Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Corsets, crins and calculators - L

I am making TWO skirt structures.  First, a lobster bustle in non-gigantic.  I'll probably regret not choosing the gigantic size.  But that ship has sailed.  I have a pattern.  I haven't had a pattern to use 'as-is' for a while.  It's like a sewing vacation.  I'm making them black because I have some strong black cotton that I have no specific plan for.  (I totally forgot to take a picture of the bustle but will amend that error in my next post)

Second, I'm drafting pocket hoops for our 18th C court dresses.  I'm using Nora Waugh BUT Robin and I are tall and we want BIG hoops.  We chose pocket hoops for easy packing and the ability to sit down.  I didn't resort to trigonometry, so there was some guessing and estimating.  The plastic tubing was curly and didn't want to hold the proper shape.  I had to stick it in boiling water to get it to behave.  My fingers are still a bit angry about that.











Also, both of us are making two corsets.  One for the 18th C court dress, and one for Regency.  We had a sewing Sunday where we traced patterns, cut muslins and did first fittings.  We are using the Butterick Making History pattern for 18th C.  It is NOT a great pattern.  Apparently someone added ease to a corset pattern.  However we each have unique fitting issues anyway, so we worked around it.  For Regency we are using Mantua Maker's long stays.  Let me just say... big bust + Regency stays = laughs that go on for FAR too long.  Kinda like stuffing an octopus in a fold over sandwich bag.



Patterns, paper, canvas EVERYWHERE

1 comment:

  1. I read at the computer with the cat in my lap, picture Blofeld in a Bond movie. The phrase "someone added ease to a corset pattern" made me laugh so hard the cat has leapt across the room. Plastic tubing has failed me in hoops of size (it sags) so have moved to metal. I wish you and the octopus all the best.

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