1790's Transitional Stays

October 31, 2009

I have made several gowns from the excellent Elegant Lady's Closet Pattern from Sense and Sensibility. These gowns are in the style of early regency, and most appropriate for 1790's and very early 1800's impressions. My favorite is the "drawtring dress" which slips on over the head and the fit is adjusted with a drawstring at the waistline as well as the neckline. It is a pretty, easy to wear style and works well for maternity and nursing which is why I made a gown from this pattern in the first place!

I made a set of short stays a few years ago to get the proper "shelf" look of the regency era. While my first attempt did not come out badly, they no longer fit me correctly since the waist is now too loose and the bust much too small. (as my husband considerately noted, I might as well not make new clothes until I'm done bearing children since my shape changes with each new baby I have!) I wasn't overall pleased with the look of the short stays I made either. It gave a very high, rounded bustline which I felt rather self conscious about.

I decided to make some transitional stays in the style of these 1790s stays from Kent University:

Katherine has made a lovely reproduction set as well as my dear friend Lauren. Check out their work - it is lovely!

For my own set, I first spent a lot of time in thought about the project. I really did not think I'd get around to making my own set for a while, at least til the New Year. But I wore one of my drawstring gowns to church this past weekend and was extremely unhappy with my short stays. I just can't wear them anymore. So until I get a new set made I have to wear my gowns with a modern push up bra, which I hate and find very uncomfortable. These new stays suddenly hopped to top priority on my "to sew" list.

So, first of all I had to make a pattern. I started from scratch and took my own measurements, which is a tricky and difficult thing. I made two rectangles to start with. My goal was to make a fitted band which closely hugged my ribcage area all around, beneath my bustline in front and a bit higher in the back. Once that was done, I drew seamlines on my pieces, having a front, side front, side, side back and back piece. I cut away a cup shape on each front piece for each breast to lie in. This was a little tricky since the cup line had to snugly hug the outline of each breast, which was fitted mainly by trial and error.

Once that was done, I made a mockup. I had to take in a little from the center back seam and had to narrow the side back pieces by 1/4" on each side. Then the stays fitted very snugly. Since these will lace closed in the front I want them to bit a bit too snug to start with since I know they will stretch a little with wearing.

Using an outer layer of white cotton twill and an interfacing layer of white cotton I sewed all the pieces together right sides together and pressed the seams open. I treated the twill and cotton layers as one. I took this construction method from the instructions in the J.P. Ryan Strapless Stays pattern. After some of the construction is done a lining layer will be pinned and hand stitched to the inside of the stays to cover all the seam allowances.

Once that was done I sewed a bone channel at each seam line, except the center back seamline. I cut two longish oval shapes for the gathered cups and gathered them to the cut out cup areas and sewed them in. The original stays appear to be more gathered than mine are, but I think the lady who wore the original stays must have had a slighter figure than mine. I don't think I'll get much gathering at the top of the cups either. But so long as they fit and give the right shape I will not be overly picky.

That is all I have done so far. Here is what I have finished thus far:

Next I think I will sew in the lining. Then I have to make and attach the shoulder straps and all that is left is binding and making eyelets. These are going together much more quickly than I anticipated.

Love,

Sarah

November 3, 2009

Well my stays are nearing completion but I think it will still be a few days before I finish them. I'm not really looking forward to binding the tabs on the bottom. I love the look, but I hate binding scallopy things.

Since posting last I have sewn in the lining by hand but have had the worst time with the cups. I have decided I hate cups. I am completely in love with gussets in comparison. Why is it so hard to fit an individual . . .for lack of a better word. . .um. . .chest gland?

The first cups I made (as shown in the picture in my last post) held them up, but they were too tight in places making little ripply hills instead of a smooth mound. For lack of better adjectives. So I sliced into the existing cups and found I had to add about 2" in width to each one to make them fit the roundness without squishing it. So I did that. That gave me extra to gather at the top of the cups too, which I liked. I quickly did the eyelets so I could lace the thing up and see how it fit. While the gathered cups fit the breast quite well, they did nothing at all to support it. Major droop issues.

So I took those out. I made a new cup piece shaped similarly to the old ones but with plenty of room at the bottom of the cup but fitted straight across (no gathers) at the top of the cup. That seemed to work pretty well so I went with it.

So that is about where I am at right now. I sewed binding to the cup seam and also to the top of the stays. I also made and attached the shoulder straps. I have slip stitched half of the binding to the stays and tried them on earlier today and I think despite the problems I've had with the durn cups I'm going to really like these! They are extremely comfortable, they support but no do lift the bosom up so much that it forms a plate beneath ones chin. I tried on one of my drawstring dresses over them and I think they will work perfectly. They position the bust in a place which lets the waistline of the dress fall at a nice place, just below the bosom and I do not get any cleavage since the busts are seperated.

Next time, if/when I make this style again I think I will give myself some more room between the cups to get more of a seperate look. But then again, if I remain the same size I am afraid of getting a "wing" effect at the level of each armpit. Sigh. For now, I am very happy with the shape. But I am dreading binding those tabs! :)

Love,

Sarah

November 6, 2009

Well I finished the binding on the bottom this afternoon and it really wasn't as bad as I had thought. It took me longer to figure out how to apply the binding than it did to stitch it on.

The instructions in the J.P. Ryan stays says to pin the binding to the edge of the stays on both the right and the wrong sides, pulling the binding up between the tabs a bit.

I made my own binding from bias strips of twill. It was so bulky that pinning it did not work very well. I ended up stitching it with a half backstitch by hand to the right side of the corset and flipping it over and slip stitching it to the lining on the inside, while manipulating it around the curves by hand as I went. The binding looks bulky; I think next time I will use something much thinner and fine for the binding rather than bias strips of twill. But for a first attempt I am pretty satisfied.

All I need now is a good lace for this. The pink ribbon I've been using for try ons just is not the thing!

I'll try to get some pictures of it being worn within the next few days or so!

Love,

Sarah