Mending a Corset

New Year.  New HSF.  And I'm most pleased that I was able to act on Resolve #1 so soon!  My early teens corset, needed some help: a couple of grommets had come loose and it was hideous plain.  So for Challenge #1, I repaired the grommets and added some lace across the top.

The Challenge: #1: Make do & Mend

Fabric: 100% cotton twill and cotton lace

Pattern: Post Edwardian Long Line Corset from Bridges on the Body.  

Year: 1911-1915

Notions: Thread, lacing, grommets, lace

How historically accurate is it? Still a bit plain for this period, but much better with the addition of the lace.

Hours to complete: The mending: 1.5, the original construction: 4

First worn: Last year's Costume College

Total cost: The lace was in a bag full of trims at the Bargain Basement at CC, so probably around 9 cents for the mending!

Resolves for the New Year

It's a new year.  That means planning new costumes, but also I think it's time to revise my approach to costuming.  So, these are my mantras for 2014:

1. Nothing is ever done.  This is a very bad habit of mine.  I put my head down and power through the last few hours of a project, and then I mentally stamp the "DONE" label on it and never want to touch it again.  This generally means that things don't have enough trim, an all too common costuming fault.  So this year I am giving myself permission to put something down for a bit (maybe even wear it!),  but still continue to make it better.
2. Iron like Rory.  Have you taken Rory Cunnningham's class on ironing at Costume College?  You really, really need to.  In fact, it's a couple of years for me, so I think I'm due for a booster.  He talks about letting fabric rest after ironing and how to deal with right angles and tight spaces.  And now I have no excuses because I got TWO pressing hams for Christmas.
   
3. THINK.  Have you ever had to unpick half of your drawers because you accidentally sewed two right legs.  I don't recommend it.  For 2014, I'm stealing a motto from carpentry: measure twice, cut once.

What are you guys doing to double down on prettiness and efficiency?