A very good mail day indeed...

So today was a particularly amazing mail day. I received a lot of buckles I purchased from an Etsy seller cleaning out her collection. I love buckles... They are just so very smart! It's not uncommon to see buckles go for 80-100$ dollars for quite nice ones and in the past I have picked them up here and there when I could not resist but I just can't pay more than about 30$ for one and the less the better! Well these beauties averaged 11$ each! Seriously I felt obligated to rescue them so they can grace historical costumes and be loved for the little beauties they are.

I was so excited to find them even nicer in person!

The most amazing part? Six....Six! Of them have the bar clasp to use the the other end of the belt! I don't have a single buckle with the bar clasp you don't often find them intact. 

So now I'm looking over my costume plan list for this year and imagining how a smart buckle might grace it. Hats and belts and pull backs for draperies.... Oh my! 

The next delivery was a beautiful find but alas not bragging rights cheap at all...but it looked sooooooo fun! I thought on it for a couple weeks and recently, when it was still available, I caved and got it. Today the very well packaged parcel arrived from the UK. 

It's a huge red and white striped feather and as you can see will match my Sailor dress perfectly! Squeeeeee! I will be adding it to my hat which I want to line and add finishing touches to. I hope to wear it again perhaps this Spring with its sister in Idaho. 

It's very fluffy and it has nice drape too.

In other sewing news I have been plucking right along with my corset projects for my friend Beth and myself. This one is for Beth and will be my entry for Historical Sew Monthly 2015 January challange. 

I've gotten the busk in and all the boning channels applied. Tomorrow will see grommets, and bones and binding. I'm pleased with the shape and the more pleased to be moving right along with it. 

Yes I did notice after this photo that the ends of the busk are uneven...the tops are even. It's the first busk I've ever had a flaw in it. I think for this an "'ole work horse" of an undergarment though -it is ok. This corset is going to be a mix of spiral and spring steel in alternating pattern. 

Did the postman bring you anything yummy today? 

Until next time! 

2013 new year new undergarments

Getting this project posted has taken so much longer than I thought. Sometimes life comes before hobbies and my life has a way of making sure I am paying attention to it.

Having said that...TaDA! I have new Edwardian undergarments. I have been wanting to make up the new Truely Victorian drawers and corset cover since they came out and I am happy to report that Heather has done it again. These are the first patterns I have purchased since she converted her hand drawn pattterns to computer drafted so now all the printed lines are smooth, smooth, smooth. I approve!

 

I am super happy with how they turned out. Here is a close up of the insertion detail.

 

and I finished the arm holes with a french piping technique which I like very much for an application like this.

 

The corset cover has some fluffly ruffles to help with the early Edwardian pigeon breasted shape.

 

All in all the pattern was east to put together, the sizing is spot on. I really could not ask for a more costumer friendly pattern to work with. The next projec tis the 1903 corset pattern.

 

Which I actually cut out before starting the drawers and corset cover. Which I have been working on while waiting for supplies for the corset to arrive. Today, the silk came in the mail and it is a devine shade of lilac, I can not wait to work with it tomorrow...it is heavenly and very Edwardian ice-cream colored.

 

So that brings you up to date with the sewing going on here. I also started an embossed taffeta petticoat to go with this set...more on that soon. Happy New Year! May 2013 be full of costuming!