Since I couldn't get the sequinned fabric I wanted, I went with a flat sequinned fabric in aqua. It's a little darker than I would have liked and the shape of the sequins isn't right, but it sho is pretty. I'd like a pair of pants in this material. Or hot shorts. Just to refresh your memory, the pattern I used is Butterick B5797. It's style C but without the bows or contrast fabric.
I've made dozens of corsets and corset like tops. From steel boned, busked Elizabethan style to black and red glitter vinyl open cup and everything in between. I'm not saying I could make one in my sleep, but this was probably the easiest part of the costume for me. Especially since I was using a pattern. It needed a few minor alterations but I was able to use the pattern pretty much straight from the envelope.
I cut out the underlining (in heavy white suiting), had my cousin come for a fitting, then I cut out the sequinned fabric and the lining and slapped it together. I used French seams to make the casings for the plastic boning. Here's where I'm going to give away one of my trade secrets. I never never never buy plastic boning from the fabric stores. Not the covered or the uncovered kinds. Instead I go to the hardware stand at the flea market and buy extra long zip ties. The longest I can find. For this I used 1/4" zip ties, but the other widths work for other applications. They are just a thick as the plastic boning and about 1/10th the price. I paid $1.00 for a package of about 20, at 18" long. So cheap! The secrets out! If you have ever commissioned anything from me that is lightly boned (plastic, steel is a whole different story) it was made with zip ties. I feel so much better getting that off my chest.
I cut out the underlining (in heavy white suiting), had my cousin come for a fitting, then I cut out the sequinned fabric and the lining and slapped it together. I used French seams to make the casings for the plastic boning. Here's where I'm going to give away one of my trade secrets. I never never never buy plastic boning from the fabric stores. Not the covered or the uncovered kinds. Instead I go to the hardware stand at the flea market and buy extra long zip ties. The longest I can find. For this I used 1/4" zip ties, but the other widths work for other applications. They are just a thick as the plastic boning and about 1/10th the price. I paid $1.00 for a package of about 20, at 18" long. So cheap! The secrets out! If you have ever commissioned anything from me that is lightly boned (plastic, steel is a whole different story) it was made with zip ties. I feel so much better getting that off my chest.
I'm really happy with the end result. I'm also really glad that I decided to make this costume as separates instead of 1 dress. Theoretically my cousin could wear the bodice on it's own. I saw a few online that had been made as one piece. Seems like a pain to me. Anyway, I finished the bodice with a separating sports zipper. It is a perfect match to the fabric and will be covered by the cape anyway. I gave my cousin the option to have it lace up the back like a corset but she wanted the zipper. I think she made the right choice. I think the lacing would distract from the cape. Just my opinion.
I hope you are finding this information useful, I'm really not trying to create a tutorial, I just wanted to share how I did it. If you have any questions about what or how I did something please don't hesitate to send me a message or leave a comment. Be sure to check out my other blogs about this costume: the overview and how I made the undershirt. There's also lots of resources on my Elsa Board on Pinterest.
Thanks for stopping by!
I hope you are finding this information useful, I'm really not trying to create a tutorial, I just wanted to share how I did it. If you have any questions about what or how I did something please don't hesitate to send me a message or leave a comment. Be sure to check out my other blogs about this costume: the overview and how I made the undershirt. There's also lots of resources on my Elsa Board on Pinterest.
Thanks for stopping by!