» Listings for January 2020

1. Second attempt at the petal corset

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 30th Jan 2020

   There are always little tweaks and things I would do differently if I had known better at the time. I can work on designs for literally 100's of hours - knowing when to stop is something I'm not great at - it usually is because I realise I can barely walk, I ache all over and I haven't eaten or drank any water for hours. This craft of mine has possessed me like no other.

   The plum petal corset is not perfect in my eyes - there is insufficent hip spring, I dislike the fact that the boning cap can be seen at the front petal point, the bagged out petals are too bulky....I could go on. I also knew that as it stands I would not be able to make this into a commercial pattern and would have to make it easier, so I threw myself into it again (a complete sucker for punishment!) making changes to the pattern - no overlapping petals, a smaller under-bust and a larger hip;

   

    

   I know this design and finish is better but I couldn't help but think that plum one is more stunning - and all that effort I went to dying the petals a different shade! I put it to the vote and guess what, almost everyone preferred the plum one....so I think I'll stick with that one!

2. Petal corset finished!

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 19th Jan 2020

   I make all my sample corsets up to my size so I can photograph them inexpensively - I make so many for my Patreon patrons that I simply can't afford to recruit a model/MUA and photographer each time. Luckily I'm a pretty standard size however the extent of waist cinch is never very impressive! This is my failing of this design I think and I spent yesterday doing a redraw to pull in that waist a little more. As a bodice though I'm happy with how it has turned out and I can imagine this as a gown or wedding dress. Now to decide whether I want to enter it into the Foundations Revealed contest!

   

3. Petal corset progress

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 15th Jan 2020

   I've found over the years that keeping progress notes is so important when charting the progress of a design. It is so easy to  get carried away and plough on thinking you will remember what you've done. You never do unless copious notes are scrawled on patterns, toiles, notebooks...So many times I have not been able to match a toile with a pattern and forgotten how I did this , that and the other. So annoying!

   I tend to work across my CAD screen from left to right and import photos of toiles and fittings above the corresponding pattern. I also write notes in there about the order of construction. The order of construction has never been as important as it is with my latest design - the petal corset. The fabric petals interlock together and hide the boning channels - it's complex!

    

   I now have a fully assembled corset and have drawn some flat diagrams up;

   

   I love this design so much and would like to explore it more in terms of its commercial potential however I know from experience how difficult these swirling designs are to grade. I'm always up for a challenge though so we'll see.