Autumn Dress Undergarments
9th May 2007- I plan on starting the corset soon. I have decided I am going to use hemp cording for the boning of this corset, so I can achieve a more rounded shape. The bodices of the Italian women that I have seen do not seem as rigid so I don't want to use the regular boning method used for most Ren corsets. I could just not wear a corset which is a theory I have heard but with all my extra bobbly bits I would rather wear one. I am going to use the corset generator to get the basic pattern shape and then use www.festiveattyre.com 's method of cording it with hemp. Her "Everything you ever wanted to know about boning with hemp cord, but were afraid to ask!" page is a must read for those attempting to do a corded corset or bodice.
I also decided that because no one should
see this I want to have a little fun with the corset. I am going to use
broadcloth for the interlining. The same one I used for the
Regency corset, because I have so much of it
left over. I am going to try
something different in that I am going to sew all the channels and do the real
construction of the corset on the interlining (two layers of interlining so
everything is sandwiched inside those pieces,) then put my lining and fashion
fabric over that. When I sew all the pieces together I will do the outer seams
and then a few of the major channel seams. I just feel that will make the final
outcome much prettier. For the fashion fabric I am going to use a black cotton
with white polka dots that I happened to have in my stash. *grin* The lining is going to be either black or white
not sure which. It will probably depend on which I can find in my stash that is
softest. The last step will be edging it with white binding tape. Its going to
be purty! Totally not accurate but purty.
22 May - I haven't gotten
anywhere with the corset yet. Everything is in my sewing bag ready to go but I
have been caught up with life and trying to finish the Regency gown and a pair
of mundane pants. I really hope to get to it this week. I have decided I
am going to do a muslin on this to try and get the right fit but do the muslin
up completely and use it as my fitting corset. I will make it front lacing so I
can lace myself into it without the hubby's help. This will make it so I have no
delays in making the costume as I wait for someone to lace me up. That was a
small frustration with the Regency gown that I want to overcome with the Autumn
dress. Avien also brought
up two great point, The first one of the fitting corset being able to be worn
with future peasant costumes. I enjoy that idea very very much. The
other is that a lot of blacks have a tendencies to
bleed. I will most likely be
sweating up a storm due to all the layers, then add the whole law of if it can
happen it will happen... Could lead to a messed up camicia (Italian chemise). So
just to save myself from the possibility I am going to line the corset with
white. Already have the fabric for this so it works out perfectly.
24th May - I drew up the pattern yesterday and cut it out today. So far it seems like it will fit pretty well, but I am still along ways from finished. The back does has a little heart shape... I think its pretty funny. Not sure if its because I changed the design to be front opening or I angled the back to much. Either way is a nice new design element.
27th May - Work on the corded corset is going really slow. But I do have an update of sorts. I have 25 channels sewn and corded. WHOO HOOOO. Not sure if I am going to entirely cord the mock up/fitting corset/ future peasant corset. But then again that might just be laziness.... My wrists are suffering from this project!!! I also have 5 of the grommets done, also.
17th June - I was bad and
have not really been working on this. I only have about 20 more channels left to
go and 7 grommet holes. After I ran out of bobbin thread again I started
working on Henry's costume and then a mundane skirt, and I have been busy with
studying for school..... yea.... I will get back to it soon I promise. I
will finish up the skirt today except maybe the zipper. Finish off the white
thread that is in the bobbin right now on the chemise and start again on sewing
those channels. That is the plan anyway.
It may take me a week to accomplish this. A
friend asked me to explain how I was making the corset so I made a
how to page. Just thought I would share it with
everyone.
7th
July - At last I have finished the fitting corset and the chemise.
Before I start the next one I will have hopefully lost a bit more weight so I am
going to make it a bit smaller. Not much but a little bit because the waist is
already touching. I won't have to worry about the wrinkles up front because it
will be in the back and I will make sure to run some spring steal boning along
the grommet holes. I have decided that this took me much, much to long for this corset
to be finished and its only suppose to be the temp one. Next picture I will make sure to not be wear civies underneath so I can get an accurate pic on fit.
2 August - I made my first bumroll
for this costume today. That is a nice little afternoon type project. It is a
little bumpy Which I think could of been solved if I had made it a little
bigger. It is small in the bumroll scale of sizes. I was so afraid of making it
to big that I think I scaled everything down a bit to much. Will have to
see how it looks under the underskirt first. As long as it does its job it won't
matter. Will get pictures up later when I find my camera.
21 August - I finally have a picture up. My pretty little bumroll. It is made out of Cotton Broad cloth. I stuffed it with a combo of cotton batting, Polyester batting, and scraps of cloth. The first two were leftovers from other projects and the last one was from this project. Might as well use what I have before going and buying more. Luckily I had everything including the twill tape that I used for the ties and the tread in my stash so no out of the pocket costs with this one.