Simple Bustle Skirt Tutorial

For those of you who read my simple skirt tutorial a few posts ago, it's time to go one step a little bit more Steampunk! Firstly, use these instructions along side the simple skirt instructions as they supplement each other.
The first method to create a bustle is to put in pleats down the side and along the tops of the skirt. This can be done by making the back panel of the skirt much longer and wider than you would like it to end up. Starting at the top of the skirt back panel, create pleats about 2 inches across, then one large one in the center of the back. Pin these in place, and add two or three pleats at the side seams, as shown in the diagram below.

.

Fantastic art work, eh? Once these pleats have been pinned into place, sew one side seam by placing right sides together of the front panel and your pleated panel, and then do the same with the waistband. make sure that the waistband is attached to both skirt panels and has caught all of the pleats in the stitching. Then fold the skirt back on itself and follow the instructions for the simple skirt on how to install the zip and finish the skirt.

The second method is to create two more layers of fabric and ruffle them, and place them between the skirt and the waistband. Cut two long rectangles of fabric out. They need to be shorter than the skirt, and the second one about 2 inches shorter than the first, creating a tiered effect. Round off the ends of the rectangles and hem. Now, using large stitches, sew across the top edge of the rectangle (the one that is still straight). Keeping hold of the bottom threads, ease the fabric into even ruffles until it is roughly the length to reach from one hip, around your bum and to the other. DO the same with the other rectangle. Position the longer ruffle onto the basic skirt back panel (or just the back if you've used the fold method to make the skirt) and then the shortest ruffle on top of that, all the right way round. Pin together about 4 inches from the top, then place the right side of the waist band against the right side of the skirt and ruffles. Once again, when stitching, make sure that all the layers are caught by the stitches. Again follow the instructions on how to finish the skirt using the simple skirt tutorial in an earlier post!

So there you have it, two easy and quick ways to make yourself a little bit more Victorian-looking. I'd love to see how your attempts turn out, in both long and short skirts!

What a Charming Notion, Eminently Practical and Yet Appropriate as Always

Recently I completed my first large project (Simplicity Steampunk Pattern) and I enjoyed it. It took me roughly 25 hours including tea breaks and faffing about taking photos here and there. This project has inspired me to do two things at some point this year.

The first thing which it has inspired me to do in branch out into corset making. The simplicity pattern included a boned bustier. I had never worked with bones or anything even almost that complicated-looking ever before, and it was a pleasure to make. I am obscenely proud of it, even though it refuses to photograph properly. This learning curve has made me find someone who wants a handmade corset and will happily cover materials, so that project will no doubt be documented here over the next few weeks, along with market coverage etc.

The second thing that it has inspired me to do is to create the outfit above, for myself or a customer. It is a beautiful outfit, so very lovely. I plan on researching what it was made out of for the film, and try to find appropriate materials which I imagine will be a thick, printed cotton. I have no idea how I will find an appropriate pattern, I may have to adventure into making my own from existing patterns and my own intuition. I am also considering changing a few parts of it slightly to make it a little more wearable, since it looks like it'd be a pain to wear for anything more than about an hour.

I will take lots of pictures and update regularly as to how both these projects are going, along with photographs and reviews of the things I use during the projects, and how we get on at trading events, of course!

How to Get Inspired

Inspiration is a hard thing to come by, some days. Granted, some times you are brimming with all the enthusiasm and good ideas in the world, but other days can be slow.

I have found two or three really good ways to go from clueless to clued in:

1. Stop: Stop thinking, stop working and stop putting so much pressure on yourself. Take a seat, grab a cuppa and calm down. Research the sort of thing you'd like to make on the internet, to help the creative juices start to flow.
2. Mood Boards: I used to hate being made to do mood boards at school, but have recently recognised just how valuable they can be. A mood board is a collection of photos, images, descriptions, fabric samples and other inspirational things glued or pinned to a board, in one mash of subject area. They are useful for getting your mind in the right place for making. I personally have one mood board for the subject with which I'm working, such as waistcoats, then another just devoted to sewing for those days when I'm less enthusiastic.
3. Create a Lovely Place To Work: My work room has a huge window, which I always keep open, along with speakers and photographs of people I've worked with or just really idolise. You'll be more likely to want to be in a place that's covered in beautiful things that interest you, and if you have to make a large project that involves lots of hours work, time seems to fly in a lovely environment. Just think about how much nicer it'd be to work in a field of flowers and not a dreary office? Same theory.

Oddly, I've found that having a drink to hand, and working in stages is the best way to be inspired. If you break down one project into 5 smaller ones, you get that sense of achievement at several intervals before the project is even complete. It also allows you to look objectively and see if a project can be improved.

Commercial vs. Free Patterns

In this comparison, I will be looking at the advantages and disadvantages of using commercial and free patterns.

Commercial patterns are often wonderful to work with, but can cost a chunk of the budget for a project if you don't source them properly. I often stalk eBay to be able to find used patterns, or patterns which have been ordered by mistake and are now unwanted. You can occasional find already cut and used patterns, which are often cheaper, on eBay, which saves you the task of cutting out if you can find it pre-cut in the appropriate size! The quality paper is usually really good, making working with the pieces a breeze.

Free patterns are just that, and often you get what you pay for. I've used some brilliant free patterns in the last year, and some terrible ones. They often come without instructions, which means you have to either figure it out for yourself or search the internet for decent instruction. However, if you sort of know what you're doing with a project, free patterns can be a lovely challenge and very useful. I use them often as a teaching aid, as they are reprintable once cut, and an unlimited supply of the same pattern is great! These patterns print from your home printer, so the quality of the pattern paper is whatever paper you print on, and the quality of lines is also down to your printer and its settings.

Essentially, printed free patterns are lovely if it's a small or simple project such as an unlined waistcoat, but if you want to make anything large and elaborate I'd highly recommend using a commercial pattern and making adjustments so it suits your needs.

The Basics of Corset Building Review

'A handbook for beginners...'

This book, by Linda Sparks, is a very neat introduction to your first built corset. It outlines everything in a smooth and easy to understand manner, including even comparisons of types of boning and suggestions when to use them.

Having little to no experience in making corsets, I found this book via Amazon. It has mixed reviews, but I thought I'd try it anyway just to give myself some brief background knowledge. This book is in no way a history of corsets, as some customers seemed to think it would be. It is however, a lovely companion guide to consult whilst working with patterns, and even provides a chapter on how to fit an existing corset to a person, which is particularly handy.

The book has several photographs and lots of information, which makes it easy to follow. It also involves a chapter just on how to put together the corset once everything is prepared, down to handy hints and tips on how to make the best of of various techniques.

There is also mentions of different suppliers throughout the book, as well as suggestions as to which commercial patterns are useful for beginners to use. This is good as it creates a starting point for sourcing your own suppliers in your area as many people prefer not to buy things from over-seas.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to any beginner, as it is a lovely companion guide which is easy to interpret even at a glance.