Crystal Moon Studio

Ok.... where did I leave off?  Oh yes!  The top-stitching and boning channels.  This is gonna be a picture heavy post so be prepared.


Soo.. top stitching is basically used to reinforce seams and/or be decorative.  It looks like this.




That rolled-looking line is the actual seam, and the line of white stitching beside it is the top-stitching.  It looks pretty but also means that when the garment is being stretched the force of the stretch is distributed more to the fabric than the seam itself because that top-stitch goes through the seam allowance on the back side of the fabric, pinning it down.








This second set of stitches to the right of the top-stitching is the boning channel stitch.  This stitch line pins down the seam allowance even further, creating a pocket between both lines of thread that I can put the bones into.  Using the seams for placement of the bones is pretty normal (or so I am told).








This pic shows you the boning being placed into the channel.


Ok, so here's a story.  after getting all the boning channels sewn down, I wanted to check them to make certain they were big enough and that the boning would fit.  This is where I  had a minor freak out.

After getting everything sewn down, certain I had all my measurements right, I placed this one piece of boning into one of the channels.  It fit very snugly as this was the channel I had made and thought might be a bit too small.  So I get it in and boom... the boning is TOO SHORT!  Better than too long, sure, but too short is also a big problem because this means it will slide around, causing friction and end up rubbing through the fabric.  It also means that the corset won't be supported from top to bottom completely which is essential to a corset.  

I was really bummed.

So as I was taking the bone OUT of the channel, it got caught.  The channel was tight enough that the end cap of the steel bone got caught on the fabric and wouldn't come out.  I tried working it out as softly as I could and it finally came loose... that is to say, the cap came loose from the bone.  The bone slid right out with it's sharp, pointy end slicing my finger on the way and the cap was sitting stuck in the channel.

I was really not amused.

So, I left to go nurse my poor index finger and ignored it for an hour or so and drank some tea.  When I got back to the corset, I very VERY slowly worked the cap out by pushing it out the OTHER way using one of the flat steel bones, which are more rigid.  Here's a picture of all the bones and the busk.  The white ones are the flat steel bones, the grey are the spiral steel and the thing in the middle is the two-piece busk.
This story does have a happy ending however.  See how the bones are different lengths?  Ends up I used the shortest length with the longest channel.  Once I figured this out, I grabbed the longest length and tried again and was relieved to see that yes indeed, my measurements were spot on. 

I was really relieved.

So, now knowing that the boning SHOULD be ok, I Hmm'd and Haww'd for a while, trying to avoid getting to the busk.  I knew the procedure and theory but since I haven't done one before I wasn't positive of my ability to make it work.


Finally, I got up the courage and started in.



So we start here.  This is the catch side of the busk.  The vertical blue line is the final edge/seam for when the lining and outer fabrics are joined.

The small horizontal lines should be obvious, they're the outline of the catch.  The idea is that I'm going to sew down the blue vertical line but not sew between the small space of those horizontal lines so when the fabric is turned right-side out, the catch will fit snugly through the hole. 






Like this.  It's a little hard to see but if you look closely, you can see that I did not sew between the catch lines.  You can also see that I sewed just a little bit over one of them.  That happened in two areas................

 

But it worked!  The catches fit through very easily... kind of.  Getting it to stay in place while I sewed it down was a bit tricky but I did it.  It now sits securely in it's little spot.














The next task was to get the peg side of the busk in.  The same idea, it's going to sit at the edge seam where lining meets outer fabrics however instead of creating openings by sewing and not sewing certain spots, I instead have to make holes because the pegs sit in the middle of the steel bone they're attacked to.  Since I don't have a dressmakers awl, I instead used pins and knitting needles to stretch the fibers of the fabric out. 

Ripping or cutting holes is a really big no-no because that weakens the fabric and directly counteracts what we've been trying to do the entire time which is strengthen it.  So, you can see in the picture from top to bottom; the knitting needle pushing the fibers apart with out breaking them, the hole created by said needle, then the pegs poking through the right-side of the fabric.  I did this for all the pegs.

And soo.....






We get a picture that I can't rotate.  Darn.  But you can see that the busk is sitting nice and straight and centered.  Yay!  The boning is not inserted in this picture.

Since these pics were taken, I've attached a bottom trim and tried it on with all the boning inserted.  I've found it to be too big around the bust and hips.  >.<  The shaping on the bust is awful and awkward and is gonna need a major re-do.  The hips should be fairly easy to take in though. 

Now, I think I've probably gone on too long and had too many pictures so this is gonna be the end of part 4.  I  hope that part 5 will be the final installment!

Hello again!

So, continuing on my learning journey into the untamed wilds of corset making, we now move onto putting pieces together.  It's not hard but not as simple as it sounds.

