Regency Corset Progress

Current project: trying to finish up a Regency Corset that I promised to make for my sister.
Goal (finished date): this Saturday!!!

Yup, that's right, I'm mid-project and trying to finish something up so that it can be worn on Saturday at the Jane Austen Evening. (Only this time the item I'm hurriedly trying to finish won't be worn by me! =)

A week or so ago, I was held up cause the wooden busk I had made for this corset was too long, so I had to get a friend to shave off 1/2". (I was SO bummed that after my careful measuring of the length needed for the corset, I was off by 1/2"). At the same time, I discovered I needed a few more bones (especially 2 spiral steel bones in lengths I didn't have on hand), so I ended up placing an order through Hedgehog. (Fortunately, I got in on the super sale that they're having right now...and of course, Hedgehog is always great on customer service and shipping things out right away =).

Anyways, just when I get my wooden busk fixed and the newly ordered bones arrive...I got sick was out of it for a few days and then had a super busy weekend (last weekend). So, now, after getting back into a more normal routine, I'm back to focusing on FINISHING this project.
And I'm SO close, too! =)

Earlier this evening, I bound the two sides of the bottom of the section for the wooden busk (so that the busk is removable), made 4 hand sewn eyelets (2 on the fashion fabric side, and 2 on the coutil/lining side) so that I can tie the busk into place, made a casing out of some (100% natural cotton) batting, and inserted all the bones and the wooden busk. Whew!

(And that doesn't even count the fact that I took a little time away from this project to finish pinning my 2nd row of eyelet lace ruffle to my half-finished over-petticoat - for yet another project/'era' - and then sew down that ruffle...and of course iron my seam afterwards.)

So, right Now...I'm pinning the bias binding in place, and sewing that on. I probably will have to finish the pinning & sewing on the bias tomorrow, but seeing how much progress I made tonight, I'm actually hopeful I can finish this up in time. (And still have time to play with my hair tomorrow and figure out some kind of hairstyle for me to wear on Saturday =).

Later!
=)