SugarKitty Corsets

Poison Ivy Abigail Corset in Emerald Dupioni

2009-10-30T15:24:34Z

This corset was SO fun to make! It's an Abigail Corset, with an altered pointy bustline. The embroidery was my client's design, but I changed up the proportions a little bit (made it larger) and added bugle bead accents. It's for a Halloween costume, and she's promised to send me pics. I can't wait to see the whole ensemble!

As usual, I have crappy lighting in my studio, and the colors of the fabric aren't quite right. The emerald green is really rich, and the ribbon laces match it almost exactly. Also, the bugle beads are a little sparkly, and add a nice glitter when the corset moves. One day, when I grow up, I will have nice photo lighting in my studio. One day.

The lowdown:

-Emerald Green Silk Dupioni Fabric
-Parront Green Silk Dupioni Trim
-Pointed Bustline Alteration
-Lime Green Poison Ivy Embroidery w/ Bugle Bead Accents
-Modesty Panel
-Silver #00 Grommets
-Emerald Green Ribbon Laces
-Black Twill Lining
-1/4" Spiral and Flat Steel Boning

Red Silk Dupioni Miss Rose Corset

2009-10-16T00:02:36Z

This is the second of the two corsets for my trade model, Maria. I'm so irritated that the photo makes the appliques look crooked - but they're not, I swear! This one was a fun corset to make...I love all the frilly trims.:D

The lowdown:

-Red Silk Dupioni Fabric
-Red Feather/Beaded Trim
-Red Beaded Applique over each hip
-Silver #00 Grommets
-Red Ribbon Laces
-Black Twill Lining
-Modesty Panel

Peacock Dupioni Alexis Waist Cincher

2009-10-15T23:58:22Z

This is one of two corsets for my trade model, Maria. She's got a photoshoot this weekend, so I should have some more gorgeous imagery coming up soon! She's also a burlesque dancer, hence all the frou frou trim. So fun!

The lowdown:

-Peacock Dupioni Fabric
-Self-Trim
-Antique Silver #00 Grommets
-Black Ribbon Laces
-1/4" Spiral Steel Boning
-Peacock Feather Trim
-Hand Beaded Detail on Back Panels
-Black Twill Lining

Burgundy Taffeta Abigail Corset

2009-10-15T23:55:13Z

I tried to photograph this a zillion different ways, and I just could not capture what the fabric looks like. It's shimmery, red one direction, black the other. It's really rich and has a bit of a sheen on it. If it weren't rainy today, I would have tried photographing it outdoors. Corset still turned out lovely, even if the photos aren't stellar.

The lowdown:

-Burgundy Taffeta Fabric
-Self- Trim
-Black #00 Grommets
-Black Laces
-Black Twill Lining
-1/4" Spiral Steel Boning

Burgundy Peonies Brocade Abigail Corset

2009-09-30T01:06:11Z

This is probably one of the most beautiful corsets I've ever made. Though I love clean, stripped down (ok, plain - I'm the world's most boring dresser!) corsets personally, creating something this feminine is a rare treat.

The lowdown:

-Burgundy Peonies Silk Brocade w/ Partial Lace Overlay
-Ruffle Trim, made from black lace & burgundy satin ribbon w/ satin bow at top
-Modesty Panel
-3 Pair Detachable Garters (not shown) w/ Ribbon Bows
-High back alteration
-Sweetheart neckline alteration
-Black #00 Grommets
-Burgundy Ribbon Laces
-Black Twill Lining
-Heavy Duty Busk
-1/2"Spiral Steel Boning

Blue & Silver Silk Dupioni Abigail II Corset

2009-09-18T19:17:58Z

The lowdown:

-Blue & Silver Silk Dupioni Fabric
-Matching Silk Dupioni Trim
-1/4" Spiral & Spring Steel Boning
-#00 Silver Grommets
-White Ribbon Laces
-Blue Leopard Twill Lining

Just in case!

