New Challenges and Projects

As I wrap up my latest HSF project challenge, I already have to start looking forward to the next few projects. Although I'm only doing half of the challenges, challenge #4 - Under it All, aka any type of underwear/unmentionables, gave me some inspiration. I may not actually complete a piece for the challenge, but I'm going to use it as a jump point to start working on a pair of Regency stays.

Last spring, I made made a pair of half-stays to go under my first Regency dress. I had to do a lot of modification for my lack of cleavage as well as I didn't have a complete understanding of how Regency stays were supposed to fit (I'm used to my corsets). So the end result was a half-stay that worked/didn't work. 

Ignore the quality. Bad cell phone selfie.

The one thing I couldn't get used to when wearing the half-stays was not having my mid-section covered as well by the stay/corset. Naturally I'm not a very svelte individual to begin with, so the silhouette of the Regency dress I wore did not work out as well either.

Again, no time to actually finish a new Regency stay before the March 1 deadline. However I have started to pull together some images of originals on Pinterest for inspiration and I purchased Laughing Moon's Regency and Romantic Era Corset pattern.

Regency Corset via Pinterest

Early 19th Century Stays via Pinterest

Laughing Moon's Regency and Romantic Era Corset pattern

Challenge #5 - Bodice I already have something in mind for. My late bustle Alexandra Polka Dot dress was made a few years ago and it's probably one of my favorites.

The original bodice that I made is for daytime/dinner type of functions. To allow for more functionality, I've always wanted to make an evening bodice to go with the skirts (Also making it more period correct by having more than one bodice). I made an attempt at this about two years ago, but wasn't happy with how it turned out and scrapped it. I still have extra fashion fabrics and the pattern, so it's just a matter of sitting down to redraft some changes, then put everything together. We'll see how it goes!