A firefly costume with a difference...
As I was asked to cross-post this, I hope you all don't mind!
So, once upon a time, I spent a totally foolish amount of money on some fabric. I mean, £130 for a little over a metre is rather silly.
But, in my defence, it _was_ fabric from the gown created for Jewel Straite for the episode "Shindig".
It arrived quickly, with a little certificate from Shawna (who was lovely and very helpful and communicative!) and I stared at it for a very long time, wondering what the hell to do with it, and if I was even brave enough to cut it. Then, I spent a slightly lesser amount (but not by much!) on some wonderful custom-drafted patterns by the talented electradesigns and thus, the plan was born - the Kaylee corset.
Here's a distance shot of the corset - I bound the edges with pink satin bias, and laced with a matching pink ribbon, with gold aglets on the ends. It's boned double on every seam with spiral boning, except at the eyelets where there are flat steels, and the front busk.
I made the skirt from a Victorian walking skirt pattern I had in a book (not to hand, or I'd give the title!) and edged with machine embroidery, and made the shrug with the same embroidery and a black frog.
And one close up:
In which I look decidedly unimpressed, but it was a rather windy day and I was a little on the tired side!
Frustratingly, were I to make it again now, I would do so many things differently, but I do rather like how it turned out in the end! I've got enough of the fabric left to make a panelled version of my own overbust style corset for a wonderful friend (who chipped in on the buying in the first place, and has been very patiently waiting for her corset!) and then probably just about enough to make a corset with front and possibly back panels (rather than all the panels) from it. It's been suggested I use this final piece of fabric for a custom-sized corset/cincher ebay auction, with the proceeds going to Equality Now, which I think might well be a nice idea, and I'd be happy to include the certificate I received from Shawna in such an auction just to prove ownership of a little piece of Firefly costuming history.
So, once upon a time, I spent a totally foolish amount of money on some fabric. I mean, £130 for a little over a metre is rather silly.
But, in my defence, it _was_ fabric from the gown created for Jewel Straite for the episode "Shindig".
It arrived quickly, with a little certificate from Shawna (who was lovely and very helpful and communicative!) and I stared at it for a very long time, wondering what the hell to do with it, and if I was even brave enough to cut it. Then, I spent a slightly lesser amount (but not by much!) on some wonderful custom-drafted patterns by the talented electradesigns and thus, the plan was born - the Kaylee corset.
Here's a distance shot of the corset - I bound the edges with pink satin bias, and laced with a matching pink ribbon, with gold aglets on the ends. It's boned double on every seam with spiral boning, except at the eyelets where there are flat steels, and the front busk.
I made the skirt from a Victorian walking skirt pattern I had in a book (not to hand, or I'd give the title!) and edged with machine embroidery, and made the shrug with the same embroidery and a black frog.
And one close up:
In which I look decidedly unimpressed, but it was a rather windy day and I was a little on the tired side!
Frustratingly, were I to make it again now, I would do so many things differently, but I do rather like how it turned out in the end! I've got enough of the fabric left to make a panelled version of my own overbust style corset for a wonderful friend (who chipped in on the buying in the first place, and has been very patiently waiting for her corset!) and then probably just about enough to make a corset with front and possibly back panels (rather than all the panels) from it. It's been suggested I use this final piece of fabric for a custom-sized corset/cincher ebay auction, with the proceeds going to Equality Now, which I think might well be a nice idea, and I'd be happy to include the certificate I received from Shawna in such an auction just to prove ownership of a little piece of Firefly costuming history.