some small bits of sewing

[mandie_rw]

Because it's a Tom weekend and he requires lots of attention! Also we went on a seven mile walk yesterday because I sit on my ass all day at work so really need to be more active on the weekends when possible.

But I did get in a couple of hours of sewing as well. Decided that I was in the mood for the transitional stays.

I'm machine sewing the majority of these stays; they're rather experimental in a couple of ways, plus I want to make the dress to go over them sooner rather than later! I'll do the eyelets and binding by hand though, as I can't put binding on by machine half as nicely as by hand, and I'd much rather do eyelets by hand than deal with banging metal bits (plus I don't think I have any...?) I got the back pieces boned and sewed them together, as they're a front-closing model. They really don't look like much right now - well, let's be honest, they won't ever look like much lol - but here they are:


They're only four pieces - two fronts and two backs - so I miiiiight be able to get them boned next weekend? Although probably not if the weather is nice and I want to spend all of Saturday outside!

Closeup of "boning."


I decided to go with the reed for this pair, after much waffling; I don't need to do anything to prep it other than pull pieces out of the giant coil, and there's a shit-ton of it. I'm very curious how each of these "cheap" options behaves in a pair of stays, so the (very very) long-term goal is to make a pair of stays out of each of the three materials and see what happens. I'm sure Other People have done it, but as they probably posted it somewhere on YouTube, I haven't seen it and therefore will still consider it an Interesting Thing To Document. (Paging robinsnest  ...video topic for you? I volunteer my nonexistent stays to guest star!)


(Yes, considering how long I take to make anything these days, I figure a reasonable goal is 2025! Shhh.)

Pip was Halping. All these new boning materials had to be put in a drawer away from him once I was done...

 

Comments

[marianme]

Pip looks very keen on helping. ha

[mandie_rw]

Oh, was he ever! Chomp chomp

[danabren]

GIVE PIP THE REED.

And then film that for the video channel.

[mandie_rw]

Reed is Best Cat Toy ever, apparently. If I didn't think he'd manage to choke to death on it if left unattended...

[danabren]

That's why you have to be there to video.

Also, straws.

[robinsnest]

I accept your video offer and draft you immediately

[mandie_rw]

Yasssssssss.

[hharris]

Sounds like a very interesting experiment! Those lifetime-supply rolls of reed are amusing.

[mandie_rw]

Aren't they? They're great for accidentally poking oneself in the face with long errant reeds...and of course, cat toys.

[mala_14]

Interesting! I look forward to hearing how you like the reeds.

Pip is being the bestest helper!

[mandie_rw]

I'm really curious to see how they hold up in tabs, especially. Which, of course, these particular stays don't have, but...Next time! I used reeds in a different pair of 1770s stays lo these many moons ago, and never bound them, because I started breaking them almost immediately! They were a much thicker width than these, though, so I'm curious if that makes a difference. And despite the breakage, I wore them for about three years because they were pretty comfortable! So...we shall see.

And yes, most definitely bestest helper. Chomp chomp.

[mala_14]

I used reeds in my 1780s stays, but the flat kind. And yeah, also broke the CB ones when I did my first try on and stretched out my back too far and had to replace them. I'm curious to see how these small round ones work!

[brickhousewench]

Awww Pip.