Monday, February 4, 2013

February Stashbusting: the LOVE CHALLENGE

Well, we're one month into our year-long stashbusting sewalong, and it's been amazing seeing what you all can whip up from less than a yard of fabric! Emily has selected some of her favorite makes from both the Flickr group and the link party, so if you haven't already seen her post, go check it out! And now, since it's a new month, we prepare to dive into sewing for our loved ones. Since February is the month of Valentine's Day/Singles Awareness Day/Hearts and Hooves Day, it's only appropriate that we make a dear family member or friend the recipient of our time and efforts. To kick off the month, I used stash fabric to make an underbust corset for my little sister.

Isn't this fabric awesome?
This is the same lining as my pair of Elizabethan bodies

My sister, coincidentally also named Emily, has helped me with so many ridiculous projects over the years, and, being similarly science-minded, she really liked this skeleton print. Since I had less than a yard to work with, and its drape is inappropriate for tops, I knew I had to turn it into a corset. I used Jacci Jaye's free corset pattern on Burdastyle as a starting point, but graded it down to fit her much tinier torso. The finished corset is a size 21.5, meaning that if it were laced all the way shut, the waist would measure 21.5 inches. Of course, one wouldn't actually wear it laced all the way shut, so it's not quite as scary as it sounds. Since I'm going to have to wait until the President's Day weekend to deliver it to her, I went ahead and modeled it for you all. It's a little small for me, but you get the idea.

Front!
Side!
Back!
I'm pretty pleased with my pattern placement at the center! 

This is what it looks like laced down to 25 inches, two inches less than my normal waist size. It feels like a tight hug. 

Summary:
Fabric:  1/2 yard of 44" wide Alexander Henry's "Osteology" print on a high-quality quilting cotton, purchased at my local quilting store last year, underlined with cotton muslin and lined with home-dec canvas.
Notions: Hook and eye tape, grosgrain ribbon for the waist stay, black bias tape for the binding, 24 two-piece silver grommets, 7 yards of 1/2" black satin ribbon for lacing, heavy duty cable ties for boning
Techniques: Using my new walking foot! It really made sewing all the layers together so much easier; I don't know why I waited so long to get one! Since corset-sewing requires so much accuracy and lining up pieces and sewing them without shifting, the walking foot made my life easier, and this corset turned out much better than my first one.
Casualties: 3 sewing machine needles, 2 finger stabs that bled just a tiny bit, from when I was trying to pull the needle through the many layers.
Hours: Four hours to cut and sew the corset and boning channels, another hour to cut and file down the cable ties for boning, all of the Super Bowl to hand-sew the binding, and another hour to figure out grommet placement and set them...probably about eight hours total.
Will you make this again? I don't think I'm going to make another underbust corset, but then last time I made this pattern, I said I wouldn't and I did.
Total cost: The fabric cost $7, the hook and eye tape $3, the binding $2, the grommets were $4, the lacing $0.50, and the cable ties $4, so about $20 for the whole thing.


Final thoughts: I suppose I should reserve my final thoughts for when my sister gets to actually try this on, but for now, ummm, I really like this and I'm pleased with myself? It's been almost exactly a year since I made my previous iteration of this pattern, and it's cool to see how much I've grown as a seamstress. When I made my red corduroy one, I wasn't confident enough to grade it down, and the insides looked messy, not to mention the fact that it took almost 20 hours. This time, the sewing just felt easier, and even with all the fussy hand-sewing it took less than half the time. Does this mean that if I make this pattern again in a year or so, it will take four hours??

Playing around with old-timey filters, because corsets are old-timey. Totally makes sense. 


I can't wait to see what this looks like on my sister! And I know I promised after my Regency costumes that I would get back to real clothing, and corsets are not exactly everyday wear, so...next time, I promise.

30 comments:

  1. Love it! That pattern placement IS impressive. I like both fabrics a lot, and while I would never have paired them (I have neurotic ideas about what matches and what doesn't), I'm glad you did, because I think the combo turned out to be compelling. You have a lucky sister to get such a great gift!

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    1. Thanks! I don't know that I tried to match the inner and outer fabrics; it was more of a "I need a sturdy fabric" for the strength layer. I'm glad it more or less worked out, though!

