Hello!
I am at a crucial stage is making my regency stays: the main three layers
(cotton, two of linen, which will then have another cotton layer as the lining)
are all basted together and ready to be joined and have gussets inserted. I was
really hoping that my visit to the museum today would yield a similar item so
that I could examine how they were sewn together but alas - one 1770s set, one
around 1900, one around 1895-1900 (they were totally slack on the dating: SO
little information...) but nothing inbetween.
The photographs in the Kyoto 'Fashion' book aren't close enough up to really
show how the pieces are joined. Anyone done a regular seam and then corded it?
I'd like to get these done before the end of June so can't wait another six
weeks for a museum appointment ( patience being a virtue very foreign to me...)
Most intriguing things about the 1760s-1770s stays (most like the 1776 ones in
Didero's L'Encyclopaedie)
1. REALLY narrow boning - rounded and no more than 2mm wide. Bents? I don't
know, they were still v. flexible, apart from the broad pieces at CB and CF.
I'm sure someone knows better than me.
2. The offset lacing: one left side, two holes close together at the top, on
the left side, two holes close together at bottom, so you get 12 holes each
side but offset. 'Mock lacing' at front but no more than 1inch wide at top and
terribly close together (40 rows of fine thread over no more than 6 inches
length, narrowing to nothing at bottom).
3. An intriguing pattern which reminded me of a Scottish saltire flag,
embroidered at the top between the bones - it being no more than half boned and
with very fine boning at that, three on either side of front busk area and two
on each back piece (1 1/2 inch high, just a little wider). This wasn't boned in
itself and the broad bone which runs around the inner top of the stays was
hidden inside the linen lining.
Overall they were pretty mucky but seemed to be plain cream linen/cotton,
matching thread and plain white linen lining. Tassets sewn separately on lining
but NOT on the main pieces. These were very narrow - several about 2inches long
and no more than 1/2 inch wide at the top.
Hope that is interesting and useful - any more questions, I'll do my best.
Photos taken but only for my reference I'm afraid: I can't afford the fees!
Cheers,
Katherine
p.s. I'll post this on historic corsets just in case it misses anyone, sorry
if you get it twice.
"A positive attitude may not solve all of your problems, but it will
annoy enough people to make it worth the effort" - Herm Albright
"Are you tugging my squirrel?"
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