Victorian Corset Pictures

I finally found the time to get some photos of my Victorian corset uploaded!





To make this corset, I used the Laughing Moon Ladies' Victorian Underwear pattern, "china twill" (100% cotton) for the outmost layer, and pillow ticking (100% cotton) for the lining. I purchased all of the special corset making supplies (boning, cotton twill tape, lacing, ect.) from Farthingales and Corsetmaking.com. I purchased the grommets and grommet setting kit from the Laughing Moon Mercantile (click on first link).

The pattern was pretty simple to follow, but the fitting steps can be rather involved. It is worth it, however, to go through the process of fitting the corset with a cheap material before constructing the final corset (because of the close fit). I would definately recommend this pattern to someone who would like to make her first corset. It explains the construction methods very well, and aside from the fitting stage, it only requires basic sewing techniques and a few special materials :)

-Rebekah

Note: The chemise pictured in the photos was made using a pattern that I drafted while following the free instructions at Elizabeth Stewart Clark's website. The instructions were easy to follow, and the pattern probably didn't take more than half hour to draft. I am pleased with the way it turned out, other than the neckline being a little narrower than I would have preferred ( which was caused by a mistake that I made while taking measurements).

M4930 - Dress Pictures

Here are a few pictures of the brown dress that I made using McCall's 4930:





I made a few alterations, most of which pertained to fitting issues. If you look at the pattern photo you can see that I omitted the armhole extentions. I did this because they simply didn't flatter my figure, and I thought that the jacket would probably fit over the dress better if they were not there.

The fitting alterations made are as follows:

- Lowering the neckline, for comfort.
- Raising the bustline shaping (in the pattern) by two inches.
- Reducing the waistline.
- Adding more room at hipline.
- Adding an inch or two to the hemline

Overall I'd say that most of the fitting problems probably came from my figure -- not the pattern. These fitting issues were time consuming to correct, but after they were resolved (using a muslin fabric to test the pattern) the dress went together very quickly, and the pattern instructions were easy to follow.

-Rebekah

Just a little note:
Sorry that the photos aren't too great :( They're rather blurry, and they don't do the fabric justice (it's very nice fabric, and it's darker than the photos suggest). Oh, well. They do reveal a rough idea of the results that can be achieved with this pattern, at least.

Yay! Vintage pattern!

Just had to show you what came in the mail today. . .



It's a vintage pattern that I purchased at Grandma's House! to make a 1940s style dress (someday when I'm not so busy, that is!). After watching the Hallmark movie "The Magic of Ordinary Days," I really wanted to make a dress like the one that Livy wore in the scene in which she cooks an omelet for Ray (the omelet with too many hot peppers in it :P). Here's a picture (Livy is standing on the left):



It's not really the best shot of the front of the dress, but that's all I could find at the moment. The dress features a hem that falls just below the knee, buttoned flaps that rest just below the shoulders, a skirt that has an inverted box pleat at the center front and center back, and bishop sleeves.

When I started looking for a pattern to make this dress, I figured that I would probably have to draft the buttoned flaps on my own, if I could only find pattern who's style is similar to the outfit Livy wears. But when I looked at Sense and Sensibility's vintage images, I was surprised to see a pattern that matched the dress perfectly, except for the buckle on the belt of the pattern (Livy's dress doesn't have a buckle). The pattern is so similar to the dress that it makes me wonder if the filmmakers might have used it to help create a wardrobe for one of their main characters!!!