I normally don't do this sort of thing, but padawansguide inspired me! So here goes :)

( My first costume was finished in the first few days of the year, and the last completed in the last few days! )

The theme of the week seems to be some dresses go together perfectly, some don't. The brown anglaise? So easy? However, the stripey polonaise? It doesn't want to be made. However, I am winning ( Read more... )

The brown anglaise fits, and the stomacher and sleeves are patterned. Now I can only hope it will still fit when it's done ( Read more... )

Both bodices are fitted. They may need minor tweaks in the real fabric, but I'm quite happy with them. I think the waist curve on the polonaise might need a little adjusting and I'm not 100% sure about the front on the anglaise, but the robings should make it fine. And I'm sure the straps will need adjusting because straps always need adjusting ( Read more... )

The stays are done ( Read more... )

First thing I did after getting home today? Adding more reeds in my stays. You see, I accidentally folded them in half in a way that would never happen when being worn and snapped a few reeds. Just in the point, and it would've been fine wearing them that way, but it didn't make me happy. Silly me knew I needed double reeds in at least the ( Read more... )

The stays are almost bound--just the second half of the top binding left--and the lining is cut and pinned. I decided not to line the tabs because I don't want to. There's really no practical need to line them, and it's really fiddly, so I decided not this time. The lining will come to just over the tabs. I'm using a light brown windowpane check ( Read more... )

I started binding the stays tonight. I may be alone in this, but I really don't mind binding stays. Binding the 1869 dress was much harder ( Read more... )

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All the vertical boning channels are done, one horizontal channel is half sewn, the other is pinned and the two back diagonal channels are pinned. Not bad! I'm so excited to start boning it (with reed). Then I can see if it works ( Read more... )