NOTE: This is not the plaid we are working with. This plaid is rational and orderly compared to the plaid we are working with.

So yes, dammit, I have decided that I’m going to have a costume ready for daughter in time for Orycon next week. Because I promised her, and I’ve been putting her off for a long time, and the mom-guilt is strong with this one. (“But mom … you promised!”)

So last night we worked on the corset. Which, as you recall, we drafted ourselves. I am pretty happy with the way the mockup was fitting, but I’m still a bit concerned about the length. But hey, one can cut a corset down on the top and bottom up to the very last minute, so we definitely have outs.

We marked all the seams on the toile then ripped it apart and used it to cut 3 layers; one of “fashion fabric”, one of interlining (the down-proof ticking) and one of lining (white coutil). This is my first time using actual coutil, by the way, and I am so excited! That stuff is crazy-stiff. This corset is going to be like iron just from the fabric.

The biggest challenge came from the fashion fabric, which is a plaid satin (black, blue and white, it’s really beautiful.) But working with plaid is HORRIBLE, and what’s worse, the plaid we’re working with is not an even grid-pattern plaid, it’s got thick-thin lines in staggered order … aaargh! God help me. (I wish I could post pictures, but I’m having terrible camera problems. I’ll get daughter to take some photos with her functioning camera tonight.)

Anyway, we had to cut the left-front THREE TIMES to get the plaid to match right. And of course daughter was all like, “it’s good enough, mom” and I’m all like “NO! THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GOOD ENOUGH IN SEWING!” and so we had a good laugh and I imparted some life wisdom. They’re going to make an Afterschool Special about this someday. Not Without My Daughter’s Corset.

We figured that the two pieces that were absolutely imperative to get matched up right were the front (of course) and the back (of course.) And we got them matched up beautifully. But now I’m very worried about the sides, that they’ll be all crazy once I start sewing them. And that will make me sad.

But anyway, all the cutting is done and we’re going to start sewing tonight. I’m very excited to see how this comes together, given that it’s a pattern of our own design. And it fit her really pretty in the mockup; all super curvy like I like corsets to be. You know, it occurs to me that corsetieres are likely pretty unique in the fashion world in that (if they’re anything like me) they actually prefer working with a body that is not stick-thin. It’s so much more fun to make a corset when you’re sewing for someone with a bit of squoosh that you can artfully redistribute. Creating a corset for a very slender woman does not strike me as being as much fun, because you don’t have as much play-doh under there to remold.

Anyway, more details as they emerge. And hopefully photos of the insane demon plaid.