As my last entry said, I decided to use the interlining between my lining and the strength layer because the lining is very thin.  I cut out two of each piece from each type of fabric (so technically, four of each piece from the organza since it's used to two places) and now they need to be sewn.  There's a few ways to do this. 

Several years ago, I might have put all the lining pieces together, then the interlining pieces together, then the strength and so on to give myself four layers of a full corset.  Then I'd sew them all together to make one piece. 

... I've learned better since then.

The fewer "separate" layers you have to sew through, the easier it is.  So instead I am putting the lining and interlining together, then putting the strength and the fashion layer together for each separate piece first.  This means that once they're joined they become "one layer" of fabric by virtue that they can't slip away from each other.

I could have used pins to put the pieces together but instead I decided to baste them for multiple reasons.  The biggest and most important reason being that basting stitches hold more firmly than a bunch of pokey needles.  

Here's a close up of the basting stitches.  The blue line is the outline of the pattern piece and also my final seam line.  By basting on the seam allowance, I can keep the visible side of the fabric looking clean and undisturbed.

They're loose for two reasons.  First, it was a fast sew.  I don't need the basting line to be straight or perfect by any means.  This falls into reason two, which is that it will be taken out once I've gotten all the pieces together.  Theoretically, I could leave them in and they won't do any harm... but I really wanna be thorough and professional with this.

So you can see the organza, it's a little bit sparkly.  This is a photo of the lining and interlining.  The view you see in this photo will never be seen once the corset is complete, as this is the side that will go against the strength layer to keep it slippy and happy.



This photo shows all the pieces for the lining and interlining basted together and laying out flat.  They look wrinkly because I haven't ironed them yet, that's all.  This is laid out as the corset would look if the back was unlaced and opened from there, leaving the front hooks connected.

Actually, that reminds me of something.  I have not yet cut out a modesty panel for the lacing portion.  It's just a square of fabric that sits between your skin and the back laces both for modesty (as the name suggests) as well as protection from the lacing.  I'll have to remember to do that.

As of this blog, I've also basted together the strength and fashion layers of fabric so I effectively have only two sets of fabric to work with (because remember, once they're basted together, they behave as a single fabric).  I've only just begun putting together the pieces to make a shaped garment, so I think I'll get that done and then throw up a post once I've finished that portion.  

See you later!

So, after my last post I was perusing other blog sites and such and thought "Gee, these people went pretty far to customize their blogs.  Maybe I should to?"  Of course, most of these were on blogspot but still, there must be a way to add a personalized banner at the top of my Dreamwidth account.  So, maybe that will happen.

Also, as may have been seen on my Facebook account, I am making a corset.  That is, a custom pattern draft for a corset.

As of last night I managed to get the whole pattern drafted.  It's intent is that of any corset; to make me smaller in the middle.  No no, not that extreme corseting like those crazy ladies with the 12 inch waists do.  Just a moderate tightening, no further than 26-28 inches, which will give my height and build of body a much more balanced looking figure.  Also, it'll make me look hot in dresses.  I hope.

Before I went on this particular mission I'd been browsing about historical garments.  I thought I was going to get to play a well-to-do Victorian investor in a web-series but, as my luck would prove, they told me last minute that nevermind, they only need zombies in a few months.

I'm happy to play a member of the unliving but hot-damn, I REALLY wanted to make that Victorian dress...  Oh well, life goes on.

So in reading up on Polonaise and cuirasse bodices and bustle pillows and skirts I came across many fonts of information concerning the era and it's fashions.  One of the most prominent things I read over and over again on these sites was "underwear is everything!"  Because no respectable Victorian lady would dare leave her house, or even remain in her house, without a corset during daylight hours it stands to reason that to make the costume (or as a wonderful speaker at HRMSS said "Not costumes, clothing.  You'll be in them for 16 hours a day for multiple days.") you need to start from the inside and work out.  This means:

Corset
Bustle pillow

The bustle pillow looked easy enough so I chose to do that one later.  Besides, if I was in a real bind I could use my obi makura (obi pillow) to substitute, since it's essentially the same thing with only a bit different shape and placement when in kimono.

((To be continued...))

Sorry, had to move buildings at work.  I do relief reception for a big company with many buildings.  Anywho, with the bustle pillow essentially not a worry I moved immediately into researching corset construction and fitting.

My first stop:  Simplicity and Burda's Historical collections.

Crap.

Ok, so they would work beautifully for costumes but as mentioned previously, I'm not making a costume, I'm making clothing that is to be worn upwards of 16-18 hours a day depending on just how much fun I'm having at the event that requires such clothing. 

To start, tho they have the basic shapes of what you need, these are intended for occasional use at best.  The best corset pattern I found out of all these big-name brands was Simplicity's Historical Collection.  The model is standing demurely in a drab grey corset wihch looks both loose and padded with the ties tied in front.  It just looks wrong for Victoriana, especially after viewing all the "correct" corsets that have been made by corsetiers world wide.  Not to mention the bodice I planned to make is a historical recreation, thus, it's likely to be REALLY thin-waisted.  So this costume pattern wasn't going to work, especially with the plastic boning.

