magiedescorsets' Friends

Hi,
I've been lurking/ occasionally commenting on this site for a long time, & the time has come when I want to try my first corset type thing.
I want to make a set of 18th century underwear.
So far I've found the simplicity 3635 pattern, & through the archive on this site, the butterick b4484 pattern.
Now although I want to use the underwear as actual underwear, I also want to wear it to club nights (of the burlesque/steampunk/glam variety). And although I like both patterns the paniers are not quite what I'm after. The simplicty one is too long, but is it possible to adapt? & the butterick one doesn't seem to meet in the middle, which would make it difficult to wear without something over it.

I wondered if you could help me, are there other patterns out there I have missed?
I know some of the wonderful people on this community have made sets of 18th century underware before, & stupidly at the time I didn't bookmark them. If you have, would you mind telling me which pattern you used & linking me to pictures?

Thank you very much for your help,
Laura :-)

Current Mood: curious

To Refurbish or To Redo...That is the Question.
I made a corset about a year ago. I thought it was the berries back then. However, now I find my taste has changed and I have learned a great deal. The corset is a bit "tubular", a bit long, and I might like to make the top curvier.

My dilemma is: should I take the corset I have already sewn and take it apart, cut down the waist, cut off the bottom and sew it back up, or, should I just start over again and use the hardware from the original one.

I don't know why I am obsessing about this. I think it has more to do with getting rid of something I made than it does actually seeing the practical advantage in one or the other course of action. What do you think?

( Before and after picture here, I hope. )

Current Mood: determined
Current Music: tuba tarantellas

Purple corset & black lace

After my first corset, I experienced different techniques on a pinstripe underbust, and then went on for the Truly Victorian overbust pattern.

Actually, a couple of years ago, I saw a beautiful corset on the internet, but I never found the homepage again.

Fortunately, I had saved the picture, and decided to make my own one…

The original corset:

( Details and pics )

Thank you for looking....

Current Mood: happy

Eye candy
My latest corset commission is finished! It's red dupioni and white coutil with white silk flossing, with black dupioni covered external boning casings (spiral steels), a black waist tape, binding and ribbon trim (darted to shape it to the bust), a ribbon bow at the front, silver 12" busk, black matte 00 grommets, extra long laces, and modesty plackets behind the busk and grommets.

This was the first time I did decorative flossing and I just love the effect. I think I'll have to do this on all of my corsets from now on... Comments anyone?

Have a look-see!

View more pictures here:
http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/lizcostumes/?action=view¤t=gail2.jpg
http://angelafriedman.com/portfolio-corsetry.shtml

As a side note, I will be taking on commissions between June 27 and September 18. If you're interested, please comment or email me privately at info@angelafriedman.com.

Mantua Maker pattern - Late Victorian - What do YOU think?
Greetings, fellow corsetmakers!!

How are you all doing?? Busy making beautiful garments, I hope!!

The other day the beautiful

delirium71 posted a corset which she produced using the Mantua Maker pattern. The late Victorian one. I bought this pattern eons ago, and I was never sure whether I liked it, or if I hated it. She did an awesome job on that corset - so much so that I dug my pattern out and had a closer look at it.

It's a great shape for those who are not into a big waist reduction.
It's a historically accurate shape for that era (long torso).
It's great for people who are built like me - like a stringbean.
It does have a great shape around the bust. I had a mastectomy several years ago, yet I found this shape to be quite comfortable while wearing a fake boobie :P

I would love to hear feedback from all of you who have used this pattern. What did you like about it? What did you not like??

*mwhah*
Tanya

How many bones? And how long?

