Melissandre-Inspired Renaissance Faire Ensemble

Going into the spring renaissance faire season, I started thinking about something that would be both comfortable and  flattering.  My mind went immediately to Game of Thrones and the delightfully creepy "Red Woman", the Lady Melissandre.  In order to create a look that is in line with hers, I thought about ordering a cotton Cotte dress from Moresca, but they're not cut to flatter a pregnant belly.  They're also $115, which was more than I wanted to spend.

I started with the bodice pattern from Butterick B5181 (which the cat promptly destroyed) and the sleeve pattern from New Look S0597.  I had to cut the sleeve down a little, but it worked pretty perfectly.  I will likely end up shortening the sleeves to just above the elbow or shorter.

I ordered some stretchy cotton/spandex from Ebay for about $30.  The seller's username is koshtex.

The fabric was heavier than I wanted.  I was hoping for something thinner and drapier, but this will serve for the moment.

Working with stretch knits has been quite a learning curve, and there are definitely things I would do differently - like wait until the entire bodice was assembled to hem the neckline - but overall, this went together relatively quickly and easily.

For the skirt portion, I took a measurement around the ribcage:  36 in.  My intention was to create four trapezoid shapes with a gusset in the back for extra drama.  36/4 = 9, plus 1.25 seam allowance.

The back of the bodice ended up being a bit too big, but the overall shape of the skirt is fantastically full.  I think I will wait to make any tweaks to the fit until May.  Next up is a hooded scarf to go with it.

Maternity Stays Done

 All done!  I suppose I could find something better to lace them with, but I needed to make sure they fit.  It's hard to believe I'm nearly half way through already.

The side slits are adjustable enough that I think I will be able to wear these stays through the spring, and beyond.

The linen is quite stretchy, and the fit is good.  They are weirdly comfortable.

Maternity Stays

Inspired in party by an article I read on Hyaline Prosaic I've been away from blogging for a bit, largely because I wasn't quite ready to announce the baby to the world.  I used the same pattern that I used on my pink silk stays, but with a few modifications.

I knew the heavy, 7.1 oz linen canvas from Fabrics-store.com would stretch, so I made sure the opening in the back would be a little wider than on the pink stays.  Also, after wearing the pink stays a few times, I realized I needed to cut down the armholes considerably.  This project benefited directly from mistakes made on the pink stays.

They are also much more flexible, as  I used the 1/4 inch wide cable ties for boning as opposed to the thicker ones on the pink stays.  Really, I just need something to shape the bust for this set.

My one serious regret here is the binding.  I used a cotton  twill that in retrospect, I just too thick.  I was worried about the bones poking through the binding if I used linen, but next time, I'm just using something thinner.

The first test-run for these stays will be the Midwinter Ball on January 31.  Hopefully it works.