Lily Alexander

I was till I ran out of bloody thread. I could have at least had all the boning channels sewn in if not most of the boning added tonight. It's amazing how much gets done when hubby is working. Happy Birthday Lady Brower.

The interlining and wool are tacked together and the boning channels marked. Next I'll begin sewing the boning channels. That is until I run out of thread. (Note to self: Make sure you have enough of the color thread you need BEFORE starting the project). Too bad there are no all night sewing stores. I'm on a roll. Oh well, I'll sew as many pieces as I can and insert the boning in those and save the rest for the morning. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. That sure was quick. I didn't even get one piece finished before running out of thread. So, I guess it's popcorn night with Sophie. She'll love that.

All the materials are cut. 1 wool, 1 lining, 2 interlining. Using a charcoal pencil, I remarked the seam allowances on all pieces. Next I'll sew the interlining and wool together and mark the boning channels.

Not quite, I know, how dare the washer and dryer take so long. But the pressing is done and I'm about to start cutting.

Ooooo, light blue sounds very nice, but so does the silver. Thanks Captain.

No Mistress McKinney, this is still the pattern I created from the bodice of my ball gown. I originally tried that but the corset came out pretty funky looking. I guess I'm just too visual to follow a proper pattern. What I did from my ball gown was to lay it out flat on the table. I put some tracing paper on top and followed all the seams. Then I put the tracing paper under the pattern paper and retraced it. Of course I had to add some here and straighten things out there, put in seam allowances and various other things. With all the adjusting and what not, the pattern I created took me about 4 days to complete.

Sorry to make you wait soooooooooooooooooooo long Captain. hehehe. I cut out the scrap wool, sewed it all together and tried it on for size. There is now a nice little gap in back which I'm sure will get bigger when the boning channels are sewed in. The arm hole feels good and it seems to be a good fit. On to Step # 3 Today's goal is to cut the interlining, fabric and lining. Then I'll tack the interlining and fabric together and begin sewing the boning channels. Once that is done I'll insert the boning. hmmm, let's see if I can get all that done today. (Before cutting, I like to wash and press the fabric. Except for wool) My big question is, since my color choice for the fabric is burgundy, what color shall I use for the binding?

I don't think my eyeballs will cooperate with staying open much longer.

Step #2. Using scrap fabric, it's time for a mock up. Since it's late and I'm tired, I'll do that in the morning. The plan is to cut the fabric, sew it together and try it on for size. With a little luck, I won't have to make any more alterations.

I guess I'm a glutton for punishment, cause I'm making another pair of stays. This time around, I'm using burgundy wool. First I had to modify my pattern a little. I took off 1/2" from the back piece and 1/2" from the side. This meant I had to adjust the arm hole slightly. I also made an adjustment to the neckline to prevent the dreaded strap flipping. Here is the pattern with boning channels drawn in. (Not that in means anything right now but I like to plan ahead).

Thanks Kate. I had thought about making the back look more like the Waugh pattern but I really liked this width. With all my back issues, the support on my lower back felt great. Especially after being on my feet all day.

One thing I plan on changing in the future, is to make them a little smaller so I will have a nice 2" gap when they are laced. Should the straps in back be narrower? They felt very comfortable but in the pic they look very wide.

hehe. Thank you Mistress McKinney. I hope we get to mambo before that.

Thank you Lara and Michael. There may be pics of them but I'm sure they are covered by my mantua. Unfortunately, I'm not comfortable posting cleavage pics so....................I won't be posting any of me in them.

Thank you Callenish. They made their grand debut at RF5 and you might be able to catch a glimpse in some of the pics.

I recently made a pair of stays and these are the final result. Since I wanted them finished in this century, the seams and boning channels were done by machine. (I did try at first but even following lines, my hand sewing stinks). Everything else was done by hand. The material is linen and I used 1/4" reed for the boning. For inserting the reed, I clipped the corners to remove the points and make it easier to insert. I didn't think about filing, I'll have to try that on the next pair. I also steam ironed the reed to flatten or when following curves in the channels. I didn't use a pattern but drafted one from the bodice of my ball gown. After I made the pattern I tried the cardboard mock up first. That didn't work well for me. While it did simulate the stiffness of the boned stays, it did nothing for simulating the flexibility of the fabric or my body's curves. So I dug out some scrap wool and had much better results for the mock up. Once that was done, I took the plunge and nine days later I had my finished product.

My Dearest Willie, How are you my friend? It seems like forever ago that we got to play. Daddy takes me out to catch snowballs once in a while but I really miss the grass. I had to see the doctor the other day. I have a little ear infection and had to get one of those rabies shots. Then the doctor said I need to loose 13 pounds. I don't think I look fat. Mommy says I'm just voluptuous but they still put me on a diet. So I guess it's no more of those yummy treats for me for a while. sigh. It's a good thing I like apples and carrots. I hope you, Getty and the non-fuzzy ones are well. I miss you all. Love & Slobber Sophie

PC or not, I want that hat. I don't know why I love it so much. I just do. I'll trade ya a monkey fist Better yet, how about a game of pool. It's been a while since I've played. Your chances are good.

Best

Whew.....................what a relief.

Hurt

OH MY!!!!! Captain say it isn't so........................... ROFLMAO

Hey Willie, tell the non-fuzzy ones they are welcome to come here for a visit. So sorry to hear about Getty. I know how scary it is when your brother or sister has issues. Hopefully the lump will be just a fatty deposit like Mouse used to get and hopefully that thyroid problem can be resolved. Tell your mom not to worry too much. Please let us know how it turns out. Mom says she will be thinking and praying for Getty. Love & slobber Sophie

I love that "silly" hat. I certainly wouldn't look right wearing it, but I want that hat.

Lady Brower, I think you might be confusing the debate about the mens shoes from Loyalist. If they are in stock, Fugawee's take about a week to arrive. At least they did when I placed an order last week. No one has complained about my shoes being inappropriate and I have the connie's. As I mentioned before I believe the Barbara is also a popular and appropriate shoe for females.