The Ruffles of the Bustle-y Dragon Ball Gown

Ruffles. So very many ruffles.If I could go back in time, I'd choose a totally different skirt design for my Gryffindor Dragon Bustle Gown, because what in the world was I thinking when I fell in love with this fashion plate and decided to recreate it with all those ruffles.Those ruffles would take forever to sew! Those ruffles did take forever to sew! And, they took a significant amount of pins as well. I'm getting quite ahead of myself. Let's start at the beginning with the plan, the pattern, and cutting all the ruffles.The above fashion plate from 1874 was the plan, and I decided to use the Truly Victorian 1875 Parisian Trained Skirt Pattern as my starting point. My grandma gave me this pattern for Christmas nearly a decade ago when I started planning the Gryffindor Bustle Gown project.With some changed to the trim pattern, adjustments to the front drapery, and the addition of lots of ruffles to the back panel it would work admirably!I began by cutting out all of the lining or base…