Effigy pattern confusion.

[sstormwatch]

It is nice to have a draped sloper that actually fits my body (when I wear the proper supportive bra). I now trust that my dress form is fairly close to actual me.

However, for the effigy pair of bodies, I am wondering if I am doing something wrong, or if I hit on doing something right. Anyone have any helpful advice?

Comments

[sarahbellem]

I'm confused: Darts in the effigy corset? Am I misunderstanding you? Please clarify. :)

[sstormwatch]

Try this again.

The darts are in the draped sloper (French block) from the draping I did on the dress form. I am trying to remove the darts from the sloper/f.block, to get to the effigy pattern shape, but am not sure how to exactly go about it while following the author's instructions.

I think I am supposed to close the bottom dart to remove it, and leave the upper dart (what little is left behind on removing the upper portion of the front), as the author says the small amount is "taken out at the shaping of a corded seam, at the finish". But he's got a small dart, and I've got larger boobs, hence a larger dart. I am not sure how to deal with my larger sloper dart to remove (or move) it, since the effigy style doesn't seem to have a corded finish.

Oh, if only your class on effigy stays was tomorrow. I would be in your classroom in a heartbeat.

[pepperbeast]

I'm afraid I have no idea-- I've never even drafted a sloper with darts.

I drafted my corset with help from here
http://www.elizabethancostume.net/EffigyReconstruction.htm

(Speaking in general, I'm not sure how much use a darted sloper is when you're only making things with no darts.)

[sstormwatch]

Well, my first corset I followed pretty much the info given on the link you gave. It worked pretty well. I was trying this method with the sloper, since that's the method given in the book I have, and I wanted to see how well that worked. I have to say that I am missing something in the info of the book, so it isn't working so well for me. Might work better with Victorian corsets, since those deal with curves and not trying to ignore the curves.

[margorose]

Here's how I draft an Effigy corset front from a darted sloper: First, raise the point of the waistline dart to the bust elevation desired. The rotate the dart into the neckline. If you have a shoulder or side dart, lengthen it to meet the waistline dart, and rotate it into the neckline as well. You'll be left with a funny looking sloper with no darts in the lower half, the side seam at the proper angle, and the waistline will have the proper curve. Draw the upper edge of the corset front, and cut away the remainder, including the darts.

Does that help?

[sstormwatch]

Yes, that does. It makes more sense than the book I was following. Thank you.

[pepperbeast]

Oh, and on another note, I bound mine with very light (glove-weight) leather.

[sstormwatch]

Did you have to cut it on any specific angle of leather grain? I've not worked with leather much, but I know some parts stretch more than others.

[pepperbeast]

I had a piece of what I thought was kidskin, and I didn't notice that it made a lot of difference which bits I used-- it's variable, to a degree, but all fairly thin and springy.