Corset
The addition of the bra cups to the corset was a total success. It fit her perfectly, and she said she’s much more comfortable. The addition of the steel boning to the back of the corset was also a success. She said it felt much better, and it fit much more smoothly than before. Corset is done and needs no more changes!
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| New bustier |
Green Skirt
The zipper and waistband on the green skirt fits great. The skirt sits perfectly at her waist and doesn’t droop down in the front. Skirt is done!
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| Skirt with new waistband |
Sidenote: If you look at this picture from far away, she kinda looks like a hula dancer with coconut boobs and a grass skirt. Tee hee!
Overdress
The fourth attempt at the bodice is the same as the third, only with bigger darts (to compensate for the addition of real boobs!) and a slight tweak to lower the peak by the armhole.
The bodice pieces finally worked! The darts are the perfect size, and everything fits now. The only change I need to make is to raise the center front just a bit to make sure the corset doesn’t show.
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| Overdress with bodice attempt #4 |
It’s for times like this that muslins are a godsend. I can’t imagine re-making several bodices out of delicate silk satin and lace. What a mess that would be. Cotton is my friend. Faithful and sturdy enough to be ripped apart and re-made over and over again.
I pinned some straps on, and she likes how they sit on the edge of her shoulders.
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| Temporary blue straps |
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| Back view with straps |
I cut a rectangle of cotton to test out the cap sleeves, and it worked really well. I pleated the tips at the front and back, and I love how it drapes perfectly over her arm. The cap sleeves will be made out of lace with a layer of fine tulle underneath, and I’ll be using clear swimsuit elastic for the straps. That way, they’ll be tight, and a little bit sticky, so they won’t slip.
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| Cap sleeve test |
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| From the back |
I’m so excited! It’s finally starting to look fantastic!
I'm so glad I found this page. This is exactly what I'm trying to do and had a hard time finding examples. I'm trying to add similar cap sleeves/straps to a strapless dress. Can you tell me how you attached the sleeves to the elastic? Is it a bad idea to use regular ribbon instead of elastic?
ReplyDeleteDid you see the post with the lace cap sleeves by themselves? I sewed one layer of embroidered lace/tulle to one layer of plain tulle so I had a finished edge to work with. I sewed clear elastic underneath. I gathered the ends of the cap sleeves by hand, and hand stitched them to the inside of the dress. But I have to tell you, I did so much fiddling with those sleeves, I thought I would never get them right! In the end, they weren't as hard as I thought.
ReplyDeleteYes, you should use clear elastic. Not only is it tight, but it's sticky, so once it sits on your shoulders, it won't slip off.
ReplyDelete