This fits great. Just like all TV Patterns, it has all sizes, is printed on heavy paper and is easily customized. I still recommend that you do a muslin mock-up, because with such closely fitted garments you need to get the neckline “just right” for your shoulders/chest in order to avoid “gaposis”. The pleat in the back is really cute and accommodates even large bustles. Advice from the experienced: Cut the back (or at least the lower back) parts of your lining from the same material as the outer fabric, because it will show when you move. I never seem to remember to do this and show flashes of lining fabric all the time. Imade up this bodice a second time and I still really like it and highly recommend it – even for the inexperienced. Using Heather’s special measuring, you can get an almost perfect fit. However, you should always do a muslin, because there’s no way to predict with a paper pattern where your neckline or bust point will be in a corset. Just use the muslin afterwards as your lining, and you’ll not have any waste. This is (to my mind) a base bodice that always needs something to trim it. So, I added a pleated bertha (just two lengths of fabric, pleated and sewn to the top edge) to give it some trim. Lorraine is wearing her second bodice in this image.
Rated 5 out of 5
Dorothy –
Again, the pattern went together beautifully with just minor fitting alterations. The bride put on a significant amount of weight between the final fitting of the muslin and the fitting of the real bodice. Since there wasn’t enough fabric to cut a new bodice, we decided to add the placket in the front made from the overskirt fabric. The wedding was outdoors in Sonoma in the summer, and she requested the bodice be sleeveless so I did a bias binding around the armholes.
Pictured at right with Truly Victorian #TV221 – 1878 Tie-Back Underskirt and Truly Victorian #TV324 – 1878 Long Drape Overskirt.
Lorraine –
This fits great. Just like all TV Patterns, it has all sizes, is printed on heavy paper and is easily customized. I still recommend that you do a muslin mock-up, because with such closely fitted garments you need to get the neckline “just right” for your shoulders/chest in order to avoid “gaposis”. The pleat in the back is really cute and accommodates even large bustles. Advice from the experienced: Cut the back (or at least the lower back) parts of your lining from the same material as the outer fabric, because it will show when you move. I never seem to remember to do this and show flashes of lining fabric all the time. Imade up this bodice a second time and I still really like it and highly recommend it – even for the inexperienced. Using Heather’s special measuring, you can get an almost perfect fit. However, you should always do a muslin, because there’s no way to predict with a paper pattern where your neckline or bust point will be in a corset. Just use the muslin afterwards as your lining, and you’ll not have any waste. This is (to my mind) a base bodice that always needs something to trim it. So, I added a pleated bertha (just two lengths of fabric, pleated and sewn to the top edge) to give it some trim. Lorraine is wearing her second bodice in this image.
Dorothy –
Again, the pattern went together beautifully with just minor fitting alterations. The bride put on a significant amount of weight between the final fitting of the muslin and the fitting of the real bodice. Since there wasn’t enough fabric to cut a new bodice, we decided to add the placket in the front made from the overskirt fabric. The wedding was outdoors in Sonoma in the summer, and she requested the bodice be sleeveless so I did a bias binding around the armholes.
Pictured at right with Truly Victorian #TV221 – 1878 Tie-Back Underskirt and Truly Victorian #TV324 – 1878 Long Drape Overskirt.