The short tale of woe regarding my first attempt at making this can be found here.
Version 2:
(Excerpts from my Livejournal)
~~~I started mocking up the short stays. I traced off the next size smaller to take into account Simplicitys adding of ease. Am on mock-up #2. So far I've lengthened them an inch to deepen the bust gussets (desperately needed, as currently it doesn't even give...um...half support if you catch my meaning), and added to the front to make a wider channel for the center boning, which didn't seem wide enough in the first mock-up for two bones plus the lacing holes.
~~~Regency short stays will be the death of me, I swear. I'm getting ready to start muslin #5 now. Side seams have been taken in three times and the armhole and side seam are finally where they should be. Straps have been shortened (raising things up where they should be for the period) and also cut in half. I'd like them not to show when wearing my dresses. The original pattern strap is extremely wide to my taste. A third bust gusset has been added because apparently, while I'm a C cup in a bra(measured by three different people in three different stores), I'm like a DD in Simplicity speak. The bust gussets are a pain in the ass and I had to cut the center while wearing the darn thing and tape them to get the right odd shape for my shape. After re-doing the gussets (again), I discovered I still didn't have the shape right and had to pinch in the top a little, ending up with the weirdest shaped gussets I've ever seen. It’s like a teardrop shape of sorts. Not only that, but I have three different ones to use depending on where they are. I've figured out I need a little boning aside from the center and will have a couple lines of it from the armhole angled beside the bust. That should get those puppies in line.
Last vexing problem I've yet to solve? The center. How the heck do I get the laced closure to sit where it should? This is the same problem I've had with my longline Regency corset. I get the proper lift, but not the separate. What do I need to do? If I add anything to the gussets or sides, it'll be too big. If I take away anywhere, I'll overfloweth.
~~~Another short stays muslin finished and ripped apart. Improvement made? Lengthened the top at the bust an inch. I think I may have it this time. I've been reading at Sensibility.com forums on all the stays threads and found one that addressed short stays and the fuller bosomed woman. Sadly, I don't think I'm ever going to achieve lift and separate together. Lift, yes, separate...no. Oh well. We'll see what this next muslin looks like.
~~~I started binding my short stays, made plenty of headway in that regard and decided to just finish the binding by hand instead of machining it. Finally finished it last night at VBS (I'm the treat lady so I have some free time to myself in the kitchen in-between delivering koolaid and treats to the classes), tried it on and love it! I'm finally happy with my short stays.
~~~I did use two different shades of purple to bind, mainly because I couldn't find the white bias tape. However, I love how it looks! There are two rows of cording on either side running diagonally at the side front and one line of boning (cable ties) along the center. The eyelets are hand sewn and not as carefully added as I usually do. This is actually a quickie version. It's only two layers.
