18th century stays
I have always been fascinated by historical sewing techniques, and I have always wanted to make a project using only historical techniques and materials. Therefore, I decided to make a pair of stays from a Janet Arnold pattern from 1789, and bone them with reeds instead of plastic. I got inspiration from this video by Mariah Pattie.
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Apart from the boning channels, everything is hand-sewn with single-ply linen thread. The base fabric is coutil, which I suppose is a more recent weave than the simple linen canvas it would have been made out of in the 18th century and there are plastic bones alongside the eyelets, because I was afraid that wood would break at this point. The fashion fabric and lining are linen and cotton blends, and the binding is cotton.
I began this project in 2018 and finished in 2021, so I was working on it bit by bit while I was studying in costuming school. This means that my techniques, experience and skills were ever changing during the project, as well as my enthusiasm for it. In particular, it sat on my piano for several weeks after I made a brief count of how many hand-sewn eyelets I would have to put in it, and it took me a while to actually get through them once I eventually picked it up.
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I am therefore also very grateful that I chose a design with an adjustable front, because I don't know if I didn't adjustthe mockup properly or if my measurements changed along the way, but the bust needed some adjusting on the final fitting day, which I could not have done if there hadn' t been a lace-up front.
Of course I had to make a shift to wear underneath, which was a quick and relaxing project. I made a very simple one with a drawstring neckline and a wide design so it would work for several time periods and wearers. The knee-length skirt is too short for historical accuracy, but I had too little fabric.
Fashion shots by Gilles Concordel
