This is Fine

It started out with the hips,

how did it end up like this? 

It was only the hips. 

It was only the hips. 

So here's the thing: I have drafted seven different versions of this pattern by hand. This resulted in problems I am woefully ill-equipped to solve at my current phase of life. I have a new fear of unpicking seams, I unintentionally made enemies at my local fabric store, I have corset-related stress dreams, and the thought of unrolling another yard of shite pattern paper actually made me cry last week. Additionally, my genetic marker for carpal tunnel problems said, "It's showtime, baby!" 

I have been watching as many online workshops as possible from the corset-making wonderland that is Foundations Revealed and they are so incredible. It's borderline academic in terms of research on historical corsetry and I spend hours upon hours deep diving into their brilliant articles. The thing is, while I am advancing considerably I still feel like in order to get this corset right, I would need the remainder of my project's timeline to get there in regard to my sewing and drafting skills. As much as I want to do this entire thing myself, the research portion needs to happen too. 

I'm trying to put my skills versus the skills I need to make this thing into perspective for demonstrative purposes. Because holy God this is complicated. 

I am a footbridge over a creek. The corset is the Brooklyn Bridge. 

I am a barge made from barrels tied together. The corset is the RMS Titanic in its design.

I am nineteenth-century burial techniques. The corset is ancient Egyptian embalming. (Oooooh. Victorian burn!)

I am Common Sense by Thomas Paine. The corset is the collective Federalist Papers. 

I am an Elmer's glue stick. The corset is anyone who can weld.

I am my own personal French language skills. The corset is Victor Hugo. 

I am any theater kid in high school. The corset is Freddie Mercury. 

Essentially, I have the building blocks and concepts with which to make something great in theory only. The issue is not having years and years of development, design experience, practice, and I guess an entire Revolutionary War to get to the point of having a ratified Constitution. Confused? Me too. 

It is with great pleasure and a massive sigh of relief that I announce someone else is helping me who knows what she's doing. I someone my measurements and they are altering their own Pretty Housemaid pattern to fit me personally! I don't want to just share their information without their permission but they are one of my sewing idols. It's as if I was able to DM Sigmund Freud for help on my psychology homework. 

This is incredibly exciting for me and I hope that soon we will be able to return to the regularly scheduled blog posts detailing the making of a decent mockup and eventually, the finished corset! Then you can watch me run around in it. 

Until next time,

-Rach