Comments | chargirlgenius: Stays Fitting Post #347

chargirlgenius

Stays Fitting Post #347

Oct 06, 2011 22:11

(N.B. Crosspost from DW is either slow or not happening, so I'm doing it by hand. Apologies if the automatic version comes through later)

I have finally gotten around to adjusting the stays, making the back side piece more flared and lobed. It's nice. I'm very happy. In fact, I feel like I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night.

( Pics under the cut )

18th c strapless stays, 18th c

Comments 25

theladyrebecca October 7 2011, 08:35:21 UTC

The cable ties that I use are called Malco brand, and they can be found at Home Depot (I've never had luck finding them at Lowes). They're the 36" ones, which I assume are the same ones Isabelladangelo mentioned.

chargirlgenius October 7 2011, 13:16:36 UTC

Ok, I'm running up towards HD today, so I'll check them out. I'm still leaning towards reed, but I want to see what's available.

Info dump! sarahbellem October 7 2011, 11:44:38 UTC

Honestly, the stays look great to me, fit-wise. I wouldn't do any other tweaking unless something is uncomfortable, because at least from the photos, they look about like they ought to at this stage.

As for the cable ties, yeah, Home Depot has the right ones. I almost never go to Lowes, so it never occurred to me that they might not carry the same kind of ties... Anyway, they're the ones that start at around 18" long and then go on up to 48". I've personally only ever seen this particular type in white, but every time I teach that boning class someone always insists (often vehemently) that you can find them in black and gray. So if you want to use the stuff I passed around, it's white and it's about 2mm thick and about 3/8" wide, and it' often hidden in the electrical section. Weirdos.

As for your questions about reed... I used the half-round 1/4" basketry reed for myladyswardrobe's and trystbat's stays and they've had excellent results with them. I mention their corsets because they're both curvy ladies with a lot of squish, just to waylay anyone ( ... )

Re: Info dump! chargirlgenius October 7 2011, 13:21:44 UTC

This, lady, is why you're a laurel. :-)

And as for you being shaped like a real woman, I can attest with authority that you are. ;-)

I'll look for the cable ties when I go to HD this afternoon, so I know what I'm looking for if I need it. But after reading this and other posts, I think I'm going to at least start out with the reed. I have the same stuff you're talking about.

Is Bess's corset open at the CF as well as the CB?

That helped, thank you!

Re: Info dump! sarahbellem October 7 2011, 17:21:59 UTC

This, lady, is why you're a laurel. :-)

Dawww.... You're making me blush!

And as for you being shaped like a real woman, I can attest with authority that you are. ;-)

Seeing as how you're the expert... ;)

s Bess's corset open at the CF as well as the CB?

Yep! I wish I had a pic of her wearing it. I thought I did, but I seem to have lost it. Anyway, it's a slightly modified effigy corset, that opens in the front and back for adjustibility.

howlgirl October 7 2011, 16:15:00 UTC

Demode did a bunch of research on boning and it's distilled here:

http://demodecouture.com/2009/09/stays-plans-mockups-fabric-quandries/

I can totally see where reed would work for 16th C stays, but in my personal experience it failed for my 18th C stays.

Two friends have used German boning in their stays and they love them.

I used a mix of spiral and spring steel in mine.

jljonsn October 8 2011, 01:30:27 UTC

heheh... She said "Boning"

Nothing substantive to add. Moving along now...

lorebubeck October 12 2011, 13:05:20 UTC

Good to see you're on top of things there Jeff. =)