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Stays

Regency Stays Part 2

My Mantua Maker stays are nearly done (finally! I did most of the work last spring, then left them unfinished for months!), and they’re good enough to post about now.
Overall, I like this pattern – I recommend it with only slight reservations. It fits well and goes together easily, and has thorough instructions. My version is a new printing, so it’s even been updated to increase the size of the back (a common complaint on internet reviews). Originally I was going to leave the length, but I did end up reducing it 1″ because I’m shortwaisted.
But – the shoulder strap placement drove me NUTS. It’s so wide in the back that they dug into the back of my arms, and constantly fell off. I scoured the internet for pics of these stays made up, and every picture I saw has the same issue, so I decided to just go with it – no one else seems to complain, so maybe I should just shut up and deal.
Then I went to see the Fabulous! exhibit at FIDM, and they had a pair of regency stays on display. The straps on these stays were much closer together in the back, but still sat wide at the shoulder and at the front. The shape reminded me of a racer-back tank, though less severe.
I did more internet research of extant stays, and over and over I kept seeing the same thing –
the way these stays from the MFA are displayed show this concept – see how they’re narrow in the back and wrap around the shoulder to be wide in the front? Seemed like it would solve the strap-falling-off problem.
So even though my stays were all but finished, I just wouldn’t be happy if I didn’t try to fix them.
Here’s how I tried my new racer-back concept – remember, my stays were basically finished, so I had to get a little creative to attach the new straps. I had even done the binding at the top and had to remove that. ARGHH!!! 🙂
I put the stays on Beatrice, and tossed last year’s Jane Austen Evening dress on top and marked the neckline with pins to use as a guide for how wide to set the straps. 
I kept the shoulder strap on grain, and wrapped it from back to front. It’s basically just a rectangle with a little flare at the back seam. The angle of the strap at the seam is the important part to get right.
Shoulder strap trimmed down.
This side view shows how the original strap placement in the Mantua Maker pattern is under my armpit. No wonder they’re so uncomfortable!
New strap placement.
Here’s the finished version, on my properly padded form – they are much more comfortable, don’t fall off as easily, and hopefully are still wide enough for a nice evening neckline! My new straps are slightly too long now because the stays were sitting too low on Beatrice when I “draped” the strap, but oh well. Adding another hole won’t make a big difference to these frankensteined straps!
(As previously mentioned, I did choose to do cross-lacing instead of the period-correct spiral lacing at the back. Without a maid, it’s just too hard to lace up a spiral-back-lacing corset!)

Sense and Sensibility Chemise

Today is the end of the long Thanksgiving weekend here in the US, and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it! We visited with family on Wednesday and Thursday, and on Friday Chris and I met up with friends to go see the Debbie Reynolds costume auction preview in Beverly Hills. (other) Chris from wacky tacky and Lauren from Wearing History did write-ups of our visit, so pop over to check those out!

In other news, I’ve been buckling down and starting to work on some Regency wear in earnest – the annual Jane Austen Evening is at the end of January, so it’s time to get going!
This week I made a chemise from the Sense and Sensibility Underthings pattern. It was nice to work on such an easy-going garment – I tend to get wrapped up in fitting, make 3 mockups, and then burn out before getting to the real thing! I’m usually of the tank-top-is-good-enough opinion when it comes to undergarments that won’t be seen, but someday I want to make a nice sheer white gown, so having a proper chemise is important. It was very easy to put together, and I even did the flat felled seams. Loose fit and cotton? I might have to make more clothing like that…
I only have 2 comments regarding this pattern:
1) Even though I technically fall into the Medium size category, I made the Small chemise. It’s plenty big enough! On the next one I might even remove some of the fullness – I’d rather have a slimmer chemise and add more fullness with a petticoat, if necessary.
2) For the bias casing around the neckline, the instructions say to stitch the bias tape to the neck, then fold back 1/4″ on the other side of the bias tape. That’s insanely hard! Press back the 1/4″ BEFORE you stitch the bias tape to the neckline and you’ll be much happier.
Here some photos of Beatrice wearing my chemise over the Mantua Maker stays…the stays are basically done, but I’m not entirely happy with them and still want to tweak them. But that’s for another post!
Blurry Photo – whoops! :o) I shortened the chemise hem length only about an inch, and probably shouldn’t have even done that. It rides up a little with the stays on.
I really like the drawstring at the neckline – it’s adjustable so you can raise or lower the neckline depending on your gown. The strings are on the inside, and you tie it at the front.
Obviously, the back neckline is adjustable too. 🙂 (Re: the stays, yes I did cross-lacing instead of spiral. I think it would be nearly impossible to get dressed in rear opening spiral laced stays without a maid!) 
Side View illustrating how the stays only come halfway up the breast, and the chemise holds in the top – here’s a great post about the proper fit of stays on the Oregon Regency Society blog.

