New Red Stays

I realized at some point this week that I don't have and essential part of my September 11th garb anymore - my red bodice. Every year, at the Renn Fest, I wear a blue linen skirt, a white smock, and a red bodice. The red bodice I wore last year survived the it's last day last year. So, a new bodice it was!

I found the perfect scraps in my scrap pile -a piece of silk that was just big enough for a bodice and a piece of red cotton that was the exact same color. The cotton was big enough for a lining fabric as well as just enough bias trim. Woohoo! Scrap pile win!


This is the pattern I used over the red silk. The pattern is my own.


The bodice once it was finished.


The inside of the bodice. You can see all the boning channels here.

I wore it today and there are a couple of issues. I need to add more eyelets -which I've done now- and I need to redesign the armscye because the front boning was pressing into my underarms which is not fun. I just need to cut it down a bit and it will be fine. I've already taken out the bones that were there.