2009-09-09T20:14:20Z

If any of you aren't already aware, here's some more places to find/follow me on the web:

Twitter

Facebook

SugarKitty Fan Page

Flickr

Model Mayhem

Steampunk Clocks & Black Twill Victoria Corset

2009-09-09T19:37:36Z

The lowdown:

-Brown Clocks Novelty Cotton w/ Black Twill Panels
-Black Leather Trim
-Black Leather Piping
-Gold Busk
-1/4" Spiral & Flat Steel Boning
-Boned Underbusk
-Black Laces
-Gold Aglets
-Antique Gold Grommets
-Black Twill Lining

Catch me on TV tonight!

2009-08-27T18:24:12Z

SugarKitty's TV debut at 10PM tonight! WDEM (Channel 17) or streaming live (if you're not local or have cable): http://www.wdem-tv.com/watch. You can also catch the show tomorrow at 7am, noon, or 5pm!

I'll be getting a hardcopy of the show as well, which I'll rip to my website/Facebook/etc.

Black Cherry Blossom Brocade Alexis Waist Cincher

2009-08-24T19:23:31Z

Here's the second corset I made for the TV show. The last two corsets were ones I'd already made for a client (modeled by her and a friend).

The lowdown:

-Black Cherry Blossoms Silk Brocade Fabric
-Black Cotton Trim
-Black #00 Grommets
-Black Ribbon Laces
-1/4" Spiral Steel Boning
-Black Twill Lining

Black & Red Roses Brocade Penelope Underbust

2009-08-24T19:16:17Z

I recently finished two sample corsets that will be featured on a program called Lifeline Columbus (premiering this Thursday night!!). This Penelope corset was one of them. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to fit my models, so I had to guess on the size... it didn't fit the model exactly, but I think it was good enough for the purpose it served.

I think the filming went pretty well, even though I was EXTREMELY nervous (I HATE being on camera!). A huge thank-you to my gorgeous models that helped me out!! I'll post more info once I've got it. The station streams live, but I should be getting a copy of the show, and I'll post it on my MySpace and Facebook for anyone that's interested in seeing it. :)

The lowdown:

-Black & Red Roses Brocade
-Black Cotton Trim
-Black #00 Grommets
-Black Ribbon Laces
-Black Twill Lining
-1/4" Spring & Spiral Steel Boning
-Featuring the new ALL BLACK busk!

Maria Bella's shoot - sneak peek!

2009-07-27T17:14:12Z

As promised, here's one of the photos from my trade model's most recent shoot. More are on the way. This is the corset I didn't get time to photograph because I had to overnight it to her. The back panels are the same red & white striped satin (which incidentally, I hate, and hope I never have to make a corset from again).

Aqua Ribbons Silk Brocade Alexis Cincher - NEWLY REDESIGNED!

2009-07-20T19:51:53Z

I completely re-did the pattern for the Alexis Waist Cincher, and made it a much more flattering shape. It's also significantly shorter than it used to be. This is the first full corset I've made with the new pattern, and I'm really pleased with the result. Also, you can see I got my regular innerlining fabric back in stock --- no wrinkles! :)

My trade model had a photoshoot over the weekend, so be on the lookout for new images from that! I didn't have time to photograph the corset before I shipped it, so I'm anxious to see how it looked on her. :)

The lowdown:

-Aqua Ribbons Silk Brocade Fabric
-Cranberry Silk Dupioni Trim
-Cranberry Silk Dupioni Piping
-Antique Gold #00 Grommets
-Moss Green Ribbon Laces
-1/4" Spiral Steel Boning
-Antique Gold Twill Lining

Burgundy Silk Dupioni Abigail Corset

2009-07-11T17:18:33Z

I really don't like the underlining I've been using lately. Funds have been short, so I have to use what's already in the studio. The corset looks all wrinkly, even though it is fused to the underlining. So frustrating. Grr. Anyhow, I think it still turned out lovely. :)

The lowdown:

-Burgundy Silk Dupioni
-Black Cotton Trim
-Black #00 Grommets
-Black Ribbon Laces
-Black Twill Lining
-1/4" Spiral Steel Boning

ComFest

2009-06-26T18:43:37Z

I probably should have posted this sooner, but I didn't realize so many people were expecting to visit the booth this year. Oops.

