Here's the front. The original was built for someone with a smaller bust than mine, but even accounting for that, it was clearly not cut to close in the front.

If the back didn't fit, it could have been the original was made for someone with a much smaller waist (unlikely). But the back fits me all the way through the waist, and even someone with washboard abs wouldn't make up 7.5 inches of waist circumference only in the front.

#18thCenturyStays #18thCenturyFashion #18thCentury

Certain events of the last two days have left me feeling particularly stabby, so it's a good thing I have thick seams to whip. Two down, four to go.

#Corsetry #18thCenturyStays #18thCenturyFashion

Had to run errands for half the afternoon, but the boning channels are done and the bones are in and tipped: I used a rotary tool tool smooth off the edges where I cut the pieces.

The raw ends aren't exactly razors, but they're sharp enough that over time they'll wear through the fabric and damage the stays.

#Corsetry #18thCentury #18thCenturyStays #18thcenturyfashion

Tracing is done, and that's a wrap for today. It doesn't feel like a lot of progress, but that's because these are the extremely fiddly annoying steps that take forever (I hate cutting and tracing).

Tomorrow I'll flat-line the shirt linen to the canvas, and then I can start construction.

#18thcenturyFashion #18thCenturyStays #Corsetry

#18thCenturyStays fit test in canvas! No boning; just checking the size. Upholstery canvas courtesy @maco. Since it's just a mockup I used some grommets I had lying around - the final will be bound eyelets. I'm really looking forward to giving it my 🙂 🕶️ 😎 awl.

Pattern is Red Threaded's new 1750s stays pattern, with added front lacing.

#18thCenturyFashion #LivingHistory #CorsetMaking #Corsetry