Monday, March 26, 2007

Fitted Bodice Class

I took a class this weekend at the Genteel Arts Academy in Gettysburg to make a fitted bodice. This is the resulting bodice from the class. The first step was to make a fitting shell for each individual and mine was probably the most complex because my body is not the same side to side (I have scoliosis) nor front to back (I'm shortwaisted in the front and not in the back! I never realized how much better my period clothing could fit until I took this class. I also learned a bunch of period construction techniques that made making this bodice with the hidden hooks and eyes a much different experience than I'd had while muddling along on my own for the last year or so. The bodice I made is a pleated front so there's extra fabric within the front but the lining fits very snug inside as well. I'll be taking the corset class in June so I'll have a fitted corset to my own dimensions, that will help with the fitting challenges too.
This is a close up of the fabric that I bought for this class, it's Wyndam quilting fabric that is a reproduction of an 1830/1840 fabric. I thought it was beautiful. I put the piping on this morning and have begun to work on the skirt. I'll see how much fabric I have left before I decide what I'm going to do for the sleeves.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi there! I just wanted to make sure you're aware that your blog is in the queue for the Fiber Arts Bloggers ring, because you don't have any code up. I just sent you the code again--please let me know if you don't get it? I'd love to get you back in the ring. :)