Creating a Corset

by Asenath

First problem: Where to find a good pattern? There are a couple of nice standard-sized patterns available but most of them would have to be altered heavily to be "efficient" on my size. As I also lack a reasonable amount of bosom, most overbust corset patterns available are also a big no-no.

As I didn't REALLY want to start with something historically correct (help, WHERE does that little piece go again?!), I decided to draft my own underbust corset pattern for a start and use the project to gain the basic corset-making skills.

Looking through my fabrics (who else here buys fabric thinking "you never know what it can be turned into"?) I found some REALLY sturdy twill, some golden brocade-ish fabric and some undefinable black fabric, along with some boning I bought ages ago in order to repair a plastic boned Fredericks of Holliwood bodice and a busk that was left from an old corset that had fallen apart. Oh, and 10 m of black narrow zig-zag ribbon

Oh well, looked like a good start to me. What I had in mind when I drafted the pattern was a long-line underbust with a conical rib cage shape and wide hipline... later I had to find out that I was a bit generous with the upper hip area :lol:

Please ignore the pink front and binding, I originally wanted to use a different fabric for these parts but I was unable to find it.

Now here's the pattern:

I decided to use the two-layered method a friend of mine uses for her corsets. That means that I first put the "shell" together (the outer layer, consisting of one layer of twill and the fashion fabric) and then the inner layer, which also includes a waistband.

Here are two photos of one half of the shell:

Once the two "layers were got I sewed them together on the right sides at the front and back and then turned the whole thig over... does anyone here understand what I mean? Sorry, my explanations suck.

Anyway, once that was done I stitched the busk into place (which I had to redo later), added the eyelets in order to study the overall shape and wondered what to do about the boning channels. First I had wanted to sew some cotton ribbon to the inside but realising that I was too stupid to do that I just sewed through all the layers, which worked fine (as long as you don't look at the stitching too closely *whistles*).

Anyway, after a long fight with those stupid metal boning tips, which liked to get stuck in the middle of a boning channel I managed to get at least most of the boning into the corset and tried it on in order to check how well it fits... the ribcage area, waist and bottom was fine, but it ended up about 1" too wide in the upper hip area. Narf... where did those bra pads go?! :roll: I also found that I could have made the corset about 1" longer at the top front and maybe even longer at the back. The bottom lengths are okay though.

Anyway, here are the current pictures of the corset, modeled by my lovely pillow. Some boning channels and bones are still missing, which I am going to fix tonight or tomorrow. Obviosuly, the binding is also missing. I want to add a top and bottom ruffle but I am not sure at the moment.

Will add pictures of the finished project and the rest of the story when I am done.

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The corset is finished... basically.

Two small issues left:

I will have to...

A: Tuck a small spot of the golden fabrick back under the binding, it slipped out (see first picture)

B: Use proper spring steel for the back lacing, for quite obvious reasons (see second picture).

I have now made a second version of the pattern which will hopefully work better.

Actually I have made a second and a third version, the third version having hip gussets like my Iris Norris corset... and yes, I will make a mockup first.