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| My first set of 18th century stays. They're made from the J.P. Ryan pattern using a kit from the Silly Sisters which included linen canvas, a linen outer layer, linen lining and reed. I ended up using a plain linen to line them though, since I liked the print they sent so much I wanted to use it for something else--which I still haven't done. |
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| Though the shape doesn't show very well on a dress form, you can see that they have no curves and the back is much higher than the front, which helps with the fashionable posture of the 18th century. |
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| To make the stays, first I made the panels by sewing all the boning casings. Then I attached the finished panels. This method makes adjusting the stays very easy. The stays stretched and I had to make them smaller twice. To do that, I just had to unpick the seams, take out a bone or two, and resew them. |
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| The lining is separate. First, I pinned it on, then I attached it by sewing it in the binding. |
My Costumes
The Eighteenth Century
