We trekked down to Vogue Fabrics in Evanston on Friday to buy the boning that I still needed for the bodice.
It turns out (and maybe if I had actually read more corsetry books and websites, I would have known this) that boning is available pre-cut and capped in a limited range of sizes. So a couple of pieces that I bought will have to be cut and capped to suitable sizes to bone the bodice the way I planned. Another learning experience....
$15.61 including tax and I think I'm good to go. I'll be working on the infamous bodice this week: making the channels, sliding in the boning and then doing a couple of "rough" fittings to get it just right before I use these base pieces as the pattern to cut the additional layers I'll need.
Wish me luck!
The intermittant buzzings of BettyBee. Read on for clever tidbits, sarcasm, new products, project mayhem, and sale codes....
Monday, June 28, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Hi, my name is Mel, and I'm a Ren Faire-aholic.....
I'm stoked. Bristol Renaissance Faire is opening July 10th. I've been looking forward to this for over a year.
"Why? You go every year." you say?
Simply because I've wanted to dress up for the Ren Faire for years. This year is the year. It's gonna happen! I've been slowly working on my very first costume since last fall. I bought patterns (granted, commercially made, not 100% historically accurate patterns) so that my first go at a complex costume would not drive me to pulling out my already thin hair. I have McCall's M4107 for the bodice, M4090 for the skirts, and M4091 for the chemise. The general idea is that I'm trying to create a sort of mid- to upper-middle class outfit, not too high-born (because I'm not) but I also don't want to look like a tavern wench either. At least not this year....
As with anything that I work on, I'm tweaking the costume as I go. I've already put together most of the skirt. I still need to work on the waist band, fasteners, and some detail work, but it's hemmed so the worst of it is done.
The bodice/corset has been a source of frustration and fear for me. I've never made a corset. I've barely looked at a real corset to examine the composition of the garment and the fundamentals of its construction. So I'm winging it, referencing several books and blogs (thank you Jo, blogger of Bridges on the Body).
I drew boning channel lines on the base layer of my bodice last night, and I feel pretty good about it right now. I need to cut another layer of the front and channel segments for the back, so that I can rough out the boning and the fitting all in one go. After the fitting, I can cut the final inner fabric and the outer decorative fabric from the adjusted pattern. I'm already seeing issues with the base layer..... The bodice seems a little short for my torso. I may have to cut the final inner and outer layers a little longer. Hmmm, and maybe take in the back a little by creating a center seam.... oooh, or another place to lace up! That would be interesting, right?
I have so much to do before the Faire opens! Super excited!
Ta for now :)
"Why? You go every year." you say?
Simply because I've wanted to dress up for the Ren Faire for years. This year is the year. It's gonna happen! I've been slowly working on my very first costume since last fall. I bought patterns (granted, commercially made, not 100% historically accurate patterns) so that my first go at a complex costume would not drive me to pulling out my already thin hair. I have McCall's M4107 for the bodice, M4090 for the skirts, and M4091 for the chemise. The general idea is that I'm trying to create a sort of mid- to upper-middle class outfit, not too high-born (because I'm not) but I also don't want to look like a tavern wench either. At least not this year....
As with anything that I work on, I'm tweaking the costume as I go. I've already put together most of the skirt. I still need to work on the waist band, fasteners, and some detail work, but it's hemmed so the worst of it is done.
The bodice/corset has been a source of frustration and fear for me. I've never made a corset. I've barely looked at a real corset to examine the composition of the garment and the fundamentals of its construction. So I'm winging it, referencing several books and blogs (thank you Jo, blogger of Bridges on the Body).
I drew boning channel lines on the base layer of my bodice last night, and I feel pretty good about it right now. I need to cut another layer of the front and channel segments for the back, so that I can rough out the boning and the fitting all in one go. After the fitting, I can cut the final inner fabric and the outer decorative fabric from the adjusted pattern. I'm already seeing issues with the base layer..... The bodice seems a little short for my torso. I may have to cut the final inner and outer layers a little longer. Hmmm, and maybe take in the back a little by creating a center seam.... oooh, or another place to lace up! That would be interesting, right?
I have so much to do before the Faire opens! Super excited!
Ta for now :)
Monday, June 21, 2010
In lieu of actual productivity..... a new background!
Since I am an utter slack lately, I've posted absolutely nothing on Etsy. I've tweaked prices here and there, but there's nothing new, different, and exciting in the store. Motivation has been non-existent lately, and I've been completely overwhelmed by the mundane process that is life.
However, my birthday was Friday. The big 3-4. Yeah, I'm not kidding.... I don't really care that I'm just a teensy bit older, but somehow, I feel like I should start kicking myself in the ass to (1) start exercising more than just the 30 seconds of walking that I manage now, (2) really start moving in about 5 different directions with BettyBee and see what works, and (3) start putting some money away for the future. Time is passing way too quickly, and pretty soon life will have blown past me doing 65 on the freeway while I'm still in 1st gear.
My mom is more productive than I :( She and my step-father came by on Sunday for a dual birthday/Father's Day celebration. Pizza, salad, and soccer were enjoyed by all..... And while the soccer game is playing on the darn TV, there's my mom, camped out on the couch, crocheting away on these cute little tote bags that she makes. She put the finishing touches on 2, which I now have to post in the store.
And what did I do? N-O-T-H-I-N-G. Just consumed 1 piece of deep dish and a couple of slices of thin crust and watched my hips spread with inactivity. Awesome! (not!)
Geez, I'm such a slack!
However, my birthday was Friday. The big 3-4. Yeah, I'm not kidding.... I don't really care that I'm just a teensy bit older, but somehow, I feel like I should start kicking myself in the ass to (1) start exercising more than just the 30 seconds of walking that I manage now, (2) really start moving in about 5 different directions with BettyBee and see what works, and (3) start putting some money away for the future. Time is passing way too quickly, and pretty soon life will have blown past me doing 65 on the freeway while I'm still in 1st gear.
My mom is more productive than I :( She and my step-father came by on Sunday for a dual birthday/Father's Day celebration. Pizza, salad, and soccer were enjoyed by all..... And while the soccer game is playing on the darn TV, there's my mom, camped out on the couch, crocheting away on these cute little tote bags that she makes. She put the finishing touches on 2, which I now have to post in the store.
And what did I do? N-O-T-H-I-N-G. Just consumed 1 piece of deep dish and a couple of slices of thin crust and watched my hips spread with inactivity. Awesome! (not!)
Geez, I'm such a slack!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)