The final pieces of the costume were the blue corset and skirt. I created the pattern for the corset on a dress form, then cut the pieces from the blue cotton, interfacing, and lining. When reproducing a piece in a different size than the original, you have to pay extra attention to how the lines of the original fall on it's wearer, so you can create the correct scale for the reproduced piece, instead of just making it smaller or larger. It's one reason why plus size and petite women often have trouble finding clothing that fits correctly and looks flattering – most clothing is designed on a single size (usually slimmer and taller), and then just sized down or up, instead of being re-patterned for each size. Once I had all of the pieces sewn together for each layer, I marked out where I wanted the boning to lie and created the casings for it. I used iron on interfacing to reinforce the outer layer of cotton. Since the boning in the original appeared to lie under seam lines, I simply used the seam allowance to sew the casing, and slid the boning from it's cotton cover directly inside. It's also important to add a small cover on each end of the boning to protect it from pushing through your material during wear and tear. On this corset, the binding around the edge adds another layer of protection. I stitched the layers of the corset together, then added the brown binding. The final step was to install the grommets and lacing! One interesting detail on the skirt of this costume that I haven't often seen in reproductions is the pleating around the waist. Once I had the skirt gores cut out and seamed together, I marked out my pleat lengths along the waistline and pinned each in place before sewing it into the waistband. I made a little bit wider of a waistband for this skirt to ensure plenty of overlap between the skirt and corset, so the top of the corset would just cover the pleated seam. I finished the skirt with a placket and closures, and added a series of hook and eyes between the skirt and corset so everything would stay lined up during wear. And Belle's blue dress and traveling cloak are complete!
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