This has been hanging around while I got on with Dawn’s coat, and it’s been really annoying me! Such a simple project, left dangling, literally.
Recap- it’s a beautiful gored skirt, with a high, boned waistline. I’ve made it up in the red/black embossed African wax cotton, which is softer and more fluid than most of the African cottons I’ve used to date. The waistline is faced in a bit of leftover black cotton sateen, and I laboriously followed instructions to construct a long hook-and-eye fastening placket at centre back [I won’t bother with that again when tape is readily available in the markets!]
Why it didn’t get finished- I was trying to get several other items finished, wanted to crack on with the coat, and couldn’t finish off the waist or hem of this without trying it on with corset and boots…and couldn’t muster the energy to bother!
Today is my first Wednesday off, having finally managed to negotiate a short term reduction of working hours, so I thought I might as well get it done. Into combinations, boots and corset [in that order, you don’t try and put footwear on once laced up!] and on with the skirt.
Huge.
Even though I definitely chose the right size [I know my corseted measurements!] and even though I don’t wear this one cinched quite as much as the Victorian one, the skirt just wanted to slide off altogether. It’s ended up nearly 3″ too big on the waist. Very odd. Sigh. I’ve judged the length well though, the hem just brushes my boots, a nice length to be able to walk around. I can go ahead and add my hem facing without further ado.
However, that waistline took four pins to take up the excess fairly evenly, and now I may have to remove the boning to take in the excess. It’s that or see if I can make darts between the gores…
On a heartening note, I slipped on the Eton jacket with it, and the final effect is going to be great- the high waist, and cropped jacket really make my waist look small, despite the reality of being shaped like a sack of apples…
Right. Alteration time, before I lose the will…[I hate alterations, even partway through a make!]
thedementedfairy 
I am now PMSL at “sack of apples”. I now how that one feels. You look great in that corset. I love the shape of it. Your skirt is going to look amazing with that jacket. Xx
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But first, I need to take it apart and pinch nearly FOUR INCHES out of the waist. Jeez. Maybe I should just hang the flab out and wear it sans corset?
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I was going to suggest that very thing! I’m curious about how much of the teeny waist effect is a function of the cropped jacket/high skirt combo…
I recently bought a little knit shrug, and have had several comments that it makes my waist look smaller – mostly because it make my ample bosom look even… ample-er. 🙂
Oh, and congrats on the reduced hours! It’s such a pain to try and get accommodation for health issues from an employer. Mine once said that they had no concerns if I was being hospitalized on a semi-regular basis – as long as the hospital stays were on ‘my own time’ (evenings and weekends), and I was still able to pull a 40 hour week. :’P
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This modern disregard for the health of staff seems insane to me- we’re the machines that churn out the finished products after all. If you were running a factory, you don’t neglect the machinery and still expect it to work do you?
The optical illusion factor of this outfit is very high indeed- the gigot sleeves do a grand job of producing an illusory hourglass
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Don’t complain about having to reduce a waistline woman!!!!
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lol I think the embossing flattened out when pressed- there’s no accounting for over 4″ of pattern sizing error- I know how big I am corseted!
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