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  2. It is SO PRO! I love it already and yes, I am very lucky to have such a crafty sister. Also tips from you/fellow reader on what to wear it with would be appreciated :)

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    1. readers* haha, you definitely have more than one

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    2. No, I'M lucky to have a crafty sister ;) I think with any simple solid-colored top and maybe a black skirt or jeans? We can figure it out when I come home for President's Day.

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  3. Wow, brilliant fabric choice and I can't believe how well you matched the print on the front, it looks wonderful!

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    1. Well, I can't take credit for the fabric choice, but I'll go ahead and take credit for the print matching ;)

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  4. This is sooo.. cool! Your sister is very lucky to be recieving such an awesome gift.

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    1. Thank you! My sister is definitely cool, so she needed something at least as cool as she is...

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  5. Oh I love the print placement you've done. This is a great piece of work.

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    1. Thanks! It took a while to figure out, but I'm so pleased with how it looks now!

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  6. Oh wow. Wow. Wow wow wow. This looks exquisite. The pattern placement on the front is amazing! The whole thing looks incredible and NOT like it's your second corset. And it looks incredible on you! That's one lucky sister and I hope you do make another one for you one day as it looks so good. Perhaps a romantic goth one?

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    1. I guess this is actually my third corset, but I've still never managed one with a metal busk! That's next on the list, and making a gothy one sounds like a great idea!

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  7. What an amazing gift for your sister! The fabric, the kaleidoscope print placement, the lovely construction - all of it is so beautiful! You make me want to construct one for myself. =)

    I'm so glad you can see your improvement and growth! I doubt you could ever whip together a corset in only 4 hours (too many pieces & stitchlines!), but 8 hours is really great time!

    I still need to get a walking foot for my machine. They are wonderful things! I know someone who has a portable walking foot machine - it's like a tiny industrial and so cool! My most recent foot purchase was the Teflon foot for pleather and stuff. It works in place of a walking foot to some degree, but I still plan to get one eventually.

    ~ Brooke

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    1. Yeah, I think four hours might be an impossible dream, but even so I think I could probably shave off another hour...the hand-stitching took a while since I was trying to kind of watch the Super Bowl at the same time! And yes, walking foot = best invention ever! I've yet to get a Teflon foot. I've got plans for a costume that involves leather, though, so it might be next on the supply list!

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    2. I've got one for a low-shank machine, if you want to borrow it :)

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  8. Oh, I LOVE that fabric! Your sister is soooooo lucky. Of course, now I want some. Hmm, that is not helping the stash one bit. ;)

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  9. Cindy, you are a GENIUS!!! I love everything about corset making but I never considered it for stashbusting!!! Super smart, girl! Your stitching is so perfect - amazing job, and I love your pattern placement too, BTW!! ^__^

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    1. When you think about it, corsets are the perfect use for showcasing an awesome but small piece of fabric, just so long as you don't mind all the fussy work that goes into making one!

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  10. This is AMAZING - wow, I continue to be really impressed by your fearlessness with what sewing items you tackle!

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    1. Thanks Sandra! I think people who make jeans impress me more, though ;)

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  11. Skeleton fabric win! This looks really professionally finished and the fabric just makes it for me :) Urge to check out a walking foot for my machine grows each time I see someone make something thins kind of awesome...

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    1. I won't say that a walking foot solves all of one's problems, but gosh it does make pattern matching so. much. easier. Do it!! Mine was only twenty bucks for my machine, although I hear they can get pricier for different brands.

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  12. Gorgeous fabric and what a fun gift - beautifully finished as well!

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  13. Love the fabric. With that lining it looks like it could be reversible!

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    1. Oooh, that's a thought...if one ever wanted a corset that had a girly-floral-camo look...

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  14. That looks marvelous on you and I love what you've done with the print and lining. The geek in me loves the skeletons and is trying to figure out if I've seen any in town.
    I've seen a few corsets made up on the Interwebs, but this is the first time I've thought "I want one!"

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  15. Ooooh! I LOVE everything about this corset!!! The fabric! The placement! The fit! Wow!

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