Bobbinet and dress foundations

I've been researching the fabric known as Bobbinet as i've started to stock it in the shop.  It's a fascinating fabric, not just any old tulle but special tulle which is woven in a particular way to make it strong enough for corsetted dress foundations whilst remaining beautifully light and bulk free.

Read all about it here:  

Bobbinet - what is it and what is it for?

Making bags for better corset making

Feeling quite accomplished today having written a blog post over at Sew Curvy and thought it a good idea to flag these posts up over here so that you don't miss them!

Here's a blog post on how making bags improved not only my sewing skills but my corset making skills no end.

 Click HERE.

Moving

I've started a blog over at my website which is more relevant to my current work.

I'll still pop in here now and again, and ofcourse you will still be able to access my most popular posts which are all linked from this page, either through the 'most popular posts' bar on the left, or through the tabbed headings below the main header at the top.

I do hope you enjoy my blogging adventures over at Sew Curvy.

Click HERE to go THERE

A new blog on the block

Back in the summer I taught a lovely dress making class for Darn it and Stitch, the only sewing shop in Oxford who have their own sewing school called Pinworks.

I had 5 lovely students all from different parts of the world, as is typically 'Oxford'.  There was Liere from Spain (hope I spelled that right), Veronica from Mexico, Maria from Italy, Nicola from Germany, and Claire from Oxford.

Only Claire had sewing experience, the others had none but had seen their grandmothers and mothers sewing while they were growing up, paid no attention (as teenagers are prone to do) but then as grown women, realised that sewing is not only fun, but a valuable skill, and they wanted to learn.  We made a simple dress, and by the end of the 7 week course, I had 5 sewing junkies on my hands.  A proud moment of indeed - for all of us!  Unfortunately, this event is completely un-documented with the camera which is extremely unusual for me.

The girls have kept in touch with me and eachother, and have gone onto bigger and better projects and Claire has now joined 'the dark side' by becoming a sewing blogger!  She's done some fantastic work.  She's made several bits of clothing AND a quilt!  This is something I haven't attempted yet.  It would be great if you could support Claire and cheer her along.  Her blog is called "I want to be a Turtle" -

Now Claire has set herself an enormous challenge.  She wants to make 12 outfits between now and December. That's 2 per month.  These are they:

Join her as she sews up her new wardorbe!

Words AND Pictures this time!

Oh lawks!  I didn't realise my pics were invisible on the last post ... they show up in my editor .. anyway.  Rectified.  I put the pics up and you can see them now :)

Imitation is the best form of flattery

For the last 2 or 3 years, this sewing blog right here has had the header "House of Marmalade".  My regular readers will testify to this.

Mr Google also knows because if you search for "House of Marmalade",  you get me ...

Now, according to Google Alerts, someone has bought the domain "houseofmarmalade' and seems to be planning some sort of fashion blog/shop ...

Thank goodness I bought the domains for Marmaladekiss, the original name of this place.

Fabric giveaway WINNER

We have a winner!  The Random Number Generator, generated the following:

This turns out to be Ginny who picked this lovely fabric:

Esteval

Please get in touch Ginny with your contact details.  You'll find my email address HERE.

Dragonfly Fabrics summer giveaway

When I originally wrote this post, it started "Now the sunny weather is here".  However, not all of us are experiencing sunshine are we? :/  Even the Hawthorn blossom seems to be hiding from the rain ... Nevertheless, we WILL get sunshine soon, so for the next few weeks it’s time to make some new summer clothes.  


Dragonfly Fabrics are here to help with their great range of summer dressmaking fabrics.  They are offering 2 winners their choice of fabric to get you started on your summer sewing projects:

Prize - 1.5 meters of their chosen fabric from Spring/Summer fabrics Children's or Women's collection or Anna Maria Horner Voile for each winner. 

To enter this competition please visit the Dragonfly Fabrics website and then leave a comment to say which spring/summer fabric or Anna Maria Horner voile you want to win.  Closing date for the giveaway is 15 May, 6pm.

For a second chance to win you can pop over to the The Sewing Directory and enter there too, a winner will be picked from  each site.   

If you can’t wait to get your hands on some of Dragonfly Fabric’s beautiful fabrics there is a special discount code for you – 15% off if you enter Spring at the checkout - this discount offer expires on 22 May so hurry over and start choosing!. 

