So..."Dorothea Bodies", anyone?

[mollymishap]

I'll be ready to start on a new pair of bodies soon & I'm going to try my hand at the "Dorothea" style. If anyone would like to "play", we can work on our own together/from afar, work out the kinks that are sure to come up, motivate each other & post our progress on this thread.

I plan on creating a pattern based on the custom corset pattern generator, the Tudor Tailor's pattern and Janet Arnold's one from Patterns of Fashion which is in the "original" size, but can be scaled up or down as the need may be. 

NicoleBridget, you still interested?

Who else wants to play?

[PrincessSara]

You have the most perfect timing EVER.    I just started work on my Dorothea bodies last night.  I'm using the Reconstructing History pattern for it, because if I try to draft my own pattern it'll end up with sleeves or something (I suck at drafting patterns).  I'm using both the Reconstructing history notes and the book The Tudor Tailor to help me.

The Reconstructing History pattern suggested something I thought worked really well - make a mockup of bristol board!  I did and it was great, I found all the problems I would have in a stiffened garment and fixed them on the bristol board.

I did have a few difficulties with sizing because I'm 43-34 with an FF cup size.  The pattern only goes up to a D cup size.  And since I'm supposed to take 2-4 inches off of my measurements for a corset, I wanted to go with size 18 which is 40-32, but only goes up to a C cup size.  Size 20 is pretty much my exact measurements, so if I made that the corset would just sit on me rather than shaping me into the right shape.  And I'd have no bust support *cringes*.  So I tried to merge size 18 and size 20, except size 20 seems to be a lot bigger than size 18.  The gap between any of the other sizes is smaller than between 18-20.  Anyway, I cut out a size 20-18 and it fit really well, no painful squeezing or poking.

The problem I'm having is with the shoulder straps.  They're fine at the front, but at the back they cut into the back of my arms.  But I can't move the straps closer together at the back, because then they won't line up at the front.  And I can't fix that by moving them at the front because the outer edges line up with the arm opening, and if I made the arm opening any wider at the front it would make the front too narrow to cover my breasts.  I thought about narrowing the straps, but it works the same way, I'd have to widen the arm opening.  Does that make any sense?

[LadyShadow]

This sounds like fun, but I have no clue as to what it is.

[Cilean]

This sounds like fun, but I have no clue as to what it is.

It is a what most people call a Corset it is a Pair of Bodies
Please look at these patterns:

https://www.reconstructinghistory.com/rh203-elizabethan-corsets.php?s=&c=22&d=30&q=1&p=43&w=21

http://www.mantua-maker.com/catalog.html

http://www.mantua-maker.com/sitebuildercontent/sbsimages/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=actual&linkpath=http://www.mantua-maker.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/my-art-1500-4.gif&target=tlx_pic3wwq


I am going to attempt to use Silk Ribbon for my biddings on my PoB, of course that is when I can get the time to do so!


I hope this helps!

Cilean

[Syrilla]

Finished mine a few weeks ago.  Used straw boning. 

[mollymishap]

PrincessSara: I read your post earlier, and I think I understand your problem insofar as it looks like I'll be running into a similar situation when I get to that point.  I've been comparing the TT pattern to the corset I have that fits me best and to the Effigy corset (which fits me a bit better now that I let out the shoulder straps by about an inch...which drops the front of the corset down by that much...which gives NO support whatsoever, but that's another story).  I have yet to do a comparison of the TT pattern to the "original" in PoF or to generate my own "custom" pattern--maybe tomorrow.

But in the meantime--my first thought is to cut the shoulder straps off completely and re-cut a set in one piece on the bias and attach those to where the original straps should have been at the front & back with pins, then you can fiddle around with the angle until it fits you best.  I'll probably wind up doing the same, but I'm not at that stage yet.  I'm still fussing with paper patterns and the like.

If it scares you to cut them off, you can also just tuck them into the corset so that they're out of the way and try pinning the one-piece bias straps I described above to the edges and see how they work out.

I'm going to go to bed soon but I'll probably be able to work some more on these tomorrow, so let me know what you think...and btw, the TT pattern says nothing about cup sizes, just gives UK sizes and a chart to figure out what you are if you're from the US.  I didnt' think cup size would factor in since you're squishing *up* anyway.  Cups are meant to--well, *cup* you, right?  So why would cup size matter if instead of cupping you're squishing?  Or is that because of the lack of boning in the Dorothea bodies over the girls?  The fabric *acts* like a cup of sorts, is that it?  OK, I think I got it.     Sorry, it's late and I've been sick with a cold all week. 

Lady Shadow:  Why not come out and play?  What did you think of the links Cilean gave you?

Cilean: Have you made a pair of the Dorothea bodies?  Care to comment about your experiences with this style bodies?

Syrilla: <waving enthusiastically!> HEY!  Haven't talked shop with you in AGES!  Care to post a picture of your finished bodies?  And please share: where did you get the straw?  I've actually thought about buying a straw broom just to cannibalize the straw, but if there's a better way, DO share!!!

