Skeleton Corset: Jan/Feb Update

We have finally gotten some snow here in my area, unusual for us that it has come so late. The children are wanting to go out and play, but we have so little time between school and household chores that we haven't managed that yet.Hopefully they will get their chance this weekend, I have been instructed that I will be staying inside with my tea trying to get over this cold I have.

I have been making progress on the Skeleton Corset, though I have little to show for it yet, most of it has been in my head and written down, no sewing yet. I still haven't found the right fabric.

 In my last post I mentioned that I was procuring photos from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I am sorry to say that I am not getting photos. They didn't have any and new photos were not a possibility. To say that I was disappointed upon hearing that, is an understatement, the chocolate stash was decimated!

But the upside of this is that I am not spending several hundred dollars on photos and thus the pattern, when it comes out, will be more affordable.It also means that I am not waiting on photos for several weeks, pushing my work late.

 I have also been going over sizing of the corset pattern.

You see, just increasing the size of the zone waist and bust/hip bands will not produce a good fitting corset, the spacing between the verticals gets too great.

So I have come up with several size ranges, each with a different number of verticals. The size ranges overlap a bit so that some wearers may chose between 2 size ranges (having an odd or even number of verticals.) To determine this I thought long and hard about how close/far apart the verticals should be and then worked out in even increments how the size ranges should be.
I am working on the smallest size range first (the one that *I* am on the larger end of!) and will work my way up to the larger sizes.

My goal is to have this be a very customizable pattern where you choose the pattern based on your measurements to get the best possible fit. This is going to take some time, but I promise it will be worth it!

Skeleton Corset Pattern: January Progress Report

Slowly I am making progress on the Skeleton Corset Pattern.
Unlike original designs, such as my craft patterns, Historical Costume Patterns have many more steps in them, most fall under the category of research.

For this project I have spent several hours reading modern books, Antique books, Patents, Museum Descriptions, etc...

Historical Patterns can also be more expensive than an original design, especially if based of an antique garment or original antique pattern. You may be lucky enough to have been gifted it, but if you are serious, chances are high that you would have purchased it.

You need to handle the garments carefully to take patterns off them, and old paper is easily damaged too. Storing those items safely is also an investment, but one worth doing.

Along your path of research you will likely run into a roadblock and call out to your fellow enthusiasts. Sometimes they will have something right at hand, other times  they will remember something months later and inform you about it. Networking with others is valuable and I can honestly say without the help of a few key costumers I wouldn't be doing this now.

I purchased the first Skeleton Corset over 4 years ago. FOUR YEARS! Since then I have purchased the second, received help and research from others (I live on the wrong coast!) and waited with baited breath for the Metropolitan Museum of Art to get more photos up.

I believe this pattern will be my most expensive to produce. Not only have I purchased 2 antique corsets for a few hundred dollars each, I am also procuring photos from the Metropolitan Museum of Art for my research. I wouldn't be surprised if the final cost of items purchased to produce this pattern goes past $1,000! I STILL have to source a good fabric to make reproductions out of as my 2 Skeletons are not made of herringbone coutil, the commonly recommended fabric for professional corsets today.

So on top of the normal pattern making, grading, photography and instruction writing, there is a lot more work put into a historic pattern, which is likely WHY they are some of the more expensive patterns out there! I will try to keep my pattern prices low and competitive, so it may not be including all the possible variations.

More Market Research and Holiday Planning.

I recently joined and online group for stuffed animal/plush/softies designers looking to improve/sell their patterns. It is still new, but so far the conversations have been good, kind, and helpful.

So I was spurned on to purchase a few patterns from popular designers, and am planning to make them up as holiday gifts. (with $ i made selling on etsy, no less!)

I then went on another free pattern download spree and have been looking at lots of patterns this past week.

Craftsy is a goo place to look for free patterns. they carry quilt, clothing, craft and toy patterns, as well as knitted and crochet and other goodies.

Modern patterns are not as confusing, most of the time.

In looking at all these patterns I learned a few things about myself as a PATTEN USER.

1. I like pretty first pages (covers) that DON"T smack of having been made in MS Word.
2. I don't care for step by step color photos.
3. I don't care for first page (cover) that is in landscape format, especially if it is the PDF in a portrait layout....

The reason WHY I like/don't like these things is that I PRINT OUT MY PATTERNS and then store them in sleeves in a binder.
1. is just an attractiveness/ professional-feel thing, and I know that I shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but it is the first thing I see when opening the PDF, and my binder.
My first patterns were made in MS Word, and I am now playing around with other software to try and insert more personality/attractiveness.)
2. INK, it comes down to ink, which as we all know is money. I often don't print the pages, but instead read them on my computer. Now my computer is on the opposite side of the room from my sewing machine and if one is on, the other is off. Now I know many will disagree with me, but I see that I will NOT being doing photos for EVERY step, but just those that need it. I like B&W illustrations, and can do them for most things. Maybe I should look into doing both format for my customers? OPINIONS?
3. I know WHY patterns are done in this format, it is a common format for printed patterns to be sold in. and if I ever do manage to get my patterns in local stores I may just follow suit, but you won't find my PDF's done in that format.

I downloaded a lot of free patterns, discarding immediately those that were just a pattern page and few words on how to, or worse, a link to a tutorial. That isn't too helpful when you are just studying patterns, not actually interested in making the project.

Yes I did download several patterns that I will never make up, patterns for dolls, animals, quilts, clothes, even though I may not ever produce a quilt pattern, I can learn about what I would want my pattern to look like my looking at them.

Have you spent time looking at PDFs? what do you like/dislike about the ones you have seen?