But I realize that I'm going on and on about things I could be talking about later, back to the pattern itself.

I found two really great sites: www.FoundationsRevealed.com and www.YourWardrobeUnlockd.com 

Both of these sites have free articles for those of us who feel paying for membership is more than we can handle on our unsecure paychecks.  One of these, which both sites have the same, is a 'How to Draft your own Corset' tutorial.

There's lots of math.  Although these days I have little trouble understanding math and it's principles or doing calculations, I still abhor the subject.  But you know what?  It's worth it.

So after spending almost an hour in the bathroom carefully taking my own measurements (which is advised against) I had all the numbers I needed.  I did the calculations, measured the points and now I have an uncut pattern sitting on my bedroom floor.  I'll see if I can get a picture and post it in the next portion.  I should probably shut up for now, I think this is probably really long.

Here I am again, saying useless things.

But you guys like reading my useless things, right?  I figure you must if you're reading this.  I recently gave the link to the sister-in-law cause I was unhappy and she wanted to talk but I don't like talking on the phone so I figured hell, I'll let her read what's been on my mind lately.  That lead to the brother-figure also reading this........nnnooottt what was intended, but hey, the more the merrier right?

It's fine.  If anyone in the family would be understanding, or at least shrug off the odd things I say, think, and do it would be my brother... and vicariously through him the sister-in-law (I hope).

I can't really tell you I had any reason for this post, just as I had no reason for the last two.  I guess I'm just feeling chatty?  Restless?  Who knows.  What I DO know is that I'm making good strides on my current project of choice.  In an attempt to beat Lydia at the NaKniSweMo competition we wrangled ourselves into, I've started the first sleeve.  But the increases on the ribbing are really boggling my mind, you just can't increase the way the pattern says and have it stay a 1x1 rib.  I don't really want to but I think I may have to alter where the increases go just to make it work.  Not sure yet cause I haven't done them.

Hmm... not a lot else going on in life at the moment.  Really itching to get my sewing machine fixed cause I have some good Christmas flannel that I wanna make a skirt out of.  I saw this thing on Etsy that's a Victorian bustle inspired skirt and I really want to try and replicate it, it was super cute.

In the mean time, I'm still waiting to find a permanent job, hoping this Broadcom thing works out ASAP, having no money to get Christmas presents this year..... again.  I swear to Sagan that one of these years the family folk are gonna get BOMB X-mas presents from me to make up for the.. oh..  15 YEARS of the nothing at all I've gotten you. 

Damn... those presents are gonna have to be super bomb, aren't they?

I think I just trapped myself into knitting everyone a gift next year.  >.<

.... three posts for three days in a row, that's lucky, right?

Yup, I'm posting out of boredom.  I don't think I ever mentioned it but I'm now signed up officially with a temp agency called AppleOne.  They're a temp agency with a very good reputation and they're known for not calling back everyone who tries to sign up.  Somewhat picky I guess, which is good for me because I got called back in September and I'm one of their employees.  My account manager is a very kind girl named Jen and she found me this really good assignment with a local major corporation, Broadcom. 

They make semi-conductors.

While I only know in laymen terms what a semi-conductor does, I DO know that I am in love with this company.  Professional people, calm atmosphere... an HR department!!  I most definitely highly value HR departments after that last debacle someone calls a job...

I have come to the realization that as much as I enjoy the intimacy and personal interest in small businesses, I am most definitely a corporate girl.  I like the anonymity, the knowledge that the business isn't going to just up and fail, knowing that policies won't change frivolously from one day to the next, that the boss can't directly scare off the customers while asking me why I'm not running through the parking lot to get them back to give us twenty dollars after they just ranted to me about how they will never come back again because of how they were just treated by that man....

Did I mention I enjoy having an HR department?

It's a really good assignment, with very good pay.  I'm currently waiting for some upward movement to get underway there because the word around the soda fridge (Free drinks for employees! That includes temps!) is that there will be a full-time reception position open soonish.

And according to Jen, it's very impressive that they keep asking for me to come back and cover shifts.  This makes me a happy Bon.

It's nice to feel appreciated, even if it's only temporary.

It's been two months since my last post!  That's not good at all!

The saddest thing is that not a lot has changed or happened.  I'm still working for the insane doctor and feeling trapped there, as everywhere I apply never calls back.

We did go and see the last Harry Potter movie today.  I liked it!  I never read the books so I think I was able to enjoy it more than others.  The roommate said they left TONS of stuff out of the movie and even changed part of the ending drastically.  But you know what?  It's ok, because what I heard of the book, the movie made more sense.  I enjoyed myself through my entire adventure at Hogwarts.

