My Defense!!!!

Photograph by:  Austin Simmons

Model:  Leigh Hawkins
Pedestal:  Trevor Lacasse

Hair and Nails:  Alter Ego, Raleigh

Make-up:  Katherine Diuguid, Leigh Hawkins, and Shelley Smith

Location:  Carol Grotnes Belk Rotunda, Brooks Hall, College of Design, NC State

Materials: 100% Silk Double-faced Satin with Silver metal threads (some are silver plated, some of 90% silver, see previous posts for specifics for each motif)

 

The Final Petticoat

Photograph by:  Austin Simmons

Model:  Leigh Hawkins

Location:  studio at Shelley Smith's house

Materials:  Bra top is ivory 100% silk Duchess satin with natural cotton padded bust cups.

Corselet is 100% cotton tulle with grosgrain casings filled with spiral steel boning.

Skirt Yoke and Lining is 100% natural silk Double-face Satin with tea stained Valencienne lace trim and blue grosgrain ribbon bows.

Outer Skirt and Bustle is Silver Silk Metallic Tissue (warp is silk, weft is metal) with 3" white horsehair braid and tea stained Valencienne lace trim.

Buttons!

I've used 1/2" silk satin covered buttons.

The Gown Lining . . .

I chose to line the gown, not just back and face it, because of the metal threads.  I felt it would add a bit more stability to the gown and it would protect the metal thread ends that were plunged. 

 Handstitching a waist stay in place.  I have topstitched casings for double boning at each seam (Front Princess, Side seam, and Back Princess).  I've used spiral steel boning.

 To help support the weight of the train, I added an inner corset closure.

 Pinning the button loops (made out of body fabric) into place.

 Stitching them by hand.

 Adding a stay to the Center Back to help support the loops.

 Stays have been attached to the waist stay from the train to help support the weight of the fabric.

 Stitch twill tape to the neckline to ensure it does not stretch or distort.

 Clipping the seam allowance and tacking it back.

Attaching the Lining to the Body.

Finishing Touches to the Petticoat . . .

I attached a waist stay and added encased elastic.  The waist stay closes with a hook and eye.

The Embroidery on the Center Front Panel is Complete!

Petticoat FItting . . .

 Petticoat (without the tissue skirt attached yet) fit on my model.  It is about 3/4" too big circumference.  I'm still trying to figure out the best way to resolve this.  I rechecked model's measurements to last time and how much I took the pattern in.  I had taken it in what I needed to on paper, but it still is not snug enough for the petticoat. 

The Duchess Petticoat . . .

 I tea stained the Valencienne lace trim for a nicer ivory color.

 I sewed this trim to the petticoat hem to cover the stitch line from sewing the horsehair in place.

This is 2 layers of silver silk tissue for the back section of the petticoat.  I think it needs another internal layer with more horsehair for support and structure.  I am using 3" white horsehair braid for the hems.  (Jenson kept sitting and posing when I was trying to photograph it on the form.)

This is the muslin of the gown with the tissue petticoat back piece pinned to the form.

 This is the muslin gown without the tissue petticoat underneath.