Patterns #1345 & #1346 - design process

The people at Simplicity noticed that many young people are dressing for Halloween by mixing and matching different elements, so they asked me to come up with a set of themed corsets and skirts that could be used in this way.

For some reason I found this more difficult to design that other patterns I've done, so I thought I would share with you some of this design process that started with their request for mix and match corsets and skirts and ended up with what you see in the photo above.

Take a look at my first sketch. 

For this I got the comment "good start!" I just wasn't quite understanding what the design department wanted yet.

With this sketch I sent along this note.


Current thoughts on potential Corset Pattern

I like very much the look of shabby chic and using lighter colors, but it would be nice to work in at least one view that is suggestive of Steampunk.  That would be a lighter colored Steampunk, not black, not leather look.

How many views are wanted???
Then, what variations are best ... mix and match
I really love the lacy one with the shaggy lace collar and rose. I also like having a little shrug that can be worn with a corset either with cap sleeves and/or long. And a stand up collar looks good.

So, when I know more what everyone likes, I will refine and sketch again.


I was told the shaggy lace one that I loved so much was too much of a "fashion" look, not the costume look they wanted.

What they wanted were specific themes and four views for each pattern.  So this is what it ended up being ... a witch, a rainbow unicorn, a saloon girl and a quasi steampunk look.

Even though it was to be two separate patterns, I designed each skirt to coordinate with each corset. They like to do what is call "editorial" shots for the catalog and I knew they would combine the pieces for some nice pictures like the one at the top of this blog.

Now take note of my hand written comment at the bottom of the skirt sketch, you will see what happened with that later. HA

Next came the choosing of the fabrics, which also I found difficult.  Simplicity has it's own line of trims and always prefers if I use them. And this time they sent me a big box of different trims and said "use these." So, I was doing my best to find fabrics that would work well with their trims.

The witch was easy. Black lace over orange ... no brainer and there were several interesting black trims. Choosing the fabrics for the rainbow one was fun. They wanted me to specifically use the rainbow rick rack. You should have seen my shopping cart at Joann's. I kept changing my mind as to the exact shade of the different colors of fabric, so I must have had 20 bolts loaded in there, falling off and bumping into things as I walked down the isles.

Again, to use the trims sent to me, I chose black and brown for the steampunk view. And because I wanted to add a long skirt, I chose this orange and purple stripe, which looked great with a couple of the purple trims. It was a stripy month for me!

All these trims were just making it so hard for me to see the forest for the trees. I found this terrific metallic magenta fabric for the saloon girl's corset and I was trying and trying to see which trims looked best.

But the choices weren't over ... sigh ... I had to find a fabric for the skirt! Nothing looked good to me.  But, I kind of liked this gold.  And I thought an optional long skirt would be a nice thing to offer.

Confession ... I'm always trying to put in too many choices in my patterns. I want to give people options, but it often ends up looking too busy and confusing.  So, you will see what Simplicity did to this when they got their hands on it.

I also sent in a photo of the the materials I wanted to use inside the corsets.  If you want your corset to open and close in the front, there really is nothing that will work as well as a busk closure that has to be purchased from a corset supplier. So, you may as well use steel bones and everything else you can get from places like that. That stuff just makes a better corset.

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Don't you think this long skirt and bustle is CUTE!

I did.

But Simplicity, not wanting to confuse the message, thought all the skirts should be short and sexy, so chopped it off and re-hemmed it.  But, you can make it long again, if you want!

And look what happened to this one.  After I sent it in I got a call saying they thought the gathered apron was too full and could they cut it down.  I said, of course. But didn't realize they were going to totally remake it in another color, but I like what they did.

And the orange and black skirt went through an equally big change I will show you next time.

I am SO glad this wasn't my first project with them. I don't think I would have ever been hired back to do another. So many mistakes and false starts, but we are all human!!