Long Regency Stays - Progress Update #2

I think I am going to be very happy with these stays. They fit just as I had hoped they would, give a good shape and I have a nice wide 4" gap evenly spaced down the back lacing. Yeah! I was somewhat hesitant about making these since I started working out and counting calories after Christmas and hoped to loose weight. I am thinking I am about half way there, and was worried that if I made stays *now*, they might not fit if I keep loosing. However, with the wide lacing gap I hope I can fit into them for a while. I really don't see myself getting too thin to wear these, at least for a long time. I wish weight came off as easily as it goes on. . .sigh. . .

All that I have left to do is to bind the bottom edge. Since my last post, I added some cording to just under the bust area, some cording at the back and put in a total of 10 bones. I was going to go with just 6, but then upped it to 8 and then, finally, to 10. This seems a little too boned but I am most comfortable in it. I have become accustomed to some degree of firmness in my corsets since I mainly do 1860's, so a very minimally boned corset just felt a little loose to me. Four bones are at the back - one on each side of the eyelets - and then there are three on each side panel. The lacing is cross lacing. I know spiral may be more appropriate for this period, but Katherine pointed out in her documentation of her regency corset that cross lacing did exist in corsets of the time.

My busk is the beloved paint-stick which David carefully sanded and shaped for me and inscribed with his own sweet message. :) It really works awesomely. It is exactly the right length and I can sit without my bust being shoved up under my chin. Perfect. Plus, the paint stick was free. You can't beat that.

Well dearies, I am off to bake up a pan of browned butter brownies. The recipe comes from last months issue of Bon Appetit and is, I think, a new staple recipe in my collection. They are simply divine. Chocolate once in a while doesn't hurt anyone, does it now?

Have a fantastic weekend!

Love,

Sarah