18th Century Stays

How long ago it was that I decided to make an eighteenth century bodice, I have no idea. This year or the last, they're kind of running together at the moment. So I was inspired to make an 18C bodice, and so I googled patterns. I found one, drew it, and am sometime going to attempt to draft my own pattern and try making a bodice myself. *gulps* But then it hit me, DUH! To make it fit proper I'm going to need the correct time period corset, or stays, whichever. So when I found the perfect fabric for the bodice-which is exactly how I had imagined it-I also found in the sale bin of scrap fabric a fairly small roll of gorgeous blue and white floral fabric. It was a bit thicker than normal cotton and I'm on a restricted budget. So i though 'hey, why not??' and decided to use the cotton instead of the usual silk. The fabric has the perfect print, since the floral patterns for the 1700's were more spiny looking rather than the round, soft flowers that came later in the next century.

Ok a little side note here: Does anyone else hate how the flimsy tissue paper used for patterns seem to float around everywhere? I mean, one time I just sighed, and the pattern flew off into a corner of my room! crazy...and not helpful.

Anyways...Last night I pinned the corset pieces together, and today found that it was a few sizes too large, even tho I had used the right size according to the measurements and the pattern. So the rest of today has been spent taking up more fabric in the seams, and a little earlier I FINALLY got it to the right size! Now all I need to get is the 30 yards of boning *gasp!* the broadcloth to line it with, and some ribbon. For the lining, I was thinking either a pale green or pale blue. Maybe the pale green? I will post pics of the pinned together stays, the fabric, and the drawing for the bodice as soon as i possibly can. (My day is going to be pretty busy tomorrow)