Terms & Conditions

This competition is being run through The Sewing Directory & on The House of Marmalade (Sew Curvy) blog, a winner will be chosen at random from each site.  You can enter on both sites and have 2 entries in the draw.  All entries must be received by 6pm GMT Tuesday 15^th May 2012.  Prizes can only be shipped to an address in UK or Ireland. 

Vintage corsets

I've just done an interview with Sew Magazine about 'vintage' corset patterns.  In the interview, I explained that a good way to learn all sorts of things about corsetry techniques, and fit, is to scale up antique patterns and make them up.

Where does one find these patterns?  In books.  Namely, Corsets and Crinolines by Norah Waugh (and others), which is where this one was.

I scaled it up according to the scale given, and hey presto .. it fitted me! Which was a surprise as usually, antique patterns need much adjustment for the modern figure.

I did make a minor adjustment to the hips, in order to include 'fins' which I realise I should have padded in order to make them stand out more.  Other than that, the pattern came together very easily.

It's made from a single layer of coutil on the inside, with boning channels sewn to the inside and the outer shell is made from double sided silk stitched together with lapped seams.

It's OK but still not the standard i'm aiming for.

Fanning myself with all the excitement!

Hello all!!  Just popping my head up again from the mound of stuff I'm currently embroiled in.  Details of which will no doubt unfurl as the year goes on, but for now, some are top secret, which of course means that they are ridiculously exciting!

One thing which i'm working on is using my new workshop and studio to it's full advantage.  It's a shame to have such a beautiful space available and not use all of it after all!  So I am collaborating with talented corset makers, dress makers and hat makers, to bring you 'masterclasses' - one day workshops which will focus on the specialty areas of couture and millinery.  I am going to be announcing the first one this week, and the class while being taught by a corsetiere for corsetiers, would also be very interesting for dressmakers who are perhaps making something very special this year ... a wedding dress or very special occasion outfit perhaps?  Here's a little clue ..

In the meantime, I can also tell you that the lovely Charlotte Raine, of Charlotte Raine Corsetry will be teaching a workshop on how to make a burlesque feather fan at the Sew Curvy Studio on Saturday 19 May.  The workshop will start at 1.30pm, tea and cupcakes will be flowing, as will the ostrich feathers!  Go to Charlotte's web page to find out more and book a place - just click the picture!

And finally, if you would like to collaborate with me to present a Masterclass in your specialty, or if you would like to hire my workshop space which is in Oxfordshire, please do get in touch by clicking HERE.

Bespoke corsetry & vintage style couture clothing

Friends!  I have managed to achieve my first aim of the new year which was to launch my new website by the new moon this month!

Here it is

click on pic to go to site

I'm very happy with how it's turned out and extremely proud of my work.  I know that doesn't sound awfully modest, but I really have worked very hard to get to this point, and with the amazing help of a couple of individuals to whom I shall be forever grateful, I've managed to shape my idea of a future career into something concrete, worthwhile and deeply fullfilling.  So I am very very pleased.

I'd love if you popped over for a visit and report back with your thoughts?  

A Very Happy New Year!

Hello everyone!  Happy new year to you all!  I hope 2012 has started off well for all of you.  I love this time of year, so full of promise and inspiration for the coming year.

I thought I'd just pop up here to give you two bits of exciting news!

The first - what's been keeping me away from here.  As I mentioned before, I'm working on a new website for my bespoke corsetry, accessories and lingerie.  The website is nearly ready, so i've activated a live 'teaser' page for people to look at.  I've designed a new logo and I'm furiously sewing up some stunning samples for show.  Click below to see the preview the new MarmaladeKiss website.

As if that wasn't exciting enough, I've just been informed that this blog is on the 'We love vintage blog' award and 'Blog we like best of all'  in the Company magazine blogger awards!  If you'd like to vote for me, please click HERE or on the pic below.

I'm so excited that I think I need a little lie down!

And now for a short break

 

I've been blogging here for nearly four years and over that time, my life has changed quite radically for one reason and another.  When I started blogging I was having a 'career break', meaning I had been bullied out of the best job I ever had, and was so traumatised by the experience that I was unable to return to 'the office' for another year.  During that time I found the online world of craft and stitchers.  I had always had a sewing machine and I was already making corsets and dresses, but over this rest period  I spent my time crafting bags, and purses, and kiddies clothes along with keyrings, flags, bunting and and any other thing that could possibly be stitched.  My fabric stash grew along with the space I needed to sew and by the end of that year I had become very proficient with the sewing machine, a passion had been born and my friends insisted that I  do it for a living.  There is no coincidence that in my spiritual life, I was working very closely with the element of fire which of course has everything to do with action, creativity, and passion.

