A Foray Into Corsetry, & Some Thoughts on Self-Sufficiency

This is my current project:

Gussets!  Cording!  Laces!  It can only be--a corset!  Sort of.  Let me explain.

Between taking the Seamless pledge, reading the entire backlog of the makeshift project (which is brilliant, and which I highly recommend checking out), and discovering other blogs with similar sensibilities like handmade mess, I've been thinking a lot lately about self-sufficiency in my wardrobe.  As my sewing skills grow, too, I'm reconsidering my knee-jerk assumptions that certain things have to be store bought.  After all, Natalie Purschwitz wore homemade shoes for a year.  Shoes.  And I'm balking at making underwear why exactly?




For these reasons, I've found lately that my sewing feels less like a fun hobby and more like a life experiment (still fun, but also meaningful).  I've never been one for flashy party sewing--as you will probably have noticed by now--but I find myself getting even more practical as I brainstorm upcoming projects.  Can I make jeans?  Oh yeah.  Can I make washcloths and handkerchiefs and kitchen towels?  Totally.  Can I make knitted scarves and leg warmers?  Probably (jury's still out on the leg warmers).  Can I make socks, underwear, bras?  More than likely.  Hence my current project.

The more research I did on making undergarments, the more I realized I wasn't going to be happy with t-shirt panties and underwire bras.  Not my style.  I'm just contrary I guess.  Then I happened across this post on Wearing History, and I thought 'Regency short stays!  That's exactly what my wardrobe is missing!' (don't ask me why).  So I did some research, and I drafted this up.  I don't know if it'll be street-wearable or not, but at the very least it's been an enlightening exercise in drafting foundation garments.

And the research.  Oh, the research.  I'll throw up a post sometime next week with some of the resources I found on corsetry, specifically Regency corsetry.  I never would have expected the amount of structure you can get in a garment just by sewing some yarn into it!  I'll also post pictures once it's finished, although probably on Dottie and not me (I do have some modesty).  Stay tuned.