Customizing an S&S (Simplicity) stays project

[Miss Ida]

cosmoblue said:

Miss Ida - I love that you made a map for me I am sorry that those places are too far for you to use though.

now you know where to visit if you come to denmark

[Mme de Beaufort]

Now that the stay has been sewed along the top edge, the next step is positioning and installing the boning.

I already added the extra gusset into the side (I made a tear-drop shaped gusset, and made it so that the bottom of the new insert became an additional tab).

Anyway, I started by laying out the boning on the back. I'd already measured and cut the material. I used steel boning, double strips connected by a strong sewable fabric. I added the tips, and lay them on the back of the stay.



I also laid it along the front edge of the stay just for kicks.


I then inserted the first strip into the center of the layers, and used pins to mark out where I would sew the boning pocket.


I pinned all the boning pockets into the back, and then sewed the pockets; here are three completed ones. Sorry the images are so dark.


Yes, I sew sloppily, and I couldn't do a straight line if my life depended on it. But it worked anyway.

I then inserted the boning into the pockets (on the back of the corset, I haven't done the front yet) and sewed down the center of each one to fix it in place.



On the reverse side, the boning is barely visible:

[Val]

I don't know if this will help any- I'm working on my 1780s stays. I marked the lines on the inside of the stays and then sewed them. Then I slide the boning into them. My lines were very straight then. If you already did something like this, sorry I missed it. If not, I'm passing the hint on.
Just don't get me started on the binding on the lower flaps. *grrrr*

[dawnluckham]

I use the marking pen that quilters use. It's purple and the ink vanishes in a few hours (or you can rinse it out with water).

[Mme de Beaufort]

I really need to start doing those things, like marking, etc. I'm an impatient creator, anything I create I hurry through, and it's never quite as nice as I originally wanted it to be because I do that.

I should go out and get the proper tools to do a tidy job.

With the stay, I'm not SO concerned since the lines are inside, and the outside hardly shows the thread is so close to the fabric colour, but still, when I do the net over-dress, I need to discipline myself more.

[Mme de Beaufort]

So I've added the boning in the back; and now I concentrate on the front.

I've added the boning strips to the opening panels, and have sewn them in. It's time to add the grommets.

I will be putting the grommets directly into the steel boning; via the gap between to two parallel strips;


Here you see the boning as it is; two raised sides are steel, between them, the 'valley' is some sort of strong sewable fibre. The grommet just fits in there.


I begin. It's not easy, but I'm getting it done.


Ta da... like magic... okay, that's a lie, it wasn't like magic; ten grommets from HELL. But they're done. :::phew::

I'm not ground down just yet (it's a lazy and lonely Sunday... Hubby is in Minnesota...) so I decide to do the gathering of the 'cups' next, which means a test fitting. On goes my shift (we don't want me to go shiftless for pictures, do we?)


Like a nice Boudin sausage, I am trussed up, the girls are not at present 'hoisted' into final position. I have sewn long stitches across the edge of the 'cup-gussets' at this point. I proceed to put the camera down, readjust the ladies and to gather up the cups to the right specs.


Only a little even distribution of the gather is needed before I sew it all down.

It's almost time for the Sarah Conner Chronicles followed by the new adaptation of Persuasion, so I make some tea, and move my thread, needle, bias tape, scissors to the sofa with my tea, some Bastogne cookies and I watch these things while sewing on the bias tape on the front edges. The hand-sewing goes on forever, so I supplement my time on a late sunday night, watching crappy reality shows while sewing. I run out of tape at about 1AM, and I've done the entire contiguous length of the front and neckline.



It is by no means perfect, I hate handsewing and it shows, but it is sturdy and clean and it looks pretty good so far. I need to go get more tape tonight.

[Miss Ida]

wow, it looks good Steph!

[Val]

It sure looks much prettier than the plain ole white coutil one I was making. I've never seen boning like that before.

[Mme de Beaufort]

Thanks Ida! I'm not so sure how 'good' it looks on me.

I do like the way the back looks, and I'm particularly pleased with the sleeve straps (which you can't see on me--I'll have hubby take better pictures when I'm done doing the bias tape stuff and doing my final try-on.

Anyway, they are thin, out of the way, and they don't fall off my shoulder. I made them shorter than the original pattern sleeves, only by a bit. I did have some trouble with fraying on the brocade at the strap-tips, but i made little patches to fortify the seam.

