Corset pics!
I found myself with about 45 mins of free time this afternoon, which means you all get corset pictures!
The bust gussets are wrinkly, because as I previously stated, I for some reason had lots of trouble with them - one of the problems included layers feeling too big or too small once I folded the edges to enclose in the seams. Oh well.
Overall, though, it fits great. I'm super proud of that even lacing gap, and I get a really nice waist reduction, too. In fact, unfortunately for my already finished skirt, it's way more waist reduction than I anticipated. I pleated my skirt to be 2" smaller than what my natural waist last was, but a) I have lost .5" from that natural measurement in the last couple months, and b), I get a 3.5" waist reduction with this corset! So basically, my pleats don't line up. I highly highly doubt I'll have time to fix that before the Victorian fest, but I have a feeling that will go on my todo list for before CoCo.
While I had the corset on, (despite forgetting and putting a long sleeve shirt underneath), I decided to try on some ballgown type bodices and see if any would work to use as a pattern for this one. I tried the Victorian Child first, but it was a little too big at the waist, and too high at the neckline, with no pointed waist, so I decided to try something better. I did the black silk next, which was (I thought) off the same pattern. I had the hardest time trying to figure out where the waist wanted to hit, because it was really strangely fitting me with this corset. And when I put the sleeves on, I couldn't move at all, so I gave up and moved to the next one. My green and cream ballgown bodice was very high-waisted in back, gappy over the top of the bust, and the sleeves are set too far on the shoulder. So I moved to my last option, which was my old (from 2012) black and gold ballgown bodice. I managed to mostly lace myself up in back, and it actually fit better over this corset than it possibly ever has. Success!
And wouldn't you know it, I found the pattern I had drafted for it all nicely in a ziploc, and it seems that it actually matches the existing bodice with no alterations. So scary as it feels, I think I'm ready to cut out the silk! That saves me a good chunk of playing with things on Friday morning, that's for sure, so that was a nice birthday present from the sewing gods.
Also, because that's just what you do on your birthday, I wore a tiara at work all day. :)
The bust gussets are wrinkly, because as I previously stated, I for some reason had lots of trouble with them - one of the problems included layers feeling too big or too small once I folded the edges to enclose in the seams. Oh well.
Overall, though, it fits great. I'm super proud of that even lacing gap, and I get a really nice waist reduction, too. In fact, unfortunately for my already finished skirt, it's way more waist reduction than I anticipated. I pleated my skirt to be 2" smaller than what my natural waist last was, but a) I have lost .5" from that natural measurement in the last couple months, and b), I get a 3.5" waist reduction with this corset! So basically, my pleats don't line up. I highly highly doubt I'll have time to fix that before the Victorian fest, but I have a feeling that will go on my todo list for before CoCo.
While I had the corset on, (despite forgetting and putting a long sleeve shirt underneath), I decided to try on some ballgown type bodices and see if any would work to use as a pattern for this one. I tried the Victorian Child first, but it was a little too big at the waist, and too high at the neckline, with no pointed waist, so I decided to try something better. I did the black silk next, which was (I thought) off the same pattern. I had the hardest time trying to figure out where the waist wanted to hit, because it was really strangely fitting me with this corset. And when I put the sleeves on, I couldn't move at all, so I gave up and moved to the next one. My green and cream ballgown bodice was very high-waisted in back, gappy over the top of the bust, and the sleeves are set too far on the shoulder. So I moved to my last option, which was my old (from 2012) black and gold ballgown bodice. I managed to mostly lace myself up in back, and it actually fit better over this corset than it possibly ever has. Success!
And wouldn't you know it, I found the pattern I had drafted for it all nicely in a ziploc, and it seems that it actually matches the existing bodice with no alterations. So scary as it feels, I think I'm ready to cut out the silk! That saves me a good chunk of playing with things on Friday morning, that's for sure, so that was a nice birthday present from the sewing gods.
Also, because that's just what you do on your birthday, I wore a tiara at work all day. :)