Basting the Day Away

At last, I get to come back to the new corset. I'd forgotten how much I love making them. Had a great visit with Donna, where I basted the coutil to the back of each outer fabric piece. That's Donna to the right. Easy to stitch and chat. Basting makes it easier/quicker/smoother to sew the individual pieces together, and eases the risk of pulling or a wobble in the fabric as you sew. It's worth doing and doesn't take much time. I've now matched up all the layers and have the 10 pieces ready to start sewing: 10 sets of outer fabric basted to coutil and 10 sets of lining fabric. Take time and double check these pieces - some look very much like another, and telling which way is up can be tricky! You can use a fade-away pen, or a system of pins, or whatever works for you to keep them right way up, and matched to the correct pieces. This is probably the most confusing stage, so when you get this sorted out, it's all easy from here!

Back to Basics

So, now the fabrics are all ready, the pattern pieces cut and ironed, or ironed and cut, and I should reveal which corset I'm making! I'm returning to my first and favourite basic Victorian corset pattern by Laughing Moon Mercantile (http://www.lafnmoon.com). I first made the Dore version many, many years ago as a 1-day class at Costume College in Van Nuys Calif. (www.costumecollege.org), taught by the owner/designer of Laughing Moon, Joann Peterson. She was so patient with us, newbies all, and kept encouraging us that we really WOULD finish by 5pm - and she was right! It was very empowering and I've been hooked on corsets ever since.
So, here's the pattern info - check it out, because it is very do-able, completely historically accurate and ripe for adjustments, additions and accessorizing!

Out of the Darkness

Phew - I found my way out of the closet, clutching a sweet pink and mushroom/taupe narrow striped polished cotton for the lining. I have the coutil, thanks to Donna's kit full of supplies from last summer. Coutil is a VERY tightly woven cotton with a bit of weight to it, for the basic support of the corset. It's not always easy to find, nor cheap, but is the best for inside. And it's always online. You can also use a really heavy cotton, almost a light canvas, whatever will give the corset a certain weight and inner support.I'm ironing all the pattern pieces, with all the fabrics next up: the outer, the lining and the coutil for the inside of the sandwich.
Now, gotta wash all fabrics, dry, iron really flat and clear the deck for cutting!

Corset 101

I've been thinking alot about corsets recently. Should I sell the ones from my "bigger" days? Do I need a new one? And why wouldn't I? I love making corsets! So, I will start with the kit Donna gave me a year ago for my birthday, and dive in! She's making a new one right now, so we can share fittings - gotta have fittings. And I think I will have double lacings - back AND just left of the center busk. That way I can lace myself into it when hubby isn't around to do the job. It will be a cute pink on cream print from Donna, and needs a complimentary lining fabric. Oh, but that means digging DEEP in the supply closet, and it's dark back in there! Aah, the sacrifices I make for fashion!

Day 1

Today I have dipped a toe into the vast and mysterious world of blogging. Just writing this means I am a blogger now - surprisingly easy. And it's Day 1 of Wimbledon too! The challenge begins.