CoBloWriMo #16-Small Project

I very much want to post here about a couple of pieces from the wedding outfit I’m making for my friend Jackie…but I promised not to blog anything until after the wedding. So instead, here are my smalls.  Or bigs.

My collection of Victorian/Edwardian undies, to wear when steampunking.  Now if I was doing proper re-enactment, or being all HA, I would have spent a lot more care and attention on these not-so-little treasures, adding tucks, and lace, and pretties.  Instead, I’ve always been pretty rushed [apart from the corsets] so they are mostly rather basic.

The first chemise I made was a rush job, from a free pattern I found online.  Very, very basic, and I dashed about rummaging in stash to find some fabric for it.  A friend had given me a piece of light beige/gold silk a while back, beautiful, but not a great colour on me, so I thought it would be good for undies.  I had to cut my coat [chemise] according to my cloth, so it’s an odd length, but perfectly OK.  I found an oddment of lace to trim it with.  It’s a bit unforgiving over the boobs, but sufficed for a first run.

I used the tiny bit of silk leftover from that to make a  REALLY short chemise from the Laughing Moon pattern.  {I’d forgotten this one, possibly useful more as a corset cover, I’ll have to find where it’s hiding!]

To go with it, I made a pair of divided drawers, from the Laughing Moon Silverado/Dore corset pattern.  I did the tucks on the legs [as wonkily as ever] and just used some tape/ribbon from stash for the waist tie.  This time, I used an old soft sheet, and they are lovely and comfortable, to my great surprise.

I then knocked up a very hasty petticoat, with no pattern, and a limited amount of lace from stash.  The main fabric is curtain lining, which I can buy very cheaply at the market.  The skirts I’d made at this stage  were mostly late Victorian, so frills on the back suit them quite well.  Another fast and messy make, with a button and elastic loop fastening, for comfort.  That corset laces much better now it’s seasoned.

Next, I made the Wearing History combinations, with a ribbon and lace drawstring neck, and button crotch.  It does tend to flap undone but I’m past caring by this stage!

I knocked up two camisoles/corset covers last year when I did the SWAP entry, one in black silk/cotton and lace from stash, the other in a remnant of broderie anglaise.  I really like these, especially the black one, which also does duty as a blouse.

Then I lost my drawers.  Seriously, huge great flappy things, and they went missing for MONTHS.  I hunted high and low, and we have a very small house, but they stayed gone.  So I rushed to make some more, which are even MORE rushed than the first.  Eventually of course, the first ones returned.  I have no idea where they went, but they came back.  Maybe the underpant gnomes rejected them?

Two lobstertail bustles, to wear on top, not underneath.  Because.

By this time, madly in love with Truly Victorian patterns, and having made corset number 2 [the 1903 one in aqua silk] I had a bash at their combinations.  I REALLY love these, they tend to be the ones I go for first.  I shortened the legs a little, and now wish I hadn’t, as the knee band tends to sometimes annoy me, catching above or below the knee.  I may need to insert a wide piece of trim to lengthen them again.

I made another slip from Wearing History combinations pattern, just missing off the crotch pieces.  More sheets, and cheap lace from my local market.  This is very useful, no fuss so it works under more close fitting, simple styles.

I have two pairs of stockings, both actually just opaque tights chopped off and rolled over elastic garters.  Very rough and ready, but it’s only dressing up!

And that’s it, my dressing-up lingerie collection, all me-made, mostly rushed and rather slapdash.  What a load of pants!