Laughing Moon Silverado Corset #2

Yesterday, I created a corset with partial boning out of some sturdier craft fabric. I also took the opportunity to insert the busk. That was both for practice and for fitting. The fabric I used is stretching some, but overall the fit was pretty good. I will

• make a minor bust adjustment
• take in the waist by 2" for waist reduction ( 1/8" decrease at the waist on all seams except sideback-to-back seam)
• take in seams to adjust the fit at the center back

The next version will be a single layer, but fully boned, version in some heavy canvas. It's thicker than my coutil, so I'm hoping that it will approximate the feel of two layers of coutil fairly well.

Here are some photos of my progress:

tracing off pattern adjustments from the most recent round of fittings

Inserting the busk clasps into the gaps. I was afraid of this step, but it's really straightforward. 

I threaded some yarn trough the clasps so that I could keep them poking out through the gaps. It also gave me something to hang onto when I sewed around the outside of the busk. 

Not bad for my first time. 

The fit on the dress form was body glove perfect, but I squish a little bit more than my dress form,  so I added a few more alterations after I tried it on. 

I don't think I will actually place bone right over the bust point, but I needed to leave all the seams free incase I needed to make an adjustment. 

It stand away from my body somewhat at the center front. I fixed this somewhat with the bust adjustment, but this problem may persist due to the placement of the top of the busk. It holds the corset away from my body somewhat and I don't know how much I can correct for that. 

Laughing Moon Silverado Corset #1

Whelp... this corset ain't gonna build itself.

Several years ago, I started a muslin for Laughing Moon's Silverado Corset Pattern. I got as far as tracing off the pattern, shortening the waist, cutting and sewing a muslin with no bones, and getting a first fitting. I have a vague memory of doing this on a craft day of long ago. Since then, the luslin has sat on a shelf waiting for me to order the corset hardware. Although I did not cut a size 8, I ordered the size 8 kit to get the shortest possible bones and busk.

I "borrowed" the following images from Farthingtales.ca because it shows the difference between the two corsets offered in this pattern:

The black corset is the Dore pattern and the pink corset is the Silverado pattern. The scuttlebutt on Victorian costuming site seems to be that the Dore version gives a more historically accurate "rounded bust line". I can see that, but I am interested in trying the Silverado for a few reasons.

1. A stroll through Ageless Patterns' selection of period corset patterns shows an almost even split between patterns with and without bust gores. 
2. Being so short waisted, I want to emphasize the distance between the bust point and my waist. The Silverado pattern does this well, using the bust gores to define and support the bust, instead of making a slow, smooth transition into the waist. 
3. I'm hoping for more control over the fit in the bust. 

Yesterday, I did a second round of fitting on the muslin with no bones. I've traced off a new pattern with the changes. The next step will be to make another muslin out of sturdier fabric and try it with the busk, laces, and non-seam boning. This is likely to be the step where I will work on getting some waist reduction adjustments into the pattern. Right now the pattern is merely form fitting, but frankly, why bother with all the trouble of a corset if all you are going to get is one's same silhouette?

Finished Projects from Stempunk World's Faire (AP 1016 & TV 216, TV 428 & TV 221 & TV 326)

I had a wonderful time at the Steampunk World's Faire. The two new costumes went over well, as did the bat costume that I wore to Trundle Manor back in November. Here are some shots of the finished outfits.

AP 1016 & TV 216

My train did get stepped on many times, but it seems to have held up. 

Pictured here with fellow seamstresses & partners in costuming crime Tracy V. (left) and Eugenia M. (right)

Does this bustle make my butt look big? Yes? Oh good, what  a relief!

AP 1016 #3

Here are just some quick shots of the last muslin.

I think I've got a good fit in the back. 

The basque now lies smoothly over the bustle. 

It's still fitting down the front. Will need to make some minor changes to the collar.

Ageless Pattern 1016 #2

First off...
Check out this super sweet parasol I got in Gettysburg this weekend! It should be a perfect accessory for the mourning costume.