Hi to all the great corsetmakers outthere, I am going to make a corset for myself it will be a а streight fromted 1901 from corset and crinolenes, I live quite far and before I tried to make a corset with plastik bones and zipper but this time I want to make it right with busk and steel bones the lenth of a corset is going to be 14" so I guess I shoud order 13" busk? but how to know that length of the bones I need? I want to order a precut ones so I will not have to cut and tip them myself but in this corset there are bones that run diagonally ( on the back ) and they are short ( not the length of a corset) , so your suggestion regarding bone lenght will be greatly appreciated...

and one more question what kind of bones - busk is appropriate for this corset? I was thinking between spoon busk or wide busk ( to keep it perfectly streight ) but I never saw any of these two wouldn't it be very ( too ) rigid?
as for the bones spring? or white steel? 1/4 or 1/2 ? I have read here that 1/4 can be very flimsy an dI don't want to wait so long just to find out they are softer than my black plastic boning....
also I have read here that quality of all steel parts depends on the supplier...
so many questions!

Current Mood: confused

The Farthingale's Instruction DVD
I heard from a very reliable source that Farthingale's was going to do a DVD about putting a corset together. I have not seen it talked about or offered for sale. Anyone know about this, if it's going to happen, when?

Current Mood: giddy
Current Music: Frightfully Grand Music

toile waist cincher
This past weekend I attended a wasit cincher workshop at Farthingales and here is the result.

Now I know how flatlining works! This is cotton toile flatlined with one layer of coutil. Spiral bones on the seams with interior bone casings (I feel like I graduated using spiral bones instead of plastic.) and I gave myself the challenge of matching the pattern on the front. This pic is not the best, just a quick snap from a cell phone, but it's does the job. I learned so much! I have to say I love this method of construction. I've seen the future and it is single layer flatlined.

Osborne press
I got mine today! I am soooo happy!!! The 0 size die has a problem, but I am sure it will be replaced immediately!

So, how do you get your grommets all in a line? Anyone want to share tips and tricks?

Do you punch holes first then set grommet? or do it all in one? how do you lay the washer in, smooth side up or down?

I really need to learn how o use this thing. I also need it mounted.

Current Mood: excited

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Underbust Sizing quesiton
I have a simple sizing question. I have checked the memories.

I am making the LM Ladies Underbust corset. I am hoping for a fairly curvey finished shape and am going for a two inch waist reduction. I would like the finished corset to have a two inch gap in back.

I have not made the mock up yet, I am struggeling with where to start. My question is, if I size it for a two inch waist reduction, how should I size the hips and underbust? Should I use my natural measurments or size up for things getting squished out?

My measurements are 32" underbust, 30" waist, 39" hip.

Thank you so much for any direction.

Bone casing
Ok, here's a noob question if ever I heard one, but I have been reading the memories for the past hour and have still not worked it out! So I do apologise in advance if it's in a really obvious place and I just missed it ;)

When using bone casing - either external or internal - do you sew it on after sewing your corset pieces together? Or do you sew the casing onto the pieces and then sew them together? In the first case the stitching would go through all your layers. This is good, right?

Again, sorry if this seems really obvious - it's so late and my brain is frazzled!

I apologize for making another sewing machine thread...
A friend of mine just offered me a Singer Scholastic 6704 left over at an elementary school he purchased. Does anyone know anything about it? Metal chassis/gears? Has anyone worked with it?

Photos:

http://www.ranum.com/tmp/sewingmachine-1.jpg

http://www.ranum.com/tmp/sewingmachine-2.jpg

It appears to be missing the, err, floor cover?

Thank you so much!

Corset Movies
I figure you guys are like me and like to watch movies/films with corsets in them. I have been in the mood lately for some corset flicks but unfortunately don’t know any more than the ones I already have. I thought it would be fun if we could do a “corset movie” list, or if one already exists, then please, someone direct me to it.

On my list I have:

Phantom of the Opera (The newer movie)
Underworld (Vampire/Werewolves with Kate Beckinsale)
Corpse Bride (Tim Burton cartoon movie)
The Piano (Can’t seem to find my copy so I can’t tell you the actress.)

Current Mood: happy

Selling my Custom Corset Patterns Again
http://community.livejournal.com/corsetry/1578764.html

thought I would post a link that may be of interest to some of you, I am offering my services drafting custom corset patterns again. Please see link for details, thank you.

Just a quick question for those UK based corset makers...

Has anyone else noticed that deivine has stopped trading corset supplies??

