Corset Progress

I've been using the last of my Christmas break to get in some real work on my corset! I'm planning on using this piece as my Historical Sew Fortnightly challenge #3 which isn't till February but I know I'll get busy once school starts!

I got all of the boning channels in! It was a long process especially since I made the channels from the leftover coutil.

It looks so pretty! :D

I did have one issue. I must have messed up the width of the boning channels a bit because I wasn't catching the fold of the fabric so I added another row of stitching 1/8" outside the boning channel. Let's call it "decorative". ;)

I also had another undergarment mishap. I finished my bra but the bottom waist band was too small! And it ended on my ribs so I knew no amount of diet or corseting was going to fix the issue. So I added a small gusset on each side on the under arm seam. It fits now and the fix is mostly hidden.

Bloggers with feline accomplices often note how their kitties always know when expensive fabric is around! I think my birds have the same sixth sense.

They could not resist a large piece of white, freshly washed and ironed piece of coutil! So I bribed them with some fabric scraps. Hopefully, this will keep them away from the finished corset!

Historical Sew Fortnightly: #1 Centennial

This year I'm participating in Historical Sew Fortnightly, a historical sewing challenge with a new theme every two weeks. The first challenge is to sew something Bi/Tri/Quadri/Quin/Sex/Septi/Octo/Nona/Centennial (i.e. something from a year __13). My project is from 1913.

The Challenge: Centennial

Fabric: cotton striped sheet (free)

Pattern: Past Patterns Pattern #4574: Ladies' Three-Piece Princess Combination Suit: Circa 1913 
I did change the top to have ribbon straps so it's evening gown friendly.


Year: 1913

Notions: 4 yds wide cotton lace ($12), 5 yds narrow cotton lace with ribbon ($15), buttons ($1), polyester ribbon (from stash)

How historically accurate is it? I'd say it's fairly historically accurate. I did use a reprint of a period pattern, but the directions were minimal so I had to guess at a lot of things. I've never seen striped Edwardian underthings and my fabric is heavier than I would have liked but I wanted to use what I had on hand. Overall, I'm happy with the historical accuracy of it. Now if I only knew what order to put on my Edwardian underthings, I'd be good to go. lol.

Hours to complete: Oh, I never really pay much attention to this part but probably 5-6 hours.

First worn: Not yet! I still have to finish my other underthings and then make an outer garment.

Total cost: $28

I had planned on making a 1910s brassier for the bonus challenge but I didn't get it done in time. It's almost finished except for a few more hooks and eyes but I'm out so I'll go ahead and share with you!

The Challenge: Something Simple

Fabric: cotton sheet (free)

Pattern: Historically Dressed free pattern with modifications

Year: 19-teens

Notions: 3yd narrow cotton lace ($10), 1.5 yds wide cotton lace ($4), hooks and eyes ($1.50)

How historically accurate is it? I used a pattern made from an extant garment. I modified for fit and also lowered the back neckline based on a different extant brassier. I'm not entirely sure how they are supposed to fit but I was pretty happy with the support I was getting from the toile.

Hours to complete: 2 hours

First worn: not yet

Total cost: ~$15

So far, I've learned that I love lacy, frilly underwear and that I hate sewing on hooks and eyes. Mine never look pretty! The next challenge is UFO which I'll probably skip because I really don't have any historical UFOs. Not been costuming long enough I guess! But challenge #3 is the undergarment challenge so I'll be working on my 19-teens corset until then!

In which my husband helps make a corset

The goal for my Edwardian sewing is to get as much work done over Christmas break as possible done on the underpinnings. For the brassier, I'm using a free pattern by Historically dressed.

I started by making a muslin just straight from the pattern and it turned out quite big. Above is my pattern pieces after all of the changes. I did end up changing the back neckline so I have more options for evening gown styles. The original is quite high. I found a lovely extant bra from this period on pinterest that has a v neckline in the back so I felt justified in my modification.

Here is my latest muslin. I'm half way tempted to finish it and turn it into a cute retro crop top (to be worn with a regular bra underneath of course!) since the cherry plaid print is so cute! It's funny out underwear from one period is more like outerwear from another.

For the corset, I'm using a free mid 19-teens corset from Festive Attyre. (It was her pinterest board of the bras too.) The pattern is hand drawn on a grid that needs to be enlarged to 1" by 1". My husband saved the day by doing fancy graphic design magic on it to get it enlarged and to print tiled like a pdf pattern. (In his words "enlarged in photoshop, saved as a pdf, printed as a poster in adobe acrobat".) So if you don't have a talented graphic designer husband/friend/coworker/etc, you won't be able to enlarge and print the pattern on a computer. Jen of Festive Attyre said that she used a copy machine to enlarge it so you might have better luck going that route.

She also has laid out a handy dandy chart on how to grade the pattern up or down to whatever size you'd like.

I also made a set of lacing strips as suggested by Jo of Bridges on the Body in her 1911 corset sew along. Can I just say that I HATE setting grommets. For my last corset, I upgraded from whatever grommets they sell at Jo-Ann Fabrics to grommets and a grommet press (the cheap kind) from a corset website (I've forgotten which one) and it sucks. I have to hammer the dumb press until the grommet starts to bend like it needs to, then carefully remove the whole piece from the press without the back part of the grommet getting stuck on the press and the whole thing falling apart and then hammer the grommet again. Oy.

Thankfully, after the first strip (and wasting about as many grommets as I actually set in) my wonderful husband stepped in to help. It went much smoother and we only had one wonky falling apart grommet to do over on the second strip! Woot! Guess he has the magic grommet touch....or I just have the upper body strength of a small ten year old.....

Anyways, I whipped up a muslin in some red striped quilting cotton. I picked this fabric because it was an appropriate length (about 1 yd) and it was a bit thicker and so would be a bit more durable for fittings. I did not attempt any strip matching so those lovely looking chevrons are just by accident.

I used 1" seam allowance as suggested by the Bridges on the Body sew along. Now I just have to baste the lacing strips on there and wait for my bones to come in so I can use a few to fit my muslin.