This is the Rules page for the 2014 Competition, which is now closed. The 2015 themes and rules will be announced on this page on March 15th, 2014.

Geometry	1908 Transitional Corset

Quick Links

Theme: Geometry
Sew-along for 1908 Corset
What can I make that'll be eligible for the Competition?
Categories and Prizes
Who Can Enter?
How to Enter?
Deadline for Entries

Geometry

Lines, intersections, curves and angles.... Fractals!

Dictionary definition of geometry:

1 a : a branch of mathematics that deals with the measurement, properties, and relationships of points, lines, angles, surfaces, and solids; broadly: the study of properties of given elements that remain invariant under specified transformations

2 a : configuration
   b : surface shape
3 : an arrangement of objects or parts that suggests geometric figures

How does this translate into a design? Think of Gothic Cathedrals, those lines, arcs, curves - all of that is geometry in action. In looking at the photos below, can you see gussets, gores and boning channels?
Torre de menagem do Castelo de Beja, Portugal, from Biblioteca de Arte Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Flickr
Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória, Batalha Portugal, from Biblioteca de Arte-Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian Flickr

Igreja de Jesus, Setúbal, Portugal, from Biblioteca de Arte-Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian Flickr

Or think of Islamic tile designs

 Samarkand, Shah-i Zinda : decoration of the Tuman Aqa complex by Patrickringgenberg  

Here are a few books on Archive.org on designing and drawing patterns and ornaments based on geometry:Christie Traditional methods of pattern designing, fig 363 

• Cusack's Freehand Ornament
• Archibald H. Christie Traditional methods of pattern designing; an introduction to the study of the decorative art (1910)
• A handbook of ornament by Franz Meyer

Fractals

Fractals are also a part of geometry, non-Euclidian geometry. They are a pattern set that repeats, and forms its own pattern. They are often found in nature.  Many fractals are similar to lace or embroidery patterns, such as this gorgeous spiral pattern

Here are some excellent articles that explain fractals:

• Non-Euclidean geometry and Indra's pearls by Caroline Series and David Wright
• Fractal Food: Self-Similarity on the Supermarket Shelf by John Walker
• Can Science Be Used To Further Our Understanding Of Art?
• Crocheting the Hyperbolic Plane

Examples of Fractals, which can be easily translated into embellishment 
Sierpiński Sieve
Sierpinski Gasket
Box Fractal
Lévy Dragon
Heighway's Dragon

Multiple cloud-to-ground and cloud-to-cloud lightning strokes during night-time. NOAA  Peacock feathers in a fractal pattern by 4028mdk09Frost on a car window forming fractals by Wilson44691  Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, the river's sinuous waterways seem like blood vessels branching out to enclose an organ. (another example of fractals) Credit: NASA/USGS/Landsat

1908 Transitional Corset

Anna Stonestrom, also known as Bookwyrm in the forum and on Corsetmakers community on LJ, will be leading a sew-along, starting in April.

 The Corsetry and Foundationwear Competition

Here's everything you need to know to take part in the unique Corsetry and Foundationwear Competition that will round off our year of themed articles! And you are going to take part this year, aren't you? We had over forty entries this last year, but don't let that discourage you from flexing your sewing muscles and giving it a try. You've got a full eleven months from now until our deadline in February 2014, and we'll be publishing lots of inspirational articles to help you get started and finish by the deadline!

What can I make that'll be eligible for the Competition?

The only thing that all our projects will have in common are the themes we all started with. Some of you will want to make something for the modern world or a future or fantasy world; others will want to strive for historical accuracy; some of you will want to take a theatrical approach and make it a garment or outfit for a particular real or fictional character. As long as you make it clear what you had in mind in your accompanying notes (more on that later), we'll all be able to judge your entry based on what you were aiming for.

Foundations Revealed™  is the corset maker's companion (and a lot more besides!), so make any corset or foundationwear you feel inspired to make. Design it how you like, tweak it as you like, put it together any way you like, just as long as its inspiration fits into the themes of Geometry or 1908 Transitional Corset.

Can you publish an article on cording/applying crystals/fitting the hips to help me?

As we did this last year, we'll run at least one relevant article for each theme per month. We've got some VERY exciting things already scheduled for this year. But we're looking for more writers and we're open to requests on specific topics. If you're interested in writing for us on one of these years,  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to learn more or to submit an article idea.

Geometry and Fractals

Sweester & Pembrook, 1891, p72

Corsetry is all about geometry, the line of the boning, the arc of the waist, the cone of the gusset.  You might enjoy looking through the antique corset catalogues of the Winterthur Museum Library to get some inspiration for a Gothic arch inspired corset. The most dramatic geometric corset that we have in the archives is the Y&N Diagonal Seamed Corset 1 and part 2, but the subtle gussets of the Supporting a Large Bust 1  and 2 articles also are geometry in action.

Did you know that some flossing patterns are actually fractals! Here are some ideas to get you started:
Flossing: Xs and Crossovers
Flossing, part 2: Vs and Chevrons

1908 Transitional Corset

While you're waiting for the sew-along to get started, read Sabrina Mark's article of her attempt of the 1908 Transitional Corset

General Planning

Saving Time and Effort 
The Six Rules of "Good" Corsetry 
Corset Pattern Scaling 
Drawing Flats for Corsetieres

Categories and Prizes

You may enter once in each theme category. In other words, if you want to do a Geometry entry and a 1908 Transitional Corset entry and submit them both, go ahead, but two entries in the same theme will count as one.  No purchased, rented, or inherited costumes may be entered; the entry must be your own work. 

