SHANNON'Sdresses

GEORGIANcorset

October 2009

Seeing as I was becoming so obsessed with Georgian costume, I thought it best that I make some authentic underpinnings - and this corset is made from Butterick pattern B4254. I used calico reinforced with interfacing for the body, and boned it with strips of thick cardboard. The bottom is decorated with blue gingham binding, and the upper edge has self-fabric binding. All the eyelets are hand-sewn, and the straps are secured with blue ribbon.

It's quite comfortable to wear actually. My only complaint was that the straps dug into my armpits and across the front of my shoulder a bit, but it may just be that the ribbons need to be loosened. I also tried on the peach dress which is still under construction to see how it would fit over the corset. It helped give the dress a good shape, but I unfortunately realised it is still a little too small, even over the restrictions of the corset. Never mind. Nothing is unfixable. The blue chemise is a very simple shift I made one evening out of an old bedsheet. It's basically two rectangles for the front and back with sleeves attached and a neckline cut out and gathered with string. A very nice accompaniment I thought.