SugarKitty is not vending at ComFest this year. Due to lack of manpower and the depressed economy, I've opted out. So to all you lovelies that were hoping to visit the booth (not to mention the assclowns that steal from me year after year), I'm sorry to disappoint! I will be hanging out at the part on Saturday, most likely stumbling around with a beer in my hand. Make sure you say hello!

Skull Brocade & Dupioni Penelope Corset

2009-06-22T23:18:07Z

It's been a long time coming, but I've finally got a new corset style! I'm curently working on about 4 other orders at the same time, and I figured I just need to try and squeeze new sample corsets in between. I'll never get any new ones done otherwise! It's an underbust corset, with longline hips. Kind of Edwardian style. I'm not crazy about the photographs, but they'll do for now. Photographing a dupioni corset when it's not fit on a body or snug on the dressform always makes it look kinda crappy.

Since I'm re-doing the website, I don't have it up for retail sale YET, but I will be listing the sample for sale very soon.

The lowdown:

-Black & Silver Skulls Brocade w/ Black Dupioni
-Black Dupioni Trim
-Antique Silver #00 Grommets
-Black Ribbon Laces
-Black Twill Lining
-1/4" Spring & Spiral Steel Boning

Aqua Mermaids Brocade Abigail Corset

2009-06-19T15:33:45Z

This is the third corset I've made from this fabric...I'm kinda glad to get a break from it, beautiful as it is. It is an unbelievable pain in the arse to match up.

The lowdown:

-Aqua Mermaids Silk Brocade
-Self Trim
-Antique Gold #00 Grommets
-Antique Gold Ribbon Laces
-Antique Gold Twill Lining
-Modesty Panel
-1/2" Spring & Spiral Steel Boning
-Heavy Duty Busk & Boned Underbusk

In other news, the new design of the SugarKitty Corsets website is almost complete! It's been a long and arduous process, but I think it's going to be well worth it. I hope to debut it within the next couple of weeks! Woot!

Black & White Polka Dot Francesca Corset

2009-05-28T15:16:21Z

I made this corset for Alissa Brunelli - so any local folks will get to see her wearing it at Hell City this weekend! Speaking of which, I'll be helping Mike out at his booth (EngineHouse13), so come say hi. I'm gonna have a few handbags and buttons and such for sale myself.

On to the corset! :)

The lowdown:

-Black & White Polka Dot Novelty Cotton Fabric
-Black Cotton Trim
-1/4" Spiral Steel Boning
-Black Cotton Piping
-Modesty Panel
-Black Lining
-Black #00 Grommets
-Black Laces

Black & Pink Polka Dot Francesca Waist Cincher

2009-05-19T18:53:34Z

The lowdown:

-Pink & Black Polka Dot Novelty Cotton Fabric
-Black Cotton Trim
-1/4" Spiral Steel Boning
-External Boning Casings
-Black Lining
-Black #00 Grommets
-Black Laces

Olivia Corset - Aqua Mermaids Silk Brocade

2009-05-15T16:40:43Z

I've made a very similar corset to this before. This has become quite the popular fabric choice (look for an Abigail Corset made from the same stuff next week).

