BURNLEY AND TROWBRIDGE WORKSHOPS
Nearly two years ago, Sept 2012, I took a Burnley and Trowbridge workshop with the tailor to create my 18th century stays!
Conquering the basics with them, I wore them to have my new silk gown draped with them about six weeks later, November 2012, at a Burnley and Trowbridge workshop with the mantua maker.
STAYS AUDITION
Finally in February 2013, I finished hand stitching the basic components of my stays, minus the inner lining (still a work in progress).
The delay in completing the inner lining arose when I wore my new stays…but despite numerous tweaks, the top most points dig into my arm pit, rendering excruciating pain.
Puzzling over that has delayed wearing them further, while I focus on numerous tweaks, wearing them for a photo shoot, awaiting any possible pain which seems to be delayed each time, then analyzing photos of myself compared to others.
Below is a view of one of my gowns with my stays on the same day I took the above photo.
BUM ROLL AUDITION
Sometimes I take a break from that to work more on my gown, which I basically completed by Sept 2013 for a photo shoot with my stays and a bum roll, which I liked a lot…from most position!
Although the bum roll look originally seemed prodigious to me, I liked it well on the ladies…and I think I’m finally used to it!
TRIMMING A SILK COVERED HAT
Also in September 2013, I took a break from agonizing over fitting myself, to trim a silk covered hat to coordinate with my gown!
Here it is displayed on my dress form with the bum roll as the underpinning.
TRIMMING THE GOWN
Then in January 2014 I finally trimmed my gown with pinked self-fabric ruching, which really perks it up.
To pin it in place, I used my white pearl-head pins to audition whether I’d like to incorporate pearls somehow into the trim.
Still pondering that one, but I do like the contrast against my Colonial Williamsburg Waverly curtains on the French Doors!
PHOTO SHOOT WITHOUT HIP PADDING
So earlier this month I took some time to audition my gown with my new stays with a period hair style, new hat, and fan!
I’m still trying to figure out how to get the hat to perch on my head just right! 😉
Alas, didn’t use the bum roll this time…because the kids keep telling me it looks to big, but this looks too flat. 😉
I’ve not yet hemmed my gown because I’m not sure where the length will settle once I settle on the underpadding: bum roll, rump pad, etc.
RUMP PAD AUDITION
Having tried the rump pad before, I got major thumbs down from my kids, because it looked too sharp, so I’ve been trying it on numerous times with different amounts of stuffing.
So this time I wore the rump pad with an under petticoat on top of that, then my silk petticoat.
Again I’m wearing my new stays…though the points still dig into the front of my shoulder above the armpits.
In the following photos and the header, I like a few angles with the rump pad, but not all.
I’m thinking the bum roll is better than the rump pad.
As for the stays, I am still thinking through the best adjustment so it doesn’t hurt anymore.
Hmm….