"Sometimes, even smiling make my face ache!"  - Frankenfurter

This weekend's progress

This weekend, I recopied the bodice pattern pieces so I would have a clean copy with last weekend's alterations. Then I decided to make a more complete muslin that would include everything but the non-functional trim. As I learned recently, it really pays to test the muslin with the sleeves. 

Ageless Patterns only come with the original pattern instructions. And it must be that in 1887, the base sewing knowledge must have been very different. Really, if you are an experienced sewer, the patterns can be reasoned through carefully, but in about every pattern, I have found something that stumps me for a while. 

In this pattern, it was the process of attaching the basque (the hip skirt/peplum-ish bit). The pattern says "Attach the Basque from #7 to #8. Insert the Basque underneath the sides and front. Attach to front from #9 to #10." I found these directions to be insufficient to my needs. After much fiddling, here is the more detailed set of directions I  came up with. 

Bodice without the basque. On the left is the center front false vest, on the left is the  edge of the postilion folded out. 

Step 1: postilion on left, basque on right. Sew Basque to Back Postilion from #7 to #8



Step 2: Iron the basque around the fold near #7 & #8



Step 3: Clip the seam open at #6 about 5/8" to allow the bottom edge of the bodice to turn up.   



Step 4: Fromt the outside, tuck the basque under the bodice edge and fold back over the postilion



Step 5: Pin the basque to the bodice along bodice edge 



Step 6: Clip horizontally to #9



Step 7: From the outside, arrange the baque so that it overlaps the front smoothly & pin in place. Match #10 first.  



Step 8: Sew from the clipped edge near #9 to #10. (view from the inside. Sorry about the overexposed pic.) 



Step 9: Sew the Basque to the bodice. There will still be an opening near the postilion. This will have to be closed by hand later. You may also have a small gap at #9. Hopefully this can be covered by the revers. Finally, from the inside, tuck the basque under the postilion pleat and pin in place just to keep things tidy during the rest of the sewing. 

Other construction notes

The rest of the garment went together smoothly. Here are some pictures of the current muslin. There are some clear fitting problems on the dress form, but I need to try it on me before I get all worried. My shoulders and neck are different than the dress form's. I also need to try it on with the skirt. Right now, it looks like it's gapping in the weird way at my low back, but that room might be required by the GIGANTIC BUSTLE on this skirt. 

Ageless Patterns 1016 #1

Ageless Patterns #1016 is a bodice from 1887. The original pattern size if a 37" bust and 24"waist, so I started by adding 4" just at the waist. 

Then I got help last craft day fitting just the bodice. I had to shorten the waist, like always, but I ended up taking back in much of the extra waist ease. Note to self: I might have to add some back in for multiple layers and boning. 

Here are fitting photos, with the awesome skirt!

I transferred the changes to the paper pattern, so next up: another muslin (this time, with sleeves... oooooohh aaaahhhh)

TV 428 #4 (finished!)

Last weekend was craft day, and I made a lot of progress. First, I got the sleeves pin fitted. It was a good thing that I added a lot of height to the sleeve cap, because you can see below that I ended up taking off 2.5" inches. 

On craft day, I got the sleeves on and all the finished done except the buttons. Tonight, I finished the buttons.






The only minor outstanding issue is across the front of the bust. You can see the source of the problem in this photo:

Right in front of the armpit, see? When I put the  sleeves on, the seam allowance ate up all the extra room in the bust, even though I sewed only a 3/8" seam allowance. 

So, it's pretty tight across the bust, which means I'm going to have to use a lace insert for modesty. Lesson learned? It's worth fitting the sleeves on the muslin before cutting the final fabric.

also...
My mom bought me a new sewing machine. It's so excellent! I used it this afternoon to change in boning in my corset and make the buttonholes on this bodice. I'm still getting used to it, but it is undoubtedly lovely.