MaryDee, I too have bunions, incredibly spread front toes and a narrow heel. I also have a Morton's Neuroma, and one of my toes is frozen painfully from a break that healed badly 20 years ago. Oh, and another toe still aches in the rain from being shattered about 30 years ago. 

I buy almost all of my shoes 2-3 sizes larger than my size 7 feet, in order to accommodate the width, then I pad out with a wide variety of inserts.

I have both expensive inserts, and cheap drugstore varieties. I layer them as each shoe requires.

BTW, my favorite two modern shoes for work are Timberland Pro Renovo, and Merrell Encore Breeze. 

Anyway, keep in touch with Fugawee. After some prodding they are coming out with an extra wide version of a couple of their shoes. I have an order in for their new Extra Wide Victorias, and will report on them when they come in.

I am currently wearing a pair of size 9 wide side lacers from a company I don't remember. They are actually too long for me, though I can get by. I've gotten a line on a size 7.5 pair, and if those work out for me, these would be up for sale.

I think they'd be worth a shot for you to try. They seem to me much bigger and deeper than the Robert Land's I've seen around. I'm wearing mine with a pair of Superfeet insoles right now, and after last weekend, I'm thinking about adding a cheap thin foam insole to pad them out further.

I did try a pair of Robert Land's off the rack size 9 wide dancing slippers, and they were far too tight width and height and I promptly sold them.

If you are so inclined, Robert Land makes custom shoes, but I have been afraid to try this option long distance. I feel confident if he were to take the necessary measurements in person that I'd have the best shoes possible, but I do not feel confident with me taking the measurements. 

I'm trying to find the link on Facebook to show you the boots that are for sale, but I'm having technical difficulties. If anyone else can get to the Civilian Civil War Closet and find the link to the cream with black foxing side lacers for sale, please post them here for Mary. 

Cheers,
Barbara

Did you say what brand of cornstarch you were using? I've heard great things about Argo, might be worth a try:

https://www.lehmans.com/p-1814-argo-laundry-starch.aspx

Cheers,
B.

Tucks always help hold more starch and add stiffness to your petticoats, and it certainly couldn't hurt, but I have never personally worn my petticoats without any other skirt support on a humid, wilt-y day, so I don't know whether that will be the thing that makes all the difference (I have a quite small hoop that I wear in "work" situations, but I understand you can't do that, hence your problem). It should definitely help some though, and with the added bonus of making your petticoats prettier! 

Jehanne-

At what point are you attaching the gusset? Construction order makes a big difference.

I attach the gusset when I make the sleeve so it becomes part of the sleeve armscye edge when the sleeve is attached to the shirt. The armscye and side seam are then stitched all in one swoop.

Also, felling is done as I go instead of at the end.  It helps keep the gusset where it belongs when it comes time to attach the sleeve.



Liz W.

Jim, I wonder what those shirts were like.   I wonder if many have survived.

Still, there were many very, very  rural and isolated populations in our country. 

It is not so much the size of the gusset.  Rather it is the broken stitching lines that make it weak.
I am using a 5 inch square gusset.
I think that I am going to cut the gusset in half in order to have better access to fell the seams.  I think that will help.  I think that will add the strength that I am looking for.

Hannah, did adding a strip of tucks help at all?

Pamela is very prompt to respond to emails.  I definitely recommend her if you want a truly accurate hat.  I'll make sure to post pictures as soon as I have trimmed mine

Oh. Thanks both of you! 

BEAUTIFUL!!!