The lowdown:

-Aqua Mermaids Silk Brocade
-Self-Trim
-1/4" Spiral & Flat Steel Boning
-#00 Antique Gold Grommets
-Antique Gold Ribbon Laces
-Antique Gold Twill Lining
-Modesty Panel

White Cherry Blossoms Brocade Olivia Corset

2009-05-01T15:33:41Z

The lowdown:

-White on White Cherry Blossoms Brocade
-Self-Trim
-1/4" Spiral & Flat Steel Boning
-#00 White Grommets
-Lemon Grass Ribbon Laces
-White Twill Lining
-Modesty Panel
-Lacing Bones

Black & White Silk Dupioni Victoria Corset

2009-04-24T17:18:34Z

For a prom outfit, no less! :)

The lowdown:

-Black & White Silk Dupioni
-Black Cotton Trim
-White Silk Dupioni Piping
1/4" Spiral & Flat Steel Boning
-Black Laces
-Black Grommets
-Black Twill Lining

White Silk Dupioni Abigail II Corset

2009-04-23T21:31:16Z

I absolutely hate the dressform I had to photograph this corset on. It makes everything look...well...so unshapely. One day I'll be able to afford REAL dressforms in a multitude of sizes! Still, the corset is lovely and I hope the photos do it some justice.

The lowdown:

-White Silk Dupioni Fabric
-White Silk Dupioni Trim
-Modesty Panel
-1/4" Spiral & Spring Steel Boning
-#00 White Grommets
-White Laces
-Pink Twill Lining

Pewter Cherry Blossoms Brocade Olivia Corset

2009-04-23T21:27:24Z

This corset turned out so beautifully. My client loved it, too! Here's what she had to say about it:

"I wanted to let you know I got the corset (on Saturday, actually, sorry for the delayed response). It is absolutely GORGEOUS. The extra touches with the packaging were so nice. The corset fits like a glove, no, better! It feels amazing and looks amazing and I'm just so THRILLED! When I get a chance to take some photos I'll pass them on to you. Thank you again! I'll definitely be recommending you to anyone who will listen, and coming back myself!"

The lowdown:

-Pewter Cherry Blossom Silk Brocade
-Self-Trim
-1/4" Spiral & Flat Steel Boning
-Antique Silver Grommets
-Pink Ribbon Laces
-Pink Twill Lining
-Modesty Panel
-2 Pair Black Detachable Garters (not shown)

A new look for SugarKitty

2009-04-10T21:29:18Z

I'm taking advantage of my time off from my second job (how effed up is our economy when I have to get a second job to make ends meet, and they cut my hours???) to get caught up on backorders and re-vamp the website. I have long wanted to redo the shopping cart system, since I currently only use PayPal's. I have maxed out what I am able to do with it's very limited capabilities, and need to bite the bullet and try something new.

I am not afraid of a new system, but rather the intense amount of time and effort it's going to require to do it. I am good at sewing - not web design. I will also have to redo all of my links on external sites (such as Flickr), and I'm not especially looking forward to that. The advantages of the new shopping cart will be well worth the expansive overhaul, however. I will have a contact form, a mailing list, and an updates page integrated right into the cart (as opposed to using third party sites like Bravenet and Freedback like I do now). I will also be able to issue coupon codes, discounts, gift certificates, and sales all through the website.

Lots of work.

At any rate, I'd love some feedback from any current/former/future clients that read this in regards to changes they'd like to see. The goal is to make the website as easy and as user-friendly as possible. I know my current corset ordering page is cumbersome and overwhelming, and any ideas as to streamlining that process are welcome.

One thing I'm seriously considering is adding "standard" corsets at a lower cost. Still handmade to order, but in standard sizes and with limited fabric choices/options. Any input regarding this idea would be great, too.

The past year and half of my life has been dark and painful. It's been a grueling and challenging time not only for me, but for my business as well. I finally feel that the clouds are lifting somewhat, even if the horrible strain the economy still places on SugarKitty has not. There's a light at the end of the tunnel!

Thanks in advance to anyone who's got any ideas for me. I've been doing a lot of research, but as someone who knows corsets (and my website) inside and out, I feel I need some fresh suggestions. I'm too close to what I do, and it's all starting to sort of swim before my eyes in a giant mishmash. :)