My first blog posts here

Well despite all that, I ignored the advice of my friends at that time and whilst still learning all I could about sewing, dressmaking, pattern making and corsetry, I did go back to the office, a lovely little part time job with a nice boss and friendly colleagues.  I stayed there for just over 2 years and found out lots about technical things like photoshop, illustrator and online publishing.  With all that knowledge I was able to build a small business of my own, Sew Curvy Corsetry and when that was all set up and running,  the call of my beautiful Singer became too loud to ignore, and it was time to take the leap into self employment, which I did on 1 April this year.

My book finished!

Sew Curvy is busy, but the main reason for me setting it up was so that I could eventually one day become a full time corsetiere.  This summer was spent consolidating all the information i've learned over the last 4 years,  honing my craft, researching everything I could about corsetry, finding techniques, and methods that work with my own style and ideals, dreaming up beautiful designs and deciding where to go with it all.  As you know there has also been book writing which is now finished and submitted to the publisher ready for spring publication.  Yes, the last 18 months has been intense, but oh so worth it!

source

Long time followers of this blog, will know that I work very closely with the seasons, and so it feels important to announce to you as witnesses, that now, just under 2 weeks before the winter solstice, I'm officially stepping out of the blogosphere into a period of deep and intense creativity, until the end of January when the light grows stronger, and life begins to stir. The perfect time for new ideas and ventures to be born.

A little rant

This week on my Sew Curvy Facebook page, I wrote a 'status update' which I thought may be of interest to readers here too.  So I have expanded upon it a little and added a video to demonstrate the problem.

The corset on the left is by Electra Designs, the one on the right is a cheap chinese rip off.  See what corsetiere Alexis Black had to say about it on her Facebook page by clicking here.

Corset design and image theft is a big problem in the independent corsetiers world.  Individuals are constantly finding that their hard work has been ripped off and copied by unscrupulous Chinese factories, and to add insult to injury the images which they have worked hard to create and probably paid a lot of money for, are used to promote these knock-off's at ridiculous prices.

From time to time, these big companies from China offer me wholesale corsets at knock down prices. USD5.00 each to be precise. Yes $5 for a corset.

This means that the manufacturing cost of these corsets is under $2.50 which works out at about GBP2.00 and €1.50. 

If that's how much it costs to manufacture a corset in China, can you then imagine the cost of the raw material - the busk, the bones, the fabric, eyelets and the lacing plus any embellishments? Perhaps we're talking $1.50? Which leaves less than $1 per corset for the people working in the factory!

These corsets retail in the West under brands such as "Corsets UK" and other similar sites,  for between £30-100 (€40-120/$50-150).  That's a heck of a mark up!

As I said, often the designs are copied from hard working independent corsetiers. The resulting fake product is not only cheap and nasty - literally, but the fit is ...well there isn't a fit. 

Corset busks from Germany

German steel is the best steel in the world, closely followed by British steel.  Most professionals use German steel busks in their corsets.  If you consider that one German steel busk fastner is more expensive wholesale than the cost of a whole corset made in China, you can easily see the reason why it's best to either make your own corset with quality supplies, or buy a bespoke or rtw corset from a reputable and independent corsetiere.  Infact, the cost of making a quality corset can quickly add up to £50+ for the raw materials depending on fabrics used.  The money you pay for a bespoke corset is made up of this cost plus the extreme care, attention, and time lavished on each piece by it's maker.  A plain corset can take 20 and more hours to make.

Once, I had a corset for sale in a shop where I happened to be working when a couple took an interest in the peice.  They saw the price tag of £200 and dropped it with a nervous giggle and a look which said "whoever made that is having a laugh".  I didn't say anything but I was aflame with indignation!  If I was paid just £10 an hour for the length of time it took me to make the corset - not including the cost of materials, it would have cost much more!  When you think that a good hairdresser is paid up to £50-60 an hour for their work, then please tell me why an equally skilled artisan is worth less per hour just becuase their work involves a needle and thread?

In corsetry, and other sewing related artistry,  you really do get what you pay for so here's a little film from Lulu and Lush to demonstrate what I mean.

And to all ladies who sew - we must never underestimate or undervalue our skill and the care and patience it takes to produce beautiful things with it.

