Stays Boning

[atherleisure]

My 1690's/1700's stays are boned. The picture doesn't look much different from last time, but here it is.



Next up will be sewing them together, but I think I'll do some more knitting first. I've almost gotten to the point I had to rip back from on my pineapple. Another way to put it is that I've nearly gotten to the point of the first set of knobs.

Comments

[reine-de-coudre.livejournal.com]

I look forward to seeing your progress on these! What do you plan to make to wear over them?

[atherleisure.livejournal.com]

I'm planning on a mantua much like the Kimberley mantua at the Met, but mine will be a solid silk taffeta rather than a striped wool. I still need to figure out how I'm going to trim it.

[fleurdelysa.livejournal.com]

Nice! Your boning channels look very narrow. What are you using for boning?

[atherleisure.livejournal.com]

I'm using 3mm flat oval reed for boning. Ginger had good luck with it on her 1690's court bodice so I'm hoping this works out well for me. It's my first time boning anything with reed and my first time with boning channels that are this narrow.

[fleurdelysa.livejournal.com]

Oh cool. I love using the 1/4" size and I have had good luck with it. I haven't used 3mm though. I run it over beeswax before inserting to help condition it. There is a difference between cane and reed and I think people who have bad luck use the more brittle cane. Looking forward to more progress pics!

[atherleisure.livejournal.com]

I didn't think of the beeswax. That probably would have helped - I bent a lot of bones, but they didn't generally break so I don't expect issues with breakage in the finished stays.

I'm getting close to finishing the smock/shift, and then I'll probably work more on the stays.