Of course I decided to join in a month late, I am making swift progress though.
I altered the pattern for the Post Edwardian long line Corset from the Bridges on the Body blog. I added a curvier high hip line and a higher front bust, I plan on making it have a slightly high front for support, but not so high that it prevents breastfeeding. I will be cutting the shape into the final corset so the placement will be correct.
I realized after cutting my toile that attempting to pin alterations on myself was out of the question, luckily I have Sally Stitch. But sadly while Sally has my measurements, she has never approximated my actual shape. She needed some help in the hip and bust area in order to allow me to use her for fitting purposes. To this end she is now wearing a bra, several cloth diapers and two ace bandages, and yes, she does pad her bra.
It really wasn't too difficult; the hardest part being pulling the ace bandages taut whilst holding the diapers in place and keeping her from tipping over.
Next, I needed to get my corset fabric. I went to the local fabric store, Joanne Fabrics, of course I knew this was a mistake, but there is nowhere else to go in this area. There I found a very pretty pink and ivory striped ticking, it was labeled 100% cotton, and so I bought it.
Unfortunately, it melts at rather low temperatures rather like an acrylic will do. I returned and talked to the customer service woman about it and was summarily informed that "if it said it was cotton, it was, we don't make mistakes on our labels". So there you have it Joanne never makes mistakes and has invented meltable cotton.
I have now backed said fabric with interfacing and flatlined it in a pink cotton for strength. I will be using some vintage lace as trimming along the top and may embroider the buttonholes by hand instead of using metal eyelets.
I sewed together my toile using my 2009 Singer sewing machine, you will notice the seam puckering in the images below. For some reason it can't handle sewing through thin fabrics. Or thick fabrics. Or several layers of fabrics. Or in a straight line.
I plan on using my 1890's Singer treadle to sew the actual corset.
This is the toile from the front, with an as yet unedited bust height, this will be quite reduced in the final model.
And from the back, before I added some waist reduction.
I am waiting for various corset accouterments to arrive from overseas, and other locales, (Busk from England, lace from France, Ribbon binding from Pennsylvania, and more lace from Tennessee). So for now I will be sewing the actual corset. I will be flat felling my seams for strength and to prevent fraying. I may also play with bone placement because of the curves inherent in my seams and this way they will all be neatly enclosed.
À plus tard
