Not perfect by a mile, but relatively tidy, and that’s all I really wanted: Folded the corners a bit better than before, still a little clunky (esp. on the inner corners), but miles better than by machine. However, I’m glad I did do it twice, because the machine stitching is much stronger than my hand-stitching,
2 hours later, I have bound the bottom inside of rencorset mark 3. By hand. Now I deserve an apple turnover and tea. Then bed!
Warning: Self-flagellation ahead, but warranted, I think you’ll agree after seeing the pix. I’m on take 3 of the ren corset. Take 2 is crumpled somewhere in a ball in the sewing room. I’d stuff it in the fireplace and burn it for warmth, but I’m concerned about adding particulates to the atmosphere. Coutil ash
Grrrr… my second renaissance corset SUCKED ASS. The tabs looked like mutilated little fingers. But they looked so nice on paper! So now I’ve wasted the last of my black coutil, phooey. I went back to the original pattern and drew out three basic square tabs on each side, following the image in the instructions.
I hath trekked all about south San Jose, and I hath procured many fyne stuffs for mine gowne of 1580s indeed forsooth perdee certize. Ehem. I took light rail to a bus down to Blossom Hill to the World’s Lamest Jo-Ann Fabrics. I thought the Jo-Ann on Stevens Creek was kinda weak, but omg, this
Jeebuz, but I keep buying stuff for this Elizabethan gown! I just can’t stop. Oh I need casings for my farthingale. Oh I need some really fine cotton stuff for a chemise. Oh I need some twill for interlining. Oh I need aglets for the sleeves. Oh I need eye pins for the hat trimming.
I’ve never scaled up a pattern from a book. This year, I made a point of acquiring all the biggies of the historical costuming library like Janet Arnold and Jean Hunnisett. They’re chock filled with patterns on teeny grids that you’re supposedly able to use. But how? Nobody would fill me in on that part.
Why is it that every time I’m sick at home, Anne of a Thousand Days is always on cable? Of course, I have to watch it. Richard Burton is a kingly, studly Henry, and the movie’s portrayal of Anne Boylen is smart and sympathetic without being too sentimental, even though it’s all a big fat
Much corsetness achieved. Cut everything and sewed endless boning channels (though for once, the bobbin was kind enough to run out at the end of a channel instead of in the middle). Even made a strip of matching bias tape. Might put in the grommets tomorrow, whilst I wait for the boning order. Got an
I actually started something last night! Whoo-the-hoo. I cut and tweaked the AlterYears Renaissance corset pattern to what I hope will be my size and shape. After doing all that, I kinda think I could have used the free corset pattern generator on the Elizabethan Costuming site. The corset shape is so simple. But then,
Whilst laying semi-awake on Sunday morning, I decided what I will be for Halloween next year: Jean Grey as Phoenix from X-Men: The Last Stand movie. No, not the comics, just the movie. See, I have an ulterior reason for this. When I first saw that yummy red costume, I thought, hey, that’s pretty much
Between finishing Aouda and the impending start of NaCoFiMo, I’m feeling fairly inspired to costume right now. Except the next thing on my docket is an Elizabethan corset, and I hate making corsets. It shouldn’t be that hard, that’s not the problem. I just find corsetry terribly boring and annoying. Stupid fiddly bone casings, then
One of my quests in the Garment District after Costume College was to find something for that Elizabethan gown. I had no real plans or ideas, other than wanted something super pretty, mostly historically accurate, and slightly ambitious. Towards the end of the day, under Bridget’s excellent guidance, I found a burgundy patterned cotton-blend velveteen