Regency Stays Part 1

I’ve been making progress on my Regency stays and Edwardian corset, very very slowly, but there it is. In case you hadn’t noticed, I jump around a lot with projects and hobbies – I try to do a good job on all of it, but if I have 3 dance rehearsals in a week, the sewing slows down. And vice versa. Ahh well, it keeps me interested, and hopefully doesn’t make you crazy with all the jumping around!

I’m working on the final version of my Regency stays now – I did a mockup, and didn’t really make any changes to the pattern. I considered playing with different bust gusset sizes and shortening the length because I’m short-waisted, but in in the end I left the pattern alone. The only adjustment I made from the original pattern was cutting straight across the top of side piece, instead of dipping down at the armhole. It looked awkward, was already plenty low for comfort, and keeping it straight will make binding easier.
Mantua Maker pattern copyright 2010 (updated version with the wider back)
 Busk at CF, no bones or cording yet
The brown part is my lacing strips at CB, not part of the finished project. I don’t love that it comes up at CB, but I didn’t see that until right now, so I won’t change it for these stays. The back panel is on the bias, so the pattern piece is cut straight but then stretches slightly, causing it to veer upward.
Here you can see the “lift” that the Regency period is known for. The stays do the upward pushing, and the chemise (or in my case, the tank top) holds in the top to prevent spillage.
I was a little surprised at how this fits – people keep saying that Regency corsets are just like a really good miracle bra and Spanx, but I also felt a huge difference in my posture – the wide straps force my shoulders back and chest out, which explains why the clothing of the period has such small backs. Or else I just have rotten posture.
When I fit this the other night, I was kind of unhappy with it – the buck wasn’t staying put (maybe it’s too wide?), I had trouble keeping the shoulder straps on, etc. And then I tossed on my most recent Regency dress and it looked TERRIBLE . *sigh* They just weren’t fit to go together. But these pictures look pretty good, so here’s hoping a little cording and boning help everything settle in better. Any suggestions or tips would be appreciated!

Great Stays Project of ’12

Things have been very scattered around here on the sewing front lately. I’ve got so many project and ideas swimming around in my head and I’ve had trouble focusing on anything. 30’s blouse? Hats? Regency stays? A shiny shirt for Chris? I’m also thinking about outfits for Camp Hollywood and Costume College. (–My first time attending, because it doesn’t conflict with CH for once! Whee!) All these were on the list, and then suddenly I was bit by the Edwardian bug.
More specifically, by this jacket in Downton Abbey:
I’ve never been a big fan of Edwardian fashion, but I’m starting to get it. I usually like tailored fashions more than fluff, but I’ve been branching out and finding a lot to like lately in the Edwardian world. And there are Edwardian events nearby (and as huge and crowded and frustrating as Los Angeles is, there are so many great events and fun things to do that I can’t imagine ever leaving…) So I’m going to branch out and sew an Edwardian.
I spent a lot of last week surfing around, looking for project inspiration (instead of actually sewing!). If I were more fun and less precise, I would just grab a Simplicity costume pattern and make a dress. But that’s not how I work. I try to be accurate and efficient, even in my “relaxing” hobbies. (I know, I bore myself even.) And everyone knows that undies make or break a period outfit.
So I’m going to take on the Great Stays Project of ’12. I’m going to sew Regency stays (1812) and an Edwardian corset (1912) simultaneously. Using my hands and feet at the same time? Something like that. But I think I can get these projects done a little faster and quicker if I do them both at once.  This also fits in with the Double Period Project on Your Wardrobe Unlock’d, so if I keep my membership I suppose I’ll enter.
Unfortunately, if I work from the inside out, I’ll have about 37 garments to sew before I can make that coat. Edwardian undies are seriously complicated. Someone talk me out of this, quick!