Thursday July 21

Rest of the eyelets done and seams stitched for first fitting.  After fitting side seams taken in and 3/4 inch taken off the front.  Corset then abandoned for the day as the busks (metal pieces that allow front of corset to open and close) were too long, so a new one had to be ordered...

So instead I made a bustle cage...
Once the three pieces were cut out of calico and marked up the centre back seams of the inner and outer back were stitched.  All the pieces were hemmed and the edges of the front were turned in and neatened.  Seven channels of tape were then stitched onto the outer back to hold the boning.  The front pieces were then stitched between the two backs and turned through.  The top edges were pleated up and sewn to petersham ribbon and the raw edges covered with tape.  Then came the metal work, the boning had to be cut into lengths and the ends filed down and taped up.  Once prepared the bones were pushed into the tape channels and the shape of the bustle cage was formed.  The top two bones are still to go in and a box pleated ruffle goes around the bottom, but its almost finished (and no button holes!).