After finishing my 18thC stays (yes there's a post coming about them) instead of making the shift like a good girl I skipped stright to the fun part the dress. I know the petticoats are super quick and easy to do. But it was the bodice I needed to work on.
So I started with patterns of fashion. Scaling up one of the bodices for the dresses. This did not work.
When I laid it on my stays it didn't look right or like up without drastic modification. Plus the armhole was a odd shape.
So back to the drawing board..literally. I draw out patterns leaningon a board. lol! I started with tracing round the pannels of my stays. Then I added to the centre back about 1-2inches. To the CF about 3 inches. Raised the neckline front and back. Then shorterned the bottom edge to the waistline (that's the bit above the tabs). Now I pin fitted and found I needed to take a large pleat out of the back. So I turned it into a seamline instead.
This was the result. Now I cut out in fabric. And machine tacked it together. Cut out 2 strips to be straps which I sewed on the back, but pinned on the front.
Tried it on again with the stays, adjused the straps and found I had to slightly alter the back seams.
My high rounded shoulders strike again.
So far its looking ok.
Well apart from the front but my dress for isn't adjustable so it won't fit as its not my shape with stays. Not on the front neckline. I found myself pinning the neckline lower...but that is only comfortable if I wear a fichu.
I also had a bash at trying to draft sleeves...my nemisis. I won't know the result till I cut the toile sleeves.
