Big freakin' pocket hoops

Apparently I don't have enough projects, because I've decided I need something new and fabulous to wear to the Francaise Dinner in March. Thanks to one of my friend's recent purchases, I remembered the 22 yards of aqua taffeta that I have in my Stash, so aqua it is!

Before I started, I came to the realization that none of my panniers would fit in my luggage. I don't have any pocket hoops that can collapse down to a transportable size, I just have the big cage panniers, and there's no way I could wrangle them into a suitcase. So, the first order of the day was to make some pocket hoops. But not just any pocket hoops...I like a really wide silhouette.

I started with your basic pocket hoop pattern that's in Period Costume for Stage & Screen, on marquise.de, and a dozen other places beside. I added a few inches to the measurements, which added four total inches to the width of each pannier. Not a ton, but enough to give a wider, more formal silhouette.

O. M. G.  These things are huge.

I started to panic that I'd have to take them apart again, until I threw a petticoat over them and took a second look. Now I'm actually quite pleased with the width.

I'm not so keen on how boxy they are, but I think that once I make a nice fluffy under-petticoat to wear over them, it will take some of those sharp angles away. The pocket hoops aren't entirely finished, but it's good enough to start draping my dress over, and I really want to finish at least the gown petticoat before the end of the weekend.