I'm pleasantly surprised at how easily the S&S stay pattern can be modified; and at how sturdy this stay is. It's the most comfortable one yet, and I can sit without it pushing my platformed girls up to my chin.

I have a lot of handsewing yet to do--but as soon as I'm done, you'll get pictures of the final product.

[Mme de Beaufort]

val said:

It sure looks much prettier than the plain ole white coutil one I was making. I've never seen boning like that before.

Steel Hoop Boning; Buckram1/2" wide white steel hoop boning that consists of 2 pieces of spring steel measuring approximately 1/8" wide that is then encased in a stiff buckram covering. Sold by the 12-yard roll

www.greenberg-hammer.com/store.asp?ItemID=212

It's super-strong.

[cosmoblue]

admin said:

I do like the way the back looks, and I'm particularly pleased with the sleeve straps (which you can't see on me--I'll have hubby take better pictures when I'm done doing the bias tape stuff and doing my final try-on.
. . .
I have a lot of handsewing yet to do--but as soon as I'm done, you'll get pictures of the final product.

Wow, Steph! I am so far behind you with 4 times as much to do. I am never going to catch up. I will be nude at the party or maybe a shift.

[Mme de Beaufort]

That's because I'm not half as fastidious as you and folks like Dawnluckham; and therefore, my garments are not neat or tidy or crisp. They're servicable though.

I wish I was able to slow down and mind the details better sometimes.

[dawnluckham]

I dunno, Steph… Those look pretty doggone good to me! You’ve done fantastic work!!! I’m so glad they’re comfortable for you – and you get some real “lift and separate”! Awesome! Way to go, Girl!!!

[Mme de Beaufort]

You're so sweet.

[Val]

I don't know if anything I've learned will help you or anyone else who makes these, but I'm sewing the binding on my 1780s stays

Along the bottom, because it has tabs and slashes which don't give you any room for a seam allowance, I was advised by Katherine (Koshka the Cat) to top sew the outside edge by hand, then turn it under and finish sewing it by hand.
So I turned a 1/2" edge under on the binding, & placed it flat on top of where I wanted it on the stays. At first I pinned it on but found it's quicker and less painful to baste it as I go. Then I slip stitched them together. I trimmed off the edge of the stays under it so it was only about a 1/2", turned the binding over onto it, steam pressed it, then turned it under and basted it on. I'm basting instead of pinning because I'm really tired of being poked in the fingers.
My Tip of the Day: if you lay the stays flat on the table to do the slip stitching, it's MUCH easier than trying to hold it on your lap and do it.
[edited to make image link show]

[Mme de Beaufort]

It took me 2 hours or so to do the little I accomplished last night, however, I did do one side, and the finished the other as I went along, so I don't have to come back later; so it's sort of less daunting that way; because believe you me, those tabs are a pain in the butt. A royal pain in the butt.

I'll keep plugging away. I also bought a straw hat and some ribbon, I may even attempt a bonnet if I finish this bloody stay.

[cosmoblue]

Golly, Steph! I am getting a complex seeing how productive you are.

[Mme de Beaufort]

cosmoblue said:

Golly, Steph! I am getting a complex seeing how productive you are.

Some call it productivity, I call it escapism. It's probably why my dishes in the sink have evolved to the point where they have their own language, and I hear noises inside the fridge.

Oh, and I don't have a toddler either. Two dogs, yes, but a toddler, which probably amounts to five or six dogs in maintenance; no.

[Val]

I just picked another hint from someone on LJ (Bjarne-Tailordrews). Too late for me tho. He said I didn't need to put binding on the sides of the back, just turn the edges under. Next time!
I just rented The Tudors and will be watching that tonite while I plod on with my bindings.

[Mme de Beaufort]

I sat down and watched American Idol last night. I only watch the show during auditions, then I don't really like it after that. It's just all those ridiculous people I enjoy.

Anyway, I watched that and sewed. I cruised along quite a bit last night, and I am easily 2/3 to 3/4 of the way finished with the bias tape on the bottom tabs.


Here are the finished ones, you can see the unfinished edge rumpled to the side on the left. I'll try and get them done tonight, but I have to catch up with some housework too, I've been very negligent and fortunately, DH is in Minnesota, so he doesn't have to see it. He comes home tomorrow and I'd like the clutter to be tidied up for him.

Anyway... The armholes will probably be a piece of cake after the tabs, so I'm well on my way to being finished with this monster.

Then onto the net over-dress! I'm also considering making a chemise with a ruffled collar. Not sure tho.