First Fitting

I overslept by like three hours, but still managed to get my fitting done today. The lovely thing about fitting on yourself is you can feel where it's right and where it isn't.

Before any changes were made...

Lovely armpit shot

Probably should have used a darker background

Oh well

Positives first - I love this pattern so hard. It is my new number one. (Cue Atomic Kittens sing along). There isn't that much to change really, nothing too complicated.

However, you know how I said the hip line was wonky when I was putting it together? Well it's definitely off. There was definitely not enough room for my bootay, so the bottom needed to be left open.

The waist could definitely have been tighter - at present it is a gentle hug and I want something stronger! 

The underbust was too loose, so the bust needs moving up a little - as I expected from reading Cathy Hay's article. 

For the mock up, I just made quick boning channels from the seam allowance, so the boning placement will change, but observing the back of the corset shows some serious wrinkleage at the back waist. There will need to be more support there for the fabric.

Out come the pins! 

To help my poor squished butt, the panel was slashed and more calico put under to figure out how much space I needed. This was spread evenly between both sides of the corset and gives it a much curvier shape.

I will take an inch off the waist, spread through all the curved seams of the pattern.

To deal with the boob issues, I took out the bones over the breasts to make it easier to in. A little will be taken from the side of panel 3 closest to panel 4, and a portion from next to panel 2. The curve to cup the top of my breast will be more significant. After these alterations were pinned, it significantly brought down the top design line, so I will move that up to the edge of the seam allowance (1"/2.5cm), and gently slope down to the original design line at panel 4.

After the room was given to my hind-quarters, the laces were tightened at the back. The room my butt needed seems to have been at the front of the corset, so I will need to take in panels 1 and 3 at the hip to take care of that overhang. I might actually sneak some from the front of 5 too if it works.

Not too bad, huh! Here are the final pictures:

Did someone say armpit?

Look at those curves, oh yeah

Dang that overhang

Sadly, I only got about 330ish words and some research done last night due to an existential crises. This means no corsetry till Friday afternoon - unless I get my dissertation finished early by some magical magic. Of the magical kind. Only 3,385 words to go...