toe area. Press this seam flat. Repeat with the second quilted upper lining piece (FIG. 3). Turn your upper so the silk side is out. Set aside.
- Place one lace bootie upper to one silk bootie upper piece, matching the edges. Pin together and stitch all the edges together (FIG. 4).
- Pin the lace edging to the front opening edge of the bootie upper, along the top, and down the other side of the front opening edge. Align the header edge of the lace to the seamline of the bootie (scalloped edge of lace faces away from the seam). Zigzag stitch in place along the header of the lace (FIG. 5).
- Pin one ribbon tie at each “X” on the front edge openings of each bootie upper and stitch in place.
- Just like you did in Step 3 (refer to FIG. 3) fold the lace bootie upper so that the lace is to the inside. Stitch the front top of the toe area. Open the seam and press lightly.
- Layer two silk tongue pieces right sides together and then top with one flannel piece. Stitch around the outer edge leaving the bottom open. Press. Carefully clip the seam allowance at the rounded edges (FIG. 6). Turn so that the silk pieces are on the outside and the flannel is sandwiched inside. Press again.
- Stitch diagonal rows from the rounded top of the tongue down to the bottom. Repeat from the other direction, creating a diamond quilting pattern. Stitch the bottom edge closed (FIG. 7). Repeat with second tongue pieces.
- Pick up one quilted tongue and one quilted lining upper. Position the flat bottom of the tongue across the seam, about 11⁄4" (3.2 mm) to 11⁄2" (3.8 cm) from the rounded edge of the front of the toe. Stitch across the bottom of the tongue to hold it in place (FIG. 8).
- With the quilted lining upper piece right side out, fit the lace/silk upper piece over it, so that the lace is inside. Pin the front opening and the top edge of the lining to the front of the lace/silk upper. Pin the top edge of the lining to the top edge of the lace and silk upper. Make sure that the ribbon ties are stuffed inside and the lace is pinned out of the way. Pull the tongue to the bottom opening of the boot (FIG. 9).
- NOTE: This is a very snug area to stitch, so please be careful. Starting at the right front opening edge, stitch 1⁄4" (6 mm) seam to the corner, rounding slightly, across the top edge to the left corner, rounding slightly again, and down the left front opening edge. Stitch as close to the front seam as you can without catching the scallop of the lace edging or ribbon ties. Carefully clip the seam allowance. Press the seam and turn so that the lace is on the outside and the lace edging is extending from the seam.
- Pull the tongue back inside the boot so that it is behind the front opening edges. Hand-stitch the base of the front opening edge to the tongue (FIG. 10).
- For your bootie soles, fuse the 6" (15 cm) square of interfacing to one layer of silk. Place the silk side down and then layer the 6" (15 cm) square of flannel; top that with the final 6" (15 cm) square of silk. Pin them together. Quilt with a diagonal grid of straight stitching, about 3⁄8" (1 cm) apart (FIG. 11).
- Cut out two sole pieces from the quilted square.
- Take one bootie upper and turn it lining side out again. Carefully fit one sole to the bottom edge of the bootie upper, pinning all around (FIG. 12). Carefully, stitch the sole to the bootie upper all the way around with a 1⁄4" (6 mm) seam allowance. Finish the seam with a zigzag stitch. Turn the bootie lace side out.
- Tie the ribbons in bows and cut off the excess ribbon.
