Never have I ever

Never have I ever......matched plaids
Never have I ever......worked with silk taffeta
Never have I ever......made a Victorian Bustle Gown

So this makes perfect sense, since I have a whole month (not including work days, vacation in July, and sleeping) to make it.

Here's a sneak peak of my Costume College Gala dress.

Not the WORST for someone who has never matched plaids

The inside of the bodice needs to be boned. The directions say to make bone casings and sewing them to the interlining, but I'm all like, "I'm doing a lining anyway, why don't I just hand sew some channels and put the boning between the interlining and lining?

Because I shouldn't smoke crack before I hand sew

No one would really be looking at the lining, so I don't really mind the uneven sewing (the dark lines are disappearing ink, so they wouldn't show after I ironed it).

 

The problem is sewing the lining in. If I do the boning channels, then instead of sewing the two pieces right side together and then turning it, I would have to stitch it together afterwards. This would be fine if it didn't have these pleats in it. I  don't know if I am making sense, but I think it would be wonky.

So I'm going to unpick the channels and sew the boning in with casings. You know, like they said to do in the first place before I decided to be such a smarty pants.

In other news; my corset doesn't fit. I was bigger when I made it, so the lacing in the back completely meets and doesn't reduce my waist at all. I'm telling you right now that my pretty plaid bodice is NOT going to fit without some semi-tight lacing.

This photo is of the corset 20 pounds ago.

It's also a little bulky because it has three layers and the binding is too thick. Since I used expensive spring coil bones and it's essentially a good shape, I'm going to unbind it and figure out how to take in a seam without undoing the whole thing. I just don't have time. I'll then rebind it with something a little less bulky.

Never have I ever....done any of the above things. So...bottoms up!

One Weekend and Twenty-Five Cent Post-Edwardian Corset, Part Two

Phew! Well, I managed to 'mostly' get it done. If you missed part one, you can see it here. First I cut the pants apart so I could use it as fabric. Rather than pin the pattern to the fabric, I use fabric weights.

I managed to get all the pieces out of the pants

After cutting out the fabric, I transfer all the markings directly on to the fabric with a Frixion Heat erase pen. It makes things much easier to put together and all markings disappear with ironing.

After a few rounds with my sewing machine. I beat it into submission, setting in on some 1900 house and sewed up all the seams. The pattern doesn't have seam allowances, so I added 1/2 inch. For boning, I used various sizes of cable ties.

The nice thing about cable ties, is that you can cut them to size with ordinary scissors.

Crappy scissors for cutting the ties. A foot file to round out the edges.

To avoid confusion later, I mark where the boning is going to go with sharpie.

I used pre-made boning channels and some twill tape for the boning channels.

I didn't have the front busk yet, so I basted the front of the corset together so I could lace it up.

Not me

I love the silhouette of this corset.

Also not me

Things I learned:
1. Have more than one bobbin. That way when you lose you ONLY BOBBIN you don't have to waste a half an hour looking for it before you even start.
2. Don't sew several pieces inside out. Machine sewing seams are a female dog to pick out
3. Project runway is the best show to watch while machine sewing. It's like you are RIGHT THERE.
4. Using my sewing machine is bearable if I put it on my coffee table. I guess it's not the sewing machine I have a problem with, it's getting off the couch.

When I get the front busk, I will show a picture of the front. Since my event is this coming weekend, I need to get to work on the shirtwaist. I may just leave the the front sewn together for now, so I can wear it under my costume. I hope my boyfriend has been eating his Wheaties, but pulling this puppy tight is a workout.

One Weekend and Twenty-Five Cent Post-Edwardian Corset

Using the Pattern and tutorial from Festive Attyre, a pair of 100% cotton twill pants I got for a quarter at a yard sale, cable ties I already own, and a busk removed from another corset, I am going to attempt to make a Post-Edwardian Corset this weekend. Actually, I hope to do it more quickly, since I still need to finish the shirtwaist and walking skirt.

Here are the pants. No stretch at all and they are a large men's size.

This is Festive Attyre's finished corset. Mine will not be as pretty, nor will it have the garters because I'm in a hurry. I'm also going to use my sewing machine *gasp* even though I haven't used it in two years. I am being a smidge ambitious.

Festive Attyre's Corset

I already enlarged and printed out the pattern. I need to:
1. Deconstruct the Pants
2. Cut out the pattern from the pant fabric
3. Find my sewing machine
4. Realize I don't have any thread in the machine
5. Find some thread.
6. Look for bobbins
7. Fill bobbins
8. Swear
9. Find a costume drama to watch this. (okay, this will probably be number one)
10. Start sewing.
11. Realize, I have totally forgotten how to use a sewing machine.
12. Do it anyway and thank goodness this all going to be UNDER my costume
13. Have a drink. (okay, again this will probably be 1 or 2)
14. Try it on. (should have been number 1 or 2, but I am just going to trust the fates on this one)
15. Bask in my glory or throw the whole thing against the wall and wear my completely wrong for the period, but it'll do in a pinch, Victorian Corset.

Ready Ladies. Start your engines! And....

18th Century Stays for Historical Sew Fortnightly Bodice Challenge

This is going to be a 'quick and dirty' blog post because I'm in a rush. I finished these for the most part last weekend and didn't get a chance to post the picture. Stays or Pair of Bodies, is just the older term for corset. (essentially, for the layman, I'm sure there are costume historians that would have more information). These were completed for the Historical Fortnightly Challenge #5: Bodice. I made mine from Reconstructing History's 1740's to 1790's downloadable ePattern.

