Of Costumes, Patterns and Fittings

My Queen Victoria costume has been progressing slowly – I have been sidetracked. For six months, I have been lamenting that I need a new corset. Though my original Victorian corset was a rush job, it has served me well.

Now it is too large and the lacings overlap. The shape is not correct and it does not hold the girls in very well. The problem? I need someone to help me fit the pattern properly.  I was planning on using this corset for my current costume project but…

A message went out to the Australian Costumers Guild.  It really was not a difficult task to distract me. I was off to the corset making workshop. Thanks to the wonderful Lynne, I now have a working pattern.

Here is my progress so far:
I based the corset on an 1890 corset pattern, based on an extant item. This was drafted to the original sizing, when women were an average height of around 5 feet.

I used a pattern with larger sizing and redrew the pattern pieces to fit the style of the extant corset pattern.

I then used this as a toile and my friend Lynne helped me with the fitting.

I will post more pictures as the corset progresses.

Of Costumes, Patterns and Fittings