Early in the day, I had some novel out of the house adventures, but around 3:00 I decided to start my creative project. Broadly, my weekend goals are to make my shift and petticoat, and get as far as I can with my stays.
I wanted to start with the stays, as they are absolutely the hard thing. Despite all the disclaimers of “NOT HISTORICALLY ACCURATE,” I am using the Simplicity 8162 pattern.
I sat and read the directions before I started. I had purchased copious white muslin and linen for this project, generally. I got heavy duty zip ties, which are apparently the best modern substitute for baleen. I even read some of The American Duchess’s blog entries on this pattern, and purchased chamois to use as binding. I was sure I was set.
The directions spoke of interlining, as in a layer between the lining and outer layer. What was that supposed to be? The stays making tutorials I read online just mentioned cotton. Some of the stiffer garments in the 18th Century Dressmaking book required “buckram linen”, or linen painted with gum tragaranth, another thing I ordered in preparation for this project. I checked the pattern envelope: Coutil. What the fuck is Coutil??
A Google search indicated this was special cotton, tightly woven, and absolutely necessary for corset making. I felt really exasperated, and a little stupid. I went on another spiral of being angry I would never do this hobby at a high level, and slightly resentful that even the “NOT HISTORICALLY ACCURATE — JUST COSPLAY!!” pattern required materials I had never heard of before.
Continued googling indicated duck canvas would do as a substitute, so I placed another Joann’s pickup order.
After my frustrated huff about the materials, I transferred the pattern to cardboard, and started making a fitting mock-up of the stays with cardboard and duct tape. That went quite well! I made a couple adjustments and cut out lining and top layer material from my cache of white muslin.
But, without the duck canvas, I could make no more meaningful progress on the stays.
So, I switched to my shift. I decided to follow this guide rather than the Simplicity pattern, partly for “authenticity” but mostly because it was wildly more efficient in terms of fabric usage.
Cutting the pieces was nonetheless slightly infuriating because linen is challenging to cut in straight lines, but nonetheless I prevailed!
I am sewing the shift with french seams because I think trying to do felled seams with linen would make me too miserable. I got the arms done tonight (though I may recut), and the body basically put together. I need to do some adjustments tomorrow — mainly shortening the “torso” of the shift — and then I will be able to attach the arms, hem it, and contemplate the neckline. (I may wait to cut the final neckline until the stays are closer to done.)
The petticoat I will be making from linen, following the English Gown petticoat pattern in the 18th Century Dressmaking book. It looks to be one of the least infuriating makes in the book.
Eventually, I will be done making underwear and on to the real dress. While I have been reading the English Gown chapter of 18th Century Dressmaking, and that is closest to what I want to make, it also is technically complicated in a way I usually don’t have the patience for. I am glad I also purchased the Simplicity 8161 dress pattern (the “NOT HISTORICALLY ACCURATE — JUST COSPLAY” dress pattern that goes with my underwear patterns.
While I am feeling pretty down on myself and my skills as I start this project, I need to remember: this is not my first corset. It is my fourth, actually. Admittedly two of those were just costume “corsets” with plastic sew-in boning for Halloween costumes, but still. It involves some of the same skills. And the third corset I made was kind of splitting the difference between a costume corset and a victorian one. That was a project I am proud of, for sure. Oh, and if my dirndl bodice counts, this would be my fifth corset.
This kind of technical challenge is outside of my sewing wheelhouse; usually I am all for the quick make, so you can have a costume after a weekend or two of effort. And I use modern interfacing and things like that. Even the “NOT HISTORICALLY ACCURATE — JUST COSPLAY” is more historically accurate than I usually work with.
But just because it is out of my wheelhouse doesn’t mean I can’t do it. I just need to be patient with myself and the process.
I am appreciative of Erik, who is actively encouraging and helpful. He glows at me and says how happy he is to see me creating. He is unfazed by the fact our dining room is an explosion of cardboard, duct tape, cotton, and tools. He gave me a helping pair of hands at the points I needed them. He lets me talk out my problems to him, and he asks interesting questions. I deeply appreciate his cheerleading.
Notebook 