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Another flossing variation
So, the most recent Swiss Cincher featured crimson and purple flossing and we’ve also had salmon and burgundy.
Following on from a recent tester, the current piece will also feature shades of red (but without the contrast stitching to match this time). We’re trying a couple more variations first though.
Left-hand example: crimson central spike, then light red, medium red and crimson are layered up for the “V”. Right-hand example: the same colours, but this time the “V” threads are overlapped differently, giving a tighter shape.
The previous testers had more of the light red thread, so we’ll see which my client prefers 
Apologies for the flash photograph, I was having a hard time picking up the colour differences with natural light…
Sparklewren Anniversary Special Offer
So, as promised, I have created an Anniversary Special Offer to say thank you for your continued support, and to kick-start the next year’s work
The offer is for a classic style (the sweetheart, high-hipped midbust) in standard sizing, for the fixed price of £280. This includes a straight front busk (in chrome or gold), coutil strength layers, an interfaced outer/fashion layer (either silk dupioni, taffeta, satin coutil, or a client-supplied fabric, please enquire), a loose lining in natural cotton twill, waist tape, flat corsetry lacing (either black, white or natural), self-made bias binding, and as many spiral and flat steels as it’s possible to fit in!
As the corset is standard sized, a quick production time of 8 weeks is possible, making this offer ideal for those of you who are getting ready for your Christmas and New Year’s parties! What about a royal purple or sapphire blue? Or a metallic ruby, copper or teal? Midbusts are gorgeous whether over a dress, pretty top or tailored shirt, giving you a lot of versatility with the one garment.
Every opportunity to push my work forward is wonderful (which is why special offers are as much fun for me as for you!) but especial highlights of the last year include the black cherry corset (for reminding me that simplicity can be awesome), my first posture collar (for showing me that experiments can lead to wonderful places), and more recently a couple of corset body prototypes I made this summer for my first professional photoshoot (for letting me explore the wilder ideas in my head). And right now, I seem to have a taste for midbusts.
Please do email me at jenni@sparklewren.co.uk if you would like to secure one of these Anniversary Special Offer slots.
P.S.: I have some great images coming soon including the black and gold collar and corset, keep your eyes peeled :-D
*Offer only applicable to one corset per client. Must be arranged with a deposit paid by the end of October. Offer restricted to 5 orders, on a “first come, first served” basis. Extra details (such as flossing, appliques and exterior casings) are possible and will be priced accordingly. Refunds are not possible. Images of the final designs will remain in Sparklewren’s portfolio and may be used for promotional purposes. These corsets are designed for fashion wear, not waist-training or tight-lacing.
Back from holiday and celebrating a year’s business
Our holiday to Wales was lovely, but I’m back at the sewing machine now. And it’s been a year today for the business! I’ll write more later, right now I have a glass of wine and a chocolate brownie demanding my attention 
“Out of the Atelier”
Just a final reminder that I will be on holiday from 19th – 30th August and will reply to emails on my return. Have a great couple of weeks, and behave yourselves until then
Jenni x
Fitting a Friend’s Toile
Alternative blog title: “No Rest for the Wicked”.
Late last night my old friend V came over to fit her toile, eat dinner, drink wine, and watch some British comedy in the form of Coupling. Much fun was had by all and I’m really excited to get started on the final corset now.
[Click for larger image]
We were working from last-minute client-supplied measurements (many thanks to V’s mum for that) and discovered that V is squishier than we thought. Our intended 2” lacing gap is sitting at about 1”. But V decided that she actually really liked the way it was sitting, which means no alterations to be made to the flat pattern. Hurrah! The corset will be in a beautiful “bronzed violet” shade of dupioni silk with a French lace in ecru, and will have a golden busk and eyelets. Steels will be sandwiched rather than in exterior casings to give as streamlined a silhouette as possible. It’s going to be lovely, and V has already started dreaming up her next one!
Anyway, there is more to be done before our little holiday (officially from 16th – 30th August, but there’ll be some overlap at the beginning), which means a work-filled Sunday.
