darkpurplemusic

As I didn't eat lunch until after 2, I wasn't hungry when I left work and called Jane so she and C-Monster could make a decision about what they wanted for dinner.  Pizza.  OK, that's easy enough, just stop in at HEB and pick up a couple of the good frozen ones (they exist, really!).  I get out to the car, start it up and...

Something's wrong.  It feels wrong.  I pull into a space and get out.

The right rear tire's gone flat.  Fuck.

It's not quite raining out, but it's not quite not raining out if you get my meaning.  Thankfully, it only took me about fifteen minutes to get the novelty tire on.  But my left knee feels like ground chuck from being down on it in the wet.

I posted detailed in-progress images of this corset. They may be found in Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

The corset is made from two core layers of coutil, with a dupioni silk cover. The contrast stitching and flossing was made with upholstery thread. The boning is 1/4" and 1/2" wide spring-steel flats. The busk is a 12" busk with a backing bone. Edging is bias-cut contrast silk fabric. Quilted gores are three layers of coutil and one layer of dupioni silk.





( More Views and Flossing Details )

This was originally intended to be a Christmas gift for a friend, but unfortunately it did not fit. She's been away at grad school, so I was working from measurements taken a year ago. I have measured the finished corset and compared it to the measurements I had, and they match up. However, it appears that the vertical measurements were wrong, because the bust should be about 1/5" higher than it is in order to fit. So, before the end of December, I should be posting images of a similar corset, but made to correct measurements.

Measurements for this corset are 38" bust, 28" waist, 36" hip.

X-Posted

About half an hour after my earlier post, everything went to hell.  Our phone system could not call out or dial in.  Some users were mysteriously without internet while others were fine.  Ditto for accessing the patient management system, email, and other network assets.

I'll spare you the pains we went through trying to diagnose the problem.  Suffice to say, they were many and it took us the better part of two hours to find the culprit.  As it turned out, one of my (l)users attempted to plug an IP phone in a different location.  In the process, she not only managed to unplug another user's computer and phone, she also managed to plug a subswitch into itself, which created the feedback loop that took the entire network down.

All of that because this person didn't want to bother IT Support over her moving to a new workstation.

Today, I'm burning XP Install Disks.  One after another.  My target is fifteen, or one for every two new machines.

The weekend was extraordinarily dull.  Jane re-re-re-injured her hip at dance class Saturday AM, and I was so tired and unmotivated that I pretty much spent the entire time either slouched in front of the computer doing nothing or watching TV.   Somehow, we managed to get the tree up and decorated and the laundry done, so I guess that counts for something.

Reading-wise, I'm bouncing between three very different novels and not making a lot of progress on any of them.  Writing-wise, I'm still mulling over November's efforts and trying to decide whether to go straight back and re-write it with an actual ending now, or play around with some other ideas that have bubbled up.

I'm giving away a book this week on Star-Crossed Romance. Stop by and read my blog about psychic vampires, and find out how you can enter the drawing. You can read the article here:

http://star-crossedromance.blogspot.com/2009/12/guest-s-l-wright.html

And you can read the Star-Crossed review of Confessions of a Demon here:

http://star-crossedromance.blogspot.com/2009/12/book-review-confessions-of-demon.html

An opportunity fell into my lap the other day that I have to share. I wore a corset (Classic Victorian from Renaissance Fashions) out to a party, and by the end of the night, I had a handful of neighbors and friends willing to be guinea pigs for me to make them corsets. They know I make costumes, and they know I'm only learning to make corsets, but the idea of having corsets was intriguing enough to survive the sobered-up morning after.

So now I'm the luckiest learner--I have half a dozen fresh victims volunteers of varying shapes, all willing to let me use them as dressmaker's dummies. :D

Since we do have a range of shapes and cup sizes, we would make underbust corsets of some type (and therefore avoid the need to shape cups).

My volunteers aren't experienced corset-wearers--they just like the idea of accentuating their curves, appearing more shapely, and for one, getting some good lower-back support. Does a smaller waist-cincher type corset (4 pins in the busk) provide as much back support as a long-line underbust (5 or 6 pins in the busk)? I'm using busks, definitely, and flat steel bones at the back where the grommets will go, but I may use cable ties, rigiline plastic boning, spring steel, or flat steel for the rest of the boning--if anyone has experience with back support provided by the different types, I'd appreciate any advice.

I was planning to use the Sam Leather tutorial for drafting an underbust, but when I tried to go there, I found the site had been banned by tripod at some point between last week and today. I found underbust kits via Farthingales at Rye and Ginger Kits, but the kits come pre-cut and I would really get more education if I drafted the patterns myself for each of the ladies.

Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble. Any tips are much appreciated!

