rain rain go away

ew!! It's raining! And today's the day of my Marie Antoinette photo shoot. Poo. Double poo. I've finished all my sewing - the skirts, corsets, and even the wig, and now the weather isn't gonna pull it's part of the deal. If we don't go out today, I don't know when we'll do it, as I'm going to Canada on Sunday for a month. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that the rain lightens up.

Big Skirt

Here's my Marie Antoinette skirt pinned into position. I'm keeping the front open because I'm short and big skirts just make me look shorter. Then at the back it's all gathered to create the shape of the skirt. I'm just going to attach it to the waistband of the pannier to make life MUCH easier, and then it'll be easy to get on and off. I'll just need to bias tape the bottom because the fabric frays, and I may need to add some extra length because Jane (my model) is shorter than I am (plus I have heals).

I'm a bit lost on whether to keep the back of the skirt bunched, or to pleat it. What do you think? The photos are a bit difficult to see the difference, but the bunching pushes up the back of the skirt creating a big butt. The pleating keeps it a bit flatter to accentuate the hip shape.

(bunched)

(pleated)

Pannier

For my Marie Antoinette photo-shoot on Tuesday, I've decided to make a skirt for the costume. I don't really want to be walking around the Rocks in only Marie Antoinette's underwear! So to begin the baroque style skirt, I had to make a pannier, or a basket skirt.

I used two circles of plastic boning (the same stuff I make cheap corsets with), ribbon and fabric. I created a waistband with 6 ribbons fall down off it. These ribbons were then tied to each "hoop" of plastic to hold it together. I then tied the two sides of each hoop (back and front) together to create the oblong shape that accentuates the hips. I covered the hoops in fabric to make it a bit prettier and to match the rest of the costume.

It took a bit of problem solving and fooling around, but in the end I'm very happy with the result. The only issue is that because I rouched the fabric around the boning (to make it pretty), the knots of the ribbons slide around, so I'd have to continue to adjust it to make sure the shape is right.

Next step - the big skirt!

Blinged

The Dusty Pink Corset is FINISHED!!! I think it's just stunning. A beautiful dusty pink with crystals bedazzling the front.

The crystals are attached the same way as in my Blingin' Headphones (which reminds me, I have another pair to make for a friend.) 

I've decided to make a romantic tutu to match this corset, but it's going to be a bit more elaborate than the one I made for the dancer in The Schelling Point. There will be tufts of toile and crystals and glitter, and all things pretty! 

I need to finish the skirt and the Marie Antoinette skirt by next Tues, cause that's when I'm doing the photoshoot with my friend Tim. I'm so excited! We went on a recce last night to find places, and I think it's going to turn out stunningly! Can't wait to play models again.

Dusty Pink

I've finished my Dusty Pink Corset that I started in my last post - all but the diamontes that will cover my horrible sewing!

I love this corset, I'm so proud of it. I drafted the patten all on my own. It's adorable and incredibly wearable with a white or black dress underneath. The style is just like a vest, so it can be worn like a vest. It will be much less wearable once the diamontes go on, but I will still find excuses to wear it.

It's just a beautiful ballet pink!

Now I need to finish the bling and then make the tutu skirt. I'm debating on whether I make a real romantic tutu, or an elaborate version of my Bunny Skirt.

Inserting a Split Busk

Well, I thought I'd get started on one of my corset patterns to see if they work. I decided to do the Tudor Style underbust corset in a ballet pink for a costume. This corset has an 8 inch busk in the front. A busk is a 2 long pieces of steel that connect together to create a fastening at the front. Luckily, "Corsets: Historical Patterns & Techniques" by Jill Salen has a step-by-step guide to inserting a corset, which is actually comprehendible.

Here's how I did it:

Step 1: Lay the left front of the corset right side up, laying the 2 layers of lining ontop of it right side down. pin the edge and make sure that when the seam is flipped over that the right side of the top fabric is shown and that the lining with the pencil markings is shown underneath. Stitch centre-front seam.

 

Step 2: Fold open the seam so the linings are on one side and the top layer on the other. Position the busk so that you can see where the studs need to appear. Push holes through the top layer where the studs need to go. 

 

Step 3: Using a zipper foot, stitch along the side of the busk.

Step 4: Place the looped part of the busk on the right corset front and mark where the loops fall along the centre-front seam. Make sure they are aligned with the studs on the left side of the corset front. Stitch the centre-front leaving gaps for the loops.

 

Step 5: Turn corset right side out and push the busk through the holes. Using a zipper foot stitch alongside the busk.

 

My seams are a bit wonky and there are a few bumps, but it was difficult because my fabric was slippery and so is the busk. it slips around in the fabric, so a clean stitch was difficult. No worries, I've decided to bling up this corset for a costume (and make a tutu skirt), so I can cover the ugly bits.

I stitched in all the boning channels in all panels of the corset and sewed it together. I can't do anymore at the moment because I need to get eyelets and put them in to lace it up. Once it's laced up I can see if I need to take in the corset any more so it fits better. It probably needs to be taken in the waist, so a few boning channels will be removed, but that's better than it being too big!

***

In a few weeks I'm doing a photo shoot with a dear photographer friend, Tim, in my Marie Antoinette Costume in the Rocks. I've decided to make a skirt to go with it to make it less slutty, and then since I'm making this pink corset, I might do a second costume with this corset blinged up, and a tutu skirt with a big bustle. Haven't figured out what I'm gonna wear over my boobs with this corset, as it is an underbust.  I'm thinking I might find a vintage slip in white and bling that up too. Or wear a lacy victorian blouse with a high collar. What do you think? Drawings of both the Marie Antoinette Skirt and this "ballet pink" costume will be posted soon.