I'm currently spinning up a batt of awesomeness from BohoKnitterChic, you guys know who she is.  It's soft and fluffy and lovely!  I'm still working on the first half of the batt, trying to create a mixed tweed and solid yarn.  Not sure how that's gonna turn out.

The rest of life is fairly slow.  I guess it's good that nothing bad is happening so no complaints there.  Sorry for so long of not posting, I just totally forgot!  I'll try not to do that again. =(

After several days of fuming over the paycheck thing, I had finally calmed down.

But the doctor has decided it's time to tirade again about meaningless things.  If that wasn't bad enough on it's own, several days ago he decided that yelling at and down-talking to me,in front of a patient mind you, about a policy that never existed until that day and that minute and how I screwed everything up for him was a good idea.

I'm done.

I contacted a girl from a temp agency I knew and she is now searching for a job for me.  I'd been playing around with Craigslist but not getting anywhere with it.  She's a nice person and she understands what I'm going through.  She even told me that she was amazed I'd stuck it out so long with this doctor as she'd worked with him previously and knew exactly what I was talking about.  So much so, that she was going to use herself as a personal reference for me. 

I'm now feeling better and less like a weight is on my shoulders, now I just gotta keep it together long enough to make it till I give my two weeks notice, hopefully that will be a day very soon in the future.

Hmm.. exactly one month since my last post. At least I haven't forgotten or given up yet!

Work has been interesting. The doc finally decided on an EMR (Electronic Medical Record) software to go with and actually purchased it! A step in the right direction for sure... but he's still working me 9:30 - 6:30 when he promised me I'd be 8:30 - 5:30. His excuse is that I'm not "100% yet" but the real reason is he needs me to be there until that time of evening because he can't manage to get his own work done in a timely fashion.  

No joke, I tend to spend at least an hour every evening after the last patient (4:30) just waiting around for him to come in and check charts.  Most of the mistakes he finds are his own.

sigh... Pretty soon I'm gonna have to strong arm him into letting me work the hours he said I would.

On a bright note, I learned to make a really neato bracelet today!  It's an abacus on your wrist. =)  They're easy and pretty fun so I may try to make a number of them with the stuff I've got lying around and see if I can Etsy them. (yah right)  We can hope. 

That's about it for now.  It's late and I'm tired but it's Friday night!  Perhaps I'll knit on my gloves....

Well, I think the uppers of all the chaos in life have finally settled back out to daily routine. I imagine this is why I'm feeling a bit down as of the past week or so... great job making good money, don't owe on the taxes and still living in the nicest area I've yet lived and still feeling down...

Mostly past regrets. Wishing I could've saved a friendship instead of giving in to my own fears and doubts and thus creating more stress than there already was. Wishing I'd put more money into savings... WAY more into savings... wishing my mom was all better. She is getting better with the chemo but that's only a temporary fix. Eventually the cancer will take over and there won't be anything to do for it. If there's anything I miss right now, it's Kaelyn's ability to comfort, she was pretty phenomenal at giving people comfort, especially me.

What I miss more though, is just having a friend nearby to hang out with and talk to. I've made friends here, even a Disneyland buddy (Huzzah Chaccaron!) but they can't replace my best friend. Amy, git yer butt down here and visit! I need my best friend for a while again... I'm feeling lonely.

I guess it's late and I'm feeling introspective and whiny. Don't get me wrong, things are still very good. The relationship with the husband-guy has seen only one (actual) fight in the last several months which is record for us, considering we'd be fighting several times a week before. The stress level is practically non-existent compared to before we moved. But with that good came the bad of leaving behind the few people I still cared about and like to be around, you cheeky knitters, you...

I'd better head to bed, I have to work tomorrow and the boss has a bad habit of leaving a pile of incoherent work for me in the two hours he's in the office by himself. Wouldn't be a good start to the week if I went in tired on Monday.

Goodnight!

Nothing as cool as being a clothing model. I recently downloaded ZBrush, a 3D modeling program, to just dink around with. It's fun!

I started by watching a couple youtube videos about how to use the stupid thing, cause I couldn't figure it out on my own for the life of me. Once I learned how to create the initial poly-skin, it's been pretty smooth sailing!

Oddly enough, I'm finding 3D modeling easier than drawing 2D characters... for some reason I can more easily sculpt a realistic looking body than draw one. Probably has to do with the fact that, you know, we see things in 3D and I see bodies/people more often than I see cartoon characters or drawings of people.

The program itself is sweet and actually really easy to use. I really only use 3 or 4 brush types so far but I'm far from finished. I've got a basic body done... I'm afraid to start the face. I've NEVER been good with faces... or hands. I almost had the feet but those got warped somehow and now they're kinda flipper like lol!

Either way, I plan to have a neato model done eventually... perhaps my dA account will be resurrected?