Stays

Oh, well. I've been waiting long enough to finally make some stays. Now it is time to do do something about it. Because I am a stays newbie I have choosen a pattern which looked not too complicated in my innocent beginners eyes...
My choice: the stays from Linda Baumgarten's "Costume Close-Up".
They are dated 1740 - 1760, are strapless, leatherbound and without busk. So when I went fabric shopping last week I bought a light brown cotton twill I am going to use instead of the original wool satin. My boning will be made from reed with a 2,5mm diameter.
I started yesterday afternoon and spend every awake moment ever since to work on my new project. It will be my very late entry for the HSF challenge #12 Shape & Support, which was due two weeks ago.
Better late than never, right?

 First I scaled up the pattern

Then I cut my fabric and two layers of cotton interlining. The original stays contained a linen interlining.

To test the width of the eyelets I made one test eyelet on my test piece. The eyelets are worked, but not using buttonhole stitching like it was done on the original stays. I am using the same strong polyester thread as I have used for my gloves.

 You know I am a lazy seamstress...

That is why I made all boning channels with my beloved sewing machine. I wouldn't dare to have her unused all day anyway!

Stitching the boning channels on the side back piece

To smooth the sharp edge of the reed I used some sand paper I had left from building my bunnys tower...

After pressing and steaming and smoothing 187 strips of reed I got this:

Right side

Left side

Then I started the eyelets. As you can easily see these eyelets are smaller than the one on my test piece. And why is that??? Because I made my test on 3 layers and not on the 6 I am having with the seam allowance turned under. I'm sure they will work nevertheless...

This is how far I got yesterday and today. Now I am tired and my fingers are hurting a lot... 

See you tomorrow!!!