Saturday, April 17, 2010

More Stays Progress…

Well, there isn’t a whole lot to report, but I will show you the progress so far. I spent most of Wednesday evening redrafting my stays with the changes I made to my cardboard mock-up. And once again, HOLY MOLY MY WAIST IS SHORT!!!! In the end, I took of three inches from the length of the original pattern. If all goes well, this one should fit much better than my previous pair. That being said, I have decided to make a cloth mock-up just to be sure I like the fit. I plan to, gulp I can’t believe I’m saying this, sew my mock up by sewing machine. I haven’t used a machine for my own garments in years. However, I don’t want to spend hours hand sewing boning channels for a garment I will be using for fitting purposes. I guess if there aren’t anymore adjustments that are needed I will go ahead and finish the rest of the mock-up by hand and then make another fully hand-sewn pair. Then, I’ll have two sets of stays (insert evil laugh here). I have also decided I am going to make strapped stays. As appealing as the no strapped stays can be, I really like the way the straps look and how they enhance my, ahemmm, assets :-D Thanks for all of your input. You guys are awesome, big blog land hug.  Have a wonderful weekend.

JP Ryan Stays (15) All of the parts laid out with the boning channels marked.

JP Ryan Stays (13)

The front, showing the seam allowance and the top eyelet placing.

image001510

More color inspiration. I just can’t decide if I want a white linen pair with blue binding and lacings or a blue silk pair with white binding and lacings. I’m really drawn to this pair from the MA movie. Mmmm…..

dangerous liaisons 3 copy

This blue is about the same color as the blue silk in my stash. My silk, however, is a solid color.  And my stars will be 1/2 boned.

Well, that’s all for now, folks. Have a lovely weekend.

God Bless

Love Lauren

3 Witty Sentiments:

Anonymous said...

I have quite a short waist too (well, I am just short), but the pattern I use is quite short anyway, so I'm glad I didn't have to shorten the pattern.

Both those stays are lovely - I was admiring that Marie Antoinette pair the other day - I like the boning pattern on them, though I don't think it'd work for anyone much more endowed that Kirsten Dunst.

Sounds like your silk's a gorgeous colour - need photos!

Isis said...

I have had a pair of white stays. I'm sorry to say that they easily got rather grubby. Apart from that, white stays is lovely.

I always make my mock-up stays so I can wear them for a while to work out the bugs. It's hard to know until you have really worn them if they truly fits. Well, and my hands wouldn't allow me to sew stays by hands anyway. :-)

Sarah said...

They are looking awesome! I can't wait to see the finished pair. It is amazing what changing the position of the waistline can do. I too am very incredibly short waisted and I just had to shorten my 1860's dresses by almost 4" to get the waist in the right spot! :O It is amazing comfort wise what having the waist in the right spot can do - and it is so much more flattering as well!

I can't wait to make some clothes to go under and over my 18th c stays. . .sometime soon hopefully! When I get all this CW stuff out the way. . .