When you consider the fact that I only *finally* found my corsets on the morning we left it's pretty amazing that they fit at all, let alone the fact that they looked pretty good! The brown linen was fully sewn and lined but it will need to be taken apart to have the seam line boning added now that I have more time. I'll also be raising the shoulder line and taking in the bodice above the fullness of my bust.
The surprising twist on this outfit is that although I arrived with a bodice I had to be sewed into. (And only halfway, at that.) I walked into the vendors area and lucked into a booth selling corset-making supplies and scored a length of brass hooks and eyes on black twill tape.
I've loved this stuff since I first saw it but it never hit my brain as 'period' enough to use...until Steampunk!
I stitched to the outside of the front opening of my brown bodice and it works/looks smashingly! (Insert happy dance here.) It gives just the edge the outfit needed.
The plaid silk bodice hadn't gotten nearly as far when we left the house so I dragged along my sewing machine and the fabric and pattern to make sleeves. (And the pattern to mark the neckline, and lace and ribbon for trim, and so on.) Luckily I had already sewn on the main bodice lining so when I finally realized that I could either *be* at Teslacon or *sew* at Teslacon I was able to make a wearable bodice out of what I had. I really like the simplicity of this one so I think I will finish it (boning and shoulder adjustments, maybe a placket under the center front...or a zipper...) and then make the 3/4 sleeved dinner bodice with lace flounces I had envisioned. I think I may have enough fabric for a day bodice and additional overskirt or train pieces too. I guess we'll see!
