It has been a very busy winter – thank you for keeping me busy – here are just a few of my recent creations.  Happy Spring!

Here is a bit of eye candy for you – pink and beige lace over silk shantung.  The style is an ‘over the bust’ version of the early Edwardian cut. Lots of hip emphasis to make your waist look smaller. Just the thing for your sweetie on Valentine’s Day.

Regency Short Stays

I want to share my version of the Regency short stay.  I just finished this prototype and I’m very pleased with the results.   I have made the full length stays in the Regency/Napolionic/Directoire (take your pick)  style – early 1800’s.  This version comes just below the high waistline, has a drawstring across the top front,  gusseted cups, and adjustable straps.  It laces in the front and the back, for ease in dressing.  Though possibly not the most authentic corset of the period, it certainly will make the proper sillouette for this style gown.   And, considering the number inquiries, the ‘Jane Austen’ style is very popular at the moment!

Dawn's first corset - Front

I’ve been asked this  question quite often lately,  and the answer is yes!  I do teach corset making.   I have been taking  students on a ‘one on one’ basis.   This seems to work well for both me and the students.  The hardest part is the scheduling – finding the time to teach and get my custom orders done. 

My class  takes two 8 hour days, with some homework in between.  It is intense and  a lot of hard work, as I cover as much as I think the student can absorb.  I don’t take beginning sewers.  You  need to be well acquainted with basic sewing terms and skills  and have a good rapport with  your sewing machine.   You also need to be the kind of sewer that likes fine detail.  Corsets are, to say the least, ‘nit picky’.  It takes patience.  It is not the kind of project  that you start the night before the ‘big event’.  Although I’ve seen some great stuff done very quickly,  that is not how I work.  

In my class you will start from a pattern – usually one I have prepped for you – and it will not fit quite right, as half the class is learning the fitting technique.   You will make a mock up, and we will fit, and then you will transfer the changes to your pattern.   Then, we learn to cut and assemble your corset, by the method that I have developed,  and  finally, do the finishing.  You will learn about the various bones and hardware, as well as appropriate materials.  When we are through, you will have a well fitted pattern, and a finished corset.   My class fee includes  the hardware (busk,  stays and grommets )  for one corset, the lining and interfacing, and a ‘corset fitting aid’ (as shown on the web page), as well as handouts . If you are interested, e-mail me for the current class fee and available times. 

I can take up to two students at a time – more than that, and I don’t have the space.  I have taught  larger workshops and I might consider it under the proper circumstances. 

Last fall I had a great student – Dawn.  She has a infectious enthusiasm for corset making.   Here is an excerpt from the note she sent:

“ Hi Marie,  …..Thank you so much, I really had the best time and feel like I learned a ton.  You are really a great teacher, so patient.  I told my husband on the way home I had two of the most fun days that I’d had in a while.  Just to do something I love and learn more about it was wonderful……”  

Back of Dawn's First corset

I usually don’t print testimonials, although I have a book full (which I read when I feel blue).  But, Dawn gave me permission to share her note and some of her pictures.  This is her first corset that she made in class.  I’m so proud!  Thank you Dawn,  I had great fun teaching you.

Happy New Year – If I have counted correctly,  this is our twelfth year!   I am as surprised as anyone at the continued popularity of corsets.   No end in sight.   Business, while understandably a bit off  last year, has picked up remarkably since the New Year and promises to be as busy as ever. 

I”m often asked if I do mostly weddings or historical or waist training corsets – and the answer is yes! ‘all of the above’.   I have a wide variety of clients – all with their special corset needs – and that makes me very happy.   Nothing boring around here – I’m constantly surprised and pleased by the creativity of my clients.   I”m looking forward to more Steam Punk styles – as corsets seem to be an integral part of the genre. 

So many thanks to all you corset wearers out there who keep me busy and challenged and I look forward to meeting you all – whether in person or over the Internet.  And do have a wonderful 2010!

Marie

November 19, 2009
Yes! there is still time to get a custom corset for Christmas or New Years –
And, we have gift certificats available so your loved one can choose fabrics, colors and style for themselves. Christmas is comming soon ready or not! (and I’m usually on the ‘not’ side ). Happy Thanksgiving!
Marie

November 11, 2009
I hope you all had a great Halloween season, it is always a busy one around here – many parties and fancy corsets to be made. Here are two corsets –each with a lot of personality – that I made for a display. The first is a green silk with embroidered shocking pink dots – not to my usual taste, but there was something about how the two colors played together that I couldn’t resist.
The second, is a denim – stitched in the style of jeans – and frosted with pink rhinestones and pink lace and silver nail heads – just to add the ‘over the top’ element for a ‘Country Western Queen’ look – again, not at all my usual style. But I really like the jean stitching – it worked out very well.

Both these corsets are available – I’ll give the specifications below. Please contact me for pricing if you are interested. I can always make a similar style in your size – as that is what custom work is all about. And, I now I have some corset samples on hand – which is really rare for me! All my best things go out the door – and sometimes I grow attached to them and miss them when they are gone – ok – too much information!

