Damnit

[alliette_d]

I sewed lacing strip onto my kirtle bodice (the lacing strip being just eye tape from hook and eye tape). Laced up the bodice and GAAAAHH! It fits very nicely, but the front edge puckers up like so:

Comments

[montjoye]

The best way I know to stop that effect is to put the 'rings' very close to the edge. In fact, they need to be secured as close to the edge as possible.

If the style permits, the other option is to have the lacing strip set back on the inside and then a secondary closure on the outside at or over the edge- sewn in on wearing, bows, hooks etc.

[alliette_d]

Mmm, but when I do that it tends to pull the fabric with the rings and so the rings stick out beyond the edge of the bodice and the edges of the bodice don't close completely. :-(
Which looks fine for (I think) 15th century styles and the Flemish styles, but I haven't seen it in the French ones. And a fair few of them are front closing with the closures being invisible - so either hook and eye or inside lacing. But I can't figure out how they do it without it sticking out or the closures showing :-(

I've inserted a thinner bone and it works better, but still sticks up. Damn.

[alliette_d]

Yay, problem solved. Put in thinner bone (narrower than the lacing tape) stitch the lacing tape on both sides of the bone, through all fabric layers.
Voila - a flat front with hidden lacing.
Not my idea, I got rescued via fb chat by a very clever person.