Skip to finished costume.

It was a while before I figured out that the top was two pieces. My original concept sketch didn't even include this detail, but luckily I did realize this before I cut the fabric so it's all good. I created my own pattern for the corset out of muslin and then cut the suede fabric, lining, and batting from that. I sewed everything right sides together and then flipped it out, finishing all of the edges before I even started the quilting. The middle portion of the corset is quilted with 1" squares, so this was done by machine and I marked it with pins as I went (doing it with tailors chalk and a ruler just wasn't happening). I also marked out the rows for embroidery but ended up taking these out before I filled them in by machine with gold thread. There are 18 grommets total in the back, 9 on each side. In the original there are 11 (22 total) but I believe my grommets are larger than those used on the real costume. I decided against adding boning - it's thick enough already and holds its shape well enough. I lace it with black 'suede' cording I bought at Walmart.

My camera changed the color a little. The brown is not quite this dark and closer in color to the vest pictures below. Note the 1" quilted squares.

   

   

Left to Right: muslin, front, embroidery, detail
[up]   [finished costume]

For the vest, I drafted a pattern from a commercial bodice pattern and 'draped' my own cap sleeves (I hate when they look like mini-wings so this was important to get right, lol). The original costume has an embossed-look on the leather so I mimicked this with machine quilting. I wanted the vest to have the same thickness of the corset anyway and I've always wanted to give machine quilting a try. Even though it's not exactly like the original, I am pleased with how it turned out. There's also an invisible zipper in the back. I ended up adding a three-inch hem as the vest hit me funny at the hips but now it cinches the chemise in nicely and makes the skirt fall right. The cap sleeves were embroidered separately before sewn on and finished with bias tape. The neckline was finished the same way, then embroidered as the sleeves were.

       

Left to Right: muslin, front, detail
[up]   [finished costume]

There has been much debate over whether the original is all one piece or not. I think the final consensus is that it is actually two pieces: a chemise with the long sleeves and then a skirt. However, I'm going to make mine all one piece. I think it will have nearly the same effect with a little less sewing. :) I drafted a pattern from a commercial dress pattern and changed the sleeve so it's two pieces. I added fullness to the top to create the gathered effect and then added a bunch of length to the bottom piece. I ended up ripping out my first attempt and putting in a fuller lower sleeve per Maggie's instructions. The seam at the elbow is then covered with braided cord as the original. The body of the dress is lined with a satin (the main fabric is a beautiful white crepe since I couldn't find a jacquard that would do), and there are pintucks and gold embroidery at the neckline (finished with bias tape first, then machine embroidered).

       

Left to Right: full, front, detail
[up]   [finished costume]

Preliminary pictures taken right after I finished the costume. To see more pictures of this costume on a dressform, click [here].

       

Left to Right: full, sleeves, back
[up]

To see the reference images used to make this costume,
check out my Shieldmaiden Research.