Pretty in fuschia

The corset is rocketing along - I finished the twisted stitch section this morning, and am now ready for the hip increases and the final lace section. I know others have said it before me, but this is a truly delightful pattern. It's not only beautiful, it's intelligent, too.

That's kind of a hard thing to define, but every so often you look at what your fingers have produced and think 'Oh yeah... I get it!" It's the sort of little design element that feels just so right when you see it, but you can't imagine what triggered its creation. Gorgeous.

It also happens that I know a fair amount about 'real' corsets. I have to say that I absolutely adore the references to Victorian corsetry and design in there - I recognise the shape of the thing, the neckline, the lace trim (which, for ultimate authenticity would be 'beaded' - that is, have ribbon threaded through it), the nod to 'flossing' in the twisted stitches, the curve that the bust/hip shaping assumes... Just gorgeous.

I'm also delighted with the yarn I'm using. It's cotton, but not too dense, and is producing this wonderful, springy, welcoming fabric, especially in the rib pattern. I know it will thicken slightly when I wash it - the swatch did - which will even out my slightly irregular tension (I hope) and produce a fabric which is just that little bit denser and fuller. Yum!

So here she is so far...

And a closeup of the lace.