We have brought back the skill level categories this year, since they were requested by almost everyone who left comments. The two themes will be judged together for one overall set of prizes.

• Beginner - If virtually every project you can think of is a completely new experience, you're a Beginner.
• Improver - If you have some experience and you think you could make a passable effort at a selection of different types of costumes, you're an Improver.
• Experienced - If you think you could probably make a pretty awesome job of most costumes, you're Experienced.
• Everyone's interpretations of these three categories will be slightly different, so once we've received all the entries, we reserve the right to shuffle entries around amongst the categories to create a level playing field. (In other words, we often end up shifting a few people up a category, because you're all so darned modest!)

Winners in each of these categories will go through to a final round of voting in which the overall winner will be selected. (Don't assume that the Experienced entry will win - the overall 2012 winner entered as a Beginner!)

The Grand Prizewinner will receive: 

• A $300 gift certificate for the online store of their choice
• A year's free subscription to Your Wardrobe Unlock'd™ and Foundations Revealed™.
• A special "Best In Show" icon to place on their website, blog or forum profile.

The two other category winners will each receive:

• A $100 gift certificate for the online store of their choice
• A year's free subscription to Your Wardrobe Unlock'd™ and Foundations Revealed™.
• A special "Winner" icon to place on their website, blog or forum profile.

 Three runners-up (i.e. the entry who came second in each skill category) will each receive: 

• Six months' free subscription to Your Wardrobe Unlock'd™ and Foundations Revealed™.
• A special "Runner-up" icon to place on their website, blog or forum profile.

Who Can Enter?

You will need to be a Foundations member on the closing date in order to enter. No purchased, rented, or inherited costumes may be entered; the entry must be your own work.

Remember, you don't have to be a world class costumer to take part! The point of the Competition is to get you trying things you wouldn't normally have a go at, and to stretch you a little way outside your comfort zone in a safe environment where we're all working together and supporting each other. Some of you will be able to share your experience and ideas; others will show us your journey along a huge learning curve. Don't ever underestimate yourself and overestimate everyone else! Have a go!

JOINT ENTRIES

Joint entries of up to three people are welcome, provided that you are all members on the closing date. The skill level of the group is defined as the skill level of the member who was most involved in construction, or the most experienced member if it really was an equal joint effort. You will need to decide on a spokesperson.

Prizes for joint entries will be awarded to the spokesperson to divide up as s/he sees fit. All members of the group will be able to use the "winner" icons, and any prize subscriptions will be split - four months each for a three-person entry, for example, or six months each for a two-person entry.

How to Enter

You will not need to send the garments themselves to us - our members are located all over the world and we'd be as heartbroken as you would be if your clothes got lost or damaged in the mail. In any case, we're not going to judge them: YOU are!

Photos

We're going to ask you to photograph the clothes you make; we'll use these photos and your dress diary or documentation as your entry. Your permission to use those things on our websites is granted by entering them, but the copyright on the photos and text remains your own.

You can enter a maximum of ten photos. You'll need to host them yourself at a site like Photobucket or Flickr, or on your own webspace. Photo hosting sites are very easy to use; don't be intimidated if you're not used to them.

Dress diary (optional)

We recommend that you keep a "dress diary", perhaps on your online journal if you have one; we'd love to link to it. The great advantage of this is that you can include as many pictures as you like on your blog, over and above the ten picture limit for your main entry, and we'll link to it. Remember to use a tag so that voters can access your complete dress diary at once without needing to sift through other entries in your blog!

If you're not familiar with the term, a "dress diary" is simply an journal (online in this case) that you keep during the making of an outfit that documents how you made it, what problems you came across and how you solved them, including any making-of pictures, and all your triumphs and tribulations during the project. They're great to look back on and they help us all to learn from each other's experiences.

Deadline for Entries

In order to enter we need to receive your entry email by 5pm GMT (that's 12pm EST) on Monday February 3th, 2014. The title of the email should be "FR Competition" and it should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The email will need to contain:

• Your name (ie. the name of the maker or makers, clearly indicating the spokesperson for joint entries)
• Your username
• Your email address (if different from the one you're writing from!)
• The title of your entry - give it a name!
• Brief description of your entry (about 500 words), including anything you'd particularly like us to know about it: inspiration, fabric, unique or historically accurate techniques or materials, any particular challenges you overcame, etc.
• Link to your photos (don't attach them to your email, just include a list of direct links to each photo)
• Link to your dress diary, if you've made one
• Please include the following legal text in your email, which officially gives us your permission to publish your entry on the site: I hereby grant Harman Hay Publications the irrevocable right to use the text and images that are attached to, or linked from, this email on any products, and in any digital or traditional media or content.

Your entry will be uploaded to the website, giving our members and the public the opportunity to see your work. The winners will then be decided by a vote. The Publisher, Editor, writers and every subscriber at the time of polling will be able to vote - and by popular request, we'll do a better job next year of letting you know by email, through Facebook and on the site itself that the vote is happening, and where to find it.

And Finally...

If you have questions, you can always This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or post them on the Wall of our Facebook page - especially useful for those annoying issues that only come up when you're halfway finished! We'll add to this article with the answers to your questions (if relevant to everyone) as well as replying to you personally.