Well, after nearly a week I am (almost) back to normal. That means I finally got around to taking some photographs:
I don't know if I mentioned it before, but I have never sewn lingerie before, so this was an interesting learning experience.
The corset was made using Depew 2002. I opted out of putting the garter clips on, instead just leaving it as a waist cincher. Since I am about 2 inches smaller than the smallest waist size I cut out the smallest measurement without adding seam allowances (which the pattern calls for). I still had to make some minor adjustments to the side front and side back, but nothing too drastic. In future versions I think I will add a strip of boning to the very back seams next to the eyelets to stop it bunching at the back when pulled tight. I originally had planned to embroider the front panel - and even started sewing the design - but partway through I decided it looked too much like a doodle from the back of a high school notebook and unpicked the lot. I left some beaded trim along the top and bottom seams (it is nearly impossible to photograph though).
The bra (Depew 2001) was surprisingly easy, although it took me the longest since pretty much the whole thing was sewn by hand. The lower cup is dupioni silk, and the upper is chiffon. I also originally planned to embroider over one cup for embellishment, but after the frustrations with the corset decided against it. Instead I pulled some lace and ribbon from my stash. A bit boring, but my poor calloused fingertips were grateful for a break.
Finally the robe. This is actually my favorite piece from this challenge. The pattern is Butterick 4150:
This was reissued as Butterick 5152
I had planned to make the robe from some tiny widths of lace and chiffon I had stashed away, since the pattern envelope called for only 35" width.
Then I looked at the pattern layout
I think the advertising only using 35" widths is a bit misleading when you are (essentially) cutting up pattern pieces to making them fit. Since I didn't want a big obvious seam in the middle of my chiffon skirt I had to find an alternative. I didn't have the time (or spare cash) to make an emergency trip to Spotlight, so I dug through my stash and found a wider length of lace hiding in the bottom of one of my plastic tubs. After I started to sew, I remembered why it had been balled up and stuffed away to be forgotten When held up to the light the lace had a delicate "roses and paisley" pattern, which is what prompted me to buy it in the first place. However the second I started to sew it began to feel like I was holding onto the bastard child of some Terrycloth and Lace. The adjectives I used to describe it went from "sweet and delicate" to "heavy and frumpy" pretty quickly. There were probably a few dozen expletives thrown in for good measure. I was convinced very early on that this would be a wadder, so I skimped on as much as possible just to get it over with. This challenge was the only reason I persevered at all.
Then I took some photographs looking at different neckline treatments I was considering to try and save this monstrosity. When I loaded the photographs up to look over them I was surprised:
Despite the poor lighting and kind of sour expression I felt good. It may not have been sexy but it was rather a lot more glamorous then I had thought (and isn't that what 40's lingerie is all about?)
... And by the looks of that I need to go shopping for hosiery
I think the next item on the agenda should be to devote a lot more time to lounging glamorously so I have a good excuse to make about five more of these robes. Do you reckon sitting in front of the computer counts? And perhaps, after that, a new camera. My "point-and-shoot" digital camera is getting a bit old, and it shows. (I forgot just how hard it is to photograph black indoors). But first and foremost I am going to go stuff that robe pattern somewhere deep in my pattern stash and try to forget about it for a while. I have some far more pressing projects in the making and the last thing I need is a distraction. Especially a distraction that is softly crying "embroidered silk".
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