And its done!

The alterations went really well, I was done within an hour, and throughout the day I have been stitching on the binding.  I also added a label on the inside and embroidered my initials on one of the panels.  I have chosen a "rabbit ear" lacing to finish.

The front panels match very well and I love the play of flowers and skulls with the swirl of the snake's body going round mine; it has a real vintage tattoo feel to it, which is exactly what I wanted.  My Victorian costume will be accurate and in keeping with the period, but I couldn't resist this little Gothic touch hidden underneath.

I have built my first corset and I love it.

In the meantime, the 9 yr old picked the pattern for her Halloween costume, Simplicity 5042 Costumes For Kids, out of print and finally tracked down on eBay...