Hi everyone.

I had a look through the memories but couldn't find anything specific to what I am looking for.

I know that historically a lot of stays were handsewn, and I have an issue using my machine as it is loud and clunky and old. I am pretty nocturnal, and I live in a matchbox with my folks and fortunately in my studio I have excellent light, but sewing by machine is not an option. And to be honest my machine and I dont get along very well. I swear the machine and the overlocker conspire against me when I am not looking.

My question is whether there is a limit as to what styles of corset can be handsewn. I love to sew by hand, I find it very therapuetic. While my stitches are small and neat, I am worried that the stress of lacing, although granted I won't be lacing exceptionally tight, will mean that the seams won't hold up. There are so many styles I would love to try, and while it might sound ridiculous in retrospect, with consideration to the stress on the seams, I put pattern pieces together and made a single pattern out of that and sewed up a mock up to see if it would work. Needless to say it didn't, and when I put in the boning, rather than the nice hourglass figure I was shooting for, I looked more like a cardboard cylinder. I know now how important the seams are in creating shape. It may sound like a waste of time, but it definately gave me a valuable insight in the engineering side of corsets.

I have seen handsewn 18thc stays, but are there any of you that handsew other styles of corsets?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

And as soon as I can get some photos together I will post my first handsewn elizabethen style, just with some rather.. unorthodox techniques.

:)

Just wanted so share a few photos of what I've been up to lately.



( More Photos and a couple more lovelies.. )

As a newbie I have to invest in a eyelet or grommet setter and I can't decide which are best for corsets: eyelets, or grommets?

My conclusion so far:

• Grommets or eyelets, it really doesn't matter so much as long as it's two parts, meaning: with a washer.
• Don't get eyelets with a split flange. The flange should roll without splitting.
• If you live in Europe the Prym eyelets seem to be the best option quality wise.
• Stick to your continent. Get a setter from the US only if you plan to buy eyelets/grommets from the US and vice versa, since sizes differ slightly.

I've always wondered how small I could go in a corset so it's been on my to-do list to make one to my measurements for a while. I even had a busk hanging around to do so. Well, I finally got my butt in gear and made a black underbust, and I'm pretty pleased with the results:



( More pictures and info under the cut )

Hello, all! I'm happy to have found this group recently! Alas, my first post is a bit of a gripe post, but hopefully I can at least help serve as a warning to others. ( Cut for a warning about McCall's 5971 )

Last week, I spotted something on eBay I wanted.  Something I've wanted for a long freaking time.  Something I've rarely seen offered online.  In my size. I mentioned it to her in a "Heh heh, if you want to get me this for xmas, I'd be ever so grateful" way.

She was non-committal.

Tonight, she was in a bit of a stew over dinner and informed me she'd been bidding on it and the auction was closing in under an hour and there was a serious competitor.

She lost.  But she cost the winner a pretty penny.

It would have been nice if she'd won it, but it really IS the thought that counts.

I was wanting to know if anyone here lives in Chicago or around Chicago? I ask this because I was hoping to get together a sort of group to meet on occasion to discuss, show off and all that jazz. I figure maybe this will aid those who enjoy having faces to put to comments and help to build more friendships on a common love.

I currently have a two people group where my friend and I get together and talk about what we've been making, problems, joys, things we learned. If anyone is near and wanting to join our little corner of the corset world let me know we;d love to have you!

Doesn't it just you crazy when you have this very specific idea in your head and can't find the fabrics?

I'm really looking for a grey/dark grey cotton with a black damask style print. Definately matte. And ideally a matching plain grey, but that's less important. Has anyone seen anything like this around recently? At this point Im more than happy to order it from anywhere, and not too fussed on price.

I found the 1949 "Batman and Robin" serials on DVD at Kroger for ten bucks.  It's whacky!

Thank you all for the advise on bone placement for this corset. She loes it, and I am thrilled!

This french antique mannequin came from the Victorian era, I purchased from Quebec.

Printed in red on the mannequin :

On the neck the size 42

On the bottom: STOCKMAN, PARIS, BREVETE, SGDG

The mannequin has an adjustable height.

There is a few tiny holes (see beige spots showing the lining) and a few scratch, but the general fabric condition is very good for its age. There is no trace of worms. The base has the varnished black paint used revealing black matte paint.

The measures:
Chest 35 "
Waist is 22"
Largest hips are 42 "
Height of the mannequin excluding base is around 25,5"

Time-Lost Batman's Twitter Feed

Anyone want to help me playtest a rules-light (but far from rules-less) set of Superhero rules this Saturday afternoon?  One way or another, I'm going to test them out, but I wouldn't mind some more eyes and brains in on the process.