My latest project:

JP Ryan Frock Coat

I left off as I was working on the black satin corset using the Truly Victorian pattern. It went together beautifully; I set the grommets and did a final test fit... and that's when I discovered it did not fit right at ALL, even after that original test fitting.

After doing some research, I came across the blog of another historical costumer who complained of the same thing I complained about with the 1861 corset...

I thought I was being so clever... I wanted to do a fancier corset, and this time I wanted to line it to make it reversible. I picked out two beautiful asian brocades, one black, one lavender, and started cutting. I basically made two separate corsets, boned one, and was going to put them together when I realized that I would absolutely not be able to use a busk if it was going to be reversible. Crap.  The busk isn't necessary, per se, but it does make putting the corset on a million times easier, since you prelace, and use the busk opening to put the garment on.

This has been a forever ongoing project, I think I started it in November of 2008, made some progress that next February, and then had to order the busk and other supplies, and got side tracked with other projects. I finished sewing it when I was procrastinating on the Venetian gown, and then had to wait to order a higher quality grommet setter. I had been using cheap grommets from Joann's, but when they are set in a garment, they split all around the inner edges, which grabs the corset string and causes it to weaken and fray.