I have 11 yards, so plenty to do whatever I want. At first I was thinking 1870s because I love the long sweeping trained skirts, and I spent a lot of time browsing patterns, but the fabric decided it wants to be an 1830s dress. This is my inspiration gown (from the Met):
Those sleeves! And I love the crossover bodice, although it will take some work to figure it out. I have TV455 Romantic Era Dress on the way to use as my pattern base.
And this means new undergarments - a set of stays and a corded petticoat. I probably could use my Regency stays, but I made them out of Soyuz rocket blueprint fabric, and I've been wanting another set in a neutral color. I found one pattern from Black Snail on Etsy for the stays. I've never done true cording before (I did a few rows on a bust panel for my 1890s corset) where you make the channels and then insert the cord, so figured it was a good time to give it a try.
The pattern sizing was weird (due to European sizing, I think). The seller suggested I make the size 12 to fit my waist, use the larger bust gores, and adjust the hip gores smaller if need be. The mock-up was way too short for me, which is a common problem (I am long from armpit to hip) so I added 2" in at the waist. It also seemed a touch small even though the hips should have been too big. I decided just to use 1/8" smaller seam allowance.
The strength layer is a cotton twill, and the outer layer is an ivory cotton sateen. I am using Sugar and Cream yarn as the cording. I very carefully cut out and marked all of my pattern pieces with the cording lines. The pattern says there is allowance for cording shrinkage (this turned out to not be so true ... I had started to cut the front 1/4" wider on each side and regret that I changed my mind).
Here is my front panel with the gores inserted and the cording channels stitched but not corded. It's wet at the bust from cleaning off my fabric marker.
What a difference the cording makes! Full panel and a close up. I love the design, it reminds me of a sunrise.
Here are the back and side panels. I decided to interface where the grommets will go, and stupidly ironed into the wrong side of the fabric, and had to leave it due to no more fabric. Sigh. It also got super wrinkly when I cleaned off the fabric marker, and I hope I can smooth it back out. The back was supposed to have a bone along each side of the grommets, but I decided to do 3 rows of cording in lieu of the second bone.
Here are a couple pictures of the whole thing. I love how the pattern flows between the panels, and am super proud the the whole thing lines up perfectly at the waist!
Fiona had to supervise me putting in the grommets ... 17 on each side in the back.
Then I had to figure out the fan lacing. I knew *what* I had to do but couldn't figure out the *how*. The AD blog says to fit the cord lengths on the body or the dummy, so I put it on Petunia, and just couldn't make it work. I gave up in frustration and took Jonah to Rockin Jump. I texted a friend who had just done this and she told me to lay out the cords with it FLAT, and estimate where I wanted the tabs holding the cords to end up. And it worked! Nearly perfectly!
Here is the front loosely laced onto Petunia. I think the fit is good. I haven't done the shoulder straps yet because I had THREE grommets left and need FOUR. Sigh. So I ordered more. It also didn't occur to me to sew on the straps before binding and also bind the straps. I'm going to unpick the binding across the shoulder part and redo it right. Fingers crossed I can pick apart the two layers of the strap, because I am out of sateen and can't cut another set if needed.
Fan lacing from the back - so cool! You can see why dealing with all those laces on the dummy was difficult. It was much easier doing it flat. I left the little tabs holding the cords open so I can adjust the cord lengths if needed. I think I'll have to do some tweaking to get them perfectly flat, but it's close.
Next up: the corded petticoat! I have cotton organdy and cording purchased.