Progress on the “Sparklewren Learns to Drive Fund”!
Well, I’m ever closer to being able to start learning to drive properly, which is excellent. It will be a useful skill, both personally and for my work. It’s a costly business though, maybe being a driving instructor would have been a more lucrative career path
So with that in mind (and because I’m quite impatient to get going with my lessons), I’m doing a crazy (ie: excellent value) offer on my current etsy samples and RTW corsets.
Was $240, currently $170.
Was $280, currently $230.
Was $310, currently $260.
Was $300, currently $260.
Was $280, currently $230.
Was $280, currently $230.
As I say, I’m excited to get going, so this is a time-restricted offer and will only last until this Friday 13th August! That’s nothing to do with superstitions and black cats though
Prices are in USD simply because that’s how etsy operate. But you can use www.xe.com to check exchange rates. I hope we can find some new homes for these pretty little corsets!
“Swiss Cincher” with crimson and purple
Mmm, pretty colours!
[Click for larger image]
I’m still having difficulties photographing the colours correctly, but the first image gives the best impression. The crimson is actually quite deep and the purple gives a brighter cast to the corset. This next image shows the flossing design well, but the colours aren’t right…
You can see how we’ve developed the design from the first yellow flossed piece. The idea for this corset was to accentuate the waspy waist more. By extending those “spikes” on either side of the side-seam we’ve kind of “outlined” the shape of the cincher.
The flossing angling from the narrow sides towards the front and back of the corset almost functions in a similar way to the decoration of lattice or ribbon corsets. I don’t think I’m explaining this very well(!), but the diamond shape of the corset (front and back view) is accentuated by the coloured flossing, leaving the waist section almost entirely black. Therefore the waist section looks smaller!
Three of the four limited edition Swiss Cinchers actually feature contrast top-stitching. It’s nice to see the difference in effect between darker and lighter threads (such as in the salmon pink and burgundy piece). Even just that tiny detail gives the corset its own unique character. I loved working on this piece as the colours are more subtle, but still very strong and powerful
Patterns from antique corsets, courtesy of AtelierSylphe
Ooh, I’m very excited to have purchased a couple of patterns (drafted direct from antiques) from AtelierSylphe! Hopefully I’ll find the time to play around with these patterns this autumn, so keep your eyes peeled for some more historically inspired samples :-D
Two flossing samplers - working through colour and scale
Two of my current cinchers feature similar, though not identical, flossing, which means that I’ve been having fun playing around with colour combinations.
First up, a piece which will be decorated much like the original yellow flossed piece, but altered to accentuate the waistline more. I’m thinking of placing a couple of those tall “spikes” just in front of the side seam for this purpose, as shown in the sketch below:
For the flossing, we have a rich crimson and purple (perle coton nos. 22 and 1028 respectively: the photograph isn’t showing them very well on my monitor, they’re actually darker, richer colours in real life). We wanted to stay away from bright or orange-y reds, so these two colours have cooler blue undertones.
Sample A shows the purple on the outer edge of the “V” with crimson on the inner edge and “spike”. Sample B is the same, but with purple in the “spike”. Sample C is the same as B, but with the colours reversed in the “V”. Right now, I prefer the look of Sample A, but it’ll depend on how much crimson/purple the client would like
Next, a cincher which will have a design based upon the flossing from the Black Satin 1890s corset in Jill Salen’s book. The motifs are shorter and more delicate, so I’ve been playing with three different shades of red for interest.
Sample A is entirely in a mid-red (no. 44 perle coton). Sample B goes from dark to light (nos. 22, 44 and 47). Sample C is the same, but with a lighter “spike” and with the darker threads sitting on top of the lighter ones. It’s good fun playing with flossing like this, as the look can be completely different even with only one small variation. I’ve played with the shaping and scale too, and think that the shape of Sample A is the prettiest right now. Maybe, the shape of Sample A with the colouring of Sample B? Let’s wait and see!
Memo to self: learn how to photograph reds and blues. Why are they so tricky?!