Current Mood: curious

About Garters/Suspenders

First off, a bit of history :
The attached suspender becomes part of the corset around 1902. The "strait front" style of corset had been all the rage for a couple of years. The posture and corset style fashionable is quickly evolving into the beautifully complex Edwardian "S-curve" corsets (with features such as the "Princess hip" to help the wearer achieve a "Juno Bust" and "Marie Antionette dip" ...fascinating stuff really). Corsets are lowering to eventually being worn below the bust. The fashionable Edwardian slimmer look with skirts cut less full at the hip than just a few years earlier, the newly admired look of a flatter belly combined with the desired posture requires the suspenders to hold the corset down and in place.

Images of early suspenders a lady can buy to attach to or wear with her corset. All circa about 1899-1904:

Most of the early sets were sold as pairs, each of which split into two. They often had variations of safety pins at the top or hooked directly onto the bottom-most clasp of the busk. Women soon started sewing the suspenders directly onto their corsets and the manufacturers started making the garters a standard feature. Garter grips (clasps) were much larger than the tiny ones we use today. They were most often between 1" - 1.5" wide.

( Time for a cut, I fear this post may get long....... )

Beautiful late 1890s corset on e-Bay
It's a beauty and the seller shows large beautiful photos for us to study:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150246069100&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=005

I will not be bidding this time. I wish I could.

(crossposted a bit because I think everyone will want to see it.)

Current Mood: awake

2 Layers & boning channels
Hi everyone,

I am planning a two layer corset for use under Victorian dresses and I am not sure how to handle the boning channels. Usually I use the 'volutelady seam method' and three layers (fashion layer/coutil/lining), with the fashion layer and coutil flatlined together via channels into which I then slip the bones.

I am wondering how this works with only two layers of coutil. Technically I can still use my preferred seaming method, but this means I can't pre-sew the channels. It seems very difficult to sew the seams, line up the edges and then sew channels into pieces which are all wrinkly and curvy. Ditto attaching separate boning channels after the fact. Any suggestions on the best way to handle this? Or should I just have another third lining layer for simplicity's sake?

And just so that this isn't a post all full of words, here is the last corset I made. First time I have ever drafted anything for myself! I used the pattern from yourwardrobeunlockd.com and I am really pleased with how it turned out. One layer of dupioni silk, one of coutil and a cotton lining, 24 spiral and steel bones and a wide busk. I know it is a small photo, but I made a little rosette for the top of the busk and matching rosettes for my hair.

Summer Corset Coming Along....
I've been working on a Summer Corset. It's not done yet, but I thought I'd show you all my progress...

( Lots of Pictures )

Picture Meaning:
1. I am using L.M. #100
2. I drew out the pattern on butcher paper, and altered it flat to my measurements.
3. I'm using Aida Cloth... not very "meshy" but I'm using this go round as a "workable test" I've found some other needle point cloth that is considerably more "meshy"... so working out the kinks... :D
4. I'm using 1.25 inch twill tape on ironed open seams to reenforce the seams...
5. I'm using flat steels as boning in the front and back, and spirals on the sides.
6. I used a spoon busk, that was too short... I laced it up with some pretty ribbon to make the busk long enough.

Things I will change... either now or later on next time through...
1. I will either change the 2 bones in the center front between busk gores with spirals instead of flats... or alter the busk gore pattern...
2. change how I run the bones down the front... the way that it is going looks like butt, I mean, unattractive.
3. The back is too high... I need to bring down the top edge, it's hitting my shoulder blade, and it's annoying.
4. Oh and I spilled freaking coke on it. meh.

building a dress.

Hi all. I am desperately seeking a modifiable base pattern for a bodice like this. I'm actually going to change it so it has off the shoulder straps instead of a halter strap. Anyone ever come across a pattern like this? Any help/advice/suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!

Current Mood: artistic

Finished my cincher!
It's quite comfortable to wear, even though there are some big, ugly booboos that I made. o_O; These are pretty crummy quality cell phone pics, my computer crapped out and I haven't been able to get the new OS reinstalled yet, so all the GOOD pics on my real camera are trapped for the moment.

( Here's where you're supposed to ignore my ugly seams... )

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