Progress on my embroidery draft, and 17th c Bodies (corset)

Normally, I wait until I am done making something before I post it here, but when I do that, I leave out alot of details, and forget a lot too, so easiest for me is to just post a little, all the time :) I finished drafting my embroidery pattern for Marguarites inked jacket this past week....well, the reproduction of the coif pattern anyways. It was more difficult in parts, where the embroidery distorted the pattern I was working from. I ended up using the V& A Coif for the overall pattern, but filled in the details on many parts from the photo Wendy sent me, and actually, the Cowton & Tout has half a floral repeat that is beyond the edge on the coif, so I will fill that in as needed when I ink the design onto the jacket. I am keeping good track of actual time I spend 'doing' things (research NOT included), and I have 8 hr 15 min actual drawing time in drafting the coif pattern for my jacket. woo hoo!

I am waiting on more linen to come in the mail, and until that gets here, have been working on Marguarites Bodies. There are only a whopping two known extant 16-17th c bodies, Queen Elizabeth's Effigy at Westminster Abby wears a pair, dated by Janet Arnold to 1603, and then the pair worn by the Pfalzgrafin Dorthea Sabina Von Neuburg when she was buried in 1598 and is held at the National Museum in Munich. They are pictured below, and drafted in Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion.

I really like the look of the Effigy bodies, but they are front closing, and for Marguarite, I want her to wear a back lacing style, so have gone with a hybrid of sorts~ I used Drea Leed's 'Custom Corset Pattern Generator'~ you can find it online at http://www.elizabethancostume.net/ . It really is a handy tool~

(Ha~ dont comment on my recycled Dora wrapping paper~ I NEVER throw anything out!!! ) This is my altered draft using her pattern generator~ you plug in measurements, and it spits you out directions to draft your pattern~ REALLY slick. Of coarse dolly isn't totally 'proportionate like a human, so I altered it to fit her better. I wanted Marguarite's to have shoulder straps, so I added some using the Pfalzgrafin's as a guide

I also want unboned tabs, and so altered the curve up over the hip to a straighter line to accommodate them

I cut a larger trapezoid for the two on either side of the back opening, and then a smaller one for the middle, and a rectangular one that will be front most on each side~ I'm not bothering to bone them, as I don't think Marguarite will mind them digging into her hips a little...