Gallery of In Progress Projects

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Thanks for yhe video link, gem!

I have been using that stitch for close to 30 years now. I refer to it as the "invisible slip stitch."  Works slick to attach linings, seams together, etc.

[isabelladangelo]

Not Renaissance, but I'm remaking my pink polonaise (late 18th century) for this Friday.   

[LadyStitch]

I have 5 simple dresses due this weekend, Monday at the latest.  So far 2 are cut out, and 3 more identical in size, but different fabric left to do.   Wish me luck!

Well I finished one dress last night.  The elastic in it isn't laying smoothly, but dealing with it late last night was  not a good idea.  The other is ready to go when I get home tonight.  Since I did it once I should be able to do the 2nd quicker, one can hope.
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Edit:  I did finish the 2nd one alot faster and realized I had done the waist band incorrectly on the first dress.  Just puts me an hour behind but we are doing good to be on track for Monday. Keep your fingers crossed.

[Lady Leo]

I got my boning on Friday and had my husband lace me into my corset today and take some photos. I need to make some adjustments. This is my first HA corset so I gave a friend of mine who has made corsets before to see if I can get some help from her in getting the correct adjustments on it so that I can get the fit correct. Any suggestions would be great. It is a Margo Anderson pattern I use the size 14. If I had drafted the pattern to my exact measurements the waist should have been drafted out to a size 18 and the shoulders and bust at 14 so I went with 14 all the way though. I am working on loosing some weight too.  The top of the lacing's are touching and the last set of eyelets have some gap and it should have a 2" gap all the way down.

[gem]

Lady Leo, it really is looking good so far!

As for the sizing issues, wear it for several hours and see if you have problems with the fit (slippage, etc). I think it's pretty common for a corset to cinch fully closed at the bust/top, but not the waist--at least, that's how my corset fits, and my theory is that it's b/c my bust is a lot more squishable than any other part of me. But even tho' my corset laces fully closed at the top, the support is still excellent and I don't have trouble with the fit.  So before you change anything, give it a really good test wearing, and make sure you tighten the laces a little more after half an hour or so, because the fabric will give a little.

If it turns out that you're happy with the support, Margo gives instructions for correcting that wonky lacing to get the proper gap all the way down in the corset/underpinnings book. (I haven't convinced Milord to learn them, but they're definitely there!)

[Dinobabe]

To all of the hubbies out there, LEARN PROPER LACING FOR YOUR LADIES!

[Lady Leo]

I was thinking about adding 2 more sets of grommets when I finish up the corset. What do you guys think of this idea?

[Valencia]

At the bottom? I'm not an expert in 16th c corsets, but I think the grommets need to end at the natural waist, because of  the way they are cut. Victorian corsets are laced long down the back, but the corsets are shaped in more of an hourglass figure and are intended to lace down the hips. If you pull your corset tighter across the hips, it will do funny things to the line and make the back lay lumpy. You can already see where your last set is pulling a little, because it's already compensating for the change from waist to hip. I think your corset fits great as it is, the front looks awesome. You did a beautiful job boning it.

[Lady Leo]

Thank you. Here are photos of my farthingale I just completed it about an hour ago. Went to lunch ofter I was done so I didn't have time to post before I left. Let me know what you think I think I may need to shorten the hoop steel in the 2 bottom rings, but I'm not sure first time with a farthingale.


Front view


Side view


This is the first gown that I made 6 years ago. I wanted to see how it would look over the farthingale and how the farthingale would act with weight on it. This is McCalls 4947 pattern.

[LadyStitch]

I actually got 2 additional dresses finished on Saturday, but 1 of them was an utter disaster.  When I cut out the green dress the back was a uniform color, so didn't think anything about it.  However as I was pressing the skirt back and the back of the bodice I noticed a slight color variation in the light over where I iron.  I thought maybe it was a nap issue, which at the time was odd because I always cut my patterns so that they all face the same way.   Just to check I took it over to the window, and started cussing like a sailor.  Some how this bolt didn't dye properly, and the right half of the fabric was a bright mint green where the left was a bright lime green.  When you sew them side by side there is a notable difference.    I checked my ticket to make sure I didn't accidently buy a moire type fabric.  Nope this is suppose to be one of Joann's 'Spring Wedding Collection"  Satins.  It is suppose to be a solid color through out.  "Upset"  doesn't cover how I felt about it.  Long story short I'm taking everything back to Joanns and see what they can do for me. Thankfully I still have 14 days until it is officially due.
I have never been so mad at myself and fabric!

[DonaCatalina]

The farthingale looks good, will be even better when you adjust the lower hoops.
Sorry Lady Stitch!
Joann's did that to me before so I always make them roll out the whole thing that I am buying.
Best of luck getting it fixed.

[LadyStitch]

They were swamped so PP got the fabric cut while I grabbed the notions and such.  That way we were out of then in less that 30 minutes. It never occured to PP that something like this could happen.

[Valencia]

Lady Leo, definitely shorten the bottom ring. The ring above that one can probably come in a small amount, but not too much. I love the farthingale, you did a great job on it!

[Cilean]

I got my boning on Friday and had my husband lace me into my corset today and take some photos. I need to make some adjustments. This is my first HA corset so I gave a friend of mine who has made corsets before to see if I can get some help from her in getting the correct adjustments on it so that I can get the fit correct. Any suggestions would be great. It is a Margo Anderson pattern I use the size 14. If I had drafted the pattern to my exact measurements the waist should have been drafted out to a size 18 and the shoulders and bust at 14 so I went with 14 all the way though. I am working on loosing some weight too.  The top of the lacing's are touching and the last set of eyelets have some gap and it should have a 2" gap all the way down.






Okay so on your next corset, because I don't want to be the barrier of bad news, your eyelets should not meet, this typically means the PoB is too big, because it will 'grow' a little as you wear it,  that is why you have fittings and you walk about so and then pull in the Pob.  You might notice it will not hold you up as much as you want when you have worn this a couple of times.

Your armscye looks too close to your well arm.  Is it comfortable? Do you have restriction of movement? If I were making a toile for you I would have moved the armscye about an inch to give you better ease of movement.

This is your first PoB, so I know it is difficult to hear someone say "next" on, but wear this one and make notes!  Then when you are ready for another? You can adjust things so that it fits better. 

Did you read Karen's Page?   In search of the perfect PoB (Corset)?
http://www.karen.htmlcreators.com/perfectcorset.html

Cilean

[Lady Leo]

Cilean,

I did look at that link but it was after I made the corset.

I did wear it around for a bit and it didn't feel bad. The only issue that I have is when I start to stand from a seated position the boning pokes a bit as I'm getting up. The armscye feels fine also. The chemise that I have on it that photo is very bagging in the sleeves. It was bought to go under a puff and slash German gown.

Don't worry I am not upset by the thought of next time this is how we learn sometimes. This pattern went together really well. I started on a Sat and by Sun it was just waiting on the boning to fit it. Now I stuck with where to make adjustments at to make this one fit better. I don't think my husband would be up to me buying supplies to make another just yet. .

Right now the side seam and shoulder seams are only basted in. I need someone to come over to help with making alterations, because my husband is useless when it comes to anything sewing related. My mom sews some, but I'm not sure how much help she will be with a corset. A friend of mine suggested adding darts to the back I know that this isn't HA. Right now I'm just sitting on it til I can get some of my sewing friends over to give me a hand and some advice on when to make change and how.