Finished Project: Discordia Underbust Corset

As I continue on my corsetry journey, which has basically been trial and error with a bit of help from books and helpful tidbits from the internet, I think I am now finally getting a really good grip on the pattern cutting aspect of it all.  This corset was another step on the ladder.

It's a long underbust cut to be very flat across the centre front but with lots of defintion on the waist.

 I made this one out of recycled gold furnishing fabric with a pale blue lining, binding and ribbon.  Then I added an extra bow to sit on the front for added prettiness.

Friday Eye Candy: Glass Dresses by Diana Dias-Leao

Yes that's right - glass dresses!!!  Diana Dias-Leao decided to take her established career in the fashion industry down a more fine arts route when she took up glass making at the age of sixty.




















Not designed to be worn although they have been for the purpose of photo shoots, these magnificent pieces are more sculptures than clothes.




















So intricate and pretty.

Not to mention ingenious - I can't work out how this one is holding itself together!

I think I saved the best one until last, I love the subtle blue-green tones.

Finished Project: Elven Priestess Costume

This was something I made a little while ago.  It started off as just an idea for a gauzy textured, embellished hood which as I developed became a concept for a whole costume.

The further I got with sewing the hood the more it felt like something was missing so I made a matching robe to go with it.  The whole thing is made from pale blue voile, the hood has been embellished with small amounts of other fabrics in shades of blue for example organza, manipulated into floral forms.

Close-up of the hood.

I used triple-flex plastic boning to give it it's shape.  It's perfect for projects like this because it's incredibly lightweight but will still give fantastic support.

Finished Project: Gold and Blue Stays

So I finally finished these stays.  I never did manage to find just the right shade of blue/grey fabric for the bias binding and in the end I just gave in and went with a pale blue, otherwise they may never have been finished.

It doesn't matter how bendy your joints are, or even if you're a direct descendant of Houdini, getting in and out of back lacing stays is just too difficult without help.  So, I really wanted a front lacing pair of stays to be able to put them on myself without needing an assistant. 
 

I also made the straps front and back lacing for extra prettiness.

I love stay-making, it's so theraputic and satisfying to see them come together, so much to entertain the eye.

Finished Project: Pink Oriental Handbag

Ages ago I started making a handbag but you know how it is when you get a big shiney idea in your head.  I went off on a tangent and left my unfinished handbag shoved in a corner.  So when my current handbag decided to completely fall apart at the seams I liberated the poor thing from under a pile of other unfinished bits and bobs.

I was going for a slightly oriental look with the beading in the shape of blossom branch and added organza blossoms to finish it off.

A close up of the beading work.

The whole thing is made from recycled fabrics including curtains and an industrial chair foam to give it shape.  Finished just in time for a friends wedding!

Finished Project: Blue Striped Underbust Corset

I loved making my little underbust corset and I thought it would be a a great canvas for trying out new ideas.  

 This is the first, made from two shades of blue dupion cut in alternating panels to create a striped effect.

I used steel to bone this and actually I think I prefer cable ties.  My pale blue and gold underbust gives slightly better waist shaping!  Maybe it has something to do with the flexibility of the cable ties?

For my next version of this corset I'm planning on incorporating some embroidery.

Finished project: Underbust Corset.

Here is the finished corset - I'm really happy with it.  Whilst making it I kept looking at it and thinking it was out of proportion but my fears were unfounded!

I scraped together all the leftover scraps of fabric to make the little bow.  If there's anything I can't bear it's wasted fabric.

New project - underbust corset.

What's the best thing to do if you run out of steel boning half way through making a corset? Answer: start another one of course!!!

















It's a dainty little underbust corset from Jill Salen's book. I only had a narrow strip of this fabric, rescued from a remnant bin in a furnishing shop and it was just enough to make this corset.  It took a bit of maneuvering to persuade all the pattern pieces to fit on mind you!

I need to buy a busk for the centre front but that's the only steel this corset requires.  The original was whale boned so I used cable ties either side of each seam.  It still surprises me how robust and effective cable ties are!

New project - Gold and blue stays!

I got about half way through my pink stays and decided that I wanted to make another pair that were front lacing and richer in colour.  I chose a gold patterned fabric from my stash for the outer and a pale blue linen for the lining.

I have utilised the same 'Corsets and Crinolines' pattern from my pink stays but I have cut up the centre front.  The front will have eyelets which meant I needed to rearrange the placement and direction of the bones slightly.

This is the lining of one the front panels.  In order to maintain the effectiveness of the shaping around the bust, after slicing up the centre front, I put in this extra layer of bones with gaps for the eyelets.

The finished back panels.

A close up of the fabric.

I have been hunting high and low for just the right shade of blue for the bias binding to finish it off but as yet I havn't found what I'm looking for.  The quest continues.............