mandie_rw: (1798 green)
[personal profile] mandie_rw
I have finished stays! With balls on them! *giggle*

No, really.

There's a pair of 1790s stays in Corsets and Crinolines that has four little padded balls to hold the skirt out, so I figured I'd try it out; butt-padding that's attached to something is always easier to deal with than one that's sliding all over the place. Especially one so high up. Although I guess this doesn't quite qualify as butt-padding; it only gives the skirt a small bit of pouf, but that's all I need for 1790s (see icon).

So I cut circles out of linen and stuffed them with fiberfill (so period!). To wit:


Some are more ball-shaped than others.

Completely bound stays, sans balls:


Sewing on the balls transformed these from normal looking to possibly the silliest thing I've made in a while! I mean, really. (And a note. I am not actually lopsided, like these pictures make me look! It's actually my bookshelf  that's getting lopsided. Too many books...And I cropped my face out of the first one because it looked like a mug shot. For reals.)



See? BALLS!

They really do do what they're supposed to, though...I put a petticoat over it, just to check, and yes, that is what I was going for!


And speaking of petticoats -- I'm thinking I won't wear one with whichever 1790s gown I end up making. The round gown does need a little bit of oomph in the skirt, but it's silk taffeta. The oomph factor should be fine! I thought I would need a petticoat with the voile, but eh:


You can see my shift. SCANDALOUS! Well, it was a scandalous time in fashion. *grin* (This is all very funny because I don't exactly dress conservatively on a daily basis; this covers way more than a 1960s minidress, for instance! Context, I guess.)

So I think I'll pick apart the petticoat I started making with the rest of this white linen I used for the stays, and make a new shift. Mine's pretty grotty (well, it's four years old, no wonder), plus I want to make the sleeves shorter, as I'm not sure how long I want the sleeves on the round gown and the voile gown.

Onward!

Date: 2011-03-17 02:19 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] reine-de-coudre.livejournal.com
that's awesome!! :D

Date: 2011-03-17 03:32 am (UTC)
ext_482226: (1798 green)
From: [identity profile] mandie-rw.livejournal.com
Thank you! I'm excited, now I can get started on the dress! Which one? ...mwahahaha, you'll see!

Date: 2011-03-17 02:24 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hippiechic1967.livejournal.com
i love the way the balls hold it up!

Date: 2011-03-17 03:34 am (UTC)
ext_482226: (1798 green)
From: [identity profile] mandie-rw.livejournal.com
Isn't it funny? They're the sillies thing ever, but they do work! Guess people did know what they were doing when they made their clothes back then! ;)

Date: 2011-03-17 11:59 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hippiechic1967.livejournal.com
they must have! ;)

Date: 2011-03-17 02:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] padawansguide.livejournal.com
Oh, that's interesting about the balls!

Date: 2011-03-17 03:38 am (UTC)
ext_482226: (1798 green)
From: [identity profile] mandie-rw.livejournal.com
I figured I'd give the balls a try, since it was either that or pinning a pad to the dress to get the look I want...and this option seemed easier in the long run. And I am all for one less costume piece to forget when I pack for Costume Con! :D

Date: 2011-03-17 05:44 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] clarey-h.livejournal.com
Wow - it's all coming together. That's such a clever way to give your petticoat a shape.

Date: 2011-03-18 02:04 am (UTC)
ext_482226: (1798 green)
From: [identity profile] mandie-rw.livejournal.com
Isn't it? I am quite pleased with how the balls turned out! :D

Date: 2011-03-17 06:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] llyrafantasyfae.livejournal.com
ROFL, they are the silliest things ever but they really do work. THose are the sort of things that would make me giggle knowing I was wearing them under my gown.

Date: 2011-03-17 04:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] green-martha.livejournal.com
Ditto ! They're fabulous !

Date: 2011-03-18 02:06 am (UTC)
ext_482226: (1798 green)
From: [identity profile] mandie-rw.livejournal.com
Hehe, thank you! :D

Date: 2011-03-18 02:06 am (UTC)
ext_482226: (1798 green)
From: [identity profile] mandie-rw.livejournal.com
Hehehe, I definitely will be giggling when I wear them! I was trotting round the house wearing them yesterday, going "BALLSballsBALLSballssssss!" They make me happy. XD

Date: 2011-03-17 08:13 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fiofiorina.livejournal.com
These are great :-)

Date: 2011-03-18 02:07 am (UTC)
ext_482226: (1798 green)
From: [identity profile] mandie-rw.livejournal.com
Thank you! :)

Date: 2011-03-17 04:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bellamissella.livejournal.com

Hehe! Fun! What a great idea!

Date: 2011-03-18 02:09 am (UTC)
ext_482226: (1798 green)
From: [identity profile] mandie-rw.livejournal.com
I thought so! ;) I'd never seen anyone else make stays with balls on them, like the C&C stays, but figured I'd try it; worst came to worst, I would have taken the balls off! But I like them very much. :D

Date: 2011-03-18 03:11 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] izodiea.livejournal.com
Ditto what llyrafantasyfae said :)

They are so odd, quirky and adorable! If a petticoat looks that good I cant wait to see what the gown looks like.

Date: 2011-03-19 03:13 am (UTC)
ext_482226: (1798 green)
From: [identity profile] mandie-rw.livejournal.com
Thank you! :D Hee, the balls are getting so much love!

Date: 2011-03-18 06:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] love3angle.livejournal.com
Nice Balls! Fun AND functional!

ballsballsballsballsballsballsballsballsballsballsballs
yep, still fun!

Date: 2011-03-19 03:15 am (UTC)
ext_482226: (1798 green)
From: [identity profile] mandie-rw.livejournal.com
*giggle* Yes, they are! (And yes, I definitely start chanting that to myself every time I look at the stays! XD)

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