The back is supposed to have a 2 inch gap, but I just keep losing too much darn weight

The original pattern had a back closure only, but it's virtually impossible to fasten by myself. Since my ladies maid quit in a huff after I asked her to stop boffing the stable boy, I've had to dress myself.I cut the front down the middle and added lacing, so I can get it on without help.

This photo makes me want to yodel

The stays are made from Silk Dupioni on the outside with linen interlining. I bound the edges with pre-made bias tape (cheater!) and the bones are all 1/4 inch cable ties. These are not historically correct of course, but whales are so hard to catch these days and they don't give up there bones easily.

Watch the Windows! or The Regency Short Stays

My mother was always very sensitive to my concerns about my ever expanding bosom. When I would turn around to show off a new blouse or shirt she would say "Watch the Windows!!" so this was my first thought when trying on these stays. Actually I can't even show you what they look like when I have myself all hoisted up in the correct manner. I'll just let this lady show you.

You're right. It's so distracting that this is a picture of the wrong time period.

I completed these for Historical Sew Fortnightly Challenge #3: Pink so I had to photograph them.I kind of re-arranged things to be a little more safe for work. Here's me.

 

Is that the prow of a ship?

If you aren't too distracted to look at the actual stays, they look pretty good if I do say sew. (see what I did there?) They are all hand sewn. I used some leftover silk from a dress I found at the thrift store. I also had some Coutil left over from my victorian corset. The boning are 1/4 inch cable ties and the eyelets are all hand sewn. Badly. I will redo them when I have a chance.

I look downright tasteful in this one

The pattern for both the stays and the chemise are from Sense and Sensibility Underthings Pattern If one must be altogether truthful, ladies of my extreme age and bodaciousness weren't really wearing this style of stays. If I was wearing this style at all, I'd be wearing longer stays that are a little more like a traditional corset. I am, in truth, mutton dressed as lamb in this get up.But you know what? Pffffthhhh.

Teasing pictures of Dickens outfit

First of all, since everyone seems to have pictures of their cat sitting on their fabric, I present my dog snuggling with mine. I apologise for the partial shots. My mirror is very narrow.

That's Amos. He is a good boy.

After about twenty minutes of struggling, I finally managed to get my corset on by myself. I took it in, but its still too big. Essentially, even with the back laces meeting completely,  it's still my same waist size.

On the upside, the steel spiral boning make it super comfortable. I wore it most of the day so I wouldn't have to struggle into it when I tried on my skirt.

I found a really poofy bridal underskirt that gives the right silhouette. So it's going to have to do for now until I can make my own ruffled petticoat.

I don't even want to KNOW what's it's made of

I did make a regular petticoat. It's just three one yard panels make from a sheet and cartridge pleated to the wastband.

And then the skirt. Also cartridge pleated.

It's poufier than it looks in the mirror.

I really love cartridgle pleats. They add zero bulk to the waist, so you can wear several layers and they look nice.

Not shown, the three times the pleats came out before I realized I was using my thin decorative cotton thread istead of my super sturdy buttonhole thread.

Using plaid fabric really helped with the spacing of the pleats.

Here's the corset

This is a picture of it on my mannequin instead of on me. I decided that 45 minutes of  struggling to get it on myself at one in the morning was quite enough torture for one day. I need a ladies maid. So it's in need of a press and I may add some crochet lace, but at this point I won't have anything to wear over it if I don't get started on the dress.

My mannequin doesn't quite have my hips or boobs, so I'm hoping some of this wrinkling with smooth out when it's actually on my body.

The back will be laced a little better too. The lacing will be a bit looser on my boobs and my hips and a bit tighter on the waist.

If you look closely, you can see I skipped a grommet. I did measure, but somehow I got off just enough that there is one more hole on the left than on the right. Oh well, another lesson learned for next time.

Some Corset Photos

I'm almost done with the corset. Just some fiddly bits left. I had a few issues. First of all, since I've lost a bunch of weight, the corset was too big. I thought it was fine when I did the fitting, but I think I picked a larger bust size than I needed. I don't think my brain has actually caught up with me. I did a kind of ad hoc fix, and just took it in an inch on each back side. It'll work, I'll know better next time.

I did do another row of topstitching so it looks a bit more like another boning channel

Also, the inside was really ugly. If I was using a machine, I think that just using the two layers of coutil for the boning channels would have looked okay, but since I used backstitching, it just looked ugly.

So, I decided to cover it up and I used some cotton fabric and just whipstitched them on.

The outside isn't great either because the thread I used to sew the pieces together was too dark and shows through in some places. But since the whole thing will be under my clothes, I'm not altogether unhappy with it. My stitches aren't superduper neat, but I don't look like a monkey did it either.

By the way. Handsewing the corset the way I did it is not very fun

Okay, I swear by tomorrow, I'll have finished corset pictures.

Dicken's Fair is calling

Okay, now that the prohibition pub crawl is done, it's time to start getting ready for Dicken's Fair. I need to make; a corset, a chemise and drawers, two petticoats, a skirt, a blouse and a jacket. All by hand. Luckily Dickens runs through December 22nd. So we will go, when I get the outfit ready. I've decided I need to be really organized if I'm going to pull this off, so I started by putting my pattern in order. I also have one leg of the drawers finished. I'm off and running.

Keep patterns in order by using a binder with page protectors.

The pages of directions are put int the binder so they can be read like a book.

All the pieces for each part of pattern are kept together in a page protector.

Since this is a muslin mockup, I marked each piece in the seam allowance.