Stays!

So, I have discovered that my Butterick pattern 4484 is the same set of stays as Butterick 4254. Thanks to American Duchess! So I am going to move forward with this project.

On the right is the silk noil that I purchased for the outer layer, and left is a linen for the foundation layers. I was going to line the stays with the linen as well, but I've seen a few examples of reversible stays in my internetting, so I'm going to rummage through my stash to see if I have something cute to use as lining, even though it will probably be poly-cotton.

I am still undecided on whether or not to have visible boning channels. On one hand, all the existant examples that I have looked at (thanks to 18th Century Stays and their list of images online). On the other hand, I could do up the foundation layers and fit them without even cutting the silk, and then cover the foundation. But maybe that would make it a 'boned bodice' rather then 'stays'.

I originally had these grand ideas of hand stitching the whole thing. After my adventures in Yowie-land, I've given up on this plan. I'm sure I will find more then enough hand stitching in the construction process to statisfy my urges for period accuracy. I'm not sure about using linen thread. That was part of the grand original plan as well, but I'm not sure if I can run linen thread through my machine, or how it will hold up compared to good old polyester thread. I will do thread-bound lacing holes! To make up for giving up on hand sewing.

I was also going to order plastic whale bone from Farthingales, but American Duchess got me thinking about zip-ties instead. Cost effectiveness is key.

Basically, I have no idea what I'm doing. Except that I do. I'm going to make a factory cotton mock up, with zip-tie boning, and fit that. And go from there.