I would recommend heading over to Craftsy and taking a look, keep the upcoming holiday season in mind, try something new.

Off to the sewing machine now, the fake fur is calling to me.

Market research is never ending, so don't expect me to stop posting about it anytime soon. :)

SPP 2009 Gathering up ideas.

One of the first things I did was look up similar dresses.
The Museum at FIT
Object Number: P90.22.2

Source: fashionmuseum.fitnyc.edu via Corsetra on Pinterest

Source: fashionmuseum.fitnyc.edu via Corsetra on Pinterest

Metropolitan Museum C.I.60.6.11a,b

Source: metmuseum.org via Corsetra on Pinterest

Which was the inspiration for Simplicity 3791

Grace and Favour: Victorian and Edwardian Fashion in America Cincinnati Art Museum ISBN 0-931537-16-9
Page 43 plate 12 1826-64 walking dress with jacket, vest, and sleeve ends, page 89 has the text and accession number 1989.39 a-e, this does not show up on their website, so here is a picture

August 1862 Peterson from New York Public Library

Source: digital.nypl.org via Corsetra on Pinterest

Le Petit Messager. Journal de Modes.May 16, 1863 from UW

Source: content.lib.washington.edu via Corsetra on Pinterest

1863 Madam Demorest Pattern for a Ladies vest from New York Public Library

Source: digitalgallery.nypl.org via Corsetra on Pinterest

July 1864 Peterson from NYPL

Source: digital.nypl.org via Corsetra on Pinterest

Funding Research

Put your Money where your Heart is

Yesterday was the first of  November and I donated my October Etsy Sales to Sarah Lorraine of Mode Historique for her research into the "chemise a la reine."


It wasn't much as my etsy sales are sparce, but it was the best I could do, seeing as the Etsy sales are the only income I have.

Sara has returned from her research trip and appears to have enjoyed herself very much, sh has posted some information already on her blog Scandalous Liberty but don't expect to see everything there as this is her Thesis! She has, of course, promised to share her research with the larger world in some undetermined format at a later date. Possibly as a book, in which case, she will likely need more donations. so I urge you to consider funding her project.

The original blog post I made about donating the sales, is here

I wish to thank anyone who helped Sara.

Etsy Monday Reminder

This is the last week of September, we are getting the hang of being back in school, the weather is cooled down to the point where the laundry on the line isn't 100% dry at the end of the day. We are thinking about Halloween and what costumes we want to make for it, maybe like me, you have already started on it! Just over the horizon is Christmas, and I know some of you are already thinking and creating for that!

Today's Etsy Monday is a reminder. Remember this post where I promised all my Etsy sales to Sarah Lorraine of Mode Historique research into the "chemise a la reine"?

Just the other day I did donate my Etsy sales from the past few months, which were quite small.

I will continue donating my sales through the month of October, I hope the donatation I make on November 1st will match, if not exceed that I made for the last 2 months.

Remember I have a coupon code
CHEMISEALAREINE will get you 20% off!  Ends October 31st.

 New items are finished and waiting to be listed, a few more need to be finished up.

Beware the Pretty Pins

Like many other Crafters and Costumer, I can be found wasting time on Pinterest. It is a time suck to some and an inspiration to others. Depending on who and which boards you choose to follow you may find it a lot like an average "woman's magazine." With weight-loss tips, cake and cookie recipes, household cleaning tips and crafts for children. But unlike a magazine, you can choose which boards to follow so you can choose not to see those things if you want.

Just the other day I found something I didn't even know I was looking for.

I thought it was so interesting, that I have decided to share.
I have been going through online collections of Victorian magazines and came across this Der Bazar cover

Source: Uploaded by user via Corsetra on Pinterest

Pretty funny looking huh? Well yesterday I found on Pinterest a surviving example that shows that yes somebody actually did make these!

Source: carmeldollshop.com via Corsetra on Pinterest

even more hideous in real life! If only they had Regretsy in Victorian times!

Anyways you can take a look at my Pinterest boards, maybe you will find something you didn't know you were looking for!

In support of Research

I enjoy good costume research, even good non-costume research.
So I want to share with you Sarah Lorraine of Mode Historique research into the "chemise a la reine" whic you can read about here on her newest blog called Scandalous Liberty dedicated to this project.

Source: manchestergalleries.org via Corsetra on Pinterest

She will be taking a reserach trip to study one of only 2 known surviving examples in the Fall of 2012, so she is raising money to cover her expenses and hopefully publish her findings in 2013!
Since I am currently without income, I can not contribute as I would like, so I am going to dontae the procedes of my etsy sales, minus shipping costs, towards her undil November 2012.
I have enven created a coupon code for the supporters.
CHEMISEALAREINE will get you 20% off! I don't have any items in my shop over $35, mostly vintage including several uncut larger vintage size patterns.
So head on over to my shop and take a look.

Nothing there you like, try looking at Sarah's shop CocoRocaille

Getting ahead of yourself.

Sometimes we jump in with both feet, barely knowing how to swim and almost drown.

That was me the other day.

My friend had shared the "Persian" Coat currently displayed at the Metropolitan museum, thinking of recreating it, and I spent just 2 or 3 hours looking for more info, finding the Tilke illustration and supposed back views.
I then spent the entire next day making up the pattern and posting it. Mainly to get myself back in the habit of making and sharing patterns.
Yesterday I went back to research, and discovered some errors I had made.
Don't worry, it doesn't affect my pattern (much) and I am updating that post with the most pertinate info. Mainly that the back view IS NOT the same one currently at display at the Met. (as I had guessed)