Discussion Query: Steel wire petticoats?

[labricoleuse]

I have a few cool posts of projects-in-process coming up soon, but I wanted to solicit opinions on a project I'm just starting to troubleshoot.

Has anyone built a steel-wire petticoat like this before:







I have to build two of these with the following properties (theoretically):

--Hoops must be metal
--Hoops must be round diameter in a cross section (i.e., not flat hooping)
--Tapes must be limp, like wide twill tape, so that if an actress sat in one the petti would telescopically collapse like a camping cup

I've built such things with flat hooping before, and i've seen antique actual ones of these. Anyone who's built one with steel wire, with this dense number and spacing of hoops before, i'd love to hear any pros and cons of troubleshooting it, advice, holy-crap-don't-do-this info, etc.

Comments

[koshka-the-cat.livejournal.com]

I've made one like that with at kit from Needle and Thread (http://www.woodedhamlet.com ). They have specially made supplies to make this style--tapes with pockets in them, narrow wire, little metal dots to secure the wire so it doesn't shift around in the pockets, etc.

It's the most comfortable, easy to wear hoop that I own. It doesn't have quite as many bones as pictured, but twenty bones is still quite a few, and you could add more. The large number of bones makes the skirt sit very nicely on it, and it's very easy to sit in--it just collapses.

Of course, besides the kit, I'm not really sure what options there are to make one that looks so much like the originals.

Mine is here:

http://koshka-the-cat.livejournal.com/457210.html#cutid1

and a few progress pictures here:

http://koshka-the-cat.livejournal.com/455292.html#cutid1

[wendyhouse.livejournal.com]

oh, now that's just *seriously* cool.
bookmarked that for future reference.

Thank you!

[labricoleuse.livejournal.com]

That is EXACTLY what i was hoping someone would turn up--a source for the metal anchors for the wires!!!

Thank you SO MUCH. I think you have probably just saved me many hours of R&D.