First fitting of the corset

1911 corset sew-a-long

I'm really, really disappointed.

If you have been reading my posts, you know I was really sad about needing to add 2 1/2 inches to every pattern piece, because I'm twice as thick as the woman the pattern was made for.

Now I have sewn the mock-up.

It's way too big.
I need to take in EVERY SEAM for at least 1/2 inch and it was like a skirt on the hips. The lacing edges were together.

Again, I look at the images of the "adding/removing fabric", and it's just a minor adjustment. I need to... do the whole f-ing thing again,

Yeah, sure, I'm not quite as fat as I thought I was. But...
Oh, and I know I should have measured the hip on the pattern and not widened it quite the 2 1/2 inches, because I know I'm an apple and most patterns are made for pears. Pears with long waist and small boobs. Like the individual this pretty pink thing was made for.

So... I'm scared that the long bones are too long for me.

I also noticed that I had read wrong the list, and I don't have any 1/2 inch wide bones.

I'm so not happy right now.


I have been procrastinating sewing the mock-up, because I'm so uncertain, so afraid, and it would have been nice to have some confirmation and encouragement, but... I just feel like a complete failure.

Sure, I'm sewing myself a corset. Yay, me. :´(

Diary of a corset maker... (procrastinating...)

Monday 1st of October:
I have finished the pattern, and try to gather courage to sew the fitting sample. But, I haven't received my package from UK yet, so I have no bones and no busk... so...
Yes, I know. Excuses, excuses. *sigh*

Wednesday 3rd of October:
My package arrived and I fetched it.

Thursday 4th of October:
I washed my denim.

Friday 5th of October:
I hanged my denim to dry.

Saturday 6th of October:
I ironed my denim. I can't make my mock of that. The fabric is too nice.

After a couple of hours procrastinating I decided to use some old sheets.

I hate cutting. Or not hate, I'm scared of it. I really, really dislike doing it, because it scares me. It doesn't matter that it's the mock copy, and the fabric is not worth much. Doesn't matter. I'm sure I have made some grave mistakes, and the mock copy will be nasty and twisted and I won't be able to transfer the corrections to the pattern and my corset will be awful and it's all waste of time, money and effort, and I'm going to hell for being a bad seamstress. With all my education and all.

Now I have cut the mock copy and I need to sew it. I'm scared. I don't want to... I'm going to do something wrong and everything will go wrong and it will be awful and... God will strike me down with a fiery hammer for not being good at sewing corsets.

Yes, it's my first one, what's your point?

I'm a bad, bad person and I'll go to hell.

Big-Ass Book of Crafts

Ok.

In Finland there's something called "käsityö" and something called "askartelu". The difference is the skills required to do the things.
If school kids can do it with a little instructions - like, let's say, punch holes, melt plastic and glue stuff on stuff, it's "askartelu".
If you would actually benefit of professional schooling to create good quality items people would pay for, because they can't make them themselves, even after reading the instructions in a book or internet, that's "käsityö".
The lexicon says that "käsityö" is crafts. Handwork, needlecraft, handicraft.
"Askartelu" is pottering or hobby crafts.

To me the difference is great and important.
To have these thousands of people, usually women, pottering about with paper, felt, cardboard and plastic and other kindergarten crafts, and believing to be craftswomen...
I'm sorry. I am. You are not. You are a potterer.

Sure you are creative, sure you make wonderful things - sure, you are more of a doer and maker than I am, who do practically nothing, but you are not a craftswoman.
Sure, you gather skills as you potter about, and some of your creations are actually very good. But you are not a craftswoman.
Sure, this is just my opinion.

I was really excited to see "Big-Ass Book of Crafts". I have Asperger's and one of the usual characteristics is to collect as much information and data as possible. And there are two of these "Big-Ass Books of Crafts"! Yupee! I'm in heaven! Yes, I want!!!

Until I went to Amazon.com to see what it is.
Oh, yes. Glueing things on things. Making things of garbage, like TP rolls and PET bottles and plastic spoons. Taking things and making new things of things by... glueing things on them. Pottering.

I am very disappointed. I was running to a smorgasboard filled with my favorite dishes to see it was some re-heated stuff I don't like.
So, excuse my rant.

I'm sure the book is lovely, and there are a lot of people out there who love this book. And the ideas are great and it's wonderful people are creative and make things. It really is.
I still think all those potterers are more makers than I am, and I truly envy their enthusiasm and productivity. I wish I had just 10% of it.
Oh, and I know some real craftswomen love this book, and I envy them that too. I wish I could see past my strict and, actually, rather limiting definitions.

Doctors IX, X, XI, XiI

I wrote this 2020 :-D

Ninth Doctor is even more straightforward :-D

Black, worn leather jacket, black shoes, black pants, low v-neck dark t-shirt. He has worn black, dark green, dark burgundy, navy and probably some other very dark colors.
Now, as far as I know, ladies didn't have leather jackets in the 1880s, but I found this, "Ladies' pleated jacket", from 1883. Good enough, I say :-D

Then my doctor, 10th. Now, he was wearing the brown pin striped suit and a navy suit, different shirts and ties. He also had this lovely long coat and converses :-D

Tennis shoes - canvas shoes with rubber soles - were introduced in the 19th century, so I can have those :-D

These shoes are from 1892. Yeah... Unused, tucked away for 100 years, but they were made 1892.

So - here's a traveling coat Tissot painted 1880 and 1881.

Illustrirte Frauen-Zeitung 1880: 

Walking or indoor dress with basque bodice with added peplums and pleated skirt. 

Walking dresses 1880

A ladies' button down shirt from 1880s.

The Eleventh Doctor isn't that much different, again. A button-down shirt, bowtie, tweed jacket (he wears a vest every now and then), shortish pants and boots, suspenders, and a fez. Also, he has a dark green long coat. And a fez. Fezzes are cool.

He also wore a bit of everything, but mostly black. Often the long velvet coat and black pants and boots. I kind of like the hoodie, and that splash painted sweater... it looks like the space :-D

knitted spencers; first from 1848, the second from Godey's lady's book for 1861

And then the 12th doctor

This is something quite different, again... her long coat is light now, with darker cording, it has dark grey lining with hoodie... looks almost as another coat under the light one. She has a rainbow striped shirt (occasionally also a rainbow scarf), teal pants (look almost like men's pants that have been turned up... ?)

Doctors VII and VIII

The Seventh Doctor is also very straight forward.

Here's the pattern for the sweater vest

I love those spectators :-D I wonder where I can find spectator boots Victorian style in brown and white with that kind of cut... *sigh*
Plaid in pants, this time. *sigh*
And a paisley scarf, paisley tie, paisley snuff hankie and the umbrella with a question mark handle.

And so is the Eighth.

Greenish black velvet coat, long; brocade vest; cravat; white shirt; brown tweed trousers, a bit too long... that's some nice wool... *drool* - and... galosches?

Edited 17/2-14 - To Dorian: what does Doctor VII have under his coat