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The Customization Bug
Jan. 20th, 2012 12:41 pmSo, 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.
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.