Here are the specifics:
Green and pink silk – black lining – Over the Bust style Actual corset measurements: Bust 35 (B-C cup) Waist 27 Hip 34.5 – Center front 15” – It will fit a figure 3-6 inches larger than the measurements.

Medium Blue Denim – black lining – 1890’s cut – with hip panels Bust 36 (C-D cup), Waist 28, Hip 37, Center front 15” – It will fit a figure 3-6 inches larger than these measurements.  Skirt -Waist 31 (sits below corset waist) Hip 36 – Lenght 17″ – stretch denim – should fit pretty tight!

I’ve always liked the European custom of taking  vacation for the entire month of August.  Oh, there are technical problems when everyone takes the same month off – traffic, and who gets to stay home and feed the cat.  But, I think people are better off  if they get a good long vacation.  We Americans tend to take vacation a few days at a time – and then try to cram as much as possible into that time.  I am so guilty of this!  No relaxation, no re-creation.   So the best I can do is avoid the ‘Busman’s Holiday” and do something that gets me out of the studio and away from my sewing machine.  

This August I  spent three weekends working at a local Renaissance faire.   I sing with the Ravenrook Consort.  (our new CD is now available from:  http://www.ravenrook.com/revel/cd.jsp  )   I also demonstrated bobbin lace making which I never get around to doing at home.   I truly enjoyed the parade of happy faire patrons in their fanciful costumes which included every kind of corset you can imagine!  ( I had to get around to corsetry sooner or later….)  

I have made all the corsets for our group – which is a good thing, as we are sometimes in costume for 8-14 hours.  Other than the usual fatigue, I didn’t hear any complaints.   A well fitted corset should not be uncomfortable.  

I  can’t imagine some of the faire patrons were quite as lucky.  There were so many under boned or plastic boned bustiers – so sad and saggy and not at all flattering.   Large or small, anyone can look great and be comfortable in a custom made, well fitted corset.    Beware, there are corset makers who claim to do custom work but they are merely plugging your measurements into stock pattern sizes.  If it sounds like too good a deal – it probably is.  Caveat Emptor. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a ‘historical snob’ when it comes to corsets – I love to do fantasy, and fashion, pirates and fairies, steampunk and fetish, saloon girls and bar wenches!   But I am a ‘fitting snob’.  If it looks good and is comfortable then I’ve done my job.  

Wishing you all restful and happy vacations,

Marie

Just a quick note for those who enjoy all things
Goth that My friend and client Jillian Venters has
a new book: Gothic Charm School: An Essential Guide
For Goths And Those Who Love Them. An absolutely
‘Charming’ read – and maybe some good advice on corsets and dress. Available where all good books are sold.
Gothic-Charm-School.com

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Chicago and see the ‘Chic Chicago’ exhibition at the Chicago History Museum. My friend, who went with me, teaches fashion history. We try to make it to as many good clothing and fashion exhibits as possible. Seattle, sadly, is not a good venue for fashion history. So when we travel, we try to see as many displays as we can.

‘Chic Chicago’ was originally staged at the Fashion Institute Technology in New York. It will end it’s run in Chicago on July 26, 2009.The focus of the exhibit is couture fashion owned and worn byfamous and influential Chicago women. The earliest piece is an evening gown – attributed to Worth – from 1861. And it continues through present day with a gown donated by Oprah Winfrey. These are exceptional pieces – some familiar to the fashion historian – such as the Paul Poiret “Sorbet” gown and a Schiaparelli evening suit. Some, are less familiar designers, and what a treat it is to see their work!

Just as interesting as the fashions are the women who wore them. You get to know a bit about these ladies and their lives and how they were important to Chicago – and how important Chicago is to the rest of the world. It truly is more than the ’Second City’.

As an extra treat, there was a display of Bertha Honore’ Palmer’s personal wardrobe. And as we were staying at the Palmer House Hotel ( a wedding gift to Bertha from her husband, Potter) – we learned a lot about this fascinating and influential woman. I can’t do credit to her story here, but I encourage you to look her up – we tend to brush off the fashionable women of the Edwardian Era – but Bertha Palmer took every ball and ran with it – from the Woman’s pavilion at the world’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, to her patronage of Oscar Wild in her London salon, to her real estate developments in Sarasota Florida, this was a woman of power and style. (and she did most of it in a corset… sorry I had to get corsets in there somewhere! I always flinch when I hear ‘oh I could never do that in a corset!’ – well maybe they couldn’t but most women did – for five hundred years – and did it well. )

It would be interesting to compare the lives of Bertha Palmer and Oprah Winfrey. I’m sure someone must have done this and found many interesting similarities.

I recommend the accompanying book – Chic Chicago Couture Treasures From the Chicago History Museum by Timothy A. Long and Dr. Valerie Steele – for the fabulous pictures and thumbnail biographies of both the designers and the owners of the fashions. Also, Bertha Honore’ Palmer by Timothy A. Long. www.chicagohistory.org