Vogue 8701 nearly done, but ...

Ok this time it wasn't all my fault.  It's the Vogue jacket.  It doesn't like my fabric.  Too many seams perhaps? But also a few faults of mine.  I'll walk you through it ..

Here's the lined and semi-pressed still unfinished jacket.  It looks OK I hear you say ...

 

Well, something has gone drastically wrong with the collar notches .. not really sure what as I followed all the instructions and both were OK until I trimmed them to get sharp points.  Then (top pic) a large scoop became apparent on the left, while the right has a smaller scoop but a scoop all the same.  I reckon it can be fixed with a little patience so no huge disaster...

The lining went in very smoothly and I was very very pleased with the stitching - I really don't like working with slippy synthetics, but this lining was OK and didn't fray too much.  There were alot of pieces just like the jacket so it was quite time consuming.  The whole thing is stitched together via the outside edge, and turned through the middle where the back peplum is then constructed.  This is the bit that remains unfinished.

BIG mistake number one - remember I shortened the back?  That's fine.  What I shouldn't have done was shorten the front.  I'm not sure why I did this as it had previously taken a considerable amount of experimentaiton and brain wracking to learn that petite stature/big bust means shorter back length but longer front to accommodate "bust rise" .. why why didn't I remember this hard gained wisdom when I decided that the jacket was too long for me???  You can see the effect here clearly - the waist line slopes upwards from the back.  While the untrained eye probably wouldn't notice, it's not a good look overall and doesn't improve the comfort factor of any garment!

Overall, I like this jacket but can summarise my experience quite succinctly as follows:

• Fabric for this design is far too thick - it's car upholstery remember?  There are too many seams in the design which cause too much bulk with my car upholstery.  Bulky fabric means these seams - however expertly they are trimmed, remain lumpy.  

• The light tailoring I did on the collar and lapels was probably not necessary because of the seams joining the jacket and collar - a tailored jacket is cut in one piece and therefore needs the tailors tape stays and the pad stitching to make it all bend and fold the way it is supposed to.  This has seams to serve that purpose.  I learned this while making this jacket!

• The sleeves of the jacket were far too wide for the fitted design.  I narrowed the sleeves without narrowing the armhole by mistake.  It wasn't a problem (infact the sleeve setting went like a dream), but in a different garment, this may have made things very difficult!

Although, I have to say, that mistakes are my reference library - it doesn't bother me that they happen because I learn so much from them,  I don't mind telling you that I am a little dissapointed.  I liked everything about this (proposed) jacket. The fabric, the design, the buttons (!).  It will probably finish up quite nicely but I have decided not to spend any more time on it for the time being.  Lots of reasons for this, but those are for another post, another day.   I very rarely see other bloggers sharing their bad work .. is it just me who has "OMG I can't believe how much I can't sew!" moments? 

When you don't like what you sew

Hello all...  it's been a bit hectic and I haven't finished my jacket yet ... nearly there - had to overcome my fear and loathing of sleeve setting, now it's just a question of lining and collaring .. it'll soon be done!

In the meantime, I made a beignet.  I had some black cord, and some faulty lining.  Those were ok.  But then I bought some buttons.

I bought cheaper buttons than the ones I really liked.  They go with the lining and they look like peacock feather eyes.  I quite liked them in the shop where I was as usual overcome with fabric loveliness and blind to the fact that I never wear blue, or green, or turquoise ...  As soon as I got home, I realised that I didn't really like the buttons ...

The lining cost £1.35/m because the print is faulty. OK for lining a panelled skirt

I sewed my Beignet in the knowledge that I had made a mistake with the buttons.  Now I don't know about you, but when I know that I dislike a detail of something, my heart goes out of the subject but I press on regardless because I've spent the money and I don't like to waste, but I don't take as much care, and then things go wrong, and I end up with a garment that not only is unwearable, but that isn't 'me' and that i'd never wear in a month of sundays ...

they're really nice ... just not 'me'

So .. there it is, my Beignet disaster.  A skirt which does't fit, which isn't made properly, which is bulky and heavy, and which has really horrible buttons :(

you cant see, but it's all wrong ..

I DO like the pattern though.  I am not sure cord is the best fabric - it makes a very heavy skirt with all those panels.  So I will make this again but with lighter fabric and better buttons.  Like these ones which I LOVE but which are triple the price of the ones I bought...

