A Dedicated Follower of Fashion

The petticoats and corset, as previously mentioned, are FINISHED. *falls over promptly yet again in surprise*

( Pictures and shtuff )

I made the binding for the corset and sewed it on last night. I was sort of astounded that it only took me one evening's worth of work...but then I thought about it, and realized: no tabs. SO nice to put binding on a corset without tabs!

So I've got 24 eyelets left to sew, and then I'll be DONE, thankyouverymuch. I briefly contemplated putting a lining in last night, as the cording channels look pretty icky on the inside...and then I decided I won't, because 1/ I don't think the Corsets and Crinolines pattern I based mine on had a lining (the book's at the bottom of a pile, too lazy to go dig it out right now), and 2/ who the hell cares if the inside's ugly? I'll just get over myself and not take a photo of the inside!

I also started thinking about some sort of wrap to go with this dress, because I think I'm going to need it, unless the weather warms up a lot for January 23 (please please go the 23rd)! I decided I want a similar mantle to one in Bradfield's Costume In Detail, page I-don't-know-what, will scan it in later. It's a wicked little thing, deceptively simple-looking, but for some reason I could not wrap my brain around how to cut it out! I thought I finally figured it out, and cut the pieces for the lining, out of pink cotton. Pink because this outfit's going to be very black, and dammit, I want some color. And I like pink. Anyway, I cut the lining pieces out, and realized I'd made them too short. Derp.

That's when I went back to the corset, by the way! I took it as a YOU FINISH THE CORSET FIRST sign! ;) After I finish the corset I'll go back to the mantle, because making that before the dress makes perfect sense, y/y? I was Good and stuck with fabric from the Stash for it. Which means more black, but that's okay. The CiD mantle's made of shot silk, unlined, which would be lovely, and also very impractical for January. Mine will be black cotton velvet, lined with the pink cotton, and interlined with flannel. (I'd really like to have made it out of wool, but this is me being good. Okay, I did buy the flannel. But it was super on-sale, and IMO very worth it!) And trimmed in fake fur left over from my Tudor gown.

(I actually had a minute where I thought about it really hard to myself, going, "But...will that color fur look okay with black velvet?" And then I had to slap myself, because, really? WE ALREADY DID THIS. Cleverrrr.)

Quick post before I go see Harry Potter with the TCNJ Group.

Corded petticoat is up to ten rows. It takes me forever because I iron it after sewing each row of cording, because...I don't know, I like to get on my own nerves. Toasted two of my fingers on the iron today, yay me.Not certain how many rows I'll end up with. I want to put as many in as possible...or as many as I can stand, anyway. I'm going to run out of hemp cording, though; this ball was half-finished when I started making the petticoat.

Watched A Hard Day's Night today and sewed another row of cord into the corset. I think I'm going to be heartily sick of cording things by the time this is all over!

And if you wanted to know (which I'm sure you didn't), I did go into work today and inform the girls I was working with that the computer system is now officially named Roderick (it may be called Rod for short, yes) because of its love for Rod Stewart. And because it's annoying. And everyone I told thought it was funny! YAY I'M FUNNY. And slightly out of my head. But that's nothing new, right?

And I'm off tomorrow, MOAR YAY! Will most definitely be sewing something... when I'm not over at the historical society observing one last tour (of schoolchildren, and hopefully the last tour I have to observe!) before I get to be a docent. And I have to ask them if I can dress up like a weirdo in 18thc dress when I'm giving tours. Because it would really make me happy, but I don't think any of the other tour guides dress, so we'll see. At the very least I could give them something better to put on their mannequin that is supposed to be an example of 18thc dress, but the bodice had princess seams, wtf? (Oh, and on one of the tours, the guide mentioned that clothing items were made primarily of cotton, linen, wool, and silk...and that only cotton could be washed. O rly? I dunno what kind of linen you people have, but the linen I have? Can most definitely be washed!)

I did sew a teensy bit today before I had to go to work. I dragged out the 1844 corset I started ages ago, and sewed one whole seam on it -- impressive, no? But I'm really hoping I can make it to the Poe event this year, as I actually have a car, whee (!), so I'm being optimistic and working on that. Til I get distracted. Attention span of a grape, remember. Finishing the undergarments for that soon would be a Good Idea, though, as Poe's in January!

I think my sewing machine's getting old and senile. It's not quite five years old, but is not actually any sort of brand that anyone's heard of. I think it fell off the back of a truck...My mother bought it for me when I was in high school, and I suspect she didn't want to spend too much on it in case I didn't keep on with the sewing. Anyway, it refused to sew through the corset and through boning tape (which isn't even real boning tape; I just made it myself since I'm cheap). Pathetic.

So I'm putting the boning in by hand. Positives: The stitching looks nicer on the outside of the corset and the boning fits better, since I can stitch right next to it. Negatives: It's taking longer (and I am impatient!), plus the pins holding the layers together keep stabbing me. It looks like my cat got super-pissed off at me...but no, it was the pins.

*poke* "Ow." *scratch* "OW." *stab* "OUCH! Damn it all, I F----ING HATE PINS!!!"

So...I found the pattern I made for the 1844 Corsets and Crinolines corset. I actually went and read my entry about it, because I could not remember whether I finished mocking it up... I knew there was a reason I tagged things! Actually came in useful, imagine that. Anyway, I did finish mocking it up, and made a paper pattern. Happily, said pattern was actually where it should be, with the other patterns I've made up. (Though I've found that if I fit a mockup and make a pattern, it is a guarantee that I will never make that garment again, whereas if I think I won't need to make it ever again, and so don't keep a pattern, I invariably make it again and wish I'd kept the pattern.)

No, there's actually no good reason for making it...but I'm not actually doing anything this year in terms of events, so Whatever. It's all useless. But it amuses me, so I keep doing it.


Pieces cut out (and aforementioned paper pattern). I haven't gotten very far on it, since I'm sewing in the bust gussets by hand. I'll probably do the rest of the seams on the machine, but I know that my sanity is not a worthwhile price to pay to put those eensy-weensy points in on the machine. No. I'm sure people who are Better Than Me At Sewing could, but I cannot.

Went out shopping with my mother today, since she bought my little sister various expensive pieces of technology for Christmas and now wants to buy me more things. I am not averse to acquiring more items of clothing and shoes, so we all win. She wrapped up the dresses I ended up picking out at Ross, but decided it was a waste of effort to wrap shoes, so I get to show them off now (plus I really think you'll all start thinking I have extremely dubious taste in clothes if I show you the dresses...I think the music I tend to listen to has insidiously invaded my mind and my fashion sense).


It's stupidly difficult to photograph your own feet...but anyroad, they're black leather T-strap heels, and they are adorable and I love them to death and they were only $10. So glad I've got them now so I can, what, wear them in the snowstorm we're supposed to get imminently? Whatever; they are awesome and I will wear them in the spring. (Also, I am a shoe whore and am making a tag for it, to make it official and all.)