FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
Roped in ; Gulliver’s Travels
(click images to to enlarge)
Other Credits
Photography by Jochem Brouwer
Outline the story …
Entry inspired by Gulliver's Travels by Johnathan Swift. Somewhere in the beginning of January I decided I was just going to do it. I've been wanting to enter the competition for a while, but I have a tendency to overcomplicate things. So I decided to simplify, so that it would be attainable, but also because I felt I had very little time, to draft and make up a garment with which I have no experience. I have only ever drafted skirts before this. This was actually very achievable.
I decided to make the stays front and back laced, because I am mostly on my own and was modelling it on myself. Also I opted for demi-baleine.
Taking the most known scene from Gulliver's Travels, where Gulliver gets tied down by the tiny inhabitants of Lilliput, also referred to as Lilliputians. The story takes place in the beginning of the 18th century and so I was going to make 18th century stays. As a reference to the scene I decided to lace the stays with natural fibre ropes.
Outline the construction…
I found a pattern on marquise.de. After a few mock-ups, I used unbleached cotton and machine-stitched the boning channels and side seams. Using industrial tie-wraps of 9 mm wide for boning. I pressed the seams.
After wearing it for a couple of hours, I shortened some of the boning around the armpit. I used linen canvas for my lining and a cotton fleece for my outer fabric, stitched and pressed, before tacking it on by hand. At this point, I decided to continue the project by hand. I struggled with the binding on the lower edges, eventually folding around the curves where I just couldn't get it round. I used a very fine hem stitch, approx. 6 stitches per cm. For the eyelets, I referred to The Zen of Spiral Lacing I worked them with an awl, silk thread and beeswax. They started out a little messy, but I got better.
Then I cut out two strips of the four layers, backstitched one foundation layer and the lining to the inside, and did the same with the outer fabric. I put on the stays and with a trick-marker I decided the length and width of the straps and tacked the pieces together. I bound the top half and made the eyelets . The aglets were created using a rope binding technique called whipping. As it turned out, one of my eyelets was placed too low, so the back would be asymmetrical. This was solved by moving one eyelet up.
what a beautiful fabric! you must be very happy with these stunning stays. well done
Thank you!
I love how the shaping at the bottom of the stays reminds me of choppy waters. And you’re right, the natural rope ties are perfect. Your one photo with the LEGO Lilliputians is so much fun!!
Ooh, love the analogy of the choppy waters. That fits so well, since he was shipwrecked. Thanks for the comment!
Those stays look wonderful! The fabric is stunning and it fits you very well. Great job ❤
Thank you!
I love this! That pic on the floor – so funny!! Great job!
Thank you! I thought it playful. Glad people like it too!
Striking colour. These stays look great!
Thanks!
I love the rope idea! Like Laura said, the photo of you being tied down by Lego men is brilliant, really brings your idea to life! I also love the colour and tartan pattern of the stays, and, looking at the pictures, I immediately thought your spiral lacing is super nicely finished! Well done!
Thank you! Everyone is so sweet 🙂
This is just so imaginative! The details are so clever. I really, really like this entry! Thank you!
Thank you! <3