Bust padding

[mala_14]

It's not very exciting, but I finished my bust padding yesterday. I ended up hand sewing the whole thing because I was too lazy to drag out the sewing machine for such a small project that would have needed hand finishing anyways. It's not really based on any period examples, but I did look at very late century bust improvers and saw some corset and dress padding from the 1860s. Mine is more like the earlier examples, but sewn as one piece of padding instead of into the corset or dress so that I could use it to pad out other corsets if needed. Most of the bust improvers had boning which just seemed to involved for what I was doing. I took some in-progress pics:

Several layers of quilt batting. It's a cotton-poly blend. The batting was cut in cocentric circles that I positioned more toward one edge.

The inside with the layers of padding stitched through with big honking stitches. I'd already sewn around most of the edge at this point too, leaving a gap for turning.

And the finished product, which I think looks like glasses. I used one of my bras to approximate the size and shape of everything. I probably could have made the middle bit about 1/2"-1" wider, but whatevs. The outer fabric is cotton sateen.

I wear it under my chemise, stuffing it in after I've put on the corset. I found that the padding sticks out too much above the corset with nothing to hold it down. The chemise smoothes the line.

Next up is my skirt. Planning on cutting it out today and maybe even sewing up the seams!

Comments

[ashamanja-babu.livejournal.com]

Nice! I keep thinking I should make one.

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I definitely made my corset too big in the bust so it helps keep the lacing more even.

[starlightmasque.livejournal.com]

You are so tiny! Those would be nipple pasties on me.

Oh, and nice work and stuff!

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

lol You always make me laugh! :) The padding is kinda small. I didn't need too much to help fill out the corset. And thanks!

[quincy134.livejournal.com]

What a useful, quick project! I like how you layered the batting.

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

Thanks Gloria! The technique is all stuff I saw on sewaholic.net and the same that I did for my GoT dress. Works well for getting the bulk in the right place.

[fancyfrocks.livejournal.com]

Yay! Boobs! ;)
Seriously, though, it looks great.

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

lol Thanks! Was definitely inspired by the padding you did in your 1860s corset and Edwardian undies. :)

[fancyfrocks.livejournal.com]

Awesome! Realizing I could use padding and not just rely on corsetry to get a period shape kind of changed my costuming life. :)

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way. I'd never pad my contemporary clothes, but have absolutely no qualms about padding costumes. It's kind of strange.