50p each .. alot when you need 12 buttons but not as much as a wasted project

What happens when you find yourself not liking your project?  Do you abandon for the sake of time and sanity?  Or do you press on and then end up with something you don't like?

Red is the colour

Yesterday a large envelope plopped onto my doormat.  It contained a lovely package wrapped in tissue...

Inside, was 2 metres of GORGEOUS bio linen with some ribbons

Isn't it beautifully presented?

Long time readers will definitely agree that this is my colour, however, it is such a nice fabric, I shall definately be investigating other colours in the range!

It came from Dragonfly Fabrics, (btw, have you seen the new range of winter fabrics over there?) and I cannot wait to make something from it .. it's quite a nice heavy but soft linen which I happen to have been lusting over for months and wondering about the properties of.  I think will be suitable for autumn/spring wear and I am currently fancying it in the form of the new Peony dress from Colette Patterns. 

What do you think?

Vogue 8701 Progress

So i've done the pad stitching on the collars.  It took a while as the collars are quite wide.  Not only that, they are not one piece with the body as a tailored jacket normally would be, they are sewn onto the bodice as illustrated in the last post.

Pad stitching is easy peasy to do once you get the hang of it, and you easily get into a 'rhythm' which makes it much easier still.  You just have to remember a couple of things.  

Keep the collar folded (pref. over your finger) at the fold line

Keep the stitches small

Keep the stitches as even as possible

Each line starts at the opposite end to the last - this is what causes the chevron shape.

Pad stitching not only shapes your collar, but it also ensures that the collar lies flat and where it is supposed to be.

Here we have one side padstitched, and the other not.  You can clearly see how the pad stitching has helped the left side lie flat while the right side is distorted out of shape because it is bouncing back upwards.

Here it is from the side - very unsightly!

And from the other side ... even worse!

Now complete, my collars are beautifully shaped as the pattern intended and nice and flat too.

Vogue 8701

I know, don't faint!  I have actually started making something other than a corset!  And this is it.  Project 1 of 6, the Vogue 8701 jacket.  I like it because of the open shawl type collar, short length and fitted style.  It's a jacket I am making to wear with jeans or a skirt.  Smart yet casual, and warm.

click on pics to enlarge

I made a toile from many different bits of calico - hence the strange "technicolour dreamcoat" look!  There are 14 pattern pieces to this jacket which makes for some interesting details, namely some slanted panels and peplums which go towards creating the fitted look.

The centre back section is made from 2 pieces, but I am not sure why, so I have cut the back panel on a fold for a less smoother look.  I cut the size 16 which I think MIGHT be a trifle too big, but as it's a jacket, i'd rather it be roomy so I can wear a jumper or couple of layers under it.  The only alteration I made to the pattern was to shorten it by 3cm.  I did this at the front and back,  but really I think I should only have shortened the back.  For bigger busted 'petite' women (ie: under 5'4"), the front of the garment should be longer than the back to compensate for 'bust rise'.  Consequently with this jacket, the waistline is not level but I've already cut it out - not a huge problem but I could have done better by being more patient!

Here are the front side panels in progress.  A peplum is a little floaty flap which kicks out like a large frill.  The bottom section in this picture is the peplum, it works because it is made from a panel which has been slashed and spread giving it volume,  making it wider at the bottom with shorter curved seam at the top.  

When this curved edge  is eased against a slightly longer straight edge and sewn down,  the peplum kicks out in a frilly manner.  

The front of the jacket calls for interfacing, so I have used medium weight, woven fusible cotton.  I am going to use some 'light' tailoring techniques on the jacket to make sure it has structure and strength but I'm not going to go overboard with the tailoring on this project because this is just practice for the next 'big' project, the Vogue 8333 which is a Claudia Schaeffer couture number.

I basically want to make sure that this jacket is firm not floppy and that the collars stay in the right place, so I'm including a neck stay to stabilise the collar and ensure it lays flat against the chest as it should - this is particularly important for ladies with a bigger bust apparently.

I followed the techniques in my tailoring book and employed a fell stitch to attach the stay tape just inside the seam allowance of the jacket collar.

I've also added a back stay to keep the jacket in shape.

I really like the slanted panels at the sides which i've topstitched for extra definition.

I'm using a 100% wool fabric which I think is car upholstery -  that's what they said in the shop!  It has quite a stiff hand and cost £5.00/m.  I've used 2 metres which was only just enough, and will line it with plain black polyester lining.  Next job is shaping the collar.