Side Project: "Fabbard"

I like to carry a fan with me when it's hot out, don't you? Especially since air-conditioning is exceedingly rare at Renaissance Faires. I kept my fan stuck in my belt until the time it fell out unnoticed and I had to trace my steps to recover it, hoping all the while that it had not been trampled by a horse, the pickle wench, or some hapless commoner with a head brimming with ale.

"Never again," I vowed, "shall my fan fall to ground unheeded!" Plans fomented then and there for a scabbard for my fan -- a "fabbard", as my new friend Carrie Soderquist named it.

After futzing around with bits of scrap this-n-that from my stash, I decided on a simple tube-like design in leather, lined with wool to cushion and protect the fan and add a more substantial and finished look and feel to the scabbard itself. Some leftover copper wire twisted into a braid and threaded between the leather and wool forms loops through which I can pass a bit of woven cord and tie the fabbard to my belt.

I'm kinda making it up as I go, so the finished product might be a little rough-looking. It will also be functional, though, and a conversation piece, and will serve just fine until I feel the need to make another -- probably better -- one.

(The black ribbon is just there to hold the seam steady until a little bit of glue on the seam dries. Then I'll stitch the seam more easily.)

More doublet stuff

You know what I did wrong? You're gonna laugh so hard when I explain.

I forgot to add the 1/2" seam allowance all-round when I cut the back piece. No matter that I wrote in big, black letters on the pattern "add seam allowance!"

It's a rookie mistake. BUT! Fortunately I have a plan for fixing it. The doublet seems to rest all right at the shoulder seam without making the armscye too tight; the main problem is the one inch gap in front where the hems won't meet. I'm simply going to make wool strips to match the rest of the garment and insert them where the front and back meet on the sides. My first thought was to make them look like a bit of decorative trim, but I think that would draw too much attention to my error.

I'll cut them out when I cut out the skirting and epaulets, and it'll be just fine. I'll load a picture later on.

Ongoing: The Doublet of Dave

The doublet is gorgeous: tiny stitches, the wool and lining going together beautifully (and quickly!) and the hand to it -- oh my, it's like holding a vest made out of kittens, cupcakes, and rainbows.

Too bad it fits entirely incorrectly at the neck.

I don't know what happened! I used the pattern from a muslin I made like two months ago, and it should be a perfect fit! But no, instead, the neck-to-shoulder length is all off, and tries to crawl up his neck. I'm going to try to work it into a kind of stand-up collar/lapel sorta deal, but I think..I think there are scissors and restitching in the future.

Ah well, it's not a project until you've torn out at least one seam, right?

The Doublet of Dave

While I fret over the corset strap business, I've taken up my next project: making Dave a jerkin/doublet for September Crown. I have about a week, and I don't anticipate any problems in this straight-forward project.

I've chosen some brown wool stuff for the outer fabric, some cotton duck canvas for an inner layer, and pale sea green linen for the lining. I have the back panel almost done already, after only an hour or so of stitching. One front panel is the same brown wool, and the other is cream-colored wool that will have three brown wool diamond shapes appliqued onto it with supplementary decorative stitching in brown wool.

My camera phone has a tendency to make indoor photos with artificial lighting look yellowish. I'll take future pictures in better light! Until then, if you look at this fabric and think about those Ande's creme-de-menthe candies you get after dinner in some restaurants, or mint chocolate-chip ice cream, you'll not be far off. Working on this piece makes me hungry.

*edit* Here's a better pic in daylight. That pale green really doesn't show up well. Just as well: if I made you all hungry for mint ice cream, there'd be less for me!

Dammit.

Okay, so. I dealt with the strap issue, and I did the foxy lil' embroidery on the shoulders, and then I go to sew the jobbers on, annnnd... the design interferes with the attachment. There's a deep wrinkle/fold.

I thought it would be okay and I could just deal; that when I had it on, the natural tension would pull it smooth. But I know I'm just kidding myself. It looks bad, and if I just go ahead on with it like this, I'll end up with a corset that I'll never be happy with.

Having taken so many pains to do diligent, quality work so far, it's senseless to cheat myself at this point. There's nothing for it but to go back a few steps: pull out the stitching that attaches it, tear out the embroidery -- maybe just some, possibly all, in favor of a different or modified design -- and start again. I also need to close the channels that go under the strap attachment, or the reeds there will work their way up, possibly damaging the fabric. Or me.

I can't lie; this is a disappointment, and I'm hoping that I don't have to re-work the whole strap idea from scratch. Fortunately, I have enough of the fabrics that I can re-cut if need be.

On a brighter note, I cut out the pieces for Dave's doublet this afternoon. Brown and cream-colored wool, lined with pale green linen. It's going to be a nice piece. I have plans for applique and embroidery to fancy it up.

Reeds!

I've found lots of people writing about their reed-boned corsets, but no one really outlined the method they used, other than "I put reeds in it."

I wanted a bit more info than that; like how to prepare the reeds, and all, but had no success. So I did what felt right to me. If that's the information you're searching for, here's what I did -- and you can look to future posts to detail how well (or not) it worked.

I used wire cutters from my garage to cut the reeds to about 18" lengths. I filled a bucket halfway with tepid water, and soaked the cut reeds in it for about ten minutes, just enough to get them evenly wetted. I swooshed them around with my hands a bit, then took them out of the water and shook them in the yard to get all the excess water off.

It was 85 degrees today, so the reeds were barely damp after a few minutes. I fluffed them up so the air could circulate through the pile while I used the beeswax on them.

My beeswax was just a 1x3" block I got at shipwreckbeads for $2.50. All-natural, of course, and it smelled wonderful! I held it in the palm of my hand and drew the reeds across it, pressing them against the block with my thumb. I wore a metal thimble on my thumb to protect from slivers. I found that I could do four reeds at a time, turning them to make sure that both sides got waxed.

In about half an hour, I had soaked and waxed enough reeds to do my entire corset. They were pliable but not wet when I slid them, five at a time, into the channels of my corset.

In theory, soaking the reeds keeps them malleable and prevents breakage while working them, and the beeswax helps hold a little moisture in the reeds to allow them to bend, but not snap, when the corset is worn. Apparently it's also a bit of a preservative.

I had no trouble at all working the reeds into the channels, and I'm very pleased with the result. Now to trim the reeds, stitch on the straps, and finish the right-hand eyelets, and it'll be done!

Thank you, Mister Mailman!

My reeds came! They were waiting on the front porch when I came home for lunch. Now I have to work the rest of the day while my brain tries to stay here and play with the corset.

At 1 mm, I'm thinking 8-10 reeds per channel will be about right. All I need now is little piece of sandpaper to smooth the ends, and some beeswax to keep them supple, and about 3 hours to work them in.

I'm almost finished with the strap add-on, so things are really starting to take shape.

Does anyone have any hints or tricks for working with reeds? I've conflicting stories of washing/not washing the finished corset, as well. Maybe it'll be "ongoing research"...