bias tape – Fashion Through Herstory

Lateley I’ve been bothered by the ill-fitting brassiere I made last week for the HSF 5 challenge (bodice).

And since I’m curently working on a dress to be worn over the brassiere, I figured I needed to take the time to re-work it.

Before

The brassiere needed to be let out a couple of cm in the sides, shortened at the waist and lowered both at the armcykles and neckline.

So this weekend I grabbed the seam ripper and got to work.

I started by removing most of the bias tape, and the boning.

Then I cut the new neckline, armholes and waistline.

The side seams was being let out a bit, and I needed to make some additional bias tape to cover for the new and longer edges.

Then I shortened the boning and finishing of by sewing the bias-tape back on.

But it does look very nice. There are to much fabric at the top neckline.

So I tried it on.And pined away the exess fabric.

The shoulder straps need to be adjusted – re-shaped and shortened.

There was noting to do but to start ripping out the bias tape once more.

Finished:

It is defenetly not my best work, but at least it does what it is supposed to.

The whole procedure took about two-three hours, but together with lots of over time at work, it unfortanly left me with only one week to start and finish my entry for the next challenge…

As the 19th HSF challenge Wood, Metal and Bone past by I feelt I needed to make something a bit more challenging then the Suffragett brosches I finished just in time.

An with a regency event coming up swifty, I decided it was time to make myself the 1820s corset I’ve been wanting since I bought a wooden busk half a year ago.

Here are some inspiration pictures:

And the pattern comes from the trusted Norah Waughs “Corset and Crinolines” – A 1820s corset.

I bought 0,5m of cream colored cotton sateen, and found some plain cotton sheet for the linnig and interlinning in my stash.

I dafted the patten, made some changes to the sizing and made a mock-up.

I needed to raise the cups 1,5 cm and take them in 2cm a the top. And lenghten the shoulder straps.

I also needed to add 4-5 cm to the back pieces.

After drafting the alterations on the pattern, I cut and interlined all of the pieces.

I sewed the bust and hip gores, the boning chanels and set the gromets on the back pieces.

Then I started on the decoration.

By now I feelt I was running out of time (this was just a couple of hours before the event) and I needed to decide which ones of the decoration seams was the most neccessary – regarding both prettynes and function, though to the strengtening quality of the stiching.

Then I made and attached the lining and putt the boning in to the chanels. I used bias-tape to bind the edges, and put a drawstring into the bias-casing in the front of the corset. Making it adjustable over the bust.

I finished sewing just in time, since I straight away needed to hurry to get dressed and on my way.

Just the facts:

Challenge: 19 – Wood, Metal and Bone.

What: A regency corset

Year: 1800 – 1830s

Pattern: Nora Waughs “Corset and Crinolines” – a 1920s corset.

Fabrics: 0,5 m of cream cotton sateen, 1 m of white cotton sheet.

Notions: One wooden busk, bias tape, thread, gromets, boning (cable-tie and plastic whalebone), lacing-cord and ribbon.

How historical accurate: Machine made with gromets and polyester thread. Butt the pattern, shape and the color are correct. Mabye 5/10.

Time: 10 hours (the evening before and the same morning as the event).

Cost: 200 Sek (22 Usd)(50 Sek, not counting stash).

First worn: On 28 sep “Mickelsmäss” (celebration of the harwest) where I was part of the dancing entertainment.

Final toughts: The corset do what it is supposed to (bust-wise), but I’ts not that comfortable. I almost got a cramp in my side/waist sitting in it for two hours. Mabye I need to change the fit.

Tag: bias tape

Re-working the Edwardian Brassiere

Wood, Metal and Corsets