[PrincessSara]

I think I might do that molly.  I'll cut the arm opening wider at the back and just wing the straps.  I think I want to make the front arm opening smaller as well, because the bit covering my bust is a bit narrow, and the straps wouldn't end up under my dress.

As for the cup size thing, I don't plan on boning it over the bust, because if I do the girls end up around my ears.  So I need it to be a specific cup size in order to hold everything in and up properly.

So right now I've made one bristol board mockup and modified it, now I need to make a second one to try out the modifications I couldn't make on the first, like adding more width in the front bust.  Which means I need to go buy more bristol board.

[LadyShadow]

Thank you the sites did help fill me in.  I think I will have to make some, now I just wish pay day was every day 

[Syrilla]

*waving back*  Good to "see" you.  I will try to get a post up once I find a camera.    This last bodies/ corset was from a broom, as my "natural and chemical free" straw was left in a different state.  I really haven't found a difference in the two straws (last corset).  Both wash and wear the same. 
You can order it online from places that make "natural" brooms.  It is longer and usually you have more to work with.  Make sure you cut the straw only after it's been stuffed into the casing.  I don't know why, but it works better.  Use only the strongest and largest pieces, and toss the fluffy bits. 



Syrilla: <waving enthusiastically!> HEY!  Haven't talked shop with you in AGES!  Care to post a picture of your finished bodies?  And please share: where did you get the straw?  I've actually thought about buying a straw broom just to cannibalize the straw, but if there's a better way, DO share!!!

[mollymishap]

OK!  So I've actually gotten pretty far with this project: 

I've drafted a good pattern based off my body first then adjusted the cosmetics to look like the Dorothea bodies, cut out the heavy canvas lining, pinned & tried it on--looked good, so I marked with chalk where the "cups" need to be according to where *my* girls actually *are*, cut out the fashion outer fabric and serged the edges in one with the lining at the seams, and finally stitched them together at the side seams.

So far, it looks like it will work.

I still need to make the channels for the boning, bone them, attach those straps, etc.

I've been taking lots of pics, so I'll post some of those probably this weekend.

Yay me!

[NicoleBridget]

**Waving at Molly** Thank you for giving me a heads up that it's Dorothea time!  I can't start mine just yet...  And actually I think I've decided that I don't want the cups and I want boned tabs afterall.  So I guess I'm not doing a Dorothea     I don't want to start any projects until I get the machine it's yearly check-up and whatnot, and lately there's not enough time in the day or money in the purse.  Please keep us updated on your progress though.  I learn so much from other peoples experiences here, it's invaluable info!

[mollymishap]

BUMP!



So there's the finished product.  I'm adding more pics to my website tonight, but you can see what I have so far by going to the "Dorothea" page on my website.

[LadyShadow]

That looks wonderful.

[PrincessSara]

That is gorgeous.  I put mine on a short hold because just after I started my corset I started to lose a lot of weight, but I think it's stopped now so I'd better get started if I want it ready for July!!  I'm wondering though if there's any way to elongate the front a bit, because I already have the gown I'm wearing it under and it has a lower waistline than I think the corset does.  Did you elongate the front at all?  Cause your finished corset is a lot longer than my mockup was.

[mollymishap]

Princess Sara:  I have a long waist anyway, so part of the length you see is *me* if that makes any sense...I'll have to look back at the construction pics to see how much I added, but I don't think it was much, if at all. 

The total length at center front (at the point) is 15.5 inches if that helps, with about 6.5 inches being the length from waist to the tip of the point.  Also, bear in mind that my "real" waist is actually a bit lower than the edge of the bodies so that the edge you see in the pic is not where my actual waist is.  The cut gives the illusion of a longer waistline, which was part of the desired silhouette. 

Does that answer your question?

Lady Shadow: THANKS!  And I'd like to share with you the total cost of this project (because it's totally do-able without breaking the bank).

100% Linen outer fabric: recycled from a yard-sale curtain panel cost = $.50
100% Cotton canvas remnant from sale bin at Walmart cost = $2.00 (at MOST)
1/4" oval reed for boning cost $8.00/bundle.  Used about 1/6 of it, so cost = $2.33
100% Silk custom-made-by-me bias tape cost = FREE (it was a remnant thrown out by a local shop)
Wrights Metallic Silver trim cost $8.00 for 18yd spool.  Used about 4yds, so cost = $1.76
Thread cost = $2.00 (I'm guessing here--have no idea how much I actually used out of the spool)

So the raw materials cost less than $9.00--about what I spent on dinner today now that I think about it--but anyway, the TIME, patience and motivation (not to mention electricity, wear & tear on the sewing machine, my skills & experience, etc.) are incalculable, but even so--you don't have to spend an arm & a leg on materials to have a quality piece of garb if you can make it yourself.

So, C'MON!  You CAN do it!