corset making
damn you people. why can't you all be free at the same time? ok, here's the plan...
i'll be having an open house on both saturday the 17th and sunday the 18th from 1pm - 6pm. show up whenever you can. if you manage to make your pattern on saturday, and want to start constructing on sunday, my machine is available on a first come, first serve basis. if this isn't a total disaster, i'll be happy to run one later for those who can't make this one. for the workshop, all you'll need is your bad self and an unpadded bra that fits you well (don't worry, we won't cut up your bra or anything). later on you'll need...
* fabric for outer layer
* fabric for lining
* interfacing (black or white, whichever matches your fabrics better)
you'll need about 1 yard of each. for the outer layer stick to materials that aren't super stretchy. thicker is better. if you think you'll be messing up a lot, try not to go for a satiny finish, because that doesn't let you remove stitches without marring the material. for the lining, use 100% cotton.
* a busk
a busk is the front closure of a corset. it stiffens the front, as well as allows you to take off the corset without fully unlacing it. they are sold in full inch increments from 7"-17". to determine what length busk you'll need, decide whether you want an overbust or underbust corset. meschantes has some lovely pictures in their corset gallery. a typical underbust style is "temptress", and "victorian overbust" is a typical overbust. grab a measuring device. now imagine the corset you want to make on your body, and measure from the top center front of the corset to the bottom center front. subtract about an inch. this is the length busk you will need. a zipper could be used instead of a busk, if desired. just make sure you get the kind that unzips completely, like a coat zipper.
* boning
these are flat strips that stiffen the corset. they're available in plastic, spring steel, steel, and whalebone. for the purposes of this project, you'll want either 1/2" or 1/4" plastic boning. the other stuff is more expensive and harder to work with. the bigger you are, the more serious boning you'll need. to estimate yardage, reuse the center-front height measurement you took for the busk and multiply by 10.
addendum: turns out corsetmaking.com doesn't sell boning by the yard. if you're buying from them, just get a dozen bones that are as tall as the tallest part of your corset.
* trim
to bind the top and bottom edges of your corset. about 2 yards of pretty ribbon will do the trick. it should be at least 1/2" wide, but over 1" wide is overkill. avoid ribbons with wires or ribs. there's also a product called "bias tape" that you can get at most sewing stores. it's a long strip of folded fabric- this will work very nicely too. it just doesn't come in as many textures/colors as ribbons (1/4" to 1/2" width on bias tape).
*grommets
no worries there, i've got plenty for all
* lacing
you can use ribbon, shoe laces, leather thongs, or specialized corset lacing... whatever floats your boat. at the very least, you'll need 3 yards of the stuff.
disclaimer: yardage estimates for fabric and trim are based off my body. if you're significantly taller/shorter/wider/narrower than me, nudge your yardages in the appropriate direction.
i'm placing an order to corsetmaking.com in the next few days. if you want to combine orders with me to save on shipping, email me, or leave a comment with your order.
i'll be having an open house on both saturday the 17th and sunday the 18th from 1pm - 6pm. show up whenever you can. if you manage to make your pattern on saturday, and want to start constructing on sunday, my machine is available on a first come, first serve basis. if this isn't a total disaster, i'll be happy to run one later for those who can't make this one. for the workshop, all you'll need is your bad self and an unpadded bra that fits you well (don't worry, we won't cut up your bra or anything). later on you'll need...
* fabric for outer layer
* fabric for lining
* interfacing (black or white, whichever matches your fabrics better)
you'll need about 1 yard of each. for the outer layer stick to materials that aren't super stretchy. thicker is better. if you think you'll be messing up a lot, try not to go for a satiny finish, because that doesn't let you remove stitches without marring the material. for the lining, use 100% cotton.
* a busk
a busk is the front closure of a corset. it stiffens the front, as well as allows you to take off the corset without fully unlacing it. they are sold in full inch increments from 7"-17". to determine what length busk you'll need, decide whether you want an overbust or underbust corset. meschantes has some lovely pictures in their corset gallery. a typical underbust style is "temptress", and "victorian overbust" is a typical overbust. grab a measuring device. now imagine the corset you want to make on your body, and measure from the top center front of the corset to the bottom center front. subtract about an inch. this is the length busk you will need. a zipper could be used instead of a busk, if desired. just make sure you get the kind that unzips completely, like a coat zipper.
* boning
these are flat strips that stiffen the corset. they're available in plastic, spring steel, steel, and whalebone. for the purposes of this project, you'll want either 1/2" or 1/4" plastic boning. the other stuff is more expensive and harder to work with. the bigger you are, the more serious boning you'll need. to estimate yardage, reuse the center-front height measurement you took for the busk and multiply by 10.
addendum: turns out corsetmaking.com doesn't sell boning by the yard. if you're buying from them, just get a dozen bones that are as tall as the tallest part of your corset.
* trim
to bind the top and bottom edges of your corset. about 2 yards of pretty ribbon will do the trick. it should be at least 1/2" wide, but over 1" wide is overkill. avoid ribbons with wires or ribs. there's also a product called "bias tape" that you can get at most sewing stores. it's a long strip of folded fabric- this will work very nicely too. it just doesn't come in as many textures/colors as ribbons (1/4" to 1/2" width on bias tape).
*grommets
no worries there, i've got plenty for all
* lacing
you can use ribbon, shoe laces, leather thongs, or specialized corset lacing... whatever floats your boat. at the very least, you'll need 3 yards of the stuff.
disclaimer: yardage estimates for fabric and trim are based off my body. if you're significantly taller/shorter/wider/narrower than me, nudge your yardages in the appropriate direction.
i'm placing an order to corsetmaking.com in the next few days. if you want to combine orders with me to save on